Rivera to media.. "Only concern around here about our WRs is from you guys."

[Khaki Lackey]

Funchess and Norwood are going to surprise people this year. It will take a few weeks for them to learn and emerge, but it will happen. Mark it.

[Cary Kollins]

Obviously

 

Smokescreen 

[Seltzer]

I read multiple articles at the end of last year bashing the Panthers offense for having route combinations that we easy to defend b/c we had no speed at receiver.  We do have that with Philly & Ginn.

A lot of KB's catches were contested last year.  No doubt not having KB in the red zone is as big a blow to the offense as we could have, but I don't know that it is a deathblow to the offense between the 20's.

Shula is going to have to be more creative in the red zone, and our running game is going to have to move people off the ball to be successful.  The modern NFL is designed with rules favoring the offense so much that is almost impossible not to have some success moving the ball in between the 20's.

The biggest difference in the good teams and the bad teams really comes down to what offense can get the ball in the endzone, and conversely, which teams on defense can limit the redzone trips to a FG.

Since 2002, the margin of victory/defeat is less than 9 points over 50% of the time, less than 6 points over 36% of the time, and less than 3 points 22.5% of the time.  

http://www.sportingcharts.com/articles/nfl/what-is-the-most-common-margin-of-victory-in-the-nfl.aspx

So much gets made of good teams and bad teams, but according to coaches, players, and GM's (and the statistics back it up), most games truly do come down to a hand full of plays being the difference.

I distinctly remember Marty Hurney referencing this in an interview when he was fired.  The difference in the Panthers of the last 2 years versus 2011-2012 is that when it has really mattered, they have made the plays they needed to.

The QB position is so much more valued than any other position b/c they are the ones who can most control those handful of plays that win & lose games.

Even the most dominant WR's rarely have that kind of impact on the game on a consistent basis.  Point is, a healthy Cam Newton without KB is still better than a banged up Cam with him.

[Zaximus]

As bad as our WRs are, the offensive coordinator is 10 time worse.  Sadly that combination is a bad one.  

[ItsPantone278]

Man.. This one week seems long than the whole rest of the off season.  We can't read much of anything beyond blah blah Ginn and Brown suck blah blah..  We just need those guys to get open and catch the ball.  Maybe Im crazy but it seems more likely than just a possibility.  Sure Brown had a terrible preseason but I'm still willing to believe in the guy if the coaches are.  This year will be all about Cam.  I believe he will elevate the play of those around him.  But he had to be amazing to reach the goal even before we lost KB.  Thats why he gets 100M

Or I guess even after the extension DG still hates Cam and wants him to fail..

[Ivan The Awesome]

You know the great part about Rivera? He corrects his mistakes. 

[Daddy_Uncle]

Maybe I'm crazy but I don't think our WR situation is "crap" I beleive we have very capable guys that can produce good numbers for us

[Pimpdaddy]

two gazelles left and right opens Olsen all day long.. or for a wrinkle dump it off to stew...or the threat of Cam taking off with some room... Gasing the DB's could pay off later in the game for Norwell and Cotch..we have options. Not like we are going to roll over dead cause Benji isnt on the field... it comes down to Shulong....

[CRA]

You know the great part about Rivera? He corrects his mistakes. 

that one is debatable.

sometimes he stubbornly refuses week after week after week.....then life in the NFL sidelines his mistake and the correct option is forced into the lineup 

[CRA]

He can say whatever he wants as long as they have a game plan to feature the run game and tightends. That is this teams saving grace with the WR corp they have.We will see if Shula will or will not be a bone head when preparing a game plan

 

and if our starting OL can't run block? They were pretty one dimensional this preseason. 

[frash.exe]

Hey Ron aren't you concerned about our WRs?

Ron: well personally I think our WRs look like what you get when you feed your horses leftover Benihana's that you forgot to put in the fridge for two days but w/e

[chknwing]

LMFAO. what is he suppose to say, "well yeah I'm gonna field a team of useless WR's this season and we'll see how it all shakes out."

you people kill me.

[L-TownCat]

If our receivers run good routes, get open, Cam makes an accurate throw and the ball is caught, our receiving group is fine.

thanks captain obvious. 

Captain Obvious is a good dude.  Real chill.  You should try hangin out with him at the tailgate sometime.

[Ivan The Awesome]

that one is debatable.

sometimes he stubbornly refuses week after week after week.....then life in the NFL sidelines his mistake and the correct option is forced into the lineup 

He's cut several guys that didn't work out, benched them too. It's give and take.