This Team Is Ahead of Schedule: Remember That

[fieryprophet]

Before this season began, and even with a healthy Benjamin, I was convinced the Panthers were still a year away from contention. The shaky offensive line, the lack of weapons around Newton, and the holes in the secondary were all evident and many Panthers fans were resigned to playing second fiddle to the Seahawks and Patriots of the world.

But a funny thing happened as the season progressed: Cam's growth lifted the entire offense, with the threat of him running helping to alleviate his offense line. The defense was its typical steady self and Norman gave it the shutdown corner they were missing. A young, cocky, confident team beat the bullies of the past and stormed to the Super Bowl easily. Too easily. When the only pass rush ferocious enough in the league to shut down the offense was encountered in the pressure cooker of the Super Bowl, miscues abounded and a young team lost its bearings and overall the game.

Losing hurts, but it can be a springboard for a better team, one in prime position to fill in its holes, refocus its efforts and with a singleminded rage embark on a campaign of vengeance against the rest of the league. We have a full draft and salary cap space, we regain our best wide receiver, our rookies contributed and grew, our quarterbacks on both side of the ball are signed long term, and there is still room to grow at every level. There is no guarantee for the future but the window is opening, not closing, and a team that arrived ahead of schedule is in prime position to stay a long time. We have won the division three years in a row, we have young players ready to ascend into places of weakness, and we have continuity across our staff on both sides of the ball. Yes, this loss hurts, but every season since 2013 we've taken a step forward, from making the playoffs, to winning a playoff game, to making it to the Super Bowl. Only one step left :)

Keep Pounding.

[TheCandyMan]

Thanks for this and I agree.  I let the number in the W column cloud my memory this year, but I had the exact same thoughts as you before the season.

[Mr. Scot]

Three straight division titles, top seed in the playoffs, made it to the Super Bowl, injured guys coming back and an offseason to improve...

No reason to be anything but optimistic

[gorillamilitia13]

you might be right but who cares we were there, almost had it and couldn't finish. we might be a better team next year but we might not be in the superbowl. i fuging love this team though. we're blessed to at least have a qb like cam. 

[Fright]

Unless we play Brady in his last game, then the league will be sure we lose again. Money talks in every sport.

[tondi]

How optimistic can you be if we can't beat a QB who poses no threat whatsoever?  How often does a team get to play a QB in the SB who is horrible and yet still manages to lose?  Sure we may win some games next year but the SB is never a guarantee and as someone who grew up a Miami Dolphin fan and thought Marino would get more opportunities after his SB loss, I can assure you that Cam ever making it back to the SB isn't a guarantee by any stretch which makes pissing away a possible victory even more painful.

We could go 12-4 every year for the next decade and never make another SB.

[The Huddler]

I love me some fireryprophet

 

 

[Goondal]

Four years ago I said we would win Super Bowl LI so perhaps we are right on schedule?

Remmers and Cotchery can get the fug out though.

[NanuqoftheNorth]

We are a year ahead of schedule.

Getting back won't be easy, it never is, but the Panthers have a young core of players and will have more cap space and draft picks to address the weak areas.

The future is promising.

 

[stankowalski]

OMG a thread that doesn't advocate burning the joint down!  Imagine that.

[Mr. Scot]

We've been overachieving for a while now.

I'll take that over the alternative any time.

[fieryprophet]

5 minutes ago, tondi said:

How optimistic can you be if we can't beat a QB who poses no threat whatsoever?  How often does a team get to play a QB in the SB who is horrible and yet still manages to lose?  Sure we may win some games next year but the SB is never a guarantee and as someone who grew up a Miami Dolphin fan and thought Marino would get more opportunities after his SB loss, I can assure you that Cam ever making it back to the SB isn't a guarantee by any stretch which makes pissing away a possible victory even more painful.

We could go 12-4 every year for the next decade and never make another SB.

Because that QB isn't why we lost. If we hadn't blown our own feet off repeatedly this game wouldn't have been close, and that's before accounting for facing a once in a decade defense (which this Denver squad will eventually be remembered as.)

[Gin and Juice]

It's still easy to spot an original over the massive bandwagon crowd! You are right prophet, it's a good time to be a panther fan! Should be awhile before we experience another 2010

[Mr. Scot]

1 minute ago, fieryprophet said:

Because that QB isn't why we lost. If we hadn't blown our own feet off repeatedly this game wouldn't have been close, and that's before accounting for facing a once in a decade defense (which this Denver squad will eventually be remembered as.)

Think 2000 Ravens.

Manning is obviously a better quarterback than Trent Dilfer could even imagine being, but his body was failing him.  His defense carried the game and won him a championship.