Yahoo's Shutdown Corner thinks we're the weak link of the 2-0 teams

[top dawg]

Even with our defense, Yahoo Sports' Shutdown Corner is not putting too much stock in the Panthers' postseason viability. A lot of it seems to hinge upon our lack of offense and being in the offense-heavy NFCS. 

 

 

Anthony Sulla-Heffinger:
"As our colleague Charles Robinson wrote earlier this week, Carolina needs to find a way to protect Cam Newton. Considering how porous the offensive line looked against the Bills, there should be legitimate concern that we won’t see a fully healthy Newton all season, which means we’re one hit away from Derek Anderson and all hope going down the drain. In addition to the Newton issue and despite giving up just six points in two games, I’m not entirely sold on the defense being able to carry this team while Christian McCaffrey has struggled early in his NFL career. Combine all of that with a strong NFC South and I’m not sure Carolina gets in come January."

 

Jay Busbee:
"...That leaves the Lions, Panthers, and Ravens...All have glaring weaknesses, but if I had to pick, and I guess I do, I’ll say that the Lions will still be in the playoff hunt and the Panthers and Ravens will fade."

 

Zach Pereles:
"The Panthers have given up just six points this year. That’s the good. But the 2015 NFC champs won’t be around come the postseason. Cam Newton just hasn’t looked like the guy he was two years ago, and his favorite target, tight end Greg Olsen, just broke his foot. This is a playoff-caliber defense, but in a division with the Falcons, Buccaneers and Saints, you have to have a playoff-caliber offense to hang around, and the Panthers don’t have that. We’ll learn a lot in the next three weeks with Carolina hosting New Orleans and then heading to New England and Detroit for back-to-back challenging road trips."

Blake Schuster:
This is still a league where you’re only as good as your quarterback, and your quarterback can’t be truly great without a strong offensive line. This should make Carolina Panthers fans a bit reserved even with a 2-0 start. Watching Cam Newton get beat up by the Bills last week was gruesome from every perspective. And if that’s what Buffalo can do to the Panthers’ line, imagine what’ll happen they face the Falcons. No one wants to think about Newton getting injured, but having Derek Anderson or Brad Kaaya playing in the former MVP’s place isn’t too comforting a thought, either. Add in the loss of Greg Olsen for the year and you get a decent uphill battle for a team only two years removed from the Super Bowl. Life comes at you fast in the NFL. 

https://sports.yahoo.com/2-0-team-wont-make-playoffs-plus-ezekiel-elliott-give-191000111.html?src=rss

 

 

Although I am skeptical of the way our offense has made an accounting of itself the first couple of weeks, I still have to believe that the light switch will turn on, and that these chumps are just selling us short. Beating the increasingly hapless Saints who are but ghosts still trying to exist upon the offensive excellence of a few years ago will go a long way in the minds of many to conclude that we are for real. Beating the Patriots would give the Shutdown Corner reason to shut this poo down for good.

Perhaps I am just being homerish and living within a delusion, but defense still wins championships, and the thought of the historically bungling Lions, the historically bad Saints defense that finds new ways to hit the clay---hell, the lava below the rock bottom, and the yearly cycle of promising Buccaneers that always fall short, outplaying us with Cam and company (even sans Olsen) is a stretch. And, to top it all off, we very well could end up with the best defense in the league for those pretenders, and the rest of the league to contend with, so I almost think that it's somewhat disrespectful. Almost!

Rivera better not let Shula drive us into a ditch. We are just too talented on the offensive side of the ball, even without 88. I just don't believe our offensive weapons are that bad, but I do believe our defense may be that good. Tr o not make the dance is pretty much inexcusable (even if we are compelled to try Silatolu or Moton at LT if Kalil can't cut the mustard). I'm not accepting excuses! Playoffs, or bust (some damned heads)!

[Dex]

everyone does lol

[Jesse]

This week will really define our season. If our offense can't put points on the board vs. the 32nd ranked defense then we'll be in for a long season. That being said, even when we beat a big name team, we won't get the recognition. Remember 2015's "Worst x-0 team ever"?

[TheSpecialJuan]

So we are the worst 2-0 team in the league huh. Weren't we called the worst 15-1 team in NFL history too?  I'll take it

[Vampire the buffet slayer]

[beastson]

If we struggle against the Saints scoring points at home, I wonder how many we're 3-0 posters we'll see.

[OneBadCat]

Well they can eat poo and die

[Nails]

11 minutes ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

So we are the worst 2-0 team in the league huh. Weren't we called the worst 15-1 team in NFL history too?  I'll take it

That was indeed the narrative ALL season long.  We're still the only team in the last 10 years and one of the very few ever to win 17.

[uncfan888]

I've never cared what the media pundits had to say before... Won't start now

[ecu88]

20 minutes ago, beastson said:

If we struggle against the Saints scoring points at home, I wonder how many we're 3-0 posters we'll see.

A victory is a victory no matter how you win and stats should be an after thought at that point. Stats are just added bragging points.

[AggieLean]

25 minutes ago, beastson said:

If we struggle against the Saints scoring points at home, I wonder how many we're 3-0 posters we'll see.

I'll be one of em. 3-0 is 3-0...

[TheSpecialJuan]

I can see it all now, were going to struggle in beating the Saints Sunday on our way to 3-0. The "experts" will say we're not for real and will have no chance vs Patriots. We beat the Patriots

[Eazy-E]

Just reading the excerpts you posted can anyone really disagree with them? They basically said if Cam doesn't get protection and doesn't get healthy our defense regardless of how good it is, won't be able to carry the team to the post-season. 

[uncfan888]

6 minutes ago, Eazy-E said:

Just reading the excerpts you posted can anyone really disagree with them? They basically said if Cam doesn't get protection and doesn't get healthy our defense regardless of how good it is, won't be able to carry the team to the post-season. 

The funny thing is that they'll slob all over the Seahawks even though their defense may be a tiny bit better but their offensive line is worse