No excuses.

[Snake]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I'd be fine too if we won every game 13-10, but it's just not realistic. There are going to be games when our defense isn't pitching a shutout. We haven't faced a real quality offense yet. We're not going to hold every team in the NFL to single digits like we have the Niners and Bills. If you want to be an elite team, you gotta be able to win all types of games. Defensive slugfests, offensive shootouts, and everything in between. So far, it looks like the only type of game we can win is a defensive slugfest. 

Definitely hope we can get our offense on track, but Cam's rustiness and this OL's ineptness is definitely concerning. The latter far more than the former IMO. I think we all expected Cam to be rusty early, but the way this OL played last Sunday is a recipe for disaster. It looked like last season all over again. They HAVE to play better.

You can't discount McD knowing our team. That defense was schemed well and I don't think anyone will argue that Shula sucks at adjusting. He should have gone 4 years ago. 

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, Snake said:

You can't discount McD knowing our team. That defense was schemed well and I don't think anyone will argue that Shula sucks at adjusting. He should have gone 4 years ago. 

Meh, we moved the ball very well in the 1st half. Those yards didn't translate to the scoreboard, but we were moving the ball. McD came out after halftime and absolutely stifled us. Which isn't surprising because like you hinted at, Shula is virtually incapable of making in-game adjustments.

[mcdougal]

3 minutes ago, Snake said:

The Panthers are built to score 40. Shula on the other hand is never going to do that. We could have easily put up 35 on the 49ers and should have. Chud showed us Rivera would allow such a offense but Shula will never be able to do that 

I am sorry but no. If that were the case the Panthers would have tried much, much harder to fix the OL. And this was the first offseason in Newton/Ron's 7th year that the Panthers acted like the offense wasn't the ugly, red-headed stepchild--if the Panthers wanted to be able to go into places and confidently hang 30 points on anyone...the Panthers SHOULD have been investing more on that side of the ball instead of going defense, defense, defense year after year. 

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, Cover2 said:

So pretty much we have to score a lot early since shula will not adjust to the defense were up against.

Yeah, basically. Every team with legit DC is gonna have Shula pegged by halftime. If that DC has the pieces to implement his plan, we're probably gonna be stifled.

[pantherclaw]

I'll be disappointed if we don't score at least 50. 

No excuses.

[ForJimmy]

On a side note the Niners offense just put up 39 points on a very good Rams defense. The same offense we held to 3 points... Our defense is elite and our offense will get in sync soon. Then we get to see that owl and find out how superb he is!!!

[Snake]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Meh, we moved the ball very well in the 1st half. Those yards didn't translate to the scoreboard, but we were moving the ball. McD came out after halftime and absolutely stifled us. Which isn't surprising because like you hinted at, Shula is virtually incapable of making in-game adjustments.

I honestly could live with a good OC that adjusted well. But Shula is absolutely horrible at it. Like I honestly feel he has the most talent of any OC in Panthers history and can't even be serviceable. 

[Snake]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Yeah, basically. Every team with legit DC is gonna have Shula pegged by halftime. If that DC has the pieces to implement his plan, we're probably gonna be stifled.

Unless Cam can get back to MVP status it's going to be rough. Shulas game plans always seem forced and is why they fail. 

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, mcdougal said:

I am sorry but no. If that were the case the Panthers would have tried much, much harder to fix the OL. And this was the first offseason in Newton/Ron's 7th year that the Panthers acted like the offense wasn't the ugly, red-headed stepchild--if the Panthers wanted to be able to go into places and confidently hang 30 points on anyone...the Panthers SHOULD have been investing more on that side of the ball instead of going defense, defense, defense year after year. 

We signed a LT to a $55M contract and drafted another OT in the 2nd round. That's trying pretty damn hard. I think we signed the wrong veteran OT (should've been Whitworth) but effort was clearly made.

The bottom line is that our OL is going to continually struggle as long as A) Shula wants to draw up plays with limited checkdown options and B) Cam wants to focus on pushing the ball downfield (likely because he's so accustomed to A at this point).

Shula should've been replaced. Gettleman's post-draft presser where he expressed frustration about Shula's "evolution" or rather lack there of told me that Gettleman likely had some conversations with Rivera regarding that position but Ron stuck with his guy. If we aren't playoff bound this year and our offense continues to struggle, Rivera should be shown the door. He made his bed with Shula and he should have to lie in it. If we do go to the playoffs and our offense continues to struggle, the GM (Hurney or otherwise) should put an ultimatum on Ron. There's gonna be a change at OC. If he doesn't want to make it, then there will be a change at HC as well. Sometimes you can't just lead that horse to water, you have to smash his face into it too.

[LinvilleGorge]

6 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

On a side note the Niners offense just put up 39 points on a very good Rams defense. 

That Rams defense isn't very good. They gave up 27 points and 385 yards last week to the Redskins. Yeah, they looked dominant against a Luck-less Colts, but that was against a Luck-less Colts. That's like facing a Cam-less Panthers.

[LinvilleGorge]

6 minutes ago, Snake said:

I honestly could live with a good OC that adjusted well. But Shula is absolutely horrible at it. Like I honestly feel he has the most talent of any OC in Panthers history and can't even be serviceable. 

It's frustrating because I actually think Shula is pretty decent at coming up with an initial game plan. He just absolutely sucks at countering the inevitable adjustments opponents make during the course of the game.

[LinvilleGorge]

5 minutes ago, Snake said:

Unless Cam can get back to MVP status it's going to be rough. Shulas game plans always seem forced and is why they fail. 

I just don't see any chance of that unless the OL plays a lot better than they did last week. Are we really THAT reliant on Ryan Kalil? I'm hoping we aren't because at this stage in his career he's just plain injury prone. There's no way around it. Really hoping a lot of those struggles were due to a last minute change at center. That's a big deal considering he's the guy making all the protection calls.

[PhillyB]

I agree in principle but Olsen being gone is a fairly decent excuse 

[Hoenheim]

Brees is probably pissed and fed up with already having 2 strait losses and he's probably going to come out guns blazing. Not saying we'll lose but I bet the defense isn't going to look anywhere near as great. Brees always seems to know how to shred us through the middle of the field . I expect the Saints to at least score 20 ish points , we won't win this game without touchdowns.