Is this the biggest game of the past couple of seasons?

[NanuqoftheNorth]

11 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

See, I'm not sure I buy either of those scenarios.

If you go back to 2003, we were riding high until we played the Titans in Week Five. We looked like refried ass in that game and people took the loss to mean that we had been exposed and the honeymoon with Jake Delhomme was over.

Neither of those things was true, but if we had believed it and made changes accordingly, it would have been a huge mistake.

Win or lose, I don't want to see us make too much of this game.

Panthers have a chance to demonstrate they are among the contenders this Sunday.  That doesn't preclude the possibility of laying an egg in SF and redeeming themselves later this season.  Panthers just won't be considered one of the better teams on Monday.

[Mr. Scot]

3 minutes ago, NanuqoftheNorth said:

Panthers have a chance to demonstrate they are among the contenders this Sunday.  That doesn't preclude the possibility of laying an egg in SF and redeeming themselves later this season.  Panthers just won't be considered one of the better teams on Monday.

Fair enough.

One of my complaints with a lot of fans as they like to take the results of a single game and change their entire worldview because of it.

There are times when you learn things from a single game, but you have to be discerning.

[ickmule]

Every week is big.  If this team loses 3 more games it could be outside looking in for the playoffs.  

[sml1950]

This could be the seminal game for RR “making his bones “ with Tepper for his future with the Panthers.  Underdog, on the road, facing an undefeated team and the possibility of falling another game behind in the division.  His defense against a young former division OC and on offense  a backup QB facing an aggressive shutdown D.  How will he manage the game, not to lose or all out to win.  Close to the vest or wide open.  Punching or counter punching. Forcing the issue or waiting for mistakes.  This is the game that should be the culmination of RR coaching experience and knowledge.  Win or lose, I think that after the game, Tepper will know whether he has his coach or not.

[Diehardpanther02]

At this point the cliche saying the next game is the biggest is true for us right now. Getting the wildcard may be tough this year with the NFC all over the place. We need to go on a run here if we expect to not have to battle for the last two spots.

[mc52beast]

As far as hype is concerned I would say yes. We have a qb who nobody really thought much of going unbeaten thru his first five games, we have the former MVP traveling with the team and we’re playing a team that virtually nobody thinks we can beat 

[TheSpecialJuan]

On 10/25/2019 at 4:09 AM, Ivan The Awesome said:

This has the 2015 Seattle game vibe. No one expects us to win. 

sure does. 

[TheSpecialJuan]

[Iron Saint]

I’m definitely intrigued about this game and I don’t even have a dog in this fight. I think it’ll reveal a lot of stuff about both teams.

I’m a bit disappointed I won’t be able to watch the whole thing though, I’ll be on the hour and a half drive back home from the Superdome so by the time I get home, the game will be into the 3rd quarter.

[KB_fan]

16 hours ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

Thanks for posting this. I'd meant to post it yesterday.

For any who aren't used to these playoff leverage charts, Panthers playoff probability drops to 26% with a loss.  Jumps to 50% with a win. Thus a 24% swing. (We're currently around 37% - not shown).

[GoPanthers123]

With that chart, those teams will play each other and us as well.  We take care of business and we are in.

[Happy Panther]

Lets say we do this against the "easy" teams.

WAS - W

ATL - W

ATL - L

TEN - W

I know we should sweep ATL but they always take one against us. And TEN can be MIA one week and NE the next. Whatever I would be overjoyed.

So we would need 3 wins against:

SFO

GB

NO

SEA

IND

NO

Amazingly five of those games involve teams in the playoffs on the NFC side. Every one is huge.