So much for Kuechly being done or over the hill: he's once again PFF's top graded LB this season

[Anybodyhome]

Whoever thought going to this hybrid 3-4 was going to help #59 should get his ass kicked. The defensive scheme of the Panthers was changed for reasons unknown and it made Luke less effective. Why would anyone consciously create a means to ensure their best defensive player is less effective?

Did the Panthers draft some guys like they normally do- BPA, and then decide the only way they could use them was in the form of some 3-4? Sounds about right, I think.  

[MHS831]

Asked the man to convert to a 3-4.  Nuff said.

[run-run-pass-punt]

Drop a diamond into a turd pool and it's still shiny, but hard to see.

[top dawg]

Well, I'm.not surprised. I watched the games---and more than the Panthers'. Luke is a beast---the best there ever was, and he still is. 

[Sam Mills Fan]

By the way, thanks to our idiot fans that talked him down this season, he's not even in the top 5 at his position in fan voting for the Pro Bowl. Hope you morons are happy.

[DeAngelo Beason]

3 hours ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Guys I’m a huge Luke fan and not generally a doom and gloom type, but I don’t care what PFF says, actually watching the games I don’t get the feeling he is having the impact he has had in the past. Hoping this is owing to correctable factors like bad line or poor fitting scheme, but that’s my 2 cents.

This is just flat out true.  He's not the same player.

[rippadonn]

He is the same Luke. Linebacker play will suffer without hog mollies like KK and Poe. He doesn't have Star up there eating up two blockers.

Luke is fine. Get better Jimmy's and Joe's. Luke and Cam are among my all time favorites. Both high character guys and elite athletes.

[JawnyBlaze]

4 hours ago, joeyxfresco said:

PFF sucks. Luke doesn’t. With that said Luke is having a bad year because he’s stretching himself to thin in a shitty scheme. 

Yea exactly this. PFF is trash. Luke is the best LB in a long time but anyone that tells you he’s doing just a little worse this year than previous years isn’t paying attention. Not his fault, but in years past you never saw Luke get caught out of position as often as this year. I love the guy, I’m definitely not saying he’s over the hill or should go.  Just calling it like I see it. With a decent HC and a more suitable scheme he’ll be back to dominant old Luke. 

[PhillyB]

all the luke haters are real quiet right now

[BurnHurnBurn]

13 hours ago, Sam Mills Fan said:

I'll say this though: that we could have the best linebacker in the league and yet our defense still be as bad as it is really speaks to the importance or lack thereof of linebackers in 2019.

Any other player and I'd agree.  He's succeeding in a position that is not natural to him nor does it play to his incredible strengths.  How stupid can a coach be to move one of the best to ever do it from his best position?  Roll that around in yer noggin.  Put him back as the Mike with 4 down linemen in front of him and he's right back to Luke doin Luke thangs.  Hes taking on untouched guards at the 2nd level.  Hes good, he's not god.

[Jangler]

he's white and not gay, I think....so no love from those with an agenda.

[Jus Rob]

23 hours ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Guys I’m a huge Luke fan and not generally a doom and gloom type, but I don’t care what PFF says, actually watching the games I don’t get the feeling he is having the impact he has had in the past. Hoping this is owing to correctable factors like bad line or poor fitting scheme, but that’s my 2 cents.

That's what I've been saying! If you look at his stats he's having a good year but if watch him on Sunday's he not playing up to his normal standards. 

[kungfoodude]

I'd say it's obvious that the scheme has made not only Luke but a lot of players look bad. It appears that when the injuries started piling up on that DL, the scheme quickly became a huge problem. The rush defense has been a problem all year but it accelerated quickly once Short went down and has gotten worse as McCoy is banged up and we have lost Poe. 

Whatever the plan was in the offseason defensively, it was immediately nuked by those factors. Now we are in a tough spot. We technically still have some of the personnel to be hybrid, 3-4 or 4-3 but really not enough personnel under contract to do any of the three effectively. 

[JARROD]

On 12/16/2019 at 9:23 AM, Sam Mills Fan said:

I'll say this though: that we could have the best linebacker in the league and yet our defense still be as bad as it is really speaks to the importance or lack thereof of linebackers in 2019.

Or it speaks to the fact that this is football and not basketball. One guy can not win. It takes 11 guys on the field doing their job every play.  
 

we don’t have that so you just scheme around him. He also tries to do too much now and he’s out of position. That’s what happens when everyone around you sucks.