We are not tanking. Might as well get over that notion.

[mrcompletely11]

Just now, Moo Daeng said:

That's an opinion. Yours is an opinion too. Neither are truth or lies.

Dude, its not an opinion that our defense is younger than last year

[Davidson Deac II]

4 minutes ago, carhartt said:

That’s a lie. Keep believing that. We got a bunch of scrubs and backups playing on the defense. Young potential for the future but you guys are out of your mind for this season. 

Geez buddy, take a xanax and relax a little.  We are discussing football, not politics.  

[mrcompletely11]

Just now, Davidson Deac II said:

Because last year was the worst defense we have ever had.  We were rock bottom last year.  Not saying we will be good this year, but it would be very difficult to be worse than last year.  While linebackers and defensive backs are very important, the defense starts up front.  And up front, we were horrible up front.  The defensive line looked like college players going up against seasoned professionals. They were pushed around and abused.  We made average running backs look like all pros.   

Ummmmmmmm..............

[Davidson Deac II]

1 minute ago, mrcompletely11 said:

Ummmmmmmm..............

The old guys we had last year were really bad.  Now we have young players.  They may not be much better, but they would be hard pressed to be worse.  

[Moo Daeng]

7 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

How in the hell could that be possible since we lost Luke and Bradberry?  And please dont give me this rookie talent hype.  They may pan out down the road but no way in hades early on. 

Because we were the worst and it's a team sport. 

[mrcompletely11]

Just now, Davidson Deac II said:

The old guys we had last year were really bad.  Now we have young players.  They may not be much better, but they would be hard pressed to be worse.  

I am just giving you a hard time because we have a ton of rookies starting and in the rotation on this defense

[LinvilleGorge]

9 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

How in the hell could that be possible since we lost Luke and Bradberry?  And please dont give me this rookie talent hype.  They may pan out down the road but no way in hades early on. 

I expect this year's D to be significantly better against the run, but I also expect us to probably take just as big of a step back against the pass. 

[mrcompletely11]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

I expect this year's D to be significantly better against the run, but I also expect us to probably take just as big of a step back against the pass. 

Thats fair.  But I still dont see it early on due to the amount of rookies.  Our back 7 is going to be lol funny vs the South

[LinvilleGorge]

1 minute ago, mrcompletely11 said:

Thats fair.  But I still dont see it early on due to the amount of rookies.  Our back 7 is going to be lol funny vs the South

It's probably going to be reminsicent of when we were starting Bradberry and Worley as rookies.

[Davidson Deac II]

Just now, mrcompletely11 said:

I am just giving you a hard time because we have a ton of rookies starting and in the rotation on this defense

No problem.  I know we are young, and I am not saying we will be good.  We likely wont be, although we could get better as the season goes.   But I was watching some replays of a couple of games last night, and its amazing how bad our dline play was last year.   Our dline looked like it was getting ahead of the curve regarding social distancing.   

[MasterAwesome]

20 minutes ago, carhartt said:

Not an opinion. It’s “facts”. You can’t lie that losing Luke and Bradberry and then replacing them with scrubs is better just because we drafted a rookie DT with the 5th overall pick and that’s going to solve everything. The defense is based all on hype and potential by Panthers fans. Not for this season but the future. You sounds like a liberal who gets mad at the facts.

Is Derrick Brown being the 5th overall pick what you guys like to refer to as an “alternative fact”?

[MHS831]

1 minute ago, Davidson Deac II said:

Our defense could be bad and still be better than last year, if only because last years D was so unbelievably bad.  

  Vernon Butler was better (and younger) than McCoy in 2019.  He had 6 sacks and more solo tackles (22) in less playing time (40% of snaps in 14 games)--let that sink in.   McCoy played 63% of the snaps and had 15 solo tackles and 5 sacks. So Vernon Butler had 7 more solo tackles, more sacks and was in on 2/5 of the snaps while the starter (McCoy) was in the game about 2/3 of the snaps.  But at the end of the season, people were wanting Butler gone and a tired, aging, worn-out McCoy re-signed. 

The only area I see as problematic is MLB.  I think we are or could be equal to or surpass the performances at every other position.

S:  Boston (Some were saying in July 2019 that Rashaun Golden was to be our starter last year)

SS: Reid:  One dimensional and overrated.  Not sure if he was a locker room distraction, but taking cheap shots at players that did not agree with your politics off the field during the preseason and starting pre-game arguments was memorable.   Chinn or Burris--Give me either over Reid.

CB: Bradberry--Bradberry was a big loss, but he was tremendously overpaid for a Zone CB.  Traditionally, we have not prioritized CB in Carolina for some reason, but letting BB walk was necessary.  Apple can be more versatile.  Again, insider info from and Ohio State alum who is all into Buckeye football said that NYC was not good to Apple--and he could not handle the verbal abuse--his mother stirred up some of it in the media, but they got on him like a known pedophile at Disneyland.  Let's see how this works out.....Jackson, fwiw, is one of those mouthy, cocky, CBs who needs a few years to get focused (see Norman, Greg).  This is year 3.  We have the talent to be better this season at CB---a new system, a new culture---maybe we will be.

Nickel:  Not sure what we were trying to do at nickel last year, but a nickel is what is was worth.  Chinn and this Monster-ish role he will be playing is very interesting.  Stantley and Pride in dime situations---I think we will be young, but how is that worse than 2019?

MLB:  A moment of silence please.

OLB: Shaq as a leader and C with a more defined role could step up.  The other LB--whether it be Chinn, Carter or someone else, might improve a dismal situation from2019.

DE:  Journeyman Irvin, Obada, aging Addison, and injured rookie Burns did not get it together.  Addison was solid, but he was older than Charles Johnson when he retired--no tread left--he was carrying more weight than he is comfortable carrying--than his frame allows--so he is probably done.  Irvin--one dimensional sack artist--rotational. Obada?  Limited.  Burns?  Too small and weak vs run.  Yikes.

DT:  It seems we had 3 star DTs who were feasting on big contracts, because they never seemed to be the same after getting paid.  KK, Poe, and McCoy.  Our best DT last year was Butler, and we sent him packing.   If Rhule gets to KK we may be able to get another season or two out of him, but I think this will be KK's last season.  We will not be that much improved in 2020 at DT, but we will not be worse.

So aside from the huge loss at MLB--I do not see this defense being worse than the 2019 embarrassment.

 

[Davidson Deac II]

13 minutes ago, Pantherfan84 said:

We was ranked almost last on defense last year with veterans. Don't see how we get much worse. 

We did rank last in ypc allowed.  In fact, if memory serves, we set the record in that department.  And that was even though we were usually far behind and knew teams would be running the ball. 

[MHS831]

21 minutes ago, carhartt said:

 

You had better refrain from the name calling.  People who are more educated than you are post here, and they probably know facts as well or better than you.