Bright spots and , uh, not so bright spots.

[imminent rogaine]

Really thought the defensive line was going to make a splash. Oh well, Maybe next year.

Cooper looked competent returning. 

Didnt throw to CMC enough. He is a mismatch against LBs, catches everything,  and picks up like 8 yds a catch. No reason he isn’t catching 6-8 a game.

Boston is doo doo.

Whitehead es no bueno.

Didn’t think Pride and Rasul Douglas actually looked that bad. Wouldn’t actually mind giving them some serious reps to see if they turn in to something long term.

[Raskle]

The team in one year went from one of the oldest to one of the youngest with a ridiculous turnover ratio of 54% (next highest: Giants with 34%). It also did not have any significant time to acclimate to either O/D playbook from the entirely new coaching staff due to little/no OTAs, no preseason, and limited practice reps due to the COVID pandemic. Add in the tight window for cap room, most likely distracting situation from its franchise QB being cut and the manner in which that took place, and the unexpected loss of its most integral defensive player to early retirement. Overall, it's been a pretty chaotic offseason for sure.

 

For the guys to come out of their initial game with all of the above with only a four point loss is pretty impressive - no matter who the opponent is. I also liked the fact that the team was above 50% on 3rd-down conversions in I don't even remember how long of a time, and our not seeing the stale "run-run-pass-punt football" (aka playing conservatively to try not to lose yet again bullcrap) from the past ten years, and how the coach took the L and didn't blame the players for once. Overall, I'm happy with the effort and result. Sure, we have some holes to fix, and players to coach up (duh.. most of them are rookies, guys). But for a first game in these conditions, it's not half bad at all for me, and I feel good about our future.

 

Link for turnover stat above: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29226084/we-ranked-nfl-teams-continuity-1-32-bills-chiefs-lead-way

[raz]

8 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

I'm telling you...they exist.

I know this is contrary to our experience as Panther fans, but I swear it's true.

i have it on good authority that if what you are doing is not working - you do it harder, not different.  this new philosophy or fad or whatever it is of adjusting will never catch on

[JARROD]

18 hours ago, Davidson Deac II said:

Running the clock down was not a problem.  Given our position on the field, we would have had plenty of time.  Just didn't make the first.  Coaching staff realized that giving it back to the Rams with any time left on the clock meant over time or loss. 

Did we play the Rams?

[MHS831]

23 hours ago, mc52beast said:

Was waiting to hear the name Short on my radio, don’t think I heard it once.

Yes you did.  On the second Armah run. 

(see what I did there?)

[MHS831]

When your veterans are the players that cost you the game or disappeared-Bos ston, Whitehead, Short,  Jackson, Manhertz, Paradis, Schofield, and maybe even Moore--it is a bad thing.

Bright Spots:

• Our (he sucks!!!!) punter averaged 60 yards a punt.
• Chinn played like an all pro---in first game from SIU.  That is a great sign.
• Douglas stepped up big time and showed the staff what a CB should do.
• Pride had a good first game for a starting CB drafted in round 4.
• Brown stuffed the middle and made a play or two.
• Miller did not look bad a RG. 
• Bridgewater was good, bringing us back from 12 to take a late lead.
• CMC gets his numbers, even when the rest of the team is getting their ass kicked.
• Anderson is a nice player.
• Roy was in the game and hustling. 

Black holes:

• C, LG.
• Everyone named "Tight End."
• KK Short is stealing from us.  I would love to see him traded.
• Armah is not a pure fullback, and his usefulness is so limited, he is not worth a spot on the offense.
• Tre Boston is perhaps the worst starting FS I have ever seen after Nakamura.
• Whitehead, aside from killing this team twice with stupid plays that are a result of his lack of awareness of situational football, had 3 stops.  Our MLB had 3 tackles.  When is the last time that happened

What does this mean?  Our VETERANS are our weakness.  They screwed up, not the rookies.

MHS' overreaction to all this, kidding, but seriously (if this continues vs. Tampa Bay, some of these moves might start sounding smart):

• Bench Boston (age 28) and play S Hartsfield (a better athlete than Boston, and a hitter). AND/OR Have some packages where you move Chinn to S and Franklin to the box position.
• Bench Whitehead (age 30) and Play Carter at MLB
• Bench Jackson and play Douglas and Pride with Stantley Oliver or Elder at nickel.  Use Jackson in dime packages if he won't tackle.
• Trade KK Short (age 31) to a team suffering from injuries at DT or making a playoff run.  Move up (from PS) a hungry DT and rotate Obada in at the 3 tech when you can.
• Cut Manhertz (age 28) and bring Ricci up from PS.  Ricci gives us more offense. 
• Cut or bench Paradis (age 30) and move Reed or Larsen to C.

When your veterans (who are not getting any better) are the weak spots, you get rid of them. They are keeping players from developing.

 

 

 

[MHS831]

17 hours ago, imminent rogaine said:

 

Cooper looked competent returning.

Didn’t think Pride and Rasul Douglas actually looked that bad. Wouldn’t actually mind giving them some serious reps to see if they turn in to something long term.

Both good comments.  And considering the lack of pressure it is fair to assume they will get better when the DL gets better.  I did not see a blitz from us all day---

[Jeremy Igo]

9 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

When your veterans (who are not getting any better) are the weak spots, you get rid of them. They are keeping players from developing.

Hard to disagree with this. 

[Anybodyhome]

Not so bright spot: posters here complaining about the D-line, no pass rush, not a single hit on Carr....

FYI: The Raider O-line is one of the biggest and most tenured in the NFL. In other words, the Panthers re-tooled D-line with a bunch of new faces against a huge O-line who have played together for a while- not sure what you're expecting.

[Mojoman]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

When your veterans are the players that cost you the game or disappeared-Bos ston, Whitehead, Short,  Jackson, Manhertz, Paradis, Schofield, and maybe even Moore--it is a bad thing.

Bright Spots:

• Our (he sucks!!!!) punter averaged 60 yards a punt.
• Chinn played like an all pro---in first game from SIU.  That is a great sign.
• Douglas stepped up big time and showed the staff what a CB should do.
• Pride had a good first game for a starting CB drafted in round 4.
• Brown stuffed the middle and made a play or two.
• Miller did not look bad a RG. 
• Bridgewater was good, bringing us back from 12 to take a late lead.
• CMC gets his numbers, even when the rest of the team is getting their ass kicked.
• Anderson is a nice player.
• Roy was in the game and hustling. 

Black holes:

• C, LG.
• Everyone named "Tight End."
• KK Short is stealing from us.  I would love to see him traded.
• Armah is not a pure fullback, and his usefulness is so limited, he is not worth a spot on the offense.
• Tre Boston is perhaps the worst starting FS I have ever seen after Nakamura.
• Whitehead, aside from killing this team twice with stupid plays that are a result of his lack of awareness of situational football, had 3 stops.  Our MLB had 3 tackles.  When is the last time that happened

What does this mean?  Our VETERANS are our weakness.  They screwed up, not the rookies.

MHS' overreaction to all this, kidding, but seriously (if this continues vs. Tampa Bay, some of these moves might start sounding smart):

• Bench Boston (age 28) and play S Hartsfield (a better athlete than Boston, and a hitter). AND/OR Have some packages where you move Chinn to S and Franklin to the box position.
• Bench Whitehead (age 30) and Play Carter at MLB
• Bench Jackson and play Douglas and Pride with Stantley Oliver or Elder at nickel.  Use Jackson in dime packages if he won't tackle.
• Trade KK Short (age 31) to a team suffering from injuries at DT or making a playoff run.  Move up (from PS) a hungry DT and rotate Obada in at the 3 tech when you can.
• Cut Manhertz (age 28) and bring Ricci up from PS.  Ricci gives us more offense. 
• Cut or bench Paradis (age 30) and move Reed or Larsen to C.

When your veterans (who are not getting any better) are the weak spots, you get rid of them. They are keeping players from developing.

 

 

 

Excellent analysis.  I agree 100%

[philit99]

6 hours ago, MHS831 said:

When your veterans are the players that cost you the game or disappeared-Bos ston, Whitehead, Short,  Jackson, Manhertz, Paradis, Schofield, and maybe even Moore--it is a bad thing.

Bright Spots:

• Our (he sucks!!!!) punter averaged 60 yards a punt.
• Chinn played like an all pro---in first game from SIU.  That is a great sign.
• Douglas stepped up big time and showed the staff what a CB should do.
• Pride had a good first game for a starting CB drafted in round 4.
• Brown stuffed the middle and made a play or two.
• Miller did not look bad a RG. 
• Bridgewater was good, bringing us back from 12 to take a late lead.
• CMC gets his numbers, even when the rest of the team is getting their ass kicked.
• Anderson is a nice player.
• Roy was in the game and hustling. 

Black holes:

• C, LG.
• Everyone named "Tight End."
• KK Short is stealing from us.  I would love to see him traded.
• Armah is not a pure fullback, and his usefulness is so limited, he is not worth a spot on the offense.
• Tre Boston is perhaps the worst starting FS I have ever seen after Nakamura.
• Whitehead, aside from killing this team twice with stupid plays that are a result of his lack of awareness of situational football, had 3 stops.  Our MLB had 3 tackles.  When is the last time that happened

What does this mean?  Our VETERANS are our weakness.  They screwed up, not the rookies.

MHS' overreaction to all this, kidding, but seriously (if this continues vs. Tampa Bay, some of these moves might start sounding smart):

• Bench Boston (age 28) and play S Hartsfield (a better athlete than Boston, and a hitter). AND/OR Have some packages where you move Chinn to S and Franklin to the box position.
• Bench Whitehead (age 30) and Play Carter at MLB
• Bench Jackson and play Douglas and Pride with Stantley Oliver or Elder at nickel.  Use Jackson in dime packages if he won't tackle.
• Trade KK Short (age 31) to a team suffering from injuries at DT or making a playoff run.  Move up (from PS) a hungry DT and rotate Obada in at the 3 tech when you can.
• Cut Manhertz (age 28) and bring Ricci up from PS.  Ricci gives us more offense. 
• Cut or bench Paradis (age 30) and move Reed or Larsen to C.

When your veterans (who are not getting any better) are the weak spots, you get rid of them. They are keeping players from developing.

 

 

 

I totally agree with most of this. Short is the biggest concern, and I do not mean the player I mean the contract. I’m not sure what ramifications that will cause, cap wise. Next year and the year after are starting to look pretty good at least in terms of the cap, unless the league team cap number declines.

[raleigh-panther]

On 9/13/2020 at 7:25 PM, Troys99x4 said:

Wasn’t really sure if keeping Shaq was all that necessary. Today only solidified my thoughts. Dude is a bum. Definitely not deserving of top LB $$. He’s average at best. 

And yet, that great judge of talent so anointed by Tepper, who gave Thompson a huge contract,  is still here. 

[sry]

On 9/13/2020 at 4:29 PM, Kentucky Panther said:

I wouldn’t say Teddy looked great. He did alright. Couple of passes could have been easily picked off. He missed a few easy throws. Every pass he threw that was longer than 15 yards looked like it fluttered. 

Kentucky Wildcat fan...am I right?

[sry]

On 9/13/2020 at 11:01 PM, kungfoodude said:

Yeah, I wouldn't be at all surprised by it. Teddy hasn't been stellar under pressure in his career and this is likely the most pressure he will ever face, considering the state of our OL.

You're just making stuff up.  Per PFF after his 2015 season (his last full season as a starter):

Quote

Bridgewater has thrown just 28 touchdowns over his first two seasons in the league, but at the same time has thrown just 21 interceptions in that span. Our adjusted completion percentage takes into account drops, batted passes, spikes and passes where the quarterback is hit as he throws the ball. Bridgewater had the best mark in the NFL last year at 79.3 percent, after finishing third as a rookie at 77.3 percent.  Pressure didn't overly affect that, either, with Bridgewater having the fifth-best adjusted completion rate on throws under pressure at 70.7 percent.