The next four games will likely determine our fate for the rest of the season...

[Bronn]

I know, I know... We are only a quarter of the way through the season, and we're sitting at .500.

But the next four weeks are critical. We will know exactly how good we are, how good the division really is, and how the NFC picture looks.

Next up are the 0-4 Falcons in Atlanta. I'm not going to put the cart before the horse here, but Atlanta looks flat out terrible. They have shown they can put up points, but they can't stop other teams from doing the same. Especially in the air.

That said, their air attack worries me as much as it always does. We're going to have to get to Ryan, and make sure they can't run on us either.

If we can beat Atlanta on the road, it will go a long way and have a further reaching impact in that they will likely fire their coach.

 

After the Falcons, we're back home against a 3-1 overachieving Bears team with a QB problem.

They've beaten the worst two teams in the league, and one of the middling teams in the league. Their somewhat okay defense does just enough to keep their sub-par offense in the game. I feel like the Panthers should win this game easily, especially with CMC coming back. This is a good win for the long term NFC picture as well.

 

Post-Chicago, we travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints.

They've become my most hated team over the years, but I try not to let my personal feelings get in the way when I gauge an opponent.

The Saints, although they've been banged up some and have looked pretty bad, always seem to get it together mid season before dropping turds at the end.

They've still got weapons that worry me in Thomas and Kamara, but Brees has indeed stumbled a bit this season. Their defense isn't terrible. But, if we could beat them on the road, I feel like it would go a long way in crushing their hopes for the division and, in turn, the NFC.

 

To round out the next quarter, we end up seeing Atlanta again. This time it is in Charlotte, and hopefully with them sporting an interim head coach. This should be a W if we are a good team.

We need to come out of this next stretch at least at 3-1, but ideally 4-0. It doesn't get any easier the rest of the way for us.

[jfra78]

I have a feeling we split with ATL.  I see us coming out of this 2-2

[Bronn]

Just now, jfra78 said:

I have a feeling we split with ATL.  I see us coming out of this 2-2

If so, we're a mediocre team.

If we end up 3-1 in the stretch, we're on the upward trajectory.

If we can pull out 4-0, playoffs aren't a stretch. We'd be 3-1 in the division, with home games pending against our biggest competition.

[jfra78]

2 minutes ago, Bronn said:

If so, we're a mediocre team.

If we end up 3-1 in the stretch, we're on the upward trajectory.

If we can pull out 4-0, playoffs aren't a stretch. We'd be 3-1 in the division, with home games pending against our biggest competition.

Mediocre may be upward trajectory for this team.  Next year is our year for a playoff run

[Mr. Scot]

For years, we've been a team that could beat bad teams but couldn't put it together against good ones.

I haven't seen definitive evidence yet that we're not still that team.

[Mother Grabber]

if not, the next 12 definitely will.

[Mr. Scot]

Just now, Mother Grabber said:

if not, the next 12 definitely will.

I was told there would be no math.

[DaveThePanther2008]

Atlanta is a mess but they can put it together and their love for us isn't going to help.  We're a snotty nose upstart team that thinks we can take down our neighbor just because they haven't figured out how to win.  

Chicago, I agree, record is quite deceiving and apparently the QB position is not their biggest problem.  Foles came in last week and create a mirage because Sunday he looked mediocre at best.

New Orleans, I'm tossed on this one.   I think we can put points on them and if our defense continues to improve maybe.  Just maybe we sneak one out.

Atlanta again.  In Charlotte, will depend on how well our defense is playing.  

2-2 is achievable, 3-1 i I would be happy at 5-3 midway.  

 

ON a side note,  I am laughing my ass off at the Dan Quinn smoke screen  he gave Art Blank into giving him another season.  This is just like last year.  So he basically cost them a year.

[TLGPanthersFan]

14 minutes ago, jfra78 said:

I have a feeling we split with ATL.  I see us coming out of this 2-2

4-4 perfectly balanced like all things should be. 

[Jeremy Igo]

Seeing playoff talk on the Huddle in 2020 makes me all emotional. 

 

[Bronn]

3 minutes ago, Jeremy Igo said:

Seeing playoff talk on the Huddle in 2020 makes me all emotional. 

 

Parity, a plague, politics, and expanded playoffs have made the potential this season more than previously predicted.

[Soul Rebel]

I am elated with where we are. I am also cautiously optimistic about the season.

We lost to two veteran coaches, both with veteran QBs. We beat two newer coaches, one of which is a very recent hire from the collegiate level. In the last two games, we faced a rookie QB in his first start, and then this past Sunday, a second-year QB.

I think our younger coaching staff is more on par with the last two opponents and could gameplan better, thinking how they think. Not to say we have equivocal coaches or visions, but the Pete Carroll's, Sean Paytons and Andy Reids are better litmus tests.

Regardless, to be 2-2 after the first quarter is ahead of the timeline I think any of us thought. We should beat ATL twice and hopefully Chicago. I think we are still a six-seven win team and still in position to select a franchise cornerstone in next year's draft. It might not be Lawrence/Parsons/Sewell, but still an amazing talent to build around. 

[*FreeFua*]

5 hours ago, Bronn said:

If so, we're a mediocre team.

If we end up 3-1 in the stretch, we're on the upward trajectory.

If we can pull out 4-0, playoffs aren't a stretch. We'd be 3-1 in the division, with home games pending against our biggest competition.

We can go 2-2 and still be ok. As long as 1 of those 2 wins comes against the Bears. 
 

After these 4 we have TB and KC that would put us at 4-6. Then we have Detroit, Minnesota and Denver which are all winnable games.

Then we have GB and Washington. We should split those.

We could be 8-7 going into the week 17 at home against the Saints...

Plus we’d have the head to head tie breakers against the Bears and Cards. With 3 wild card teams getting in now, 9-7 or even 8-8 may even get it done with tie breakers 

[Ricky Spanish]

If we end up at 4-4 or even 3-5 at the halfway point of the season then that's still at least 3 more victories than I thought we'd have at this point in the year.