Be honest, and tell us where you are.

[iamhubby1]

1. I'm a cockeyed  optimist

2. We may improve, but I'm patient.

3. We may improve, but I'm patient.

4. Hey, this team may just be something But...

 

Me? I'm a solid 3. 1+2=3. I'm a cockeyed optimist.  But...I see a chance that we may just shock the world. If the coaching staff can put the kids in a position to succeed. After all, is this not the time of year for cockeyed optimism?

 

Last year was a double edged sword. That winning streak hyped us up. And the losing streak shut us down. Leaving us with mixed emotions. But we learned one thing. This coaching staff can teach.

 

Last year, our depth got a lot of PT. This year, some of that depth will not make the team. Upgrade.

 

Paradis, Miller, and Moton were solid, if they improve? That makes us better. Upgrade.

 

If Christianson is the real deal, that makes 4 out of 5. That makes our Oline better. Upgrade.

 

With the addition of Horn and Bouy, our Secondary just got better. Upgrade

 

With the ability of our DBs to cover, our Dline just got better. Upgrade.

 

That all adds up to why I am so excited for the upcoming year. 

 

So...tell us where you are at? 

[Whoops]

This team is going to make the playoffs if Darnold is our qb for the whole year. I’m still concerned about him, but with the rest of the pieces in place I believe we grab the final playoff spot.  I’m really excited about this defense. Honestly Snow is much smarter than he sounds.   
 

 

[iamhubby1]

Well, that didn't go as expected. My god that is ugly. If you can make anything out of that, have at it. 

 

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by iamhubby1

[iamhubby1]

17 minutes ago, Whoops said:

This team is going to make the playoffs if Darnold is our qb for the whole year. I’m still concerned about him, but with the rest of the pieces in place I believe we grab the final playoff spot.  I’m really excited about this defense. Honestly Snow is much smarter than he sounds.   
 

 

 

There you go. I can dig your enthusiasm. Some folks are with you. And some folks are not. Optimism is in short supply,

,

[iamhubby1]

So...with early results in. It looks like. "Show me" is bringing up the rear. Let's see how this goes.

[electro's horse]

I'm patient. 

I've far more liked more than dislike draft and FA moves the team has made under Ruhle. 

Yeah getting Darnold isn't exciting but they did literally everything they could to acquire a QB, including nearly pulling off the biggest trade of all time, but a poo load of factors worked against them. 

[mrcompletely11]

My gut says playoffs this year.   

[ForJimmy]

The defense is young and one of the more talented ones we have fielded in a while. Will it take them a minute to gel and learn the game? Sure. Chinn, Horn, Burns, Brown, and Reddick are all playmakers with some solid vets sprinkled in there. I mean Shaq is now a middle tier player on our team where he should be. Offense is also young with potential. Just having CMC back will do wonders. Throw in Arnold/Tremble as TE options and Marshall/Smith as young weapons we seemed to have improved there as well. LT and QB are the two question marks and two most critical positions. We did attempt to address these positions as well. Darnold should have more talent than Teddy, with plenty of room to grow/develop. We used Scott/Little more times than not last year at LT and we added a vet in Erving and a rookie in Christensen to compete. We have at least attempted to address our weaknesses this offseason, now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the show!

[Khyber53]

Honestly, I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid yet. It's going to take a winning season and probably the playoffs before I can say Rhule is the guy (and Fitterer, too).

It all comes down to wins. After last season, we could see Rhule and Co. were different, but really no better in the record book. I know, I know, inherited the team and still had Hurney around. Didn't have CMC. Let's call it a Mulligan, even though they don't give you those in football. 

The majority of head coaches that come over from the college ranks don't successfully make the transition the first time around. That's a reality. Some supposedly great ones moved to the NFL and just laid massive eggs. They looked great in the off season, built the teams they wanted and then had their butt handed to them. As much as I like Rhule, and I really do, he's got that big hurdle to clear and last season he just hit a wall and could not get his team to win games. 

And then his coordinators. Joe Brady was and is hailed as an offensive genius. Well, like in real life, it's easier to be a genius and get ahead in school than it is in the real world. So far, well, we piled up yardage but couldn't seal the deal. A timid QB plus little redzone/two-minute drill practice might do that to a team... And Phil Snow, the grizzled old college defensive coach that could whip that team of lackluster players into gritty, disciplined stalwarts? He fielded the least aggressive defense I've ever seen from the Panthers (and I've watched them since Day 1) for 15 of the 16 games last season. In one game, against a flailing, wounded Lions team, Snow turned the aggression up to 10 and we got a shut out and a win. In all the others ... they played like old ladies and there were numerous games where the opposition never had to punt. That isn't going to suffice.

I want, I really want this to work out. I want Rhule to be the genius coach with the smartest plan and best coordinators. I want them to not  just live up to the hype but to create a new paradigm in the league on how to build a team. I'm not demanding a dynasty, but I want to see someone come in and literally run the tables in the NFCSouth for the next ten years. And lengthy contract or not, if we have another year like last one (or heaven forbid worse) then I think the crowd is going to start calling for blood. 

On paper, we've improved. In coach speak, we've improved. In fanbase optimism, we've improved. None of that stuff is real, though. All that matters are wins and losses. We've got to improve that before I can believe.

[DaveThePanther2008]

5 hours ago, iamhubby1 said:

With the ability of our DBs to cover, our Dline just got better. Upgrade.

Of all the additions on our defense I think this is going to be key to our defense being much better.  If they can get the QB to hold the ball a little bit more.  Reddick and Burns are going to turn QB pressures into sacks.  I also believe we'll be much better on 3rd down for the same reason.

5 hours ago, iamhubby1 said:

Paradis, Miller, and Moton were solid, if they improve? That makes us better. Upgrade.

 

If Christianson is the real deal, that makes 4 out of 5. That makes our Oline better. Upgrade.

As far as offense I believe the huge upgrade on the offensive line is going to allow Darnold to succeed with the incredible weapons he has.

Definitely I am very optimistic about the upcoming season.  On paper we look incredible but I believe that will transition to the field.   I look forward to minicamps to see where we can go.  

[mrcompletely11]

Just now, Trainwreck said:

NFCS

Tampa, New Orleans, Carolina then Atlanta 

ATL

Panthers

Tampa

NO

 

 

[KatsAzz]

" I am optimistic. I think I like the way we are headed."

We may or may not be a year away from becoming a playoff team but i like the way the Panthers are thinking long term and building to have teams that will be successful year in and year out, instead of the previous up and down seasons we are used to.

Edited June 9, 2021 by KatsAzz

[trueblade]

I'm always optimistic this time of year. We've got over 80 days before football is played again. I'm going to be optimistic until they show reasons on the field for concern.

The best thing about this upcoming season, at least early on, will be being back inside a packed out BoA screaming along with the other Panthers fans.

[Jon Snow]

I'm on my couch.