The good things

[mbarbour21]

The good things:

- Chubba looked great running and serviceable catching the ball.

- Defense is playoff caliber. Gave up one big play when Franklin got faked. Who, by the way, is not an original starter. Still have Gilmore, Burris, and Shaq to inject back into the defense soon and MAYBE Horn late. Don't remember if YGM was playing or not, I missed most of the game.

- WE MAY HAVE A DECENT KICKER. Not sure if this has been mention, so much doom and gloom. But our kicker looked like an NFL caliber player. Which is a huge improvement from what we have been dealing with.

- Maybe the staff will keep OL Brady on the field now. 

Not a lot of good things, but I think that we found out one thing about the team. We are not a team that can afford injury this year. lol!

[Mage]

We're a 3-2 team with an elite defense missing 3 starters (4 if you count Horn, but I'm counting Gilmore in his place) and an inconsistent offense that needs its All-Pro RB.

Is it great?  No.

But it is Year 2 of a rebuild.  Yeah it sucks we lost, yeah it sucks we are realizing we probably aren't as far along as we thought we were... but we are still WAY further along than most teams manage to get in our position given how this team looked at the time Rhule signed on to be HC.

We'll be fine.  

[Khyber53]

8 hours ago, Verge said:

I know this was an embarrassing loss, and that last quarter definitely was some of the worst football I have watched. However, there are some things to look up to, regardless of the final results. 

-CMC is going to be back:
CMC coming back is swinging these games in our favor, it allows our outside receivers to shine a lot more, as well as slowing down the reactions on the opposing defense. He really is the ultimate weapon and is a consistent 7 point swing. 

-This defense is LEGIT: 
The first three quarters from this defense was absolutely insane, the Eagles could do NOTHING. It is up for the coaches and offensive players to make sure we take advantage of the short fields and multiple opportunities, we have dominated in every single first half but these games keep coming up close. It's one thing we have to work on, but this defense is not going anywhere, we are contenders with it in place. 

-Our tackle position may have just been figured out:
It wasn't amazing by any means, but it is the best tackle combo we have had this year, and it is sustainable. The play from the interior MUST improve, but we are not facing Cox and Hargrave every week, this line will have better games (No hope against TB unfortunately haha).

-Donte is a CB1:
As he has shown amazing growth this season, and truly has become a defensive leader, possibly our best defensive player. When Horn returns we are going to have three #1 CBs, possibly four if Henderson keeps improving.

-Our schedule is in our favor: 
Yeah yeah, I know, the Eagles were a game in our favor. It was a weird loss and again, I think CMC swings it for us. I really see no reason we do not enter the game against Arizona at 7-2.


Heads up Panthers fans. I think we are going to make the playoffs, and we are a contender, the good will outweigh the bad come time for the playoff race especially with this secondary. Keep Pounding!

Glad you're here. We all need someone to talk us in off the ledge. 12 games left to play, it's going to be a loooooong season if we give up now.

[Zod]

Good post. 

 

There isn't a team in this league we can't beat. Nor is there a team in this league we can't lose to.

[Mage]

Just now, Zod said:

There isn't a team in this league we can't beat. Nor is there a team in this league we can't lose to.

I think you might be overrating the Jags a little.  That team got steamrolled by the Texans.  They might shatter the consecutive losses record.

[Fox007]

Yea at least our rookie T didn't poo himself and did well.
Hubbard had a 100 yard game behind this turnstile crap wall of an interior line
We has all the CBs lol...I mean Bouye and Jackson balled the fug out

 

[Fox007]

4 minutes ago, Mage said:

I think you might be overrating the Jags a little.  That team got steamrolled by the Texans.  They might shatter the consecutive losses record.

DId you just see how we played Hurts at the end of the game allowing him to just run the ball for free? Don't underestimate our team neither man but ultimately I agree with you just saying we do some derp ass poo too..punt block, not falling on a free TD fumble trying to tackle the QB instead...lots of derpy poo we do.

[ladypanther]

@Verge  Thanks for the great post.  We needed a little reason here. Yesterday according to the Huddle Tepper, Fitt, Rhule, and Brady went from being geniuses to trash in the game thread.  This is a young team.  Hope  both the players and the coaches learn from this game.  For some perspective...the 2003 Panthers lost to both the Cowboys and the Eagles during the regular season and then beat them in the playoffs.  And Sam.  Not even the great ones are good all the time.  Last year Tom Brady threw 3 ints in a 38-3 regular loss to the Saints. He looked terrible.

Again Verge...your post was much needed.

[mrcompletely11]

46 minutes ago, Zod said:

Good post. 

 

There isn't a team in this league we can't beat. Nor is there a team in this league we can't lose to.

Feels just like the Cam years.  Yipppeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

[dave-o]

Nothing good to say about our coaching staff... Most of the mouth breathers on this board could have called a better game...

[BlackPanther21_]

9 hours ago, Catsfan69 said:

The D?

Failed to get on that fumble which is exercisable at this level and that 5pts lost would have won the game.

 

Brian Burns has been invisible. Big time players show up in big time spots.

He bit on the fake two weeks in a row crashing in and losing D gap. That was 7pts at the end.

Chase Young has 1 sack in 5 games 

[Catsfan69]

Just now, BlackPanther21_ said:

Chase Young has 1 sack in 5 games 

How many times has he failed to take the QB on the spread option?

Every 7th grade 5 and 7 technique knows they have QB on spread option.

[Proudiddy]

Appreciate your optimism, Verge.  And I agree on all of your points, except for the record projection...  not saying we won't be 7-2 when we run into AZ, as we very well might be.  But, I feel yesterday's loss will do one of two things - we either get stronger from it and go on a 4 game streak, or we fold like we did yesterday and lose our way.  The thing that worries me into thinking we may resort to the latter is that 5 weeks into the season, we're still having the same issues every week and they cost us the last two games.  If the coaching staff can't figure out adjustments and acknowledge they keep getting outcoached every week then how can I expect the players to overcome that?  

[Raleigh PF]

A couple of ideas moving forward.

- We aren't re-signing DJack next year. We need picks for the next draft and trading DJack may net us a decent interior OLineman either directly through trade or through the draft pick received in trade. In a couple of weeks, the Panthers will have Gilmore, Henderson and Bouye available at CB. I think that's a pretty good lineup. Then Horn comes back next year. DJack will be an expensive luxury.

- Time to consider Deonte Brown to replace Miller. Maybe move Daley back to his natural side.

- Brady needs to come up with more quick passing schemes. Darnold should be able to focus on getting the ball out in under 3 seconds and he just ain't doing that now. CMC will certainly help.

- IF DJack is not traded, maybe consider moving Bouye to FS. IIRC, he lined up there a couple of times yesterday and seemed to do okay. Bring Chinn up as Joker/LB. 

This is still a very young team. I had no expectations coming into the year that this would be a Super Bowl contender. Still don't. Yeah, I hate the way they are losing and I'll hope they can make the playoffs this year, but my eyes are geared towards next year. Fix the line, improve the play-calling and all things are possible.