We are a CHAOS team per Brooks, but some see us as a team in chaos

[top dawg]

When I first read Bucky Brooks' title on the league page, I was like, "we have to be in that article." I was right. 

To me, we could certainly be one of the teams in the NFL that could outplay the prevailing narrative that we are part of 2022's bottom feeders. Of course a lot will have to go right, but that's been the case for long time. Perhaps Brooks is overstating our position just a wee bit, as we are maybe in the worst division in the NFL, but I think that we are the most team that's likely to surprise in the NFCS.

 

"The Panthers are a quarterback away from emerging as a playoff contender this season. Matt Rhule's team has enough blue-chip players on each side of the ball to go toe-to-toe with the heavyweights in the league, but the embattled coach must pick the right quarterback at the end of training camp to give his team a chance to earn an elusive playoff berth. Baker Mayfield, acquired in a trade last week, is the front-runner to win the starting job even though he'll enter camp without any experience in Ben McAdoo's system or chemistry with the Panthers' playmakers. Sam Darnold is a bigger and stronger prospect with solid intangibles, but his on-field struggles make it hard for the coaching staff to trust him as a long-term answer at quarterback. With a defense that has top-five potential to support the winner of the quarterback competition, the Panthers' chances of securing a playoff berth for the first time since the 2017 season hinge on the team's ability to pick the right QB1. If either quarterback can deliver consistent production for a Carolina offense that features a handful of big-play weapons, this is the team that could follow the Bengals' blueprint to contention."

My question (like I already don't know what the responses will look like) is: Do you believe that we are closer to a so-called "CHAOS" team referenced in the article, or are we closer to a team in chaos? Does our legitimate talent on both sides of the ball (and, yes, we do have it) and our presumed QB1 Baker Mayfield make us more primed to upset the applecart of prognosticators everywhere, or are we just lame ducks to be easily picked off at will by most of our competition?

https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-season-one-chaos-team-in-each-division

[Wolfcop]

It appears that the Panthers made many improvements to the team this offseason, but the improvement needs to show up on the field. This is a pivotal year for many people associated with the franchise. 

[Thorrez]

We have a team that can win while being outplayed, as our best players are generally have game changing skills (ball hawk secondary, sack specialist, break away ability) rather when always solid.

The problem is that this kind of team also regular gives away games while outplaying opponent.

And yes, with a QB that gives games away, point one is moat.

[FattyFatFat]

I don’t agree with the narrative of a top 5 defense. Our D-line looks to be worse than last year…which got ran on quite heavily. 

[BrianS]

What I've seen is that a lot of pundits are fairly bullish on our roster.  Not the best roster in the league, but far from the worst.  So it all comes down to Coach 1000.  Fail this year, and he better be unemployed by mid January or the Panthers will lose their fan base.

Bare minimum is a winning record.  Honestly, I think they should be challenging for a wild card, if not flat out getting in.

[Pimpdaddy]

We have accumulated talent on both sides of the ball ..... if we don't get a playoff spot...its just another indictment on fhule... coaching is everything...

[ForJimmy]

Better roster and a better coaching staff should result in more enjoyable games to watch. 

[MHS831]

We lost our #1 and only legit RB last year, our #1 CB, our OL was trash, and we did not get much production from WR2 or the TE.  The QB saw "ghosts" and behind him was a USFLXFLSemi-Pro Microsoft Surface operator.

I like to think that CMC will return healthy, Anderson and Marshall have better years, Tremble steps up, Horn comes back and Henderson decides that he can play.  Throw in an upgraded OL---there is reason to feel some optimism.

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by MHS831

[MHS831]

Want to know exactly how bad our run game was last year?  (OL and RB?) Chuba Hubbard (I saw this stat somewhere but can't recall the source) led the league in carries that netted ZERO yards gained---25% of them went for ZERO yards or less. 

Throw in the fact that the OL can't pass block either--it was a nightmare.

[LinvilleGorge]

It's on Matt Rhule IMO. If we had a coach I'd expect this roster to contend for a playoff berth. 

[CRA]

I expect a very 2020ish Carolina team this year.  

Defense worse than last year.  O better than last year.  Probably can hang in a lot of games.  We still have a weak coaching staff by league standards paired with average QB play.   So I don’t see how we get over the hump.   

[Pimpdaddy]

13 minutes ago, CRA said:

I expect a very 2020ish Carolina team this year.  

Defense worse than last year.  O better than last year.  Probably can hang in a lot of games.  We still have a weak coaching staff by league standards paired with average QB play.   So I don’t see how we get over the hump.   

We've improved on both sides of the ball...we get two studs back on both sides of the ball...we've improved as a team that had darnhold as qb...its up to fhule to get the output out of these players...i'm not optimistic he can do that... but year 3....we have a good damn team ...on paper.

Edited July 16, 2022 by Pimpdaddy

[CRA]

18 minutes ago, Pimpdaddy said:

We've improved on both sides of the ball...we get two studs back on both sides of the ball...we've improved as a team that had darnhold as qb...its up to fhule to get the output out of these players...i'm not optimistic he can do that... but year 3....we have a good damn team ...on paper.

2020ish would be a better team.   We were in every game that season except to the Super Bowl champs. I acknowledge we got better on O vs 2021.   But we don’t have he coaching or QB IMO to get us from competitive to a winning season. 

I don’t think the D is improved.   We lost our best pass rusher.  We also lost our best corner.  Gilmore might not of played every snap but locked it down when he did and plus he brought a poo ton with him to help not just players but coaches too.   Those are 2 big dings to the pass defense.  And the pass defense is what the D was last year. 

 

[Khaki Lackey]

8 minutes ago, CRA said:

2020ish would be a better team.   We were in every game that season except to the Super Bowl champs. I acknowledge we got better on O vs 2021.   But we don’t have he coaching or staff IMO to get us from competitive to a winning season. 

I don’t think the D is improved.   We lost our best pass rusher.  We also lost our best corner.  Gilmore might not of played every snap but locked it down when he did and plus he brought a poo ton with him to help not just players but coaches too.  

 

Our front four featured two undersized pass rush specialist DEs. Losing Reddick might be a blessing in disguise.