NFL execs rank NFC teams

[Coreyl90]

45 minutes ago, Tr3ach said:

I agree.  I think it we didn't have such a brutal schedule this season I would expect us to at least come really close to the playoffs at worst.  To do that this season we are definitely going to have to earn it by beating some really good teams.

The first 7 or 8 weeks will tell us most of what we need to know about the group. Id rather them be battle tested early on than to cake walk into the second half of the season only to be humbled when it comes time to win or go home

[Castavar]

I just wish we had this team LAST YEAR when we had a very easy schedule. This year's schedule is ridiculous. But on the flip side, maybe it will make us battle tested when we get to the playoffs

[glenwo2]

4 hours ago, Panthercougar68 said:

Also the range of the rankings show me that no one really knows where Carolina will finish. 

Nor do they really care.

[Thomas31873]

4 hours ago, trueblade said:

At 9, you just miss the playoffs and get a mid-round draft. Worst case scenario. Franchise purgatory.

Only if you don't draft well at your position. You can draft 15th-18th and get a really good player. Also you can draft #3 and get Sam Darnold.

[BIGH2001]

13 hours ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

I don't really understand this point.  He's not Bermuda grass.

And it’s not like Lamar Jackson is some giant. Just a really weird thing to say. 

[thunderraiden]

15 hours ago, Coreyl90 said:

I think Carolina is a much better team than they're getting credit for. If someone on the interior DL has a breakout year they will have an elite defense. Offensively you would assume they'll be slightly above average. It could work out for us. Worst case scenario they get off to a slow start and they shake Rhule out. I feel better about this year than i did the previous 3 for sure 

A lot of other teams dont need the "if's." We're not really competing against tampa, LA, green bay, and Dallas for a playoff spot with our roster, we're competing against the Vikes, Saints, Cardinals, and Eagles. Yea we always have the Cards number but other than that can you confidently say we'll have a better season than 2 of those 4 teams to make the playoffs? Three of those teams have much better rosters than the panthers. I hope we finish better than the Bucs, but outside looking in you cant blame folks. Hell I remember the narrative going into '03 and '15 of us having a terrible roster too, so I hope our "Ifs" pan out the same.

[poundaway]

12 hours ago, Castavar said:

I just wish we had this team LAST YEAR when we had a very easy schedule. This year's schedule is ridiculous. But on the flip side, maybe it will make us battle tested when we get to the playoffs

SOS is determined by team records of the previous year.  This years SOS is definitely harder than last year. 

However

In 2021 we played  6 games against 2020 playoff teams: Bucsx2, Saintsx2,  WFT, Bills.  This includes 2 games against the SB champion.   We also played Miami who had 10 wins and  just missed is the playoffs in 2020.

In 2022 we play 6 games against 2021 playoff teams:  Bucsx2, Cardinals, 9ers, Rams, Bengals.  This includes 2 games against SB contenders.

In addition we know that 3 more teams we played in 2021, the Cardinals, Eagles and Pats made it to the playoffs in 2021. 

From a playoff team perspective, the 2022 schedule is not 10x harder than 2021.

[poundaway]

21 hours ago, trueblade said:

At 9, you just miss the playoffs and get a mid-round draft. Worst case scenario. Franchise purgatory.

True,  the Bengals tanked for a QB and it worked out well for them. We tanked for a QB and it worked out pretty well with Cam.  The Jets, Jags and Browns tanked many times for QB's and it didn't work out for them several times.

The Bills, Bucks, Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Pats, 9ers, Cowboys, Packers and Eagles did not tank for their QB's.

I don't think 9-10 wins is necessarily a sentence to purgatory.

Edited September 3, 2022 by poundaway

[TrevorLaurenceTime22]

14 minutes ago, poundaway said:

True,  the Bengals tanked for a QB and it worked out well for them. We tanked for a QB and it worked out pretty well with Cam.  The Jets, Jags and Browns tanked many times for QB's and it didn't work out for them several times.

The Bills, Bucks, Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Pats, 9ers, Cowboys, Packers and Eagles did not tank for their QB's.

I don't think 9-10 wins is necessarily a sentence to purgatory.

Impatience with these guys it's not like we have ever won a SB... I'll take a SB over all the rah rah any day.... Anything except for a SB is purgatory who cares if it's 5-12 or 11-6?

 

Just get in the playoffs crazy poo can happen.

[AceBoogie]

On 9/2/2022 at 6:55 PM, Eazy-E said:

Until this team under under Matt Rhule proves otherwise, we’re a 5 win team. Rhule has now picked a different starting QB for the third year in a row. Sorry if I’m not overly optimistic about Mayfield. I’d love to be proved wrong though.

And here’s the thing…it will most likely be a fourth year in a row. If Baker balls out then he’s gone (we shouldn’t tag him). And if he doesn’t than Rhule and him are probably gone. Either way I doubt Baker is the starter next year, especially if Baker is good but the team struggles. 

[Wes21]

On 9/2/2022 at 6:55 PM, Eazy-E said:

Until this team under under Matt Rhule proves otherwise, we’re a 5 win team. Rhule has now picked a different starting QB for the third year in a row. Sorry if I’m not overly optimistic about Mayfield. I’d love to be proved wrong though.

Baker isn't Peyton Manning but he is the first legit starting QB we've had so far.  Which is another way to say that if Rhule only wins 5 games with Baker Mayfield, its time to find another coach.

[mrcompletely11]

On 9/3/2022 at 3:00 PM, poundaway said:

True,  the Bengals tanked for a QB and it worked out well for them. We tanked for a QB and it worked out pretty well with Cam.  The Jets, Jags and Browns tanked many times for QB's and it didn't work out for them several times.

The Bills, Bucks, Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Pats, 9ers, Cowboys, Packers and Eagles did not tank for their QB's.

I don't think 9-10 wins is necessarily a sentence to purgatory.

For the most part what you say is true, however for this team at this point in time 9 wins would really fug us if we didnt make the playoffs.  We would either be forced to let baker walk and see what we can do about qb in the draft or pay baker a poo ton of money.    And I dont think anyone would be comfortable with that scenario

[poundaway]

41 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

For the most part what you say is true, however for this team at this point in time 9 wins would really fug us if we didnt make the playoffs.  We would either be forced to let baker walk and see what we can do about qb in the draft or pay baker a poo ton of money.    And I dont think anyone would be comfortable with that scenario

I think the data point we would need would be how Baker played.  If we go 9-8 because we got run over on d, miss the playoffs and Baker threw for 4000, 30 TDs and 10 ints, we're signing him longer term.

We'll see. 

[Jackie Lee]

21 minutes ago, poundaway said:

I think the data point we would need would be how Baker played.  If we go 9-8 because we got run over on d, miss the playoffs and Baker threw for 4000, 30 TDs and 10 ints, we're signing him longer term.

We'll see. 

And if that's the scenario but Baker walks in FA then what?