Week 1: Panthers vs Falcons

[ladypanther]

First game of the season...everything new....not going into it feeling defeated already.

Preseason did not help fan enthusiasm but that was not the point.  This staff approached preseason differently than other teams.  Best players were limited or did not play and by design the coaches revealed as little as possible about what they would do in the regular season. As a result, the biggest takeaway was that Young is poised in the pocket and throws with anticipation accurately.  An old soul in a rookie body.

So, I am going into this game an optimist.  It is the Falcons...and I really want to beat them.  The team will pleasantly surprise a few people week 1.

 

Panthers 27

Atlanta 17. 

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

Burns sits, Falcons roll 30-17 with Bijan Robinson earning Rookie of the Week honors with a 150 burger and 2 TDs.  Desmond Ridder is efficient with no turnovers and a TD, mostly because he's not asked to do much.

Bryce Young passes for 2 TDs and completes 60-something percent of his passes, but it's not enough because we can't stop anything.  cpantherking lets everybody hear all about it.

[45catfan]

I think both teams try to establish the ground game.  I'm not to comfortable in our abilities to stop the run.  The QBs will be asked to manage the game.  I doubt either QB goes for much more than 200 yards, if either even reach it.

Edited September 6, 2023 by 45catfan

[CRA]

Quarterbacks drafted #1 overall on opening day over the last 20 years....0-13-1

Last do pull off a win was the OG 2 gloved David Carr in 2002

[GhostWhispah]

4 minutes ago, CRA said:

Quarterbacks drafted #1 overall on opening day over the last 20 years....0-13-1

Last do pull off a win was the OG 2 gloved David Carr in 2002

True but Bryce is very special unlike other QB who turn pro in the past. He is light and slender but has mojo in him to win big games with an average team unlike Sam D, who can't even win with a contender like the 49ers, who made tbe biggest goof of all time having a back up who claim to fame is passing to ghosts on the other team.

Still can't believe we traded a 2nd round pick for him and then traded our 3rd and 4th round to move up just to draft Carrol who we waived after one injury season. Imagine having Ridder backing up Bryce instead instead. He should have started for the dirty birds last season from day one instead of a bum like Mariota. That's an entire season of real game experience gone to waste. At least Bryce is starting which is key to gain invaluable experience so we can start winning sooner rather than later. Go Panthers!

 

[CRA]

8 minutes ago, GhostWhispah said:

True but Bryce is very special unlike other QB who turn pro in the past.

 

I mean, I would assume all the other QBs drafted #1 overall were viewed as very special too. 

and even the made in a lab, most NFL ready Madden types like Peyton, Luck and Trevor lost opening week.  

NFL is hard.

[Icege]

What you want to see:

• OL keep Bryce protected
• A pass rusher that isn't Brian Burns or Justin Houston make an impact
• WRs getting separation

What you don't want to see:

• Predictable, vanilla offense
• The defense get0ingt bullied at the LOS
• Injuries

[Puresteel55]

No 1 overall picks normally go to very bad teams. We traded up to the spot, we didn’t earn it. 
Bryce was supposedly going to a much better team than the average 1st overall pick, and that is probably true. However, the apparent dysfunction within the organization certainly seems to lead one to believe that we are no where near ready for game 1. 
Our focus will be on a “learning” experience and to not get Bryce hurt. Post game presser we will be reminded that it’s all part of the “process”.

 

[CRA]

2 minutes ago, Puresteel55 said:

No 1 overall picks normally go to very bad teams. We traded up to the spot, we didn’t earn it. 
Bryce was supposedly going to a much better team than the average 1st overall pick, and that is probably true. However, the apparent dysfunction within the organization certainly seems to lead one to believe that we are no where near ready for game 1. 
Our focus will be on a “learning” experience and to not get Bryce hurt. Post game presser we will be reminded that it’s all part of the “process”.

 

The Panthers have earned a top 10 pick in the draft, every year, for a half decade.    I mean, we have been a bad franchise.  That's where Bryce went. 

[Puresteel55]

31 minutes ago, CRA said:

The Panthers have earned a top 10 pick in the draft, every year, for a half decade.    I mean, we have been a bad franchise.  That's where Bryce went. 

I realize that we have not been a very good team for a while, trust me, I’ve suffered through every minute of it.

My point is that there is normally a considerable difference in team quality between the 9th pick and the 1st. Not saying that is the case with us this year.

On paper, at the time of the draft, Bryce was going to a team with a solid O Line, top 15 defense, proven veteran talent at TE and WR, a 2nd round rookie talent at WR and an all star coaching staff. This is not the normal situation for a #1 overall pick at QB.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t panned out like we would have hoped and our team is currently mired in dysfunction and it appears the pain is destined to continue.

I truly hope I am wrong.

[t96]

Bryce sets the fuging tone just like Cam did in his first game but this time in a win. 31-20 Panthers, Bryce with 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, 250+ passing yards and no turnovers.

[Carl Spackler]

I don't recall a time where I felt less confident in the roster entering Week 1, than I do now. I feel better because Rhule and his bums aren't here, but looking at the lineup without Burns and with such a razor-thin pass rush and defensive line plus a wholly unimpressive offensive line, I don't have much confidence in winning this game or even looking remotely competitive until garbage time. If Burns plays, that'll help -- but if not, it kinda feels like 40-10.

Important Note: What someone thinks might happen does NOT equate to what they want to happen. Blind optimism is understandable in Week 1, but those who do not have it are not lesser fans.

[OneBadCat]

9 minutes ago, t96 said:

Bryce sets the fuging tone just like Cam did in his first game but this time in a win. 31-20 Panthers, Bryce with 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, 250+ passing yards and no turnovers.

FTW

I'd like to see us come out aggressive on the first drive. The Falcons are expecting us to ease in the offense with the ground game. F that. Sling it Bryce.

[Panthering]

This feels like a bad matchup just like last year vs the Browns week 1, an extremely capable running team with a really good back vs our defensive weakness. Since this is away I can feel us dropping this one, maybe by multiple scores too. But... I do believe in Bryce, so we'll  have a chance! I just can't ignore the bad vibes around Burns right now and everything being so new right now:

Falcons: 31

Panthers: 17