Post Mortem: Game 2

[frankw]

I've perused only about 3 or 4 threads this morning and I've already seen him compared to Drew Brees and Josh Allen. Guys. There is coping and then there is madness.

[Sgt Schultz]

Our offensive play design and then the play selection is awful.

I was watching how the Saints defense worked on each play.  It didn't matter how many receivers we had in the pattern, the patterns were designed as if there was a moat filled with alligators and piranhas about 12 yards from the LOS.  That allowed the entire Saints defense to pack in within 10-15 yards of the LOS, which resulted in it looking like they had 15 guys out there.  It also makes it much hard for anybody to get open.

I've seen offenses that never threw deep, either because of fear of turnovers or the QB's arm was basically shot and he couldn't.  But I've not seen one that as consistently showed that it would not throw deep.  Even if the offense never actually does it, one receiver breaking on a fly route or deep post is going to take a defender with him and force the safeties to drop back beyond the moat we believe exists.  Hell, Ginn may have had a catch rate of 50% on balls that hit him in the hands, but let him break deep and somebody was going with him.

Note to coaches: there is no moat there.  It is your imagination.

As for the actually play calling, it has been predictable and unimaginative. I don't know what else to say about it. 

The receivers are not free of guilt, either.  The third down play prior to our third FG had Young roll out to the right to avoid pressure.  It looked by design, but maybe not.  Only one receiver was running to the right, everybody else fully content to continue to the left toward the far sideline.  They have to have enough awareness to know that if the QB starts rolling or scrambling to the right, they have to break off their routes and head to the right, as well.  It is not unusual for coverages to start to break down in those situations, and somebody might even break right and deep......if they can get over that moat.

I can't assess Young right now because the playcalling and design is so limited it is compressing everybody into a small area.  The only way that can ever work is with the traditional west coast quick hitters that allow receivers to get the ball in stride and run like crazy.  But we aren't calling those, either.

Our success or failure was going to depend a lot on how our WR group performed.  It is not exactly Rice and John Taylor.  Not only have they not exactly shined, they are not even being put in a position to show anything.  It is conservative, but at the same time stingy about running the ball. 

[TLGPanthersFan]

17 minutes ago, frankw said:

I've perused only about 3 or 4 threads this morning and I've already seen him compared to Drew Brees and Josh Allen. Guys. There is coping and then there is madness.

We call it coping madness. A real disorder. 

[TLGPanthersFan]

It is just amazing how I felt nothing yesterday. No disappointment, no anger, nothing. 
I miss getting so angry or excited at the tv when something amazing or infuriating happened. 
I think I am truly lethargic and it feels horrible. 
 

Edited September 19, 2023 by TLGPanthersFan

[countryboi]

This place used to be pleasant, everybody just has the worst takes ever about everything. 

[UNCrules2187]

2 minutes ago, countryboi said:

This place used to be pleasant, everybody just has the worst takes ever about everything. 

I mean it's been over a half decade since the team last made the playoffs. The Panthers are 29-55 (.345) since Tepper took over. Started 0-2 4 of the last 5 seasons and in the one season that had a good start, the team proceeded to go 2-12 over the final 14 games. 

Why should this place be pleasant? 

[ThPantherFan]

10 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

Slow progress maybe, but progress nonetheless.

And I'll take that...

Good write up.  Well said.

[LegioX]

I’m just sick and tired of mundane football every fning year. No matter who we bring in, who we hire, it’s the same damn crap every year. I’m just sick of it. Every year it’s…

”it will get better”

”it’s a process” 

“give it time”

”he is a rookie”

blah blah blah. 
 

winning teams don’t talk like that. They WIN

[MasterAwesome]

4 hours ago, TheCasillas said:

You are crazy if you are overlooking Nico Collins… the guy will probably be one of the best receivers in the AFC this year. He has boom potential written all over him. Even when the Texans drafted him people were foaming bc of his abilities.
 

Dell

Collins
Metchie
Schultz 

woods

 

that is a great group of receivers. 

Nico Collins: 89.0 PFF grade through Week 2.  I imagine that's gotta be at least Top 5 for receivers so far.

We don't have to argue the talent of each receiving corps *on paper* - people can just throw on the YouTube highlights from these Texans and Colts games to see that their receivers are wide open in many cases, which doesn't appear to be the case with us.  Not sure if it's our scheme, receivers, or Young missing the reads.  I know your Week 1 analysis showed some evidence of the latter, but even then, they were more "NFL open" than "wide open" like I'm often seeing with these other QBs.

[tukafan21]

6 hours ago, AceBoogie said:

And you know that two games in huh? 
Tua, Allen, Trevor, all had bad first seasons and Pat didn’t even start his first season. We won 4 games Cam’s rookie year, but two games in you’re calling a kid a bust. Man I’d love to see you in your professional life. 

Again, another person who can't separate the trade from the player.

I personally don't think the kid has it, I never did and it's why I didn't want to draft him.  But I'm also still not writing him off.

My point with all of it is that we gave up entirely too much to move up for a player who is anything but a sure thing.

The trade was bad, the player could still end up being good, but it doesn't mean we made a smart trade and there is a big difference between the two.

[Panther53521]

Our offensive plan has to many chefs in the kitchen

Frank needs to pass the play caller over to the OC and Frank needs to be a coach not OC

i think Bryce has to many people in his head, so he is holding the ball to long.

 

[poundaway]

On 9/18/2023 at 11:51 PM, tukafan21 said:

If I go and play Russian Roulette and survive, does that mean it was the smart decision to play?

 ..still be a bad trade that ended up working for us...

???

[Green-Ghost]

We play the Seahawks next week.

 A win will cure an awful lot of ills here.  I still believe that starting a rookie QB, the 1st season, will have many challenges.

All due respect, it looks to me that expectations are all wrong.  It is only the second game of the season with a rookie quarterback. 
 

I think a good quarterback needs to have talent and experience.  There is no way a quarterback will have experience in only his second game as an NFL starter.

Think of it this way, a soldier can prepare by running obstacle courses, target, practice, etc.  but when you put the soldier out in the battle, when people are shooting at him, it is a totally different situation. All of the training and preparation in the world does not include the real war.

Bryce Young needs more than two games to gain experience.

Keep the faith!!!!!!

[thebdawg]

On 9/19/2023 at 12:21 AM, Eazy-E said:

CJ Stroud just put up 384 and two touchdowns against a divisional opponent with just as much to work with on offense as Bryce.

There really isn’t any other way to spin it. Young has had probably the worst statistical first two games for a number one overall QB in at least 20 years.

Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz? Tank Dell is legitimately better than any WR on our roster.

He also did that against a Colts defense that is absolute dog water, playing prevent protecting a lead. There are many ways to spin it, and the way you chose to is far from reality.