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Did Jake/Fox cost us a legit shot at SuperBowl run

jpniner

By jpniner,
in Carolina Panthers

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jpniner Newbie

jpniner

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While the end of season 'peaking' has made many decide we might as well keep Fox, ponder what could've been:

We finished 8-8, with many of the losses due almost exclusively to Jake Delhomme(INT Demoralizing Machine) and Fox/Hurney being too stubborn(or stupid) to sit him early on in the season and giving the 34yr old with a bad elbow a huge contract after the Az Self-Destruction.

We had a Top 10 Defense, a Great O-Line with a #1 Rushing Attack and Steve Smith and Moose who should be a capable #2 and great Blocker. Only one thing away from a legit Superbowl Run IMO, given how the team peaked late, capable QB play(which helps Dictate Fox/Davidsons Play Calling)....So "What If" they hadn't lost so many early games due mostly to Jake Scoring for the Other Teams and the Demoralizing effect that filtered throughout the Team until Jake was finally benched with a broken finger and Moore lit it up?

Tell me how, with 3-4 more wins and a Playoff birth we are not the "Team to beat" going into NFC Playoffs? Panthers would have a great shot at a Superbowl run if only Fox/Hurney had realized after Jake tore up his elbow they needed a back up plan in place and ready to go when needed? Say halftime of the Eagles game...

Now to blow my theory out of the water, say you only flip 3 games and we finish 11-5, would we have won tie-breaker vs. Green Bay? Though I think without an INT machine, how Jake affected Play Calling and the overall Demoralizing effects of it all, you could make a case for 4 or 5 games being different outcomes, with just avg QB play

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jpniner Newbie

jpniner

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every team could have gone to the superbowl if they

-didn't get hurt

-didn't make bad decisions

-didn't lose so many games

Every team didn't have:

Top Running Game

Steve Smith

Top 10 NFL Defense

in spite of being: Hurt, bad decisions and losing too many games.

How often does a Top 10 Defense and a Top Running Game not make the playoffs in the NFL?

How often does a team with the 31st Ranked QB, who starts 3/4's of the season, finish 8-8 in a tough conference where the Wild Card Teams finish 11-5?

All this team needed was AVERAGE QB play and Play Calling which wasn't being called in effort to keep Jake from throwing more INT's

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ncbobcat Newbie

ncbobcat

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Way too many injuries and still lacking a strong passing game (regardless of what some think). I agree that this year WOULD have been a good year to make the Super Bowl because there isn't a really strong candidate in either conference. But no, Jake did not cost the Panthers the Super Bowl. A much weaker Patriots team than in past years beat us by slowing the rushing attack a keeping Moore uncomfortable. Beating the snot out of a terrible Giants team and slowing down Brett Favre doesn't qualify anyone for a Super Bowl bid.

Wishful thinking.

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rayzor Grand Master

rayzor

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It matters because Panthers finishing strong is apparently saving Fox's Job which also gives Jake a chance at being QB again next season and actually playing.
it isn't saving his job. they are telling him they don't really want him without telling him flat out they don't want him.

he's just too much of a hassle to fire.

1) he's expensive and another coach coming in is likely going to want near what fox got and then you are stuck paying around $10mil for a coach.

2) chances of having to replace an entire coaching staff and honor contracts from both staffs can be expensive.

3) probably no football in 2011 and they don't want to have to pay a huge salary for a new guy and his staff if they aren't going to be working the second year.

4) the players really like him.

the message is pretty clear, though: we aren't going to shove you out the door but we aren't interested in keeping you around either.

the way the situation is it gives the panthers to get out of a lot of money. if he resigns (not re-signs) from his job he'll likely have to give up a lot of money. apparently if he wants to go to another team and that other team wants him enough that he'll have to break his contract with the panthers then they will be due at least some compensation unless they decide to cut their losses and let him go with the understanding that he leaves the money here.

it's in his best interest long term to leave. they have made it where any split that occurs is him walking out.

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rayzor Grand Master

rayzor

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it wasn't a top ten defense until the end of the year. it took them half the year for them to get it worked out. the success in defending against the pass early on could be attributed more to the lack of need for other teams to pass the ball much. we were weak against the run and weren't capable of scoring much. plus we kept giving them short fields (jake's fault) and you just don't need to pass as much to get down field. once the defense finally clicked in their heads they got better.

the first half of the year cost any shot at the playoffs. yes, a lot can be pinned on fox and jake but they weren't the whole reason.

Every team didn't have:

Top Running Game

Steve Smith

Top 10 NFL Defense

in spite of being: Hurt, bad decisions and losing too many games.

How often does a Top 10 Defense and a Top Running Game not make the playoffs in the NFL?

How often does a team with the 31st Ranked QB, who starts 3/4's of the season, finish 8-8 in a tough conference where the Wild Card Teams finish 11-5?

All this team needed was AVERAGE QB play and Play Calling which wasn't being called in effort to keep Jake from throwing more INT's

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