Panthers Week 1 & Season Predictions - A Thread

[Bear Hands]

Let's hear em'

 

Week 1:

Dare I say, a win?

I say, the defense surprises with 3+ sacks and 2 TOs.  Hubbard looks good, run game drives the offense to a 17-13 win.  Bryce is unremarkable but mistake free.  

 

Season:

6-11

• A reworked roster looks much better than 2023's mess.  Still near the league bottom in some respects, but I think this defense is much better in the trenches than people anticipate. 
• Top-12 run-defense, top-15 run-offense.  Passing defense is around 20ish, Passing-o is still mid to late 20s.  Just not 30-32
• Jatavion Sanders is the rookie stud for us. 
• Jonathan Brooks comes along in the second half as well.  Those two account for 1500 total yards. The Longhorn duo clicks.  
• Thielen has a quieter season than people think with more of the young guys being folded in after week ~8ish.  

More specific stat predictions:

Defense-

• Both Jewell & Jordan Fuller have themselves years and become fan faves.  They're gonna be the ones communicating on d pre-snap.  They're effective and good at what they do. 
• Trevin Wallace shows up filling in at times
• The Pass Rush indeed doesn't fair well, but Derrick Brown gets himself more sacks than we're used to seeing (5+).  Leota is who emerges as a decent option for us (5+ sacks).  Clowney (7+) but not a ton elsewhere.    
• Horn plays 15+ games

Offense-

• Bryce: 18 Pass TDs, 14 INTs, 3600 yards, 6.4 YPA (up from his historic low 5.5 to just standard low)
  • In other words, decent enough to confuse and keep the debate as annoying as ever for 2025
• Hubbard: 900+ rushing yards, 10 TDs - fantasy sleeper folks
• Brooks: 750+ rushing, 250+ receiving
• Sanders: 500+ receiving
• Diontae - Just ticks over 1,000.  Not a ton of TDs, but 95+ receptions

--

Y'all can me more concise, but let's throw some stuff out and see who lands.  

 

[Joe Bear]

Week 1 is going to set this board on fire. It's not going to be pretty and it's best to stay away for a while, unless you prefer to drown your sorrows alongside a lot of people who'll be making as many short jokes as possible. I have negative expectations for this game, but I do think Week 2 will go better.

[PNW_PantherMan]

I think we see some encouraging things but lose week 1.  I think we will win 5 games and feel pretty positive about Canales by the end of the season.

[Panthers Rhule]

I think my team expectations are about in line with most. 4-6 wins but I think Bryce is better than we give him credit for and with Canales as his coach we will see what he can do. I think he will play better than most people's expectations. He will play like a first rounder this year and show us he can be our QB for the future. 

 

[Panthera onca]

If we win more than 5 games this season, that to me would say that the Canales hire is a good one and he will be here for many years.

[therealmjl]

I’d take the record but that statline out of Bryce would be extremely underwhelming. I’d rather Bryce go 25/10 3800 yards and the defense suck if I had to choose.

Edited September 3 by therealmjl

[kungfoodude]

Week 1: We lose a relatively close game.

Season: 4-13

Offense will improve slightly with Bryce playing better but not enough to convince fans and pundits that he is "The Guy." OL proves disappointing as injuries eventually become a factor.

Defense takes a step back, as the lack of depth and talent stand out. Not a precipitous drop off but noticeable as the season progresses.

Canales gives us a glimmer of hope but the offseason/draft moves temper that by proving to be a very mixed bag that sows doubt about Morgan's ability to improve enough upon the mess Fitterer left.

 

That's my overall season prediction.

[Khyber53]

I'm calling it an old school NFCSouth worst to first move. We win a gritty first game, Bryce gets knocked around a bit but toughs it out and gets some scores and a lot of confidence.

We lean heavy on the run game and two tight end sets throughout the fall, winning six games by mid-November. Cold weather sinks in quick and New Orleans and Atlanta struggle away from home, sinking their chances by Dec. 1 to make a push. Canales is in the running for division lead with his old team the Bucs, while Baker Mayfield is in the running with his old team as well. Somehow, but the end of the season, we string together a 9-8 season and sneak in as the division leaders after home wins against the Bucs and the Falcons.

The passing game is okay, but the running game between Hubbard and Sanders just punishes opponents early on and gives the team an identity. Jonathan Brooks is eased into the schedule in late October and is the lead back by the middle of November. He proves to be the perfect addition to the team, carrying on the punishing rushing attack and becoming a revelation as a pass catcher out of the back field.

Defensively, we perform slightly better as the run-heavy attack provides them with more time on the bench than the previous year and long fields to work with. A shaky secondary gels by the beginning of October into something respectable, but not great. Brown gains recognition as a mauling line breaker up front and Clowney shows he still has some in the tank, although his production falls off late in the season, still posting nine sacks on the year. 

We won't make it past the first round in the playoffs, but we'll make it back and we will be looking down the road at a solid team.

 

[ChuckWag78]

Week 1 we are going to kick NO teeth in and win 31-13. Bryce puts up 300+ yards & 2 TD. Chuba has 100 yards rushing w 1 TD with 6 catches for 30 more yards and a 2nd TD. 

Just let me have this thought until game time. 

[Waldo]

NO always plays the Panthers hard. 

25 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Week 1: We lose a relatively close game.

Season: 4-13

Offense will improve slightly with Bryce playing better but not enough to convince fans and pundits that he is "The Guy." OL proves disappointing as injuries eventually become a factor.

Defense takes a step back, as the lack of depth and talent stand out. Not a precipitous drop off but noticeable as the season progresses.

Canales gives us a glimmer of hope but the offseason/draft moves temper that by proving to be a very mixed bag that sows doubt about Morgan's ability to improve enough upon the mess Fitterer left.

 

That's my overall season prediction.

All of this. It's still a team picking in the top 5 again. 

[rayzor]

i'm sticking with us winning this week and actually fly out of Germany with our 5th or 6th win, but only winning 2-3 after that finishing the season with about 8 wins. 

[strato]

No telling about this week. I would like to think they avoid the interceptions and strip sacks but it is real easy to have those images in mind.

Just want to see 1 of 11. Ball out in under 2.7 seconds. Win LOS on run downs both sides. Not falling apart with false starts and holding infractions. 

Like to see the OL pick up one stunt.

Picked 6 wins when it was very optimistic, I'll stick. 

[PNW_PantherMan]

30 minutes ago, Waldo said:

NO always plays the Panthers hard. 

I would probably pick us if the game was in Charlotte.  I never feel good about the team going to New Orleans.

[Panthers Fan 69]

Young is who he is. Goes 3-13 in the first half for 57 yards and gets benched for Dalton.  We go on to win the game.