THE TIME TO WIN IT ALL WAS NOW! Window of opportunity is closing....

[Mr. Scot]

I used to buy into the "window of opportunity" theory a lot more than I do these days. These days, free agency, a solid draft and the right on-field approach can take a team to contention in one year.

Staying in contention requires long term consistency, but going from the cellar to the penthouse in a single season happens plenty these days.

[MurkN]

you must come from the Fox school of thought.... we were 12-4.... the sun will rise tomorrow.... we will be 7-9 next year..... the sun will rise next year.... john fox will still be clapping away and chewing that gum right out of Charlotte

One day the sun isn't going to rise and we are all going to be like WTF!!

[frash.exe]

I come from the group that remembers what it was like to be 1-15 and thanks god at the end of every season that I haven't had to watch that again.

IMO too many people like you forget what 1-15 was like and are all too eager to run the person that got us out of that hell hole out of town even at the end of what was pretty good season.

Now the playoff game sucked out loud but I was over it 48 hours later, with you it seems to be a life altering event that your never going to get over, I'm glade I'm not you.

nothing personal to you (you're not the only one that thinks this way), but that's the exact fan mentality I absolutely hate. The name of the game is to win the superbowl, not "avoid having x< 2 wins at the end of the regular season."

The Steelers, Giants, Cowboys, some of the strongest fanbases in the league, those kinds of fans that reflect on when it was worse, are extremely rare. Everything is superbowl, superbowl, and they expect nothing less. That's the kind of attitude I have.

[Doc Holiday]

nothing personal to you (you're not the only one that thinks this way), but that's the exact fan mentality I absolutely hate. The name of the game is to win the superbowl, not "avoid having x< 2 wins at the end of the regular season."

The Steelers, Giants, Cowboys, some of the strongest fanbases in the league, those kinds of fans that reflect on when it was worse, are extremely rare. Everything is superbowl, superbowl, and they expect nothing less. That's the kind of attitude I have.

You misunderstand, I have the same attitude during the regular season, but at the end of the season when all is over, I'm usually just as pissed as everyone else is here, but after about 48 hours I go "well we're not 1-15 so it could be a lot worst, so what do we have to do now to Improve" instead of the "I want us to fire every single person on the coaching staff of a 12-4 team just because I don't know how to handle a playoff loss like a reasonable person" approach which I usually laugh at and have in the past because the reaction is so predictable at the end of every season on this MB, but I've had enough of the freaking out already.

[frash.exe]

You misunderstand, I have the same attitude during the regular season, but at the end of the season when all is over, I'm usually just as pissed as everyone else is here, but after about 48 hours I go "well we're not 1-15 so it could be a lot worst, so what do we have to do now to Improve" instead of the "I want us to fire every single person on the coaching staff of a 12-4 team just because I don't know how to handle a playoff loss like a reasonable person" approach which I usually laugh at and have in the past because the reaction is so predictable at the end of every season on this MB, but I've had enough of the freaking out already.

I get it. sounds like a reasonable approach.

But you can't say that after this second half defensive collapse a change somewhere defensively as far as coaching goes wasn't needed. And Arizona wasn't the first team to impose their will on the defense. It happened plenty of times during the season, whether or not we won or lost.

[Doc Holiday]

I get it. sounds like a reasonable approach.

But you can't say that after this second half defensive collapse a change somewhere defensively as far as coaching goes wasn't needed. And Arizona wasn't the first team to impose their will on the defense. It happened plenty of times during the season, whether or not we won or lost.

instead of me having to explain everything to you do a post search on me with topics you wonder what my stance is on, I had been calling for Trgovac's head for the first time after defending him before because of the collapse at the end of the season, the fire the coaches thing was about the people that want Fox out which is stupid imo

[Wolfcop]

Windows, smendows...whoever gets hot when the Playoffs roll around is who goes to the Super Bowl. You cannot tell me that we were not a much better team than AZ this year. However, that means JACK when it comes to the Playoffs. That is more true than ever with the parity we have in the NFL these days.

[OneBadassCat]

The window is hardly closing. The only thing I see that could make it a closing opportunity is Jake. Everything else is fresh with a young core and if Jarrett comes through we will be fine at WR.

[StepandFetch]

One day the sun isn't going to rise and we are all going to be like WTF!!

.....and the bomb kills all the doom and gloomers...

ugh saying that kind of left a bad taste in my mouth..

[Carolina Crazy V2]

Smith seems like another guy like Moose who will never age. If you looked at him now, and had no football knowledge, youd think he was in his early 20s.

[2jakefansinva]

This year was the time to make a push and win it all.... I firmly believe that our window of opportunity is slowly closing and will need an offensive overhaul within the next two seasons

-Jake Delhomme- 34 years old, has at best two seasons left in him as a starter and that is stretching it

-Steve Smith- 30 years old, dangerous WR predicated on speed, has 2-3 top tier seasons left in him before his skills will diminish

-Muhsin Muhammad- 35 years old, a possession WR who has 2 seasons tops in him

Mushin and Jake's window is closing but not the Panthers. We just took care of the only overhaul we needed.

[JuliusP_90]

the idea that the window is closing is incredibly short sighted and narrow minded and are the products of a mind who is in full blown panic mode with no ability to see what good things are ahead.

yes, we have some key players who are aging, but they aren't the whole team and can/will be replaced. we have an incredibly young team over all and loads of talent on both sides. there are some areas that need to be strengthened but they are few.

even though we had problems on defense WE STILL GOT TO 12-4!!!!!!!!!!! who was it that got us there? we have an outstanding young couple of RBs who could be among the best tandem of all times. We have smitty who will still be productive for another few years as well as some good talent in the other WR spots, dwayne jarrett is going to be huge (question why he hasn't been used much? he's still learning and growing and is behind two very good receivers with a lot of experience). smitty and a good few others have commented on rhyne robinson and the talent that he has as a receiver that reminds them of smitty himself. we have a great Oline that will be anchored by kalil and otah for years to come and will help to bring along others who we bring in.

On defense...the line struggled but we have an offseason to build it back up and two possible successful DEs in Charles Johnson and even Hilee Taylor. We will get stronger there. Our LB corps is still young and is among the very best in the NFL. Beason is going to be our Ray Lewis and an awesome player/leader. We have strong options at CB in gamble and marshall (both of whom are still fairly young) and we will see improvement there this offseason as well.

Our safties are young but are going to be outstanding talents as well. Chris Harris is amazing and one of the toughest SS there are. Wasn't he the one who stopped BRANDON FREAKING JACOBS dead in his tracks! Who else has been able to do that without help? Charles Godfrey is going to be our Ed Reed. You watch him. He is still young and learning but he took on a brand new position for him at the highest level as a rookie. You better believe that he is far from the finished product.

Now if your argument is Jake is old and entering his declining years....whatever. Anyway, isn't he considered to be the weak link by many on the offense? We got to 12-4 in spite(?) of his weaknesses as a QB, right? If our running game is what carried our offense this year, what makes you think they won't be able to do it for years to come?

It may be the window is closing for this team exactly the way it is but if you think that our team is not going to get better than how it was this year and that there is no where to go but down you are crazy.

This year was only the tip of the iceburg.

TRUTH!

Good point with Charles Godfrey, many times this season I forgot he was a rookie.

You sir have hit the nail on the head.

[Kettle]

Don't you have any more jerseys to burn?

i think he'll regret that before all is said and done.

[panthers1789]

i think he'll regret that before all is said and done.

He'll regret it after we win the season opener next season with Jake Delhomme as the starting QB.

Seriously, burning the jersey of a quarterback who just led us to a 12-4 season and helped turn this franchise around is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen.