This just might be another down year.

[Fiz]

lol atlanta

a defense made up of john abraham and 10 guys named dave

[vorbis]

If you're worried about next season being a down year already, just remember to wear your diaper for each game so you don't make a mess.

[Jangler]

Somebody else's slogan, but I think the Panthers can use it this year, I know Coach Fox needs to...

[Matt Foley]

Good signs for next year...

* weak division (assuming Atlanta comes back to Earth)

* DeAngelo isn't going to regress, Stewart should improve a lot

* Jake one year further removed from elbow surgery

* If Pep is gone, defense will be much more unified

Bad signs for next year...

* Panthers won't sneak up on anyone

* Thin offensive line has always translated to mediocrity in past

* Defensive line won't scare anybody

* Special teams had decent year last year. Anomaly?

* Smitty, Gross, Otah, Delhomme...one injury, Panthers are toast

[Jrock88]

We look questionable on D, but our offense is going to be pretty dominant if it stays healthy

[Cyberjag]

Has it occurred to anyone (besides Meat, maybe) that for the first time in memory the running game is not a question mark heading into the season? We're going to be strong on the ground, and we still have Smitty to keep the defenses from stacking the box. That goes a long way towards keeping some consistency.

On defense we're solid everywhere but on the line. Even there we're good against the run, we just can't generate a pass rush with our front four. We may lose Peppers, but the defense has performed well without him on the field before, and if he's gone the rest of the D will just have to step up. There have been plenty of cases where defenses have performed well after losing a star. You might lose one, but you still have the other ten.

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned--we're young. That's right, most of our team is still on the rise and entering the prime of their careers.

If this year's squad played the 2009 schedule, there would be only three or four games that I would be genuinely worried about. You guys need to relax.

[Kettle]

It's a deal. I have Paypal. So yeah, I'll bookmark this thread.

correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you will be rooting against us some next year to keep from losing your money. what kind of fan are you? :confused:

[Scrumtrilescent]

Dogs and cats, living together!

Ya know if we lose our All-Pro DE, then we will have a first round pick. That's how Hurney is playing this so one of those scenarios won't happen. The next week or so we'll see them get some value for depth. The sky is falling poo makes me lawlz.

[Matt Foley]

I'd say the number one concern for this team is the offensive line. If that falls apart as it has so often in the past, the running game will go back to what it was and there's a good chance Jake will get hurt. Glorify him all you want to, but Jake's backup is a castoff.

Defense won't be top five, but it doesn't have to be. The Panthers bread is buttered by its offense right now.

[mountainpantherfan]

I'd say the number one concern for this team is the offensive line. If that falls apart as it has so often in the past, the running game will go back to what it was and there's a good chance Jake will get hurt. Glorify him all you want to, but Jake's backup is a castoff.

Defense won't be top five, but it doesn't have to be. The Panthers bread is buttered by its offense right now.

Out of the five starters on the OL, only one does not have a history of injuries. That is scary.

[Snake]

Dogs and cats, living together!

Ya know if we lose our All-Pro DE, then we will have a first round pick. That's how Hurney is playing this so one of those scenarios won't happen. The next week or so we'll see them get some value for depth. The sky is falling sh*t makes me lawlz.

Yea but just cause we have a first round pick dose not mean everything is gonna be ok. With out pep our D-line is super thin on Players and most of the players we got are not gonna give you Pep type numbers ether. It would be better to get one or two "good" players then to have a first round pick for pep.

I'd say the number one concern for this team is the offensive line. If that falls apart as it has so often in the past, the running game will go back to what it was and there's a good chance Jake will get hurt. Glorify him all you want to, but Jake's backup is a castoff.

Defense won't be top five, but it doesn't have to be. The Panthers bread is buttered by its offense right now.

Yes our O-line is extremely thin and Otah,Wharton,and Vincent have problems staying healthy. We are also super thin on our D-line as well. That is my two main concerns and Why I feel we dont have the right people to make a late push.

[PanthersFanInGA]

How can you possibly call a down year before the FA's, draft, and even preseason have begun? They won't kick off until sometime in August and here we are in March and your calling a failure year.

[Mark V]

We definitely won't go 12-4 or better, and I'll put up $100 to their first person's $5 to take the bet. We can win the division, however, as we all play the NFC and AFC East.

My friend, you've got ACTION. We gotta get someone to escrow the funds for us, though.

[Fiz]

Good signs for next year...

* weak division (assuming Atlanta comes back to Earth)

* DeAngelo isn't going to regress, Stewart should improve a lot

* Jake one year further removed from elbow surgery

* If Pep is gone, defense will be much more unified

Bad signs for next year...

* Panthers won't sneak up on anyone

* Thin offensive line has always translated to mediocrity in past

* Defensive line won't scare anybody

* Special teams had decent year last year. Anomaly?

* Smitty, Gross, Otah, Delhomme...one injury, Panthers are toast

all of these reasons are speculative poo