An optimists point of view..

[Lone Buc Fan]

Well thats a optimists point of view as a Bucs fan ... I'm excited for Carolina this season, so much potential just unfavorable odds.

[Jangler]

[Lone Buc Fan]

Yea, good for you.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

Sounds more realistic than optimistic. Just the same way the Giants, Patriots, Eagles and Steelers are expecting to have good seasons next year. We have a solid football team from top to bottom. We should be fine barring major injuries.

[CatMan72]

Yup and don't forget about the "we almost did it" season coming, even if you do make the playoffs. Thank Jake Delhomme for that one.

Well, at the very least we can take comfort in the fact that we came a hell of allot closer to "almost did it" than the Bucs did (you can't win it all if you don't even make the playoffs). It's clear that the Monday night smackdown we laid on you guys was the beginning of the end.

Given that the Bucs are in a rebuilding phase now, I suspect we'll come a hell of allot closer this year too. I'm biased, but when I look at the Bucs roster right now I don't see much that makes me think the Bucs will pose any kind of threat anytime soon.

[rayzor]

i'm feeling good about it. i can't wait to see what the team looks like rolling into TC.

that can't come soon enough.

this weekend is going to be fun, though. i can't wait to see what trade(s) hurney pulls off.

[dksmith17]

Any Tarheel fans in the house? I for one am. To me our loss vs Cardinals was somewhat reminescent of the Tar Heels loss versus Kansus in final four 08. Both teams just didn't show up and our most important players decided to have the worst games of the season(Lawson , Jake). Coaching was off, fans morale went down. That loss worked out to motivate the heels. This year just making the final four, elite 8 etc. wasn't good enough. The expectations were beyond that. Hopefully, it will be similar for the panthers. Some of the veterans and most important players on this squad have seen all phases of the playoffs: superbowl losses, NFC championship wins and losses, playoff upset road wins, playoff upset home losses. To me there is only one goal now for Jake and company because they have seen it all and you know what that is. And barring injury, I don't see why that goal cannot be reached.

JMHO

[Squirrel]

- We have 21 of 22 starters returning from a 12-4 team. The one starter that is not returning was considered by many to be more of a liability than an asset.

That one is familiar where have I heard it before? Oh yeah year before last when we finished 7-9

[rodeo]

- Jake played horribly in that game, but had a good season leading up to that and historically has a very high passer rating in the playoffs, so this one poor performance was an anomaly and I don't expect to see it happen again anytime soon.

you realize he threw 4 interceptions against the freaking Raiders, right? even the game we dominated TB he threw 2.

our running game bailed him out, Jake had an abysmal season.

[CatMan72]

Yeah, I'd be really shocked if Hurney is content to just sit around and wait for the 59th pick...

[CatMan72]

you realize he threw 4 interceptions against the freaking Raiders, right? even the game we dominated TB he threw 2.

our running game bailed him out, Jake had an abysmal season.

In 2008, Jake had an 84.7 QB rating.... his best rating in a full season of play is 88.1 (2005) and his worst is 80.6 (2003) so I'm not sure how you can say his performance last year was abysmal?

[Peppers90 NC]

Well thats a optimists point of view as a Bucs fan ... I'm excited for Carolina this season, so much potential just unfavorable odds.

at least we play the lowly Bucs twice, count that good for 2.

[CatMan72]

That one is familiar where have I heard it before? Oh yeah year before last when we finished 7-9

Maybe you didn't hear that we were decimated with injuries that 7-9 year?

[Squirrel]

Maybe you didn't hear that we were decimated with injuries that 7-9 year?

2007 season was when they said it. The only player hurt was Jake.