Semi interesting fluff article from Utah site about Panthers' pick of Star

[tiger7_88]

people keep on saying that cam's fumble cost us that game, but did he lose the fumble? was it fourth down? was it highly unlikely that we would, with our stable of RBs and cam frikkin newton be able to get the one yard we needed to get that first down? did he decide to punt and give one of the best and most efficient offenses with two of the best WRs in the game and one of the best pass catching TEs in the history of the game a chance to get the ball down the field against a weak secondary making it nakamura's responsibility to cover roddy white while gamble rushed the QB?

and so what if the punt was placed perfectly. where was the guarantee that it would fall just right?

cam didn't help by losing the ball, but that game was lost more because of game management at the end of the game than cam fumbling. the same thing can be said for every game we lost in the last couple minutes. but that's what happens when you are dumb enough to give the other team the ball and an opportunity to score when the rules favor the deep passing game and your secondary is weak. you end up playing to the other teams strengths rather than yours.

Thinking hurts a lot more than just spewing "We lost cuz of Cammmmmm he fumbled the bawlllllll DERP!"

[Cary Kollins]

Funny and sad that this sports writer in Utah is more knowledgeable than most of the national media when it comes to the Panthers. 

 

[MadHatter]

people keep on saying that cam's fumble cost us that game, but did he lose the fumble? was it fourth down? was it highly unlikely that we would, with our stable of RBs and cam frikkin newton be able to get the one yard we needed to get that first down? did he decide to punt and give one of the best and most efficient offenses with two of the best WRs in the game and one of the best pass catching TEs in the history of the game a chance to get the ball down the field against a weak secondary making it nakamura's responsibility to cover roddy white while gamble rushed the QB?

and so what if the punt was placed perfectly. where was the guarantee that it would fall just right?

cam didn't help by losing the ball, but that game was lost more because of game management at the end of the game than cam fumbling. the same thing can be said for every game we lost in the last couple minutes. but that's what happens when you are dumb enough to give the other team the ball and an opportunity to score when the rules favor the deep passing game and your secondary is weak. you end up playing to the other teams strengths rather than yours.

Was not intended to mean that Cam cost us the game. Merely that it was one play (fluke) that had it not happened, the game was over.

I was merely pointing out that if a couple of specific plays had gone our way, we would have been a playoff team last year.

Stop trying to turn everything into an insult to Cam.

[rayzor]

Was not intended to mean that Cam cost us the game. Merely that it was one play (fluke) that had it not happened, the game was over.

I was merely pointing out that if a couple of dpecfuc plays had gone our way, we would have been a playoff team last year.

Stop trying to turn everything into an insult to Vsm.

i wasn't trying to make it an insult to Vsm or whoever you are talking about.

 

i was trying to deflect blame to the place it ultimately lies for most if our losses, esp.  close ones...the coaching staff. unless they do their job better, this team will continue to underachieve, even with an influx of talent.

[jayflip]

Funny and sad that this sports writer in Utah is more knowledgeable than most of the national media when it comes to the Panthers.

Feel like he's better than Person too

[MadHatter]

i wasn't trying to make it an insult to Vsm or whoever you are talking about.

 

i was trying to deflect blame to the place it ultimately lies for most if our losses, esp.  close ones...the coaching staff. unless they do their job better, this team will continue to underachieve, even with an influx of talent.

 

 

The TB game and terrible defensive call at the end....on the coaches

 

Cam Fumble/Nak's bonehead play.....player execution

 

Smitty falling and Cam throwing the int....player execution (although not blaming Cam or Smitty as it was just one of those unfortunate fluke plays.

 

Defense at the end of the Chicago game....on the coaches

 

Cam short arming a wide open Brokel....player execution

 

There was plenty of blame to go around last year.....some on the coaches and some on the players (including Cam).

 

I think that everyone learned from those mistakes and will be much better for it this season.

[SauceBoss]

All I got from this article is "Super Bowl Contenders"

[Ace_Aladdin]

Thinking hurts a lot more than just spewing "We lost cuz of Cammmmmm he fumbled the bawlllllll DERP!"

If he wound't have fumbled the ball then we would have won that game.....i blame it most only game management and key injury to several players 

[Krucid]

I have no reservation in saying if Star/Short/and KugZilla can make impacts we have a solid shot at going to the playoffs.

 

Agreed. If Cam also continues to improve, I honestly don't see how we don't make the playoffs with these additions.

[nickzz]

it's going to feel when we start winning. these last 2 seasons have been full of absolutely gut wrenching losses.

 

 

[rayzor]

it's going to feel when we start winning. these last 2 seasons have been full of absolutely gut wrenching losses.

 

past two seasons?

 

cardiac cats turned to the gut-wrenching cats a long time ago. gut wrenching losses comes with the territory. so much promise every year because of late starts and strong finishes leading you to think that next year will be different only to be filled with more gut wrenching losses.

 

it will feel good when/if it happens. i guess it will anyway. it will be a new feeling for sure, at least not one felt since '03 and maybe '05....you know, when we felt we were on to something special and then just started settling for status quo, ie stability.

[Udogg]

Not at all. Atlanta got one game away from the Super Bowl  and we should have swept them last year

.  We just have to stop shitting the bed early in the season so that when we go on our late season run we are still in it.  Not running  65% read option this year makes me feel better already. Cam showed he is ALOT better under center so if we actually use our running game and playaction(I expect Shula to), along with his running ability, we will be hard to stop. We definitely still need a vet RG or Kug just to be ready from day 1, but Cam is going to light it up in year 3.

 

Thanks to dvr, I recorded all the panther games last year.  I don't think it was a read option problem, it was an execution/play construction problem.  

 

Looking at the first game at Tampa, there were 0 underneath routes... some digs and comebacks..but no drags, shallow crosses ..nothing.  Everything was 10 yards at least down the field.  The only thing short were the screens passes. The next 6 games were similar, contributing to the horrible play were some really bad overthrows and some really bad drops at inopportune moments.  Our guard play the first 7 games was so bad it's not funny.  Cam's ability to break arm tackles and extend plays masked how bad they were.  Don't even let me get started about running inside the tackles....my god. 

 

Around game 7 things got a little better with smitty running drags around the 5-7 yard mark.. and a lot more slants.  Still an insane number of deep routes but I suppose that's what our offense is built off.  Running backs were being kept in to block, but seemed like it wasn't needed as much.  Gross started giving up tons of speed rushes to the outside, but I don't know if that was more of a helping Silatolu who should have had a speed pass light installed onto his helmet in passing plays.  Bell started playing really well imo around this time however.

 

Coming into game 9 or 10, the backs were releasing consistently,  Lots more underneath stuff, poor Murphy was running fly routes like no tomorrow though.  He must be in shape.  Olsen who was open the entire season started being the 2nd option rather than option number 4.  Most of the season up to that point it was 1st was SS, then it was Lafell, tuck and run, then Olsen.

 

Last part of the season it was checkdown, checkdown, 15 yards, 15 yards, checkdown.  Cam started looking real comfortable.  Wasn't forcing at all, and Gross and Silatolu starting clicking on the left side.  Hangartner and Williams also started trapping pretty good, but stunts killed them.  Tolbert was a monster both catching, short yardage runs and lead blocking.  It's crazy how underutilized he was looking back at it. 

 

In my opinion if we get moderately consistent play at the RG position, use tolbert more, and if Silatolu gets better we are fine offensively.  I don't think our DT play was as bad as everyone thinks it was, however if we have someone who commands double teams on the interior, its going to be ugly for whomever we play.  CJ was getting doubled and Hardy was getting chipped or vice versa.  I think the reason Dwan had such a good year was because of this.  Star on the interior means Dwan will be just as disruptive if not more, and either CJ or Hardy won't be doubled.  

 

Also as far as the LB's go.  Looking at the games, as of game 9 , Kuechly was in almost every tackle not 20 yards down the field.  Once he recognized the play, its dead.  However Thomas Davis always stepped his game on on the big plays.  He was a "playmaker" in every sense of the word. I am so happy he is back and healthy.  Anderson was solid, I expected to see him as the weakest link, but he wasn't that bad at all.  Not spectacular but really really solid.  If Beason recovers and plays better than Anderson it's going to be scary.

[nickzz]

past two seasons?

 

cardiac cats turned to the gut-wrenching cats a long time ago. gut wrenching losses comes with the territory. so much promise every year because of late starts and strong finishes leading you to think that next year will be different only to be filled with more gut wrenching losses.

 

it will feel good when/if it happens. i guess it will anyway. it will be a new feeling for sure, at least not one felt since '03 and maybe '05....you know, when we felt we were on to something special and then just started settling for status quo, ie stability.

 

i was just speaking on the cam-era specifically. obviously there's been some heartbreakers prior to cam, but we were pretty hopeless as a team from 2009 to cam.

[rayzor]

i was just speaking on the cam-era specifically. obviously there's been some heartbreakers prior to cam, but we were pretty hopeless as a team from 2009 to cam.

i'd bump that back to '07.

 

that's when i started calling for fox/hurney's heads.