Is The Season Opener A "Must Win" For You?

[j2sgam]

Won the 2008 opener against the Bears... Week 2, was there....

[Cary Kollins]

I don't think the players are as mentally fragile as our fanbase.

[hepcat]

Panthers haven't won a season opener since 2008.  I totally believe it's a must win game.  Beating the Seahawks, who not only beat the Panthers at home last year, are a talented team and would go a long way for building confidence.  If they get crushed, it could set the tone for a long season.  

[Montsta]

With all due respect Proudiddy, you are saying it is a MUST WIN game, then saying its not a MUST WIN in the literal sense, then saying the outcome of the season is more or less predicated on the outcome of week one. This is making it hard for me to agree or disagree with you because I'm having a hard time following your argument.

I think if we lost week one, but then went on to be like 4-2 at the bye, then week one would be a distant memory. If a week one loss turns into a week two loss and a 2-4 record at the bye, then I'd say in hindsight that, yes, week one was a must win. I hope the team can do well early this year and win some games that matter.

The biggest 'must win' I see is NE on MNF. Even this isn't truly a must-win, but if we can beat them on national tv and the world can see Cam when he is happy and motivated like we get to, I think it would do wonders for the crowd that constantly cites the towel over the head and the superman pose while down 28 as reasons to despise a man they've never met.

[SCP]

no, the last time we won the first game of the season at home.

Seems like it was around 1978 or '79?

[Proudiddy]

And if our players are so mentally fragile that they can't handle a week 1 loss we have the wrong players on this team.

 

 

I don't think the players are as mentally fragile as our fanbase.

Was I the only one who saw our team look completely dysfunctional for the first quarter to half of the last two seasons (which included losing the season openers)?

 

Lol.

[SCP]

I look at it 3 ways:

Win- This is obviously a good thing.

Play well but lose a close nail bitter- This will not have a negative impact

Get our doors blown off in a loss- The season is in jeopardy

[LA_Panther]

Nope

[CatMan72]

I think we need to play well win or lose for the psyche of this team.

[Cary Kollins]

I look at it 3 ways:

Win- This is obviously a good thing.

Play well but lose a close nail bitter- This will not have a negative impact

Get our doors blown off in a loss- The season is in jeopardy

 

 

I agree with this.  There will be absolutely no excuse for a blowout loss at home vs SEA. 

 

Rivera can just go ahead and start packing his bags if he lets that happen.

[Proudiddy]

With all due respect Proudiddy, you are saying it is a MUST WIN game, then saying its not a MUST WIN in the literal sense, then saying the outcome of the season is more or less predicated on the outcome of week one. This is making it hard for me to agree or disagree with you because I'm having a hard time following your argument.

I think if we lost week one, but then went on to be like 4-2 at the bye, then week one would be a distant memory. If a week one loss turns into a week two loss and a 2-4 record at the bye, then I'd say in hindsight that, yes, week one was a must win. I hope the team can do well early this year and win some games that matter.

The biggest 'must win' I see is NE on MNF. Even this isn't truly a must-win, but if we can beat them on national tv and the world can see Cam when he is happy and motivated like we get to, I think it would do wonders for the crowd that constantly cites the towel over the head and the superman pose while down 28 as reasons to despise a man they've never met.

 

I guess the "for you" in the title means, considering the historical implications, thus, making it a "figurative" must win. 

 

My argument isn't if we lose the season opener, go ahead and start preparing for 2014...  Obviously, there is still a lot of season left.  But, what I am asking is, if we lose the season opener, is it your opinion that this team can still make this a successful season considering the lack of success we've had in the past following an opening loss?

 

My opinion is, NO, we likely won't have a successful season if we lose the season opener.  It's still possible, but again, this team, under this coach in particular, have yet to demonstrate the ability to "bounce back" from ANY loss of any significance or relevance.  To me, week one sets the tone.  For too long, this board has spewed excuse after excuse for us not needing to start off strong, especially after we lose the opener - "it was on the road."  "that was a good team."  "it's just one loss, we have 15 more games to go."

 

To me, that's loser talk.  I look at the greatest coaches and players in history, and think, how many thought losing was ever acceptable depending on different variables involved?  NONE.  It's not EVER acceptable.  Although it is inevitable at some point...  But, not acceptable.  The problem with our franchise and fanbase over the years, is that we've grown to ACCEPT failure as commonplace and excusable.  It's not.  And there is no better time than now to change that mentality. 

 

To me, winning week one is ESSENTIAL to turning things around here.  If we lose, it gives that much more room for questions to creep in players' and the fans' minds.  Furthermore, people can say what they want, but external pressure certainly does create tension, friction, and rash moves within the franchise...  And a week one loss will certainly have the heat turned up on Rivera, with people calling for his job immediately, which would further encompass our team in even more negativity.

 

Perhaps the title should've been, "Will Week One's Outcome Determine Our Season's Success?"  But, then I'm sure we'd still have to deal with "a season is never won or lost in any one week herp derp" comments (that isn't directed at anyone in particular).

[Cary Kollins]

None of this matters because we are going 16-0 anyway.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

stats!!!

 

the panthers are 7-11 overall in week 1 games.

 

overall records for seasons with game 1 loses...

 

95- 7-9

97- 7-9

98- 4-12

99- 8-8

00- 7-9

04- 7-9

05- 11-5

06- 8-8

09- 8-8

10- 2-14

11- 6-10

12- 7-9

 

overall record for season with game 1 wins

 

96- 12-4

01- 1-15

02- 7-9

03- 11-5

07- 7-9

08- 12-4

 

looking at these records is a sad reminder of how at best carolina has always been an overall C grade team.

 

[Icege]

I think that the game is a very important pace setter for the rest of the season, but I can't get behind the idea that the very first game of the season is a "must win" any more than it already it.