Season of Dreams or Season of Illusions?

[rayzor]

we find out the next couple weeks who we are.

 

we win both games, and we are legit.

 

we win just one and there's still a lot of reason for optimism.

 

we lose both and meh......we just aren't a big boy team yet.

 

i think we are playing as good as or better  than any team in the league right now so there's a very real chance that we could win both. if that happens i think we go the rest of the season with maybe only one or two more losses.

 

i expect  that we lose one of the next couple, but we could still manage to eek out a very good record that can get us into the plalyoffs. after the pats we have the saints twice (i think we at least split with them) the bucs and jets at home (both very winnable games) and the falcons in atl and i think we can sweep them this year.

 

if we can manage to get into the playoffs and have some momentum going, i don't think we are a one and done team. the only thing that really scares me in the playoffs is playing in seattle or maybe in new orleans, but even then just the fact that we made it to the playoffs after the last few years is huge and a great foundation to build on.

[raleigh-panther]

The NFL schedule makers were not kind to Carolina.  Carolina plays both after their bye weeks.

 

Against the better/best teams, the margin for winning is slim. 

 

When the plays are there, they have to be made.

 

Those teams know too, the Panthers have a 4th string guard and they will know that Barner, Barner of all people, is going to be one of the gunners on special teams (to me, that is a concern) and they know that Luke can over pursue and they know Newton has issues with a pocket collapsing in the middle and throws high when nervous or underpressure.

 

The saying, 'big time players make big time plays in big games' is true.

 

Cam Newton, you are the Panthers big time player, I believe you are Superman, come on down.  Take over the game.  Win it for your team.

[pantherclaw]

I forgot to mention, the Panthers haven't even played their best game yet. Far from it actually.

This team hasn't peaked.

This weekend's game is a tighten up the chin strap, and step it up to another level, type game.

Lets see how they respond to it.

[2jakefansinva]

the next two weeks could be a "changing of the guard" moment in the NFL.

 

make no mistake about it.........they are "statement games"

[Goondal]

I do not think that a loss Sunday is a bringing us back down to earth situation.  We are playing a really good team, on the road, on the west coast, after their bye week.  Plenty of 5-3 teams would lose in that situation.  Now if we go in and get slaughtered then that is a different story but I expect the team to go in and play them tough and that this is the week that we see how this new and improved Panthers team looks when we reach the final seven minutes with the outcome still in doubt.

 

To be honest, I do not expect us to win the next two, but I do think we will win one of them.  My preference would be this week's game for tiebreaker purposes, but if I were laying money I would say we play well but lose close this weekend and bounce back by beating New England by 10-14 points on national television.

[ed bell]

For all of you that have been pining for the attention and adoration from the media, if Carolina wins at the Stick you are going to get an onslaught of it leading up to the MNF game with the Patriots.

[carolinahiatt]

I believe the Panthers are better than their record.  We could have won all our losses.  Slow start comes down to coaching and not being prepared.

[wine-o and cheese-doodle]

the key to this game for us is our ability to run the ball. If we are able to do this with a fair amount of success, it will give Cam time to throw. Then he must mix up his targets and not stare down Smitty and Olsen. Do that and we win. Also throw in some screens and smokers. Maybe a clown X for smitty.

[thefuzz]

We are what the record says we are.

 

Inconsistent.

 

I think that we are getting better, but to travel out West and play in a "primetime" game may be a bit much for our young D, Coach, and right O line.

 

If we can stop their running game, I think that we win, if we can't it's going to be a long game, and whomever commits the turnovers will lose.

 

Let's see if our boys are men yet.

[panthers55]

5-3 represents the worse record we could have,  given how well we have played. There is no way we should have lost to Buffalo and with a lucky bounce on the fumble against Seattle we could easily have been 7-1.  We are good enough to be 7-1 but we have had to settle for 5-3. So no, I don't think we are lucky in any sense of the word.  Now we have to go into SF and win in a situation that few teams could do.  Look what happened when SF went to Seattle.  It is tough to win on the road and even tougher against a team on a roll. If we lose it hurts now where at 6-2 it would have only dropped us to where we hope to be at if we win now.

 

The only way to erase the effect of the Buffalo game is to win against SF and NE which is a very tall order.  That is why Sunday is so big now.  Each game you lose that you were leading in the fourth quarter is a game that will come back to haunt you.  Otherwise Sunday would have been a game we wanted to win bu it wouldn't have been so critical if we were 6-2 or even 7-1.

 

Last year was the  season of illusions. This year is about fulfilling potential.  Whether we win or lose on Sunday.  Personally I think we win. 

[rayzor]

5-3 represents the worse we could be given how well we played. There is no way we should have lost to Buffalo and with a lucky bounce on the fumble we could easily have been 7-1.  We are good enough to be 7-1 but have had to settle for 5-3. So no I don't think we are lucky in any sense of the word.  Now we have to go into SF and win in a situation that few teams could do.  Look what happened when SF went to Seattle.  It is tough to win on the road and even tougher against a team on a roll. If we lose it hurts now where at 6-2 it would have only dropped us to where we hope to be at if we win now.

 

The only way to erase the effect of the Buffalo game is to win against SF and NE which is a very tall order.  That is why Sunday is so big now.  Each game you lose that you were leading in the fourth quarter is a game that will come back to haunt you.  Otherwise Sunday would have been a game we wanted to win bu it wouldn't have been so critical if we were 6-2 or even 7-1.

had rivera been coaching @ buffalo the way he's coaching now, we win that game.

 

crap...the confidence he's been instilling in our guys and the success that has follwed by going for it on fourth down early might have been the thing that gives us the extra push we needed against seattle.

 

the cards game was just inexcusable from many stand points and there's no reason we should have lost. but against seattle and buffalo i think we could have won if just one or two things happen then that are happening now.

 

it's frustrating, but at least lessons were learned and hopefully we aren't going back.

[panthers55]

had rivera been coaching @ buffalo the way he's coaching now, we win that game.

 

crap...the confidence he's been instilling in our guys and the success that has follwed by going for it on fourth down early might have been the thing that gives us the extra push we needed against seattle.

 

the cards game was just inexcusable from many stand points and there's no reason we should have lost. but against seattle and buffalo i think we could have won if just one or two things happen then that are happening now.

 

it's frustrating, but at least lessons were learned and hopefully we aren't going back.

Exactly.  You can't go back and the truth is that Buffalo loss is the reason Rivera is being so aggressive.  So in the end it might have been the catalyst to propel them on the 4 game win streak.  I just hope it doesn't come down to 1 game deciding whether we go to the playoffs or not.  Then again if we win out we end up 13-3 and it won't be a problem. Don't see that happening though. I still think 10-6 will be good enough and that is doable.

[firstdayfan]

As long as we don't lose in a way that makes it seem like we were completely overmatched I'll be fine.  If we play great but come up short then I think that's ok against a good team on the road.  But if we go in a play like we did against Arizona I'll be very disappointed and the media will be ridiculously annoying after.

[Zod]

That pendulum may tilt the entire huddle on its side Sunday