My reason for optimism going forward

[Doc Holiday]

I understand the negativity after the loss, but guys we were on a franchise record 8 game win streak that featured some very impressive wins over some very quality teams, we were bound to lose at some point and I believe most honest fans would have listed yesterday's game as the most likely game for us to lose for the remainder of the season. Consensus on this board a few weeks back was that we would split with the saints, and as far as I've seen no reason to believe that will change.

With all this said my main reason for optimism though is that if Ron Rivera as head coach has shown us anything, it's that he does learn from his mistakes, and improves upon them, our franchise recored 8 game win streak is evidence of this by itself.

I believe this seasons final story has yet to be written and honestly IMO the Panthers have already exceeded my expectations this year and I think they are playing with house money. I believe we now have the right QB, the right Head coach and the right GM to keep this team rolling for many years to come, so enjoy it guys, I think this is going to be a great ride!

Go Panthers!

[PhillyB]

i have said from the beginning of the season that with our holes on offense and in the secondary i'll consider it a very successful season if we sneak into the playoffs via the wildcard. that's still my benchmark.

 

end the season 12-4 or 11-5 and nab a playoff berth and i'll be very happy. i won't even judge rivera or the team by whether or not they win that playoff game, especially after seeing how much work we have to do on the roster.

 

our window is just beginning to open. everyone should be optimistic. 

[woodboxer]

i have said from the beginning of the season that with our holes on offense and in the secondary i'll consider it a very successful season if we sneak into the playoffs via the wildcard. that's still my benchmark.

 

end the season 12-4 or 11-5 and nab a playoff berth and i'll be very happy. i won't even judge rivera or the team by whether or not they win that playoff game, especially after seeing how much work we have to do on the roster.

 

our window is just beginning to open. everyone should be optimistic. 

I agree 100%. A loss was going to happen and this was probably the best time for it & by the best team. It will make them re-focus for the last stretch of the season. Re-group and start our second winning streak on Sunday.

[Jackofalltrades]

These things happen. Look at the Saints in Seattle.

 

Grow from it and move forward. There are still 3 important games to be played in the regular season.

[Zaximus]

There is not enough "cool story bro" gifs on the internet to satisfy the quota on these forums since the end of the game.

[Darth Biscuit]

I'm not down.... I'm wearing my Panthers gear today just like last week...

 

I would have preferred, obviously, that we had (at minimum) competed in that game last night and not gotten destroyed, but the season isn't over... we still have a fine team and maybe a little humility will serve us well once we get to the playoffs.

[TheRed]

I think most of the frustration here stems from the fact that we got away from what put us in that eight game win streak. Our offensive play calling has also gotten progressively worse at times over the course of that streak, and it finally caught up with us in New Orleans.

 

There is plenty of room for optimism of course, but we can't fall on our faces again.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

After the Arizona loss, I lost optimisim. After last night, I've lost none.

[Jangler]

The overreaction is based in the "Maddenism" of the mentality of younger fans. "I can turn a shithole team around in one year on Madden, they should be able to do it in reality."

[LinvilleGorge]

We're still 8-1 over the last 9 games and we lost to a really good team at their place a week after they got a huge wake up call in Seattle.  They responded to their wake up call, now it's time for us to do the same.

[LinvilleGorge]

Our OL should also improve by default next year if Gross can just stave off Father Time for another year.  We'll get Amini and Kugbila back at OG and I expect a high draft pick or FA to be plugged in at RT.  Not sure what we have in Kugbila, but Amini was looking better.  He's our most athletic OL right now.  I think we'll stay put at OG and focus on upgrading the RT position.  I know that the idea of staying put at OG will make some of you cringe, but you gotta remember that we've been playing backups and 3rd stringers at OG virtually all year long.  None of these guys who are playing right now were penciled in early on to see significant PT.  I think MIchael Oher might be a name to look out for.  He's struggled at times with the Ravens and has proven that he is not a LT.  He struggles with one on one match ups with speed rushers but he is a decent RT, is young at 27, and due to his issues with penalties he should come cheap.  He'd be a cheap upgrade to Bell.  Not saying he'd be great or anything, but he'd be significantly better than Bell.

 

Our other big holes are WR and CB.  If we're going to spend big money on a free agent acquisition, my pick of the litter would be WR Eric Decker.  However, I just don't see how Gman could pull it off.  One feather we'd have in our cap is that Decker's wife is an aspiring country music singer and Charlotte is a helluva lot closer to Nashville than Denver.  James Jones and Kenny Britt are other names to watch who would definitely be cheaper options than Decker.  Decker is setting himself up to get PAID.  At CB, Sam Shields and Brandon Browner are the cream of this years crop, but again, either would require a sizable investment that I'm just not sure we could swing.  Cheaper options would be Rodgers-Cromartie, and Charles Tillman.  Any of those guys would walk into the building and immediately be our #1 CB.  I'd say Tillman would be the most likely.  At his age, he shouldn't command a lot of money and he may be willing to swing a deal with us for a chance to compete for a ring.

[rayzor]

losing hurt, but wasn't all that unexpected.

 

getting blown out in the matter that we were was unexpected and it does piss me off.

 

that said, phillyb restated what his benchmark for a successful season would be this year. i've said since last year that for this year achieving a 10-6 record and/or a trip to the playoffs was mine. i think that's entirely possible.

 

what i saw last night wasn't the team that has been playing during that 8 game streak. that was the team that lost to zona. what i saw last night wasn't the coaching staff that coached during that 8 game streak. that was the coaching staff that lost to zona.

 

what we saw last night was what we saw for two years previous. i thought that team was dead and buried and that we had started a new life full of confidence and aggression and power. last night the team that i thought was dead and wanted to stay dead was resurrected.

 

my fear is that what we saw for 8 weeks was an abberation, that what we saw last night was the real deal. i don't believe that to be the case, but what we do the next couple weeks will let me know one way or the other.

 

we should absolutely destroy the jets in charlotte next week and we should beat the saints in our house as well. if we don't do both those things, i think my fears may be realized. like i said, i don't believe that we will fail to do both, but if we do....yeah, i'm not liking our chances and i'll have to have my faith in this team restored again by them playing a complete season.

 

i do think that we are at the beginning of something special. the only issue i've really had is the leadership of this team. if rivera can't get this team refocused and dominant to finish the season, i have serious doubts that he's the man for the job.

 

if we don't finish with 10 wins and/or the playoffs (which is entirely achievable at this point) then i think we have to consider moving forward without him.

[Doc Holiday]

 

 

my fear is that what we saw for 8 weeks was an abberation, that what we saw last night was the real deal. i don't believe that to be the case, but what we do the next couple weeks will let me know one way or the other.

 

 

I think you are overreacting a little bit with being fearful that the last 8 weeks was a aberration, I think that it lasted 8 weeks is proof that it isn't and a single off week by the team in general is.

[rayzor]

I think you are overreacting a little bit with being fearful that the last 8 weeks was a aberration, I think that it lasted 8 weeks is proof that it isn't and a single off week by the team in general is.

 

the past good few years of watching this team has kept me from being 100% all in and from not having complete faith in this team.

 

it's quite possible that we peaked this year already and that it won't get any better. that what we saw was a template on how to beat us. like i said, i don't believe that to be the case, but it's possible and realistic based on the past.

 

how we respond these next two games will tell who we are. it's not likely that the 8 weeks are an abberation, but it's possible. those who doubted that our success would be sustainable might have a leg to stand on.