Cyrus Kouandjio revisted

[CelticCat]

Oh really?  :startle:

 

I love how people/outsiders almost routinely say this, when it really isn't/hasn't been (in so many ways) during Cam's tenure. 

 

Well, we were ranked 7th in rush attempts and 30th in pass attempts last year, so I think its a fair comment to make.

[CelticCat]

Can anyone rattle off what the "medical issues" and "red flags" are specifically with CK?  I ask this because all I hear are knee issues and it sounds equally as much BS/smokescreen to push him back in the draft than actual injury.  Players like Brandon Thomas, James Hurst, CJ Mosley, etc have specific problems that have been put out in the open.  Maybe I'm just #faiLiNg on the InteRwebZz and can't locate the correct articles to show Kouandijio's injuries that would cause there to be such concern in GM circles. 

 

Dude has the talent and was vying for #1 OT coming into this season with Matthews.  I have no issue longterm with the VT or OU game, since there is so much potential there, as well as Day 1 talent to start on the weakside in 2014.  Maybe it's the Otah memories or just the fact that I've seen several people say that his shelf life might only be 4-5 years that scares me.

 

He tore his ACL as a freshman but I don't believe he has missed a game or practice since returning.

 

All the knee rumors seem so stem from the combine. Maybe someone made an off the cuff comment since he looked sluggish about his knee and it just stuck.

[CarolinaCoolin]

All the knee rumors seem so stem from the combine. Maybe someone made an off the cuff comment since he looked sluggish about his knee and it just stuck.

And even after Dr. Andrews dismissed those claims you still have idiots on this board who have no clue what they are talking about and say he's otah or won't be in league in 4 years.

[FootballMaestro]

Well, we were ranked 7th in rush attempts and 30th in pass attempts last year, so I think its a fair comment to make.

 

I knew someone would respond/say this. 

 

Well, that wasn't the case Cam's first two seasons. 

 

And this past season, the run game was very inconsistent. You take out Cam's stats, and where was the running game (outside of when Tolbert got the ball after the inconsistent and injured D'Angelo and Stewart)?

 

It's no wonder Gettleman realizes the team needs to upgrade the talent at WR and the OL to re-balance the attack, especially downfield. 

 

Any who. My point was: The reporter said "the focal point", as if that was really/ever true the past three seasons. It was not. 

 

Up until this season, many Huddler's were complaining that "Chud throws the ball too much". And we know this past season, the run game was anything but the Panther "Focal Point". Far from it. 

[Ken]

Im fine with Cyrus as long as his knee is fine. Before the combine many people thought he wouldn't even get to 28.

We all know what happened post combine but his talent has not just disappeared.

I think we draft Lee or Fuller but if CK is there I'd be on board 100% because that means his knee checked out.

[TylerVagyler]

I knew someone would respond/say this. 

 

Well, that wasn't the case Cam's first two seasons. 

 

And this past season, the run game was very inconsistent. You take out Cam's stats, and where was the running game (outside of when Tolbert got the ball after the inconsistent and injured D'Angelo and Stewart)?

 

It's no wonder Gettleman realizes the team needs to upgrade the talent at WR and the OL to re-balance the attack, especially downfield. 

 

Any who. My point was: The reporter said "the focal point", as if that was really/ever true the past three seasons. It was not. 

 

Up until this season, many Huddler's were complaining that "Chud throws the ball too much". And we know this past season, the run game was anything but the Panther "Focal Point". Far from it. 

 

Chud isn't the OC anymore. Shula made it obvious last season that we aren't an air it out team anymore.

[CelticCat]

I knew someone would respond/say this. 

 

Well, that wasn't the case Cam's first two seasons. 

 

And this past season, the run game was very inconsistent. You take out Cam's stats, and where was the running game (outside of when Tolbert got the ball after the inconsistent and injured D'Angelo and Stewart)?

 

It's no wonder Gettleman realizes the team needs to upgrade the talent at WR and the OL to re-balance the attack, especially downfield. 

 

Any who. My point was: The reporter said "the focal point", as if that was really/ever true the past three seasons. It was not. 

 

Up until this season, many Huddler's were complaining that "Chud throws the ball too much". And we know this past season, the run game was anything but the Panther "Focal Point". Far from it. 

 

While we did pass more under Chud, we were still only ranked 23rd and 26th in pass attempts. Our high offensive ranking that first year was manly due to our running game as it was ranked 3rd in yards and 1st in TD's. The following year we ranked 9th and 3rd so the running game has been "the focal point". You can argue about who was responsible for the yards but they all run behind the same OLine and with Gross' retirement that clearly needs addressing. Not to mention RG and RT needed some attention as it stands.

 

Did we have success passing the ball, sure we did, even if the low number of attempts would have you think otherwise. Cam was able to step up to the plate and deliver with 4 game winning drives when we needed them. However, the philosophy of Shula has been to control the time of possession and you do that by running the ball. Our running attempts V passing attempts versus other teams in the league reflect that. I'm all about having balance and both OL and WR will surely be addressed this draft.

 

[CarolinaCoolin]

He's a top 5 tackle in this class. You take him if he's there in the first

[MadHatter]

I knew someone would respond/say this. 

 

Well, that wasn't the case Cam's first two seasons. 

 

 

 

You do realize that we had a different OC for those two seasons.....don't you.

[MadHatter]

Chud isn't the OC anymore. Shula made it obvious last season that we aren't an air it out team anymore.

 

But, but....on Madden, we throw for 600 yards a game.

[FootballMaestro]

Chud isn't the OC anymore. Shula made it obvious last season that we aren't an air it out team anymore.

 

Yeah, but the Panthers weren't any good at it last year. 

 

I would hardly call it the "focal point" of the offense. Far from it. 

 

Just cause Seattle won the Superbowl, doesn't mean you have to duplicate their exact formula. This is the NFL. Things change. Plus, you have to go with your own strengths. Cam's a better down field QB than those guys. And Lynch is better than D'Angelo and Stewart.

 

Plus, you can't have Cam on too many set run plays (or Read Options) if you wanna keep him healthy long term. 

 

How much you wanna bet if the OL and receivers are truly upgraded (to even a standard NFL degree), the Panthers will throw the ball down field more this year, akin to Cam's second season?

[FootballMaestro]

While we did pass more under Chud, we were still only ranked 23rd and 26th in pass attempts. Our high offensive ranking that first year was manly due to our running game as it was ranked 3rd in yards and 1st in TD's. The following year we ranked 9th and 3rd so the running game has been "the focal point". You can argue about who was responsible for the yards but they all run behind the same OLine and with Gross' retirement that clearly needs addressing. Not to mention RG and RT needed some attention as it stands.

 

Did we have success passing the ball, sure we did, even if the low number of attempts would have you think otherwise. Cam was able to step up to the plate and deliver with 4 game winning drives when we needed them. However, the philosophy of Shula has been to control the time of possession and you do that by running the ball. Our running attempts V passing attempts versus other teams in the league reflect that. I'm all about having balance and both OL and WR will surely be addressed this draft.

 

 

Under Chud, the Panthers actually threw the ball more than they ran it. The reason for the low attempts, was the horrible and/or end of game losing defense (i.e. the Panther just couldn't get the ball back). 

 

And especially in Cam's first season, the run game ran off of the passing game (2nd half of Cam's rookie season), cause they were giving space once Cam had shown he could throw down field the first half of the season. 

 

But you would hardly call it a smash mouth run game. It was done off of space, created by Cam's great dual threat ability. Any time the run game had to run on it's own (even this past season with less read option), it was paltry. This is not Washington, Seattle, or San Francisco. It's no "Focal Point".  Sorry. 

 

If the WR's and OL are upgraded any next season, I don't think you'll see Shula run the same offense he did last year. 

 

Remember, the reason why Cam and the offense were so successful his first two seasons, despite the relatively low attempts you pointed out, were due to Cam's downfield and passing yards per attempts stats, which usually hovered around 9 yards per attempts. That stat was drastically down this year. Even in Cam's 400 yard Rookie games (go check em), he threw for 20+ passes in one, and maybe 30 (could be under that to) passes in the other. When Andrew Luck broke Cam's Rookie record, he had 200 more attempts for example. 

 

It's the downfield passing attack that was missing. And the fact the Panthers had no real receivers (by legit NFL standards), and poor blocking, they made due with the type of offense they had last season. Remember, they had the same running backs (and better with Tolbert) the past two years, but you didn't see a precipitous decline in the offense until the receivers and the OL waned.

 

However, that doesn't mean, you're going to see the same offense next season if the WR's, Cam and the OL improve (I don't think). 

 

Lastly, eliminate Cam's rush yardage (mind his effect on the run game, especially his first two seasons) out of the total, and where do the Panthers rank in run yardage? Remember, many of Cam's big yardage runs are off broken [pass] plays. 

 

The run game was abysmal this season, and was never built around D'Angelo and Stewart since Cam's arrival (whether due to philosophy, injury, lack of production and/or execution). Let's be real here. 

[Mr. Scot]

Yeah, but the Panthers weren't any good at it last year. 

 

I would hardly call it the "focal point" of the offense. Far from it. 

 

Just cause Seattle won the Superbowl, doesn't mean you have to duplicate their exact formula. This is the NFL. Things change. Plus, you have to go with your own strengths. Cam's a better down field QB than those guys. And Lynch is better than D'Angelo and Stewart.

 

Plus, you can't have Cam on too many set run plays (or Read Options) if you wanna keep him healthy long term. 

 

How much you wanna bet if the OL and receivers are truly upgraded (to even a standard NFL degree), the Panthers will throw the ball down field more this year, akin to Cam's second season?

 

I'd call 12-4 pretty good.

 

These things go in cycles.  Right now most of the league has built their defenses around stopping the pass.  That means a team that's built to run could take advantage since other teams won't have what it takes to stop them.

 

If more teams gear to stop the run, then a passing team will blah blah blah...round and round we go.

 

And to be clear, it doesn't say anything negative about Newton to say this team's focus is power running.  You still have to be able to pass for the run to be effective too.

 

[FootballMaestro]

You do realize that we had a different OC for those two seasons.....don't you.

 

And you do realize, LAST SEASON Won't be necessarily THIS SEASON as well???

 

You can read my response to you and other on this post above.