countryboi

On 1/6/2026 at 2:09 AM, strato said:

Not sure who you are talking to. Everybody maybe? Anyhow the family cat woke me up so…. 

Saturday, I will be in the playoff frame of mind for that game don’t worry about that. Will be living and dying on each play. Pretty sure everyone will be. That is still a few days away though. 

Right now it is yes we made the playoffs. Backed into it with some convoluted 3 way tie breaking magic. It took a heroic finish - not by us, but by Atlanta. I don’t hardly know how to feel about it. I don’t feel like we won it. It is just sort of, well okay here we are, somehow. Our number came up. We were lucky. And that is what we were. Not good, lucky. 

As far as here, this discussion, I think people rightly feel like, look at the offense. And it is kind of, what offense? They shut our run down and we become totally stagnant. Some people have faith that the QB can beat people with his arm but we aren’t doing it.

We went into our bye off a big high. In or tied for, first place. We control our destiny. 4 games to do it. And we freaking finished 1-3. That control our destiny thing? We didn’t control poo when it comes down to it. Lost in the mix is basically a huge collapse. No one really called it out, it got lost in the excitement of the chase. But, 1-3 with the playoffs on the line - every week. Not inspiring. I mean, you don’t call that trending up, and if we hadn’t lucked into the tournament that would be our finish headed into the offseason. Not what you want. And if we don’t win Saturday? 1-4 to finish the year.  Limping out. 

Okay that said I do hate going into playoffs on a winning streak because you are almost due to end the streak and that loss ends your season, so dropping One before the elimination games start is almost a comfort. But 1-3 with a 54 yard passing total in one of them? Followed by 14 points in a must win. Hmmm.
 

I am supposed to be optimistic? Sorry I don’t think I can be. I can hope, that’s different. It has just been a rough 8 years, and the excitement of having a winning record is in the rear view this week. About the only way we can have one is make the NFCCG I think. 
 

Anyhow, on offense, where are the signs that we can beat people who stymie our run game? I suppose it could happen out of the blue but we haven’t really been able to pull that off. 

Beating Tampa Bay was good. That was it though. Our other last little bit of glory is two plays on 4th down where they didn’t really pay attention in the back end, somehow, and we got two really nice results.  Not once, but twice back to back. Honestly it was so out of character it felt a little fluky. 

And here we are, depending on that to happen Saturday. At least I guess is what we are hoping for. Good luck to us. 
 

 

Bro, y’all are never optimistic. There was never a time of unicorns and rainbows. This fanbase hasn’t been happy in ten years. This entire board is the saddest place in the whole Panthers universe.

But come Sunday? Everybody is 0–0.

Whatever happened two weeks ago in Seattle is over. It’s any given Sunday. You’ve got a shot.

We already beat them once. We’re playing with house money. You choose not to be optimistic.

3 minutes ago, Soul Rebel said:

I’m trying to see the light at the end of the playcalling tunnel, but don’t know if it will be there.

If Canales passes off playcalling duties, I don’t see how he doesn’t give it to Idzik. I truthfully don’t know what Idzik does nor if he’s up for the job. I don’t see a world where Canales passes him over unless he’s instructed to, and I don’t get that feeling after making the playoffs in year two. 

I also don’t want Canales calling plays anymore. I can’t tell if BY is holding him back or if his playbook is that predictable, vanilla and determined to create a new style of offense that is dominated by screens and checkdowns.  

My gut says you plug 20 of 32 other starting NFL QBs not named Bryce in and this offense moves more. It’s wild because the times that Young does uncork it a bit, he has had more success….sans his signature out route lobs that have the zip of a paper airplane.

there has been some talk that Idzik my leave for a real OC job, its seems he is very respected around the league. 

it is insanely that the day after we make the playoffs, this is what you post. anyway I think Dave should give up calling the plays but the team is clearly getting better and we played the 10 toughest schedule and still made the playoffs. Only 2 other teams with a tougher schedule also made the playoffs. 

Im shocked player follows their employer on social media, especially in the off season

2 minutes ago, Jon Snow said:

Sounds familiar. 

the Commanders?  I think they even hired a basketball guy 

The Falcons GM's ass on the line the moment he paid Kirk and drafted Penix, pick a side

1 hour ago, strato said:

The idea is… you asked AI for busts because you wanted a bust to compare to. Could have just said QBs but you wanted busts.

In the other scenario, people wanted success stories. There were plenty of busts that had shitty rookie years but that didn’t suit the agenda. They needed successful draft picks with a rough first year. They found some, and excluded the returns that didn’t suit their agenda… those who had a shitty second year too lol, and busted out.  And those are largely the names you offered when approaching it from a different angle, one where those names would bolster your assertion. 
I just thought it was noteworthy. 

I just think Panthers believe in Bryce far more than the fans do and he is most likely going to be the QB at least the next two seasons. the real shot of us moving from Bryce is not getting an extension, till then they are going to give him every chance to succeed and I just want to win. 

7 minutes ago, SmokinwithWilly said:

Options were available. Anyone who saw Andy play last year knew he was cooked and another offseason wasn't going to turn back the clock any. 

The problem was if Bryce started off cold, which he did, and a backup like Brissett, Jameis, or even god forbid Wilson came in and outperformed Bryce after another benching or phantom injury, it was possible he never saw the field again. That could never even be in the realm of possibilities. 

It was all in with Bryce this year, but we really didnt need to put Dalton on a 2 year contract. If we give Bryce the 5th year, I expect Dalton will get a year extension to carry him through Bryce's contract term. 

some irony, Im pretty sure they tried to bring in Brissett like 2 seasons ago but he turned us down saying he wanted to be a starter. that said I dont think any of those guys are good enough to keep Bryce off the field more than a few games, maybe Brissett. 

3 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

This is the ideal situation even if Bryce sticks around. At least an attempt at an overall QB room upgrade.

I don't think it's fear, I think from coaching staff to owner they are genuinely true believers.

this, if they believed they could draft or sign a better QB, they would have done it. they are are coaching for their jobs too.

For better or worse, they actually believe in Bryce.

6 minutes ago, Candler Cat said:

If they get a chance to draft someone without moving up that shows some promise they should do it, with BY in mind as the starter heading into '26

I think the sweet spot is an older rookie with a lot of college exp, like a Shough, around round 2 or 3. I dont know if that player exists or if that would be BPA 

I think his assessment is fair, Bryce is mostly an unknown because he so wildly inconsistent. His floor has to be much much better. I also dont see any real pathway to upgrade or even bring in a challenger. the QB market is going to be nuts because the draft QB market is so weak. who knows though

One thing I didn’t consider is how thin this draft is at quarterback. That’s going to drive up the market for backups and borderline starters like Willis, Jones, and Jameis Winston. Because of that, we’ll most likely be priced out of the market for this tier of backup. 

Nic was playing his ass off today, pass rush still needs work but so does the whole team. 

22 minutes ago, SmokinwithWilly said:

He also got one of the worst head coaches to ever show his face in the NFL. Matt Rhule was a walking talking joke. Sam improved once Rhule was canned. I'm not a Sam defender by any stretch but he got a raw deal with his HCs. Adam Gase and Matt Rhule and people wonder why he couldn't get his poo together. It's not surprising that he played better once he got to an organization that wasn't a train wreck at the HC position. 

If Matt would have just named a Baker the starter during training camp, I bet we play well enough to save his job. Splitting the reps was never going to get Baker enough reps to get ready for the start of the season.

40 minutes ago, SmokinwithWilly said:

Some things can be explained by incompetence but other things make no sense. Random calls from NY to change calls with no explanation. Plays reviewed with the wrong call made the league apologizes for later. While it's difficult to outright rig, it's not difficult to influence outcomes. A few key calls at pivotal times. It's an entertainment business for a reason. 

As long as humans have been playing sports for money, people have been complaining that the games are rigged. if you really want to rig a game you would target QBs, they have biggest effect on any game. the refs are limited because the play still has to happen so they can rig it.

That's not even talking about how many people would have to know and be activity involved. 

I could see the argument for Baker, He was sold a bad hand but Sam got every chance to succeed here. He just wasnt very good and he was in his 4th and 5th season in the NFL. if Bryce played the way Sam did his last season with the Jets and we were 2-10. they would have sat him next to the practice squad. 

football is not fixed, They are just bad at a very tough job. people always think things are a conspiracy that can be easily explained by incompetence  

Willis has been good every time he has gotten an opportunity with the Packers and he is a UFA next season. I think he is likely a borderline starter/backup but he could push Bryce here. I would be fine with him

We don’t have the kind of team that can stop and start. You continue full steam ahead like you are in the playoffs right now.

fug the Bucs 

It feels like he throws when he should pass and pass when he should throw

what were their odds before they lost two division games in a row?

Tepper gets a bad rap mostly because the team hasn’t been successful. But across the league, most owners aren’t great; they just get lucky hiring smart people who make them look good. There are some truly awful owners, but Tepper is no were near Stephen Ross or Woody Johnson. its are levels to this.

I don't have to see no more from this season to know that its been a success, we are playing with house money. 

they have had two week to plan for the saints, they need to be on one