t96

1 hour ago, strato said:

Made me laugh because it’s so Panthers 

lol I hate being negative about the team I’m always such a glass half full guy and optimistic. But Tepper has done that to me man. It’s not our first time under Tepper having a winning record around this time of year. Always turned out to be a fugazi, so I’m tempering expectations. Obviously I’m way happier being 4-3 than having our seasons over by now like the last several years. But Bryce is truly terrible and I don’t see any way around our weak QB position this year as the schedule gets much tougher. I’m becoming more and more optimistic though about the progression of the D and what Canales can do with a legit QB behind this line and this running game and progression of young WRs. But that’ll take at least next offseason so this year I’m tempering expectations significantly. 

If Dalton plays well in a win against Buffalo I keep him in there. Bryce has done nothing at all to suggest it’s his job to keep once he returns. But I suspect Dalton will suck too and we lose

26 minutes ago, NAS said:

Came a long way from this 

to this

I had erased Pat Elflein from my memory. This hurts seeing that lineup again man. Woof

Calling any aspect of Bryce's game "elite" in 2025, lol

39 minutes ago, CRA said:

never forget, this is "entertainment" not sport. 

Yeah I'm well aware lol, but for many people, myself included, it ceases to be entertaining when the integrity of the sport comes into question. If I wanted scripted non-competitive athletics for entertainment I'd watch WWE. Which I don't, and haven't since I was a child.

46 minutes ago, Chaos said:

Yep. I watch my Hornets games where, you ask?  The FanDuel Sports Network. 

And every fuging broadcast has betting lines in graphics everywhere, guy at the free throw line better make sure everyone knows the odds that he makes it and sees the advertising for free $50 in bet credits if you make an account and bet $1000 in your first week or whatever the hell it is. Just a disgrace

fuging awesome win all around, loved nearly everything I saw. Of course the Nets suck and we’ve won our opener like 10 straight season lol so it doesn’t mean much but better than losing or having certain young players look terrible.

Hopefully we can stay healthy can keep building.

Also, for at least a couple days, all 3 Carolina pro sports teams have winning records… When was the last time that happened? I think last time both Charlotte teams had winning records was 2018 but Canes I think were below .500 then

31 minutes ago, strato said:

There haven’t been any big games. 
Is this like big time throws? 

 I would argue strongly that there are no big time throws without big games.  
The definition of whatever they are quantifying is fuged. 

Even if it is his biggest game (why?) there isn’t anything big time about it. 

Elimination games in season. 
Clinching games in season. 
Post season playoff games.  
That is it as far as what big games are.  

I suppose a division showdown  game could be considered big but that will likely fall into the elimination or clinching regular season bin. 
IMHO. 

I don't think it's quite so black and white. There are other examples, and sometimes it's just a you know it when you see it kind of thing. 2013 we had a MNF game against New England in November, they were coming off a bye at 7-2 and we were 6-3 coming off a close win against the defending NFC champ 49ers. That was about as big of a game as it gets and to me was one of the most defining and important wins and games of Cam's career and that entire core from 2012ish through 2017 (our best stretch in team history). Doesn't fit any of your categories and even in a vacuum losing there wouldn't have mattered all that much being an out of conference game in November, but that game mattered a ton for the team and our confidence and swagger. Another example being @Seattle in 2015, huge game and win against a team who it seemed like we'd never beat at the time.

But otherwise I agree with you, I don't view this Bills game as a big game, and I don't think Bryce has had any big games in his career yet. 

16 minutes ago, Captroop said:

Peanut should be in the Hall, because he literally has a widely used football move named after him. If you fundamentally changed the game, you should be enshrined.

It's an interesting argument but it's not like he invented the peanut punch, he was just so good at it that it got the name, I don't think he changed the game he was just incredibly good at that aspect of it. He had one incredible season that resulted in a 1st team All-Pro nod, and played a little bit longer but otherwise I don't think he was much better of a player than say Chris Gamble, who is nowhere near the hall of fame. Of course the peanut punch, 1st team all pro and a bit more longevity elevates him above Gamble, but enough to be a HOFer? I'm skeptical. Big fan of his game and loved him here pre-injury (man I still wonder what if that year; so many guys deserving of rings on that team), but I don't see him as a HOFer.

Just now, PNW_PantherMan said:

I don't disagree.  I'm mostly thinking about it from a dream team perspective.  Eli's not on any of those.  Unless its the beat Tom Brady dream team.

yeah saw your follow up post after I replied as I read further down in the thread. That's fair but in some ways is a pointless exercise as that'll be true for majority of hall of famers just because one or a few others at their position are better. Like I'd never pick Adrian Peterson to be my RB on a dream team over a Sanders for example, but he's absolutely a hall of famer and incredible player that any team would love to have. 

11 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

You think Fitzgerald will be but not Brees??

I gotta disagree. Especially since they really moved the goalposts on that position.

IDK about Fitz but yeah Brees is 100% lock to get in first ballot and it's not really a debate.

SB MVP, 2x OPOY, 5x All-Pro (1 1st team), 7x pass yds leader, 4x pass TD leader, 2nd all time in both passing yards and TDs.

Obviously I couldn't stand Brees with the Aints as a rival but his career was legendary. Just glad he only won once. Sean Payton totally underachieved there considering the QB he had.

29 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

It’s an interesting debate.  I don’t think anyone would actually want Eli as their QB.  The only other guys that fit that mold are from a bygone era.

I will say those 2 wins were way more impactful than all the ridiculous stat padding that goes on in the modern era at QB.

I'd love to have Eli as our QB. He was a proven baller in the playoffs, and still a legit franchise QB who was better than the majority of the league in the regular season. Honestly the Giants didn't build many great teams around him. Put him in a beneficial situation like Belichick, Reid, Tomlin, etc. run and he could've won more than 2 SBs if you ask me. He was on a lot of bad teams, like really bad teams, throughout his career.

Hell, swap him in for Rivers in the mid-late aughts and I bet he gets the Chargers a SB. Still think that whole draft situation was bullshit and lost respect for Eli there, but whatever.

23 minutes ago, strato said:

I guess that is my thing, I never viewed him as top tier. Despite his couple of magical years. 
I am not campaigning against him or anything, not that invested, just feel like he is a notch below the bar. 

I appreciate the different perspectives. 

He definitely was not top tier but he was close enough to me that combined with his 2 SB runs (which were absolutely insanely elite and clutch play from Eli all the way) it's enough to get in. He's also 11th all time in passing TDs and yards. Longevity does count for something. Frank Gore will probably get in due to that alone, he was never one of the top RBs in the league but was in the 2nd tier for so long. (granted, I don't personally think Gore should get in, just that he will. Him and Eli are similar career wise outside of Eli's 2 SB runs which elevate him above Gore considerably IMO)

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter and is somewhat arbitrary. It's a bunch of writers voting too, not necessarily football people.

lol I thought this thread was gonna be about Russell Wilson (Mr. Politician who only ever says nice things about everyone) trashing Sean Payton for being the classless piece of poo that he is

3 minutes ago, Shotgun said:

He helped keep the pats from having a perfect season. He should get in for doing every NFL fan that favor. lol

Quintessential cinderella story athlete, and did it twice. Plus good counting stats and was a top 2nd tier QB his whole career. He should absolutely be in.

Just now, DaveThePanther2008 said:

Peanut maybe but Greg was what the TE position looks like now.  He was the first TE to have consecutive 1000 yd seasons.  I think he should be in. 

PFR puts together a pretty solid hall of fame "monitor" and the one for TE matches my view on Greg pretty closely:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/hof/hofm_TE.htm

First back to back 1000 yards is a cool milestone but not HOF worthy. He had a stretch of 5 solid-great years but with just 2 2nd team All Pro nods in that timeframe. Rest of his career outside those 5 years doesn't move the needle. If he didn't have the foot issues late in his career here and extended those 5 years to like 8 then I think he'd have a better case. But without much personal hardware, no significant career stat milestones and no team hardware I just don't really see him getting in. Would love it for him if he did, he's one of my favorite all time Panthers (obviously).

Luke and Smitty should both get in (both should already be in, but here we are). Peanut and Greg, to me, are both Hall of Very Good players, not HOFers. 

8 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

Can't do it all in one offseason. Hopefully they make some progress in the draft.

Yeah of course. And I'm not expecting the next Luke or TD, but getting a Shaq caliber player in the last few years shouldn't have been so hard. We've tried with guys who wind up just sucking ass. I'd take just passable, but it's hard to fathom how bad ours have been lately.

1 hour ago, NAS said:

I know we’re still inconsistent on offense but I love watching a good defense and it’s been our culture since inception. We have our identity back!

Off ball LB is such a massive weakness though, so unlike historical Panthers teams which have always had great LBs. Secondary has been solid and pass rush/run D from DL/off ball LB a nice surprise so far, but man we need to upgrade that 2nd level badly. Also I still don't like Evero or his 3-4 lol

1 hour ago, trucpfan said:

You’re either slow or just not willing to give credit where credit is due!!! I know you’ve been here forever I know you typically take things serious from my prior observations from other post but Linville I need you front and center sir. 
This defensive run started with a Got Dam dominate performance against a top 5 offense ATL….. We followed that up by dominating defensively the run game and containing the Number one offense in the NFL. That line about playing weak competition is so far left field yes we’ve played bad teams but we’ve also played A1 teams as far as offense goes so let’s give these boys more then just credit let’s give them their just due louder then we gave them the disrespect last season for the sudden change and outstanding work they’ve been doing so far this year!!!!

The D has been a pleasant surprise and I give them credit for a huge improvement over last year but linville (who I often disagree with) absolutely has a point here. Falcons are not a top 5 offense lol, they are bottom 5 by scoring offense and Penix played his worst game of the year against us. Cowboys are good but we allowed 27, not horrible like last year we'd have allowed 40+, but still not great. Dolphins got 24, pats got 42 on us, Jags 26. Our overall stats are skewed by the Atlanta shutout and playing the Jets' awful offense. 

Don't get me wrong, I've been impressed by the D, largely Horn/Brown and the rookies, but it's been a pretty easy schedule and they still haven't been outstanding. Just solid.

6.24ypa

He's been better than pre-benching obviously, but not by a whole lot and he still needs to be replaced this offseason.

14 minutes ago, mc52beast said:

If you’ve been watching Panther football from their inception you would know this is how we used to win games. 

Kinda but our good seasons we'd pretty routinely blow out the worst teams in the league

We somehow have a winning record lol

Jaycee!!!!