Khyber53

I'm not sure if that's a put down or a compliment.

Life is going to be disrupted for a while. The illness will be a big problem for the elderly and those who have underlying health conditions -- particularly those with asthma, COPD and emphysema -- life threatening in the worst cases. Most folks who catch it, however, will recover after feeling lousy for a while. The economy will be disrupted, not just for the immediate future but also for a way on down the line as ripples throughout the supply chain affect industry and retail. Banking, lending and investing are bracing themselves for hits to their sectors as other businesses/people who run close to the margin are unable to keep up with their debts during this time. It will be okay, though. This isn't going to be the bubonic plague revisited, or even the 1918 Influenza pandemic. We have better medical technology, better understanding of epidemiology, better communications, better nutrition and a whole host of other items that should give everyone hope and peace of mind. Yeah, it will possibly get rough, but as much as anything for the average person it will just be a massive inconvenience for a while. For those with elderly family members or who have lung ailments, keep them in your prayers and do everything you can for them. Until this all passes, just wash your hands, avoid big crowds and show common courtesy to those around you. The world is going to have to slow down for a bit, make the most of it.

Video directed by Alton Brown of Good Eats fame. Edit to correct: Nope, my bad. It was "The One I Love" video. Same timeframe, same Southern Gothic feel.

I've got a lot of hope for this young guy. NCAA receiving leader who somehow doesn't get drafted? If he's got his head on straight, coaches up well and puts in some serious work, he could make a lot of folks regret not drafting him. It sure would make a great story.

I like your reasoning and both picks would make a lot of sense. I think that in the first round, Gettleman will be looking at picking up a long-term replacement for one of our "elder statesman" players. I just think it is Kalil he'll be looking to find a protege` for. And there, I think it will be Cody Whitehair out of Kansas St. He's got the skills to play guard and center and he fits the Hog Mollies bill like few other players.

Here's the key that they aren't understanding, and hopefully won't until after the game. Carolina has the number one offense as much BECAUSE of our defense as much as because of Cam. Look at the turnover differential. Look at the number of three and outs we force. The most important factor in our offensive success is that we consistently, ever danged game, start our drives with much, much better field position than our opponents. We get an interception or force a fumble, or your team starts on the 20 and has to punt from the 26. We work a short field and your defense is already working in tight quarters, the opponent doesn't have much to give. And in that compressed field, we run a power-running game, have multiple deep threat receivers and one of the best receiving TEs to ever play the game. We also have a strong armed QB who can run like no one has seen before. Oh yeah, and we have an offensive line that hustles on every play, We can march it 95 yards down the field for a 17 play drive that scores a TD. We just don't have to do it much. 60 yards, 50 yards, 25 yards, those are the drives that have been killing our opponents. Game after game after game.

On pass defense alone, I'm saying that we have four guys ahead of their top defensive back, Aqib Talib. And of those four guys... two of them are linebackers. Manning may be in for a very difficult day. On offense, our best will be against their best. Their defense was meant to take down the high-powered precision passing attack of New England, as Jeremy pointed out. They won't, however, be facing the Patriots, or a team that is built anything like them. I don't think they are ready for the slobber-knocker kind of fistfight they will be getting into. They are a good team, well coached and led by a legendary QB, but they are the horse drawn carriage stuck on the tracks as a locomotive bears down on them.

In the end, it doesn't matter a darned thing what Seahawks fans are saying right now. The only thing that matters is what they are mumbling on their way home Sunday afternoon about 4:30 p.m. EST.

Man, these games today have been snoozers.

Imagine how many yards passing he would have made if he hadn't been working with a short field so many times thanks to our defense.

Tampa's got a decent team that has been getting better and better. First rate running back, good young QB and good receivers. This is just the kind of team we need to be facing before heading into the playoffs. Our defense will have their hands full and we really need to see them be dominant again. It will also be a big game for our offensive line. Sure hope they are up for it. Panthers 35 Buccaneers 14

Well done! This was in your top 3 so far!

This is how a quarterback goes about starting the legend. Someday that kid will be talking about the day when Cam threw 5 touchdown passes and ran for 100 yards, and he was there to watch it. And when that kid's grandkids look at him like he's crazy, he'll go get that ball and show them. Classy QB that will be remembered long, long after his playing days are done.

Hrm, flame out, they will. Good read!

Everything is going to be fine.

That was a fun read! Good job! And your prediction doesn't seem too much of a stretch. 36-10 Panthers.

Viva la revolucion!

We grow, we learn, we adapt, we win, we thrive. Can't argue with success.

Hoping for an early lead and a chance to send in our second stringers as a group. Also hoping that everyone gets on the bus healthy and unhurt.

I guess they were right. The answer was on the roster. So many answers. 8-0. Not even sure what to do with this, never been here before.

I think Jared Allen's experience playing against the Packers will certainly help the team. Pass rush will be key on defense and on offense it is going to be imperative that we make sure Peppers doesn't have a day that makes all of the fans in the stands miss him again. This isn't a statement game, or even a game where we have anything to prove. It is just a competitive game and the kind that is the bread and butter of good teams. We're playing like the big boys now, here's what it will be like throughout the playoffs. Win and move forward.

You really aren't getting this, are you?

Smitty's last hurrah. It was a good season, but if you couldn't see the tension and the cracks. Smith fell behind Olsen in yards, with LaFell not too far behind. He was also no longer the star as Cam was getting almost all of the Me-me-me-media attention.

I love Smitty, but the best thing that has happened to him and the Panthers in the last five years is that he was sent off to Baltimore. For Smith, he got national recognition and he was able to start the HoF talk that you now hear. If he had stayed in Carolina, his grousing would have left the tag of locker room poison on him. That tag is the death knell for a great player with bad PR. Ask Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson a host of other guys in the top 20 players for their position that can't get a nod by the nominating committees. Two years in Baltimore to pad career stats, build some more great highlight reels and to get the mantle of fiery competitor. He needs this and he deserves to be in Canton. The Panthers, we lost one of our most beloved sons. We also gave Cam the opportunity to make this his team, not Smitty's. That's a big, big deal. And don't you think that this summer that would have been Smith fighting with Norman, rather than Cam fighting with Norman? That would be a whole different ball game. Our offense has also shifted since Smith left, as now it doesn't flow through him as the first, second and fourth options.

This is probably the most dangerous game for us so far. The Eagles are hit and miss, luckily they just struck big last week. I think we'll catch them on the downswing and their offense will sputter against our defense. I do see this as a rough night for Cam, though, as the Eagles can really get after a QB when they need to. Our O-line will tell the story of the night, though, as Stewart will have his breakout game and top 100 yards rushing. Panthers 24 Eagles 10