d-dave

Man, I hope that's the case! Rhule needs to really concentrate on making the team better on the field. Let Fitts do his job. I agree 100% that this was to get the fans back in seat. Getting butts in seats, buying soda, beer, programs, whatever is a LOT of revenue. It also doesn't hurt that every QB decision Rhule has helmed as backfired spectacularly... Cut Cam, Sign Bridgewater to $31 million guaranteed, then trade after a season, trade for Sam, not sign a vet backup... Just a bunch of piss poor decisions. I have no idea what Cam has left, but it was about the best move the team could have made. If it upsets rule, he's got $70million to cry into. Tepper showed he gives zero fugs about spending cash to improve the team. Speaking the Boss man, I think back to the 88/58 retirement, when Tep made it a point tell them that they would bring Cam home when the time was right, or something a long those lines. Guess it's that time.

I don't think we'll be back to Cam getting 20 carries a game, but I do think the strategic use of the zone read is going to help slow defenses down and open up the rest of the offense. He'll also be the redzone threat he's always been. I have no doubt that Cam can do anything Darnold could do, just better. God, if he cut down on the turnovers, got us 3 more 3rd down conversions a game, that's MILES better than Sam.

Well, Brady is a "boy genius" of an OC so this should be pretty easy, right? The reality is Brady has worked some zone read into his plays the past few years with Teddy and Sam. That's now a much more important aspect of the playbook. Cam can still make all the throws so as soon as Brady and Cam get on the same page, there should be zero training wheels. Honestly, the team needs to let Cam be Cam. Don't pull him unless he's hurt. If he has a bad game, let him bounce back. No more training wheels. Heck, Brady should be thrilled at this development!

My son just loved Cam "Newkun" Newton (he called him Newkun when he was 4), and he would actually watch games with me to see Cam give balls to kids in the stands. He loved that. Since Cam got released, he has shown considerably less interest in the Panthers. Today, when my wife told him, he ran around the house in joy, dabbing and doing the Superman. Who knows what the final tale will be this season, but he brings excitement and joy back to the team. That's got to count for something!

Looks to me that Cam wants to remain here. I think this will be an interesting off season. Going to have to pull some cap magic if Cam turns out to be a good QB for us.

So....spot.....on!!!

I have no idea the value of any of this. I just know I'm so pumped right now. I'm so excited again! I love that. I was pretty much meh on the rest of the season. I'd rather scrub toilets on a Sunday than watch the Panthers. If nothing else, that changes for a while. I'm excited again! If Cam helps us score more points, covert 3rd downs, then we will be a MUCH better team. He doesn't have to be a Madden Cheat Mode, he just needs to be competent. Now if our OL can give him some time...

Right now, it's hope. I'm thrilled to have Cam back. He's meant so much to this city, team and community. I don't expect 2015 Cam, but I'd love to see a QB who makes good decisions and throws the ball with some accuracy. If Cam can help us score some points, covert some 3rd downs, then we will be so much better.

Thinking more immediately, we need to go back to what was our success in the first three games - quick passing game. Spread guys out. One of the problems we've had with packing it in for running plays is that it gave defenders a shorter route to the ball. Rhule can say he wants to be a pound the rock team, but that's not going to happen. If you look back at those first three games, there was more shotgun, spread, and passes that were ready when Sam dropped back. We were also more willing to throw into that 2nd level. This team was made to run this Joe Brady version of the Saints offense. We don't have the big bodies to pound people into submission. I have no idea what the future holds, but going back to what they actually spent TC doing probably won't be worse than what we're seeing now.

That's been my big thing. You need to design the offense to play to the player's strengths instead of weaknesses. We aren't running plays that match our strengths and give players a chance. Instead, each offensive possession is just a train wreck... Brady has been hailed as this offensive guru. Maybe he can be, but it's not here. I think he lucked out with a LSU team with first round NFL talent that looked really good. He's been too inconsistent. Like you can find a hundred plays where he makes is dead easy for Darnold to read and react. Then you can also see how discombobulated the team is right now and no one knows what they are doing. I think Brady will finish the season, but he's going to have to show he can figure it out.

It's Tepper's money so let's enjoy that part at least I'm not unhappy they tried, but the prices they paid is just crazy. Just crazy for some of those deals, which weren't great when they were inked, and have continued to look like poo. It's going to be very interesting to see what happens this off season...

Right now, it all feels like poo because we keep losing. I get it, it sucks. The owner and coach ran Teddy out (and most of us were happy to see him go, let's be honest). We needed a QB, and the team wasn't quite sold on Fields being ready to contribute or Jones' ability to be the QB we wanted. When we traded for Darnold, I was hopeful. He was leaving a dumpster fire. We didn't quite realize he was the one with the gasoline and matches... But we took a risk, and I'm ok with a 2nd round pick (we made up for the value via other trades) on a QB. Henderson is a very talented man corner. He's having a rough go right now. It was a potential trade. Trading Arnold away was something the team was willing to do because they thought Tremble was ready to be the man. I think the MUCH larger issue isn't these two moves, it was the decision to try to be a power team without power players.

Man, what a depressing article.. Very true in all regards about Darnold. We'll have $23 million in space for 2022, and not a lot of freedom to cut players so we're kind of stuck with who we have through next season. I think the plan SHOULD be to trade down our 2022 #1 pick to try to get other assets, and see if we can keep guys like Moore, Reddick and Burns. As far as the draft we have 1 (13th after yesterday), 4, 5, 7th round picks. Not a lot of ammo after blowing the wad this year with acquiring players. The team is going to have to get very creative in how it handles players, contracts, as this protracted rebuild continues.

As much as the draft is a crapshoot, especially with QBs, I'm fine going all OL this year in the draft. We have to fix that. It won't matter who the QB is if the OL is escorting DL to them and we can't run the ball.

Carter was a 5th round pick. Smaller, not blazing fast, but fiesty. He needs Shaq. Carter is an adequate NFL starter, which is pretty good for a 5th round pick. I think he's a little better than a JAG. I mean, we've seen Whitehead who is kind of the ultimate JAG. When Carter and Shaq are in the game, we play well. Shaq is a really good LB. He's got athleticism, the smarts, the vision, and he sat and learned from two of the best to play in the modern era with 58 and 59. Carter can't man the fort the same way Shaq can, but he's a nice complimentary player who is smart and studies. He just doesn't have the physicality Shaq does. Could we upgrade? Sure, but he's not the issue. Getting our offense to stay on the field and score TDs is the big issue.

I think it's too early to really tell if Rhule is a good NFL coach. He's always had traits: excellent motivational speaker, seems very hands on in practice, and engaged in all areas of the team. The Panthers also haven't quit. They are still fighting. Sure, the offense may go no where, but the D is still bringing it each down. That means something. But he's got some major issues in game management (timeouts, situations), and he should probably back off being a dictator and concentrate more on being a coach. There is nothing wrong with a coach telling the GM the types of players they need, and letting the GM do their job. It's another thing to be the final voice in all decisions. I think if Matt really just let other do their jobs and concentrated more on his own, then it will only do better for the team.

How do y'all think that Miami isn't as much of a cluster as we are? Could be that Watson would rather have the larger city to disappear in with a much more "exciting" nightlife. He could also be looking at the tax situation and thinking that Miami is a better because he keeps more of his cash. He could just love the beach, and Miami is closer to that than Charlotte is. Sure, the complaints about the Panthers are all very valid, but let's also not forget about the non-football aspects of the various locations.

The whole thing is so heartbreaking. He was so recklessly irresponsible. Not just his life, but the lives he ended, and the families and community...damn, it's just so terrible. I've been drinking a long time. I've been driving a long time. Never have I ever driven drunk. That's one of those responsibilities that people need to learn - no matter their gifts or lack there-of. These kinds of stories just make you sick. All the wealth and opportunity wasted, lives lost, and more.

What a cowardly thing to do. Rodgers tried to have it both way. At least people like Cole Beasely wear it on their sleeves. For someone so fond of calling out others despite being a super sensitive snowflake, this should be a much bigger deal. The vaccine isn't as much the issue as the lying and the cover up. Rodgers isn't above the rules both the NFL and NFLPA created.

Moving forward, what happens when teams put 8-9 in the box because we can't pass. Why worry about the receivers when they have dropped more passes than an average team in a season? There's a good chance that any deep or intermediate shot will be dropped or just missed. While it was great to grind the Falcons down, that's not going to happen every Sunday. Again, it's up to the coaches to figure out something that works. They are going to have to do more in the passing game, more variety of routes and stuff or teams are going to run them for us...

I hate that for him. As a human being, you don't want to see this happen to anyone, but hopefully he can get the help he needs to be happy and healthy. Yeah, it's great from a play perspective because he's a really good WR, but beyond the field, you wish nothing but the best for most of these players. They are giving up their bodies for our entertainment, and I just wish him the best.

I was really happy to see how Sam was playing today. Playing in the plays, not doing stupid things. His feet looked better, calmer. It really helped to run the ball effectively, and we're going to have to live and die by that the rest of the season. I will say this: Sam has guts. Running power like that, constantly running and making plays when guys aren't open to convert downs. He also played well despite his guys continually letting him down with drops. He has plenty of issues, but Sam played well today. It's not enough to overcome the bad games, but he just needs to keep playing this this today: under control.

It was a good read, Jake is very insightful. I think it comes down to pressure and expectation. Like in NY, Sam was the #3 over all pick, has all the tools, and the expectation was for him to save a poo franchise. While I think Sam seems like a really nice, if completely bland dude, I'm not sure he has the make up to be the "man." Like, in our first 3 games, there were zero real expectations. The goal was for him play better, which he did. Then after that start, the P word gets tossed around. Everyone expected Sam to continue to elevate. But he folded. So for the team, the question becomes how do you find a way for him to be successful? You have to run the ball effectively. The plays have to work. As Dan Orlovski pointed out, the plays were the exact same. That's not what Sam needs. Sam needs to be guided into his reads and his throws. Think like Kyle Shanahan style offense. Where an idiot can make the read and throw the ball to playmakers. Then let Sam grow in that. I think the yanked the training wheels off too quickly on Sam. Will Sam be our guy for the long term? Probably not. But we need to try to get some value out of Sam. I think fans can deal with us losing, so long as the team doesn't quit. It's one thing when the other team is just more talented. It's another when you just fold. Sam needs to play better, period. Now it's not on all the coaches. Sam has to actually do the things. If he's not/can't, then no amount of coaching will fix that problem. That's where we are now - figuring out which party is liable.

Man, that was fun to watch. I loved Cam in his prime. He made the game so much fun! The problem is we beat him to pieces. Do I think Cam could come in and be productive? Sure, I think so. Would he be the Cam we remember? No. He's still a good runner, but he's not the magic man he was. His passing has improved, but is he good enough for a timing based system where you need to anticipate? No clue there. Cam is not the MVP he was, and I'm not sure he would want to come back considering how Rhule dumped him so hard and fast. But it would get butts in seats for a while. Heck, it might even be fun, in a terrible way.

That was an interesting segment. The problem is, we have no other choices. No offense to PJ, but his execution of the offense is probably not much better. His accuracy along with WRs who have been dropping the ball like crazy the past few weeks is not a good recipe for success. I don't know that a practice squad QB is going to do anything either. The reality is that the Panthers coaches have to fix things on their end. They have to coach Sam, make a competitive game plan, and figure it out. I'm not holding out much hope for the rest of the season, but that's what needs to happen. No one is coming to rescue you.