If you were in control of this team, what would you do right now?

[Bronn]

We all play armchair GM each and every week.

After last night's game, I am in a posting mood about the Panthers. This is something I'm not usually in the mood for during the season because there is so much knee-jerk reaction that takes place and nobody really knows what they are talking about. But I just have to sort of discuss my frustrations with the current state of affairs with the Panthers organization, and I invite you all to contribute your own views in a civil manner. We're all pretty bummed out to some extent, but let's try to keep the tone of this thread more business-like and not get too overly emotional.

 

What would I do right now, if I had any kind of involvment on an upper rung in the Panthers organization?

First things first. We are currently 3-5-1, second place in the NFC South, and in the middle of the NFC. We've won one game in the last 5, and have had our share of controversy and injuries already this season.

The offense is pretty anemic, and have shown very little signs of vitality. Cam is overthrowing everyone bad these past couple games. He also isn't making enough reads and adjustments at the line of scrimmage or in the pocket. Benjamin and others have had their share of drops too. We're making small mistakes that turn into big mistakes. We are pretty one dimensional in our run play calling and we abandon the run pretty early on because of it. A lot of these problems are directly related to our offense's coordination and timing. That falls on the shoulders of the players to an extent, but mostly on Shula. He has to go... as soon as possible. If it means totally winging it the rest of the year until we can find a replacement, then so be it. We can't get much worse than we have progressively been getting.

The defense has shown some signs of life more recently, but there is still an obvious lack of pressure on opposing QBs. Our secondary is in pretty bad shape, but have been better with Norman getting more time. We do need to start manning up more, and getting away from being in zone coverage nearly all the time. Teams are picking our seams apart, and exploiting our coverage packages more easily than they should be able to. We want our defensive identity to be intimidating, but it isn't very intimidating when opposing QBs know a general area your guys are going to be in. We also need more blitzes to aid in our coverage changes.

 

There aren't many options of addressing our personnel needs now, via free agency (slim pickings) or trade (passed deadline.) So, it is time for us to go with what we got and correct the flaws that what we got present.

We all see what a terrible Offensive Line has done to Cam. He IS making bad throws and missing reads because he's too busy trying to protect himself. I feel like we need to incorporate our RBs in the passing game more. Even a shovel pass now and again, or a toss sweep would go a long way in spreading out the opposing front seven and taking some pressure away, but we haven't been doing those things. Most of the time when we have tried passing to the backs, the RBs have dropped the pass or the defense sees it coming form a mile a way. There is no element of surprise to our offense.

 

Depending on the outcome of the Philly game (let's be honest here, it isn't looking promising at all), I would HIGHLY consider letting Cam sit for a week or two. He needs a break to collect himself and hopefully get over everything we've put him through as an offense this year. I'd come in with a run heavy offense that leaned West Coast in the passing game. We are currently doing nothing to offer Cam more time. I don't think teams are biting on the "hold it forever" option thing we have going in the play action game anymore. We have no real trickery on offense, despite having a 3rd string QB that's out there playing gunner, returner, and even WR. We could do a little of that every now and then too.

The bottom line is that we have to do something, and the "business as usual" thought process just clearly isn't working. As a GM and a coach, Gettleman and Rivera need to make it known that the current state of affairs is unacceptable. Otherwise, you're going to continue to spiral downward and lose your locker room... and more and more games.

[Jmac]

Maybe the Ravens did have the right idea.The offense was terrible (like this mess), they canned the OC mid season and it was the spark they needed for a SB. I'm not saying this would put this team near a SB, but perhaps be the slap they need to be competitive.

[Panthers8969]

Ravens also had the right idea in signing Steve smith

[blackcat]

Nothing that he could do right now would be of much use.  I'd fire Shula, not expecting a huge improvement, but to send a message.  Our problem lies in the offense and the O line.  He can't fix the O line at this point in the game.  It's going to take an offseason to find QUALITY players at O line. 

 

I might cut Roman Harper, too, but that's because I think his name is dumb.  oh, and he's terrible on the football field as well. 

[jabberwockie]

I would probably replace almost everyone on both sides of the ball and pretty much the entire coaching staff. Then, the few players that have talent would likely be at the end of their current contracts and be looking for big money or threatening to go elsewhere. I would pay them because I couldn't afford to let them walk. (Except for our overpaid crappy running backs, I wish Smitty was still here instead of them) After paying the really important cornerstones of the team I would have little money to sign quality replacements so I would have to cut corners and bring in journeymen and scrubs on 1 year deals, and then I would ask that the fan base be patient and expect the Panthers to produce something that looks and acts like a successful nfl team that can have two winning seasons in a row.

 

Or atleast this is what this organization considers improving. So I will wait another year and hope for the best.  /rant

[mc52beast]

Everyone should have known during the off=season that this team was not going to do well... with all the turn-over and salary cap issues we have multiple players who would not be starting anywhere else in the NFL. 

 

The team has 11 days off, we should get everyone back who didn't play today except for the guys on IR... there should be no excuses about we dont have our starters going against Philly. If we lose that game then heads need to roll... 

[Newtcase]

 We've won one game in the last 5, and have had our share of controversy and injuries already this season.

 

We've won one game of the last seven.

[CRA]

Nothing can be done but to weather the storm.

We have a severe talent issue on the OL and secondary. Secondary can he masked and aided.

OL? As Gettlemen said OL allows you to compete. As weak as we are we can't mask it

[SpeedOFLight]

Honestly I am not big on firing people but I am not a fan of Shula and never been. He is terrible with offense and his history proves that. I would let him go and promote someone else.

[PFFC]

Fire Shula. Hand the keys to Cam, tell him run it up tempo, let's see what ya got kid!

Seriously could be any worse than what we have now?

[Captroop]

As much as I'm pissed at everyone in the FO right now, I don't think firing anyone would do anything that would have a positive outcome on the remainder of this season, or next season. And the trade deadline is over, plus there isn't a FA available who can save our team. There are too many pieces missing.

 

This season is toast. That was established before the season started when Getts decided to patch our holes with bargain basement tripe, and his BS assertion that the answer was on our roster (seriously, fug Gettleman). You might rightly point out that we are still in prime position to compete for, and win our poofug division, but I honestly don't want us to win. Winning the division means two things; we will get embarrassed in the playoffs, and we can expect more of the same next year as the winning will justify the status quo.

 

But at the same time, I don't want to phone it in the remainder of the season. I sure as hell don't want to bench Cam. So what do you do? I think you can go one of two ways. You either try to get the crap you have now to work, and try to scrape for a couple more wins. OR, what I suggest, is you just go monkey balls crazy! Open up the back page of the playbook. Try everything. Try everyone. See what talent we really have on the roster. See who can develop a rapport with Cam. See who can be our RB1 going forward. See if we have a diamond in the rough on the O-Line bench. See if Norman is the real deal at CB1. See if we have talent at the safety position somewhere on the roster. Find out who the keepers are, and who need to be shipped off in the offseason. Let's start scouting now so this season isn't a total loss, and we are better positioned for next year.

 

Try anything and everything! Have some fun with it. We may not win games, but maybe we'll show some dynamism; some signs of life. At least then I'd have hope for the 2015 season.

 

You royally fugged up this year, Panthers. Give me a reason to be excited for next year. Give me a reason to watch. Show me that we are just two or three pieces away from being a contender.

 

That's what I would do right now.

[Snake]

Remove Shula, replace him with Ramsdell and base Rivera's job status on the rest of the season. I think DG should be allowed to have his own coach so he can take all the blame. No more Hurney fug ups mudding the water.

[Matthias]

I would fire Rivera and promote either Sean McDermott or Ricky Proehl as interim.  Then in the off-season if I can't hire a retired Peyton Manning or some other offensive genius, I will trade Cam and hire a coach next.

[AceBoogie]

I didn't see WRs running open yesterday. Cam missed his normal throws, the same throws other qbs miss every game. Just being maximized by the losing and the drops. 3 big drops by KB, Cotch, and Bersin that all could have led to points. I lost count of the drops last night, and the wrs don't ger separation. Brees was hitting wide open guys, he wasn't threading the needle. And don't underestimate how Olsen has basically turned into a blocker because the oline is so terrible.