Confidence Level for the 2015 Season

[mpugh6]

Me: "The Panthers are going to be really good this year."

Friend: "Don't you say that every year?"

Me: "...... um... but they are going to be really good THIS year...."

 

It seems like this is the common consensus among Huddlers:

• The Panthers will have a top 5 defense
• The Panthers will have a much better offense, top 15ish
• The Panthers will have a much improved special teams unit 
• The Panthers will win the NFC South

 I personally think this is the most confident I have ever been at this point in the offseason. I was way too confident last year. Going into the season, and even after the first two games, I was thinking we couldn't be stopped. After several blowouts, I saw the obvious holes in the O-line, secondary(as it was then), and WR core. 

 

How does your confidence going into this season compare with past seasons? Are we being homers, or do we really know that the Panthers are going to light it up in 2015?

[Dex]

A solid 7 out of 10 on the confidence scale of winning a playoff game.

[PizzaTheHutt]

comparing it to the states of the other three teams in the NFC South.... I think we are in really good shape.

 

The Saints are having an identity crisis (are they "ground and pound?")

 

The Falcons have no defense, and Julio's ankles are made out of paper mache

 

The Bucs are breaking in a rookie QB who I personally think will be a huge bust.

 

So yeah. We held on to our core and strengthened some positions of need. If our O Line can gel, and Riverboat actually start out hot, then we should 3 pete the South.

[Montsta]

I believe the defense will be top 10.

Offense will be around 20th.

Special Teams won't be a complete train wreck.

All that adds up to another first place (maybe 9-7 or 10-6) finish in the lackluster NFC South.

[Cary Kollins]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The defense should be good enough to keep us in every game. The offense should be better but the offensive line could offset everything.

Best case scenario, the defense is top five and the offensive line is serviceable and we are fighting for home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

[thefuzz]

I believe the defense will be top 10.

Offense will be around 20th.

Special Teams won't be a complete train wreck.

All that adds up to another first place (maybe 9-7 or 10-6) finish in the lackluster NFC South.

 

That's about how I see it.

 

I'm guessing around 9-10 wins today, but it's May.  Injuries are always right there knocking.

[jfo89]

I'm not so sure we'll have a top offense in terms of YPG or even PPG. Having said that, I think we'll be the best offense at doing what we want to do, TOP. Methodically moving down the field and smashing it into the end zone.

[jasonluckydog]

I have no idea I can speculate but this being the NFL nothing is a sure thing.

[KillaCamNewton]

Unbiased opinion, I believe we are the 3rd best team in the NFC going into the season, but I believe were still very far away from the Packers and Seahawks. The Cowboys and Lions are at our level too, but Romo and Witten are another year older and losing Murray is going to hurt more than they seem to think. Theres no guarantee McFadden even makes it onto the field with his injury history. The Lions can score with anyone, but they just lost the anchor of their defense. You cant lose someone like Suh and expect to have no fallout, so I think they take a step back from last year. Even if we didnt make huge splashes, our secondary, OLine, and receivers are immensly improved from last season, plus Cam and Luke havent even scratched the surface in terms of their ceiling

[pantherclaw]

I have confidence in the team.

While Shula is the popular concern.

Mine is more detailed.

The offense's biggest struggle from year to year, is starting fast. The oline has failed the mesh well at the bigging of seasons. There has been turnover, injuries, you name it.

If we can enter training camp knowing our starting 5, and they get through preseaso. With no injuries or set backs, i hope they start the season better than they have in the past.

Everything starts and ends in the trenches.

[pantherj]

We've turned a corner as far as the talent level on this team is concerned. We now have enough talent and experience to expect a winning season imo. We have one of the best defenses in the league, but our weak offense will probably limit us to a one and done playoff appearance. It's hard to beat tough defensive teams or explosive offensive teams without big plays on offense. Dink and dunk with a lot of incomplete passes won't work for long in the playoffs.

 

Prediction: Winning season. Early exit from the playoffs.

[GoobyPls]

I'm confident in the D being top 5.

The offense on the other hand, a lot of unknown.

[t96]

I'm stupidly overconfident. 19-0.

[Mol3m4n]

6. I'm cautiously optimistic.