We are better than last year.

[Verge]

2015 Cam Newton > 2014 Cam Newton 

Healthy JStew > DWill and barely healthy JStew

Michael Oher >>> Byron Bell 

Norwell and Turner > Who did we start at guard again?

Remmers >>>> Chandler

Wr almost seems like a wash, obviously a rookie KB is huge, but we almost balance that out with the additions of Ginn and Funchess, plus the development of Corey.

 

CJ - Short - Star - Ealy > Addison - Edwards - Star - CJ

TD - Kuechly - Shaq > TD - Kuechly - Blackburn/Klein

Boston - Coleman > Decoud - Harper

Tillman - Norman - BB > Cason - whoever the hell started 

 

Tell me I am wrong, and why, because I really don't think I am. One player does not a season make.

[Daddy_Uncle]

I cant tell you if you are wrong or right until the games are played.

[PantherBoy95]

2015 Cam Newton > 2014 Cam Newton 

Healthy JStew > DWill and barely healthy JStew

Michael Oher >>> Byron Bell 

Norwell and Turner > Who did we start at guard again?

Remmers >>>> Chandler

Wr almost seems like a wash, obviously a rookie KB is huge, but we almost balance that out with the additions of Ginn and Funchess, plus the development of Corey.

 

CJ - Short - Star - Ealy > Addison - Edwards - Star - CJ

TD - Kuechly - Shaq > TD - Kuechly - Blackburn/Klein

Boston - Coleman > Decoud - Harper

Tillman - Norman - BB > Cason - whoever the hell started 

 

Tell me I am wrong, and why, because I really don't think I am. One player does not a season make.

This is very true, the only thing I'd say ruins the logic....

I don't expect the NFC South to be as weak, we'll likely have to win 9-11 games to take the division this year.

[EgoDogg]

"We are better at this point this year than we were at this point last year." I think that's what you meant. This roster is better than the roster that started of 3-8-1.

Not saying we're not good. I expect a decent season and a division title, but your comparison isn't fair. You should be comparing it to the 5-1 team to finish the season & playoffs. 

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

On paper we are better, yes. Unfortunately the game isn't played on paper. I'd say the vast majority of fans believe their team to be better than last year but we all know there will be a couple or a few teams with 2 or 4 wins by the end of the season. My #1 concern is still that goon calling the shots on offense. Maybe he's just being extra vanilla, boring, and unoriginal during pre-season but I've seen enough of him to know he's going to continue holding this offense back. 

[t96]

We are 2000% better than this time last year, but the question is are we better than the team that finished out the year? The line was the same except Oher replacing Bell so that's an improvement. Cam healthy is an improvement. Younger players getting better is an improvement. Losing KB is a big big loss, but Funchess being added makes it not as bad. Ginn is a huge addition, and the change of ST coaching is big. On D losing Frank hurts even though he didn't play last year and our DT depth is questionable with injuries. Secondary improved with Peanut and Coleman, LB improved with Shaq obviously. So overall I'd say it's extremely likely we're significantly better this year than we were at the end of last year when we were actually respectable. KB is our only real loss, but I think we've gained enough to still have a net positive. 

[Seltzer]

On paper we are better, yes. Unfortunately the game isn't played on paper. I'd say the vast majority of fans believe their team to be better than last year but we all know there will be a couple or a few teams with 2 or 4 wins by the end of the season. My #1 concern is still that goon calling the shots on offense. Maybe he's just being extra vanilla, boring, and unoriginal during pre-season but I've seen enough of him to know he's going to continue holding this offense back. 

True Statement if there ever was one.  Saints and Falcons, and Bucs fans definitely think their respective teams have improved too.

One of the few things I can say with certainty is that I feel much better about the offensive line right now than I did last year. However, as we have seen with WR and now DE, it only takes an injury or two to drastically change things.

I too continue to wonder about Shula, and it's obvious national writers don't consider him very highly in the NFL Offensive Coordinator hierarchy.  As much as I have grown to like Rivera, I do wonder about the decision to promote Shula rather than look outside.  My personal take is that Rivera initially hired 2 up and comers in McDermitt and Chudzinski, but Rivera kind of felt like Chud upstaged him some (and to be fair some of the playcalls, while not conservative, were headscratchers in their own right).  Because of that, when Chud left Rivera went the route of promoting someone like Shula who doesn't seem to have any further HC aspirations versus hiring someone else who could outshine him.  And I think part of it too was Rivera wasn't exactly secure in his job starting the 2013 Season as he is now.

I did think Shula did a decent job calling some of the games at the end of last season, but overall seems to hold the team back more than anything.

 

 

[glo]

I'd replace Tre with Harper because that's not Tre's position. I'd replace Tilliman with Bene.

[Nate Dogg]

We are 2000% better than this time last year, but the question is are we better than the team that finished out the year? The line was the same except Oher replacing Bell so that's an improvement. Cam healthy is an improvement. Younger players getting better is an improvement. Losing KB is a big big loss, but Funchess being added makes it not as bad. Ginn is a huge addition, and the change of ST coaching is big. On D losing Frank hurts even though he didn't play last year and our DT depth is questionable with injuries. Secondary improved with Peanut and Coleman, LB improved with Shaq obviously. So overall I'd say it's extremely likely we're significantly better this year than we were at the end of last year when we were actually respectable. KB is our only real loss, but I think we've gained enough to still have a net positive. 

Great post. I'm not too sure about this special team improvement yet. Hopefully we will see some nice plays on Friday in the 3rd preseason game. Another thing that concerns me is it's like our coaching staff has amnesia and completely forgets about what transpired in the previous season. They hit a reset button and start doing the same dumb poo they did in year one at the beginning of the season.

[juliosantos]

I'd replace Tre with Harper because that's not Tre's position. I'd replace Tilliman with Bene.

I want bene over tillman

[Smithers]

I agree the talent on the field is better.  The man calling the offensive plays, however, is still crap.  

[t96]

I'm not too sure about this special team improvement yet

I'll admit I'm not happy at all with how it's gone these 2 preseason games, but realize it can't possibly be worse than last year. Even if everything is the same except for Ginn at PR over Bersin that's a pretty big improvement, and I don't think any other aspects can be worse than last year.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I'll admit I'm not happy at all with how it's gone these 2 preseason games, but realize it can't possibly be worse than last year. Even if everything is the same except for Ginn at PR over Bersin that's a pretty big improvement, and I don't think any other aspects can be worse than last year.

I take preseason with a grain of salt and put little emphasis on plays outside of the OL and DL. Practices and camp are much more watered down due to CBA than it use to be. I think the team is in a better position than last year at this time. Losing KB was hard but the timing allows coaches and players to normalize and adjust before the season starts. 

 

Just my opinion. 

[pstall]

The first 3 games will be the true indicator. If lose the first 2 it will not  be pretty. Both i have down for wins already.