Starts under Rivera: 1-3, 1-3, 1-3, 2-2, 4-0, 1-3

[emhoward]

As others have pointed out even though we started off 4-0 last year it was still a slow star relative to the rest of the year. 

Also if you remember, last year during joint practices against the Dolphins, the general concensus was that we were dominated by Miami. 

At the end of the year, after each of our seasons, Miami was baffled by our record compared to theirs because they looked so dominant against in practice, which leads me to believe that our slow starts don't start in September, but late July. 

Slow start theories.. 

#1 - practice effeciency: I know we stress practice "tempo" and "physicality". But im.not sure we stress the mental aspects of the game. Not making mistakes. Cleaning up technique, stuff like that. 

#2 - film: Every team, on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, throws in new wrinkles at the beginning of the year. Because of this theres no film on the new stuff. Rivera relies heavily on film for game planning and approach. More so the other coaches. You often here him "we prepare for what they do" when discussing that weeks opponent. It's why backup QB's, even if they aren't good, are pretty good against us, they have no tape. Luke Mccown. Trevor Simieon, etc. 

#3 - underdog mentality: as others have mentioned maybe there's a psychological aspect to this. Maybe Rivera feels more comfortable as an underdog. When people doubt him and the team, when he can go to the team and say "they don't believe in you" and use it as motivation. 

#4 - desperation: Maybe back against the wall situations bring out the best of Rivera and the panthers. 

 

[SOJA]

tbf we REALLY should be 2-2 if Gano just hadn't fuged up that FG- but your point still stands and it's an interesting statistic. 

The more I think about it the more I believe that this team doesn't handle pressure well. We're at our best when we're carefree and having fun- when we've got nothing to lose. Rivera gambles on 4th downs, Cam is loose before games, and is cheering/dancing, the defense is being aggressive and getting turnovers....

 

sounds like a crock of poo but I think there's something to it

[1989]

As others have pointed out even though we started off 4-0 last year it was still a slow star relative to the rest of the year. 

Also if you remember, last year during joint practices against the Dolphins, the general concensus was that we were dominated by Miami. 

At the end of the year, after each of our seasons, Miami was baffled by our record compared to theirs because they looked so dominant against in practice, which leads me to believe that our slow starts don't start in September, but late July. 

Slow start theories.. 

#1 - practice effeciency: I know we stress practice "tempo" and "physicality". But im.not sure we stress the mental aspects of the game. Not making mistakes. Cleaning up technique, stuff like that. 

#2 - film: Every team, on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, throws in new wrinkles at the beginning of the year. Because of this theres no film on the new stuff. Rivera leaves on film for game planning and approach. It's why backup QB's, even if they aren't good, are pretty good against us, they have no tape. Luke Mccown. Trevor Simieon, etc. 

#3 - underdog mentality: as others have mentioned maybe there's a psychological aspect to this. Maybe Rivera feels more comfortable as an underdog. When people doubt him and the team, when he can go to the team and say "they don't believe in you" and use it as motivation. 

#4 - desperation: Maybe back against the wall situations bring out the best of Rivera and the panthers. 

 

Great post! All valid points.


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[truthjuice]

1 hour ago, CPantherKing said:

It's Rivera's personality.

Play it safe and stick to the system. Hope everything goes your way. When put on the hot seat or behind the 8 ball, then start taking more risk and begin showing emotion. Sit back and smile to end the season.

Ron in September: (9W-11L) Analytical Ron. Trust the system.

Ron in October: (8W-12L-1T) Bad Beat Ron. Blame poor execution of the system.

Ron in November: (12W-7L) Riverboat Ron. Throw the system out the window and go all in.

Ron in December/January: (19W-5L) Jackpot Ron. Take your winnings off the table and praise the system. Then sell the system to suckers and make more money then you ever won with the system.

 

Want to live the good life and experience the same success as Ron Rivera? Then just follow Ron Rivera's simple 4 step system to success. The next 1000 callers get Riverboat Ron Rivera's new book 'From a Super Bowl Shuffle to a Ride on the River'.

 

LOL!

[panthers55]

Every year including this one it takes time to acclimate rookies and new players to our schemes which are complicated to master. As the season progresses and players get more comfortable our team gels and we play much better. Last year for some reason was the fluke. Otherwise we are consistently slow building chemistry.  

[The Lobo]

3 hours ago, Doyle said:

We are 0-1 in Super Bowls with Cam as QB.  Definitely not an NFL caliber quarterback.   

Why don't you an your band go practice some more? 

[CPantherKing]

The Panthers had a very favorable schedule to start the season in 2015. The week 5 game was the test, and when they pulled that win out in a game they were chasing the Seahawks for 4 quarters the momentum was set at 5-0 for the next mid season gauntlet of games that followed.

[B.BERSIN]

I think there is some weird part of him that likes it. He wants this. He said in his press conference today " I'm excited about it, I really am. I see it as a challenge " I Don't think it is conscious on his part, but I think he likes to play from the bottom up, He wants to be the hunter, not the hunted. and the team picks up on that. just my theory. 

Ron must be very stupid to think so.


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[d-dave]

They don't like the heat of Summer?

We can talk about acclimation, conditioning, whatever.  Personally, I think we're slow starters because of our offensive and defensive systems.  We are physical, smash-mouth on offense and defense.  We start slow because a lot of teams come out hot because they are fresh and can just out "run" us.  Once they get dinged up from playing, our more physical style can more than make up for our lack of hot play at the beginning.  Last year, how did we win those early games?  Heroics on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.  We were pretty close to losing several of those games.

Once we either A) Settle down or B) everyone get's a bit bruised, we have tended to play well.

OR, we play the first part of the year poorly because we are trying new things, they suck and we move on to more successful plays and game plans.

Good question though.  Who knows whats the real answer is.

[the_philosopher]

I think the Spartanburg practices really hurt us. I was amazed when I went to training camp for the first time at just how few reps each player gets and yet everyone is physically and mentally exhausted (spectators included) from the sheer heat, humidity, and full sun exposure. I know people will say it develops mental toughness, but I say good football players are going to be mentally tough regardless, and it seems clear to me that the team could be better prepared by opening week if they were able to focus purely on football instead of surviving the heat and "getting practice over with." To put it simply, a higher quantity of quality mental and physical reps can be performed in lower temperatures. That, to me, is obvious.

Notice that practicing in extreme heat doesn't even give our players an edge through the hotter games of September, as evidenced by the early season records in this thread. (It sure didn't help when the Vikings slammed us in the 2nd half of a very hot game this year.)

[truthjuice]

20 minutes ago, the_philosopher said:

I think the Spartanburg practices really hurt us. I was amazed when I went to training camp for the first time at just how few reps each player gets and yet everyone is physically and mentally exhausted (spectators included) from the sheer heat, humidity, and full sun exposure. I know people will say it develops mental toughness, but I say good football players are going to be mentally tough regardless, and it seems clear to me that the team could be better prepared by opening week if they were able to focus purely on football instead of surviving the heat and "getting practice over with." To put it simply, a higher quantity of quality mental and physical reps can be performed in lower temperatures. That, to me, is obvious.

Notice that practicing in extreme heat doesn't even give our players an edge through the hotter games of September, as evidenced by the early season records in this thread. (It sure didn't help when the Vikings slammed us in the 2nd half of a very hot game this year.)

But there's lots of teams who practice in this extreme heat. I do agree, there's some S&C issues probably though. I just don't feel like the Panthers came out prepared. Rivera and co do not have their lockerroom right now and everything is downhill. But if we go by Rivera history, we can win out. I guess. 

[thefuzz]

This isn't all that complicated, especially when referring to this season.

We played an extra month last year.

We are confounded that we couldn't beat a should have been retired QB in the super bowl.  Yes there is a hang over.

Cam is injured, and is having trouble seeing the field.  I think the Denver game really rattled him.

We played one of the top offenses on the road, and two of the best defenses...with one of them being on the road in one of the hardest places to play in the NFL.

We are nicked up, that's just football.

It's football.  Balls bounced our way all last season, except for the SB, this year.....they are bouncing the other way.

Although this looks like a trend, I don't put that much faith in that.  Every single team in the NFL is different from year to year, hell most teams are different week to week due to injuries.

 

The team needs to quit being mad/sad/apathetic or whatever the hell they are being and just play football.

[Sam Mills Fan]

The idea that it's Spartanburg does carry some weight. If you extend this even farther, we went 0-4 in 2010 and 1-3 in 2009. There were plenty of other slow starts under John Fox too.

[CPcavedweller]

16 hours ago, Sam Mills Fan said:

Any theories as to why this team sucks out of the gate virtually every year? 

So what you're saying is....last year was an anomaly.....

Mind blown....

(Just kidding) but the defense hasn't broken down this many times through 4 games since Cam's rookie season when we led in almost every loss. Leads of note:

• @ Detroit - 24-7
• (h) Falcons - 24-7
• (h) Green Bay - 13-0

Each of which ended up being a loss and the difference betwreen 9-7 and 6-10. We are on track for a 6-10 or 5-11 type year if the defense can't get their poo together, which they never did in 2011.