Talk about a lack of respect--NFL Power Rankings, week one

[Peppers90 NC]

thankfully, its our best hope for a successful season

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, Nails said:

And our brain trust let him play in week 17 last year.  Smh

That was monumentally, unforgiveably stupid.

[Nails]

40 minutes ago, Captain Morgan said:

Seahawks at #2?  Richardson is a beast no doubt, but their top draft pick may never play.

Mike Loyko @NEPD_Loyko
"There is talk inside the league that #Seahawks draft pick Malik McDowell may never play again, he's really hurt" via Lombardi's Podcast
7:15 PM - Sep 4, 2017
 30 30 Replies   138 138 Retweets   110 110 likes

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/report-seahawks-top-pick-mcdowell-might-not-play-again/ar-AArixyg?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

If they took their target Vernon Butler when they had a chance, they'd be much better off.  Instead, to their dismay, we took him after they traded down, they reached for bust Ifedi, took bust McDowell this year (translation-top pick wasted again), and have headcase Richardson on a high cap number for one year, and no 2nd Rd pick next year.

[Seltzer]

1 hour ago, Leeroy Jenkins PhD said:

Vegas, who ultimately knows much more than these guys, has Carolina currently ranked 12th.  These are the odds that matter. 

1. Patriots
2. Seattle
Tied for 3rd. Packers/Steelers
Tied for 5th. Falcons, Cowboys, Giants
8. Raiders
9. Texans
10. Chiefs
11. Broncos
Tied for 12th. Panthers, Cardinals, Vikings
 

Exactly... Vegas has money invested in being right.  The rest of these guys are trying to get clicks.

To me, around 12 seems about right to start the season.  The Panthers currently look like a borderline playoff team.  

If Cam plays like he did in 2015, we will make the playoffs and threaten to go deep into them, especially if Shula can find ways to use McCaffrey, Stewart stays healthy, KB looks like he did in preseason along with the offensive line, and the Front Seven dominates and we find some depth in the secondary.

The questions at receiver outside KB and the secondary in general are real though.  Our schedule is too soft in my opinion for us to finish lower than 7 wins, but anywhere between 7-9 and 11-5 is completely believable.  

Truth be told, that is the same for probably 20 teams in the league.  There are a few teams at the top I expect to have 10+ wins (Patriots, Steelers, Seahawks, & Packers), and few teams I think will struggle to win 6 games (Jets, Jaguars, Browns, Bills, 49ers, Rams, Bear, & maybe Colts depending on Luck's injury).

So if you consider those first 4 teams likely to make the playoffs, and those 8 teams to probably not, then the Panthers are among the 8 teams out of 20 fighting for a playoff spot.  Where they should or shouldn't be among those 20 is irrelevant.  

I think they are closer to the top, but I am a fan.  Anyway, we will find out a lot about the team over the first 3 weeks of the season.

 

[KendrickPanther]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000524088/article/nfl-power-rankings-seattle-seahawks-begin-season-at-no-1

 

This was coming off a year we played in the Divisional round of playoffs.

[KendrickPanther]

"Respect" http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000695955/article/nfl-power-rankings-week-1-panthers-top-cardinals-hawks

[Jon Snow]

3 minutes ago, KendrickPanther said:

"Respect" http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000695955/article/nfl-power-rankings-week-1-panthers-top-cardinals-hawks

That's from last year.

[arbnranger]

2 hours ago, Kevin Greene said:

These Power Rankings are a bit more palatable.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-power-rankings-julian-edelman-change-patriots-outlook-133338835.html

13. Carolina Panthers (LW: 10)
I wish we could have seen more from Cam Newton. Just two low-stress passes this preseason coming off of shoulder surgery is not enough to alleviate all concerns.

 

Thats actually a really good write up. 

[Davidson Deac II]

3 hours ago, Nails said:

Every team has concerns.

We are the most talented, balanced team in football on both sides of the ball with proven experience, combined with talented youth at every position group.

But we have a brain trust keeping a morale crippling, bum kicker that also happens to be a kick in the nuts to the cap.

So who knows?

We have a secondary that looks suspect, a relatively old dline (at least at DE), our group of receivers has one proven player, and we are depending on RB's that have limited experience, (except for Stewart, who probably only has a couple of years left).  And two fg kickers, neither of whom we really trust.    Don't get me wrong, I think we have a shot to be good, but at this point, its only a shot.   

[Lilsmitty09]

So let me get this straight. He is concerned about our pass rush despite us leading the NFL in sacks last year and losing nobody but adding Peppers? 

How can I apply to make articles with no research?

[Nails]

18 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

We have a secondary that looks suspect, a relatively old dline (at least at DE), our group of receivers has one proven player, and we are depending on RB's that have limited experience, (except for Stewart, who probably only has a couple of years left).  And two fg kickers, neither of whom we really trust.    Don't get me wrong, I think we have a shot to be good, but at this point, its only a shot.   

Can play that game with any team.

They have Seattle as the top team in the NFC right?  Their OL is a bloody joke, they lost their top security blanket/miracle worker at WR, their best overall player (Thomas) and speedy do it all man (Lockett) are returning from devastating injuries, their LB corps has taken a major step back, major internal conflict with Sherman and serious questions at the other corner, their own DE's are getting up there in age and production with the exception of thug Clark who has a hurt wrist, they have the Blair Walsh project at kicker, their drafts have been a joke for 5 years, their best acquisition is a headcase (Richardson), and they're a helluva lot more likely to be 0-1 after going to Green Bay than the Panthers are going to San Fran.

[pantherj]

It's generally understood that sports writers don't have a good understanding of what's going on with all 32 teams. They will focus like a laser beam on certain teams like the Cowboys and NYG, and other teams like the Panthers basically receive a quick roster skim for information. When that roster skim doesn't yield a lot of big names, especially at WR, the sports writer pushes that team down in the power rankings. Of course there are sometimes exceptions to this method.

In fairness even as a fan who follows the team closely I don't think we look like some powerhouse top 10 team. Now the whole might end up being greater than the parts, but there is no damn way to predict that. Our high picks hitting their prime have to absolutely catch fire (KB/Shaq/KK ect) and we have to get more out our scrubs than other teams have gotten out of them. A lot has to go our way. KB can't regress or we're sunk. We don't have a super talented roster. If anything we have a totally bizarre roster situation if you look at Shaq and Butler, two jumbo WRs one of which is slower than hell, shaky LT making mega bucks, this team is weird. That doesn't mean we can't have a great season, but it's the twilight zone as far as what the hell is going on. Keep DA and dump Webb when DA played like he didn't know what planet he was on? Ok? Marty Hurney is back? Ugh??? By the way Worley is still on the team and he looks worse than ever. I just don't know the plan. But that's all part of the fun. 

 

[Nails]

27 minutes ago, pantherj said:

It's generally understood that sports writers don't have a good understanding of what's going on with all 32 teams. They will focus like a laser beam on certain teams like the Cowboys and NYG, and other teams like the Panthers basically receive a quick roster skim for information. When that roster skim doesn't yield a lot of big names, especially at WR, the sports writer pushes that team down in the power rankings. Of course there are sometimes exceptions to this method.

In fairness even as a fan who follows the team closely I don't think we look like some powerhouse top 10 team. Now the whole might end up being greater than the parts, but there is no damn way to predict that. Our high picks hitting their prime have to absolutely catch fire (KB/Shaq/KK ect) and we have to get more out our scrubs than other teams have gotten out of them. A lot has to go our way. KB can't regress or we're sunk. We don't have a super talented roster. If anything we have a totally bizarre roster situation if you look at Shaq and Butler, two jumbo WRs one of which is slower than hell, shaky LT making mega bucks, this team is weird. That doesn't mean we can't have a great season, but it's the twilight zone as far as what the hell is going on. Keep DA and dump Webb when DA played like he didn't know what planet he was on? Ok? Marty Hurney is back? Ugh??? By the way Worley is still on the team and he looks worse than ever. I just don't know the plan. But that's all part of the fun. 

 

We have THE most talented roster in the NFL.  We are the only team in the last 10 years to win 17 games, and the core of that is intact.  We have been in the Divisional Round 3 of 4 years and were the NFC Champ 2 years ago.  We have 13 former Pro Bowlers (not including studs Benjamin, CMC, Norwell, Star, Shaq, Mario, Butler, or Bradberry), 5 former top 10 overall picks, 12 1st rounders, 8 top 15, 16 top 45, a former MVP, and a former DPOY, in their primes.

No other team has close to the above, period.

The kicking situation is an unspeakable maddening entity that could ruin it all in various ways but doesn't change the above.

[pantherj]

12 minutes ago, Nails said:

We have THE most talented roster in the NFL.  We are the only team in the last 10 years to win 17 games, and the core of that is intact.  We have been in the Divisional Round 3 of 4 years and were the NFC Champ 2 years ago.  We have 13 former Pro Bowlers (not including studs Benjamin, CMC, Norwell, Star, Shaq, Mario, Butler, or Bradberry), 5 former top 10 overall picks, 12 1st rounders, 8 top 15, 16 top 45, a former MVP, and a former DPOY, in their primes.

No other team has close to the above, period.

The kicking situation is an unspeakable maddening entity that could ruin it all in various ways but doesn't change the above.

What is your prediction for this season?