My Observations From All Or Nothing.

[rayzor]

Still have one episode to go, but I think I had forgotten just how close we were to winning so many of those games. Except for the Pittsburgh one, we could have won any of them and it wouldn't have taken much. Really reminds me of the 2014 season rolling into the 2015 season. We just had to find a way to finish better. 

I think we've gotten ourselves in a better position to win this year. Team really made a lot of necessary changes and upgrades and I've got to say I like the push Tepper gives them to make those changes.

[PantherFanInPhilly]

My observation was that I am usually pretty drunk by the end of the game and forget a lot of what happens in the 4th until I see it again. 

[Proudiddy]

2 hours ago, rayzor said:

Still have one episode to go, but I think I had forgotten just how close we were to winning so many of those games. Except for the Pittsburgh one, we could have won any of them and it wouldn't have taken much. Really reminds me of the 2014 season rolling into the 2015 season. We just had to find a way to finish better. 

I think we've gotten ourselves in a better position to win this year. Team really made a lot of necessary changes and upgrades and I've got to say I like the push Tepper gives them to make those changes.

yeah, like Luke kept saying, every game but Pittsburgh we were within one score or one drive...  and honestly, I didn't think there was anything about revisiting last season that could make me feel anything but miserable, but somehow, watching it again gave me more hope.

[Move the Panthers to Raleigh]

23 hours ago, Proudiddy said:

Feel free to discuss it or add your own.

*I don't think it was because it humanized him versus the cyborg we see in pressers, but for some reason, I found myself believing in Rivera a lot more than I did before watching it.  You guys know I've been one of his harshest critics, and I repeatedly cited mistakes made on game days that I've never seen before or since as to why I believe he wasn't right for the job.  But it seems he really has the players' ear.  Perhaps it is the way NFL Films framed it, but I don't believe so...  we've saw numerous examples of the players' belief in Rivera, and seeing him lend an empathetic ear and then ripping them a new one in the next scene seems to lend itself to the idea that he is a stabilizing force.  The more I watched, the more I got the feeling that so much of what went wrong was not on Ron...  it seemed to be a combination of things that led up to gamedays that had very little to do with him.  I got the feeling so much of it was a lack of locker room leadership and accountability between the players themselves and poor preparation on behalf of the position coaches and coordinators.  My criticism of Ron's trust in his guys like Washington still stands, but it seems that was really his only fault on what unfolded.  The players believe in Ron, period.

*Funchess is an absolute headcase.  I never was a fan and never wanted him for on-field reasons, but seeing the crap he was doing off-field was even more of a reason to not want him on this roster.  From trying to fight a coach because a family member died and then using that as an excuse even 9 weeks later when your play is presented to you, to that interview he did after the Detroit game that I never saw before, dude seemed like a legit sociopath.  Perhaps it's just immaturity, but I got the impression that that is just who he is - unstable, excuse-maker, and not committed to the craft.  Reminded me of him skipping the workout with Cam because of another death in the family at the time...  that instance alone is understandable, but when you look at it in the big scope of his tenure here, it just seemed like one excuse after another.  Other guys on the team have had personal issues off the field, and you didn't get all of those excuses.  Glad we moved on from him...  it was overdue.

*I'm a Cam guy...  always have been.  And I didn't think I could be any more of one, but I am.  His leadership is awe-inspiring.  Seeing how he actually pulled guys aside and the things he would say to get them in the moment or to get them to lock-in, was amazing.  I know local media has made light of Cam's misquoted cliches in pressers, but that is all filler where he obviously is trying to say something without saying something with pre-generated responses...  but, to see him actually engage guys one-on-one and how he addresses them in the huddle when it comes from the heart and he's saying what he is really thinking and feeling...  man.  We are really lucky to have #1.  I'm hoping he's back and stronger than ever physically this season, because we need him.

*Loved Tepper.  He's a bit brash, but also seemingly a bit of an everyman.  Very approachable and relatable, but no non-sense.  I also loved his level of involvement.  It was interesting to see the scene where he pulled Marty aside and told him they needed to sit Cam because the shoulder was a problem.  Loved seeing him step in and make the call there, bc as we see later, he really believes in Cam and was doing it with his best interest in mind.  Also, loved his commentary and reasoning on signing EReid -"Smart, calculated risks" seems to be his M.O., and I love it.  Also loved his input leading up to the draft, saying the team's success began and ended with the lines, so they needed to be addressed...  and then it appears he sat back and let the FO handle the evaluation and selection of players from that point on.

All that being said, the timing of this was great as it has me primed and ready for our season.  I was already more excited than I probably ever have been before coming into this season bc of the offseason we had, but seeing our leadership at work, behind the scenes, has me even more excited.  This is going to be a great season.

Agree with every point you made

[rayzor]

1 hour ago, Proudiddy said:

yeah, like Luke kept saying, every game but Pittsburgh we were within one score or one drive...  and honestly, I didn't think there was anything about revisiting last season that could make me feel anything but miserable, but somehow, watching it again gave me more hope.

Same here. Even in the hardest episodes, knowing what was coming, I ended up feeling better about this coming year. Wasn't expecting that at all...and I still have to watch the last episode.

[Anybodyhome]

Enjoyed the series, it was a souped up version of Hard Knocks. 

The 2018 disconnect was in full view-

Norv Turner during the game, "We gotta get something down the field." Cam throws a pick. Tepper in his box, "He can't throw the ball long." Rivera at the post game presser responding to reporters who clearly see Cam is hurt, "Cam gives us the best chance to win." Tepper walking into office telling Hurney, "He can't throw the ball, you can see that..." Heineke named starter. This is over the course of 3-4 games.

It's like everyone knew Cam was hurt, but no one was willing to make the call to sit him the last 2 weeks until Tepper told them to.  

[trueblade]

Agree with everything said thus far.

• I'd add that I've been critical of Ron but AON gave me a new perspective. I don't remember what game it was, but we had just gone up by 10 and Ron walks up and down the sideline yelling "Let's bury these *&!#." That's not the attitude I thought Ron had at all. 
• Ron also seems like the nicest guy in the world but man on game day, he's great. "Let's kick these guys *&!#."
• I found the conversation between Cam and Ron about signing Reid enlightening. 
• It's clear from watching AON that Cam was hurt after Philly but the TJ Watt hit did him in. Even so, he still was doing enough for us to win up until the Monday Night game. 
• I loved watching the conversations about going for 2 as we were driving in Detroit. 
• We're gonna miss TD's leadership. 
• Tepper is brilliant. I wanted Navarro, and still think he would have done well, but man, Tepper is just a home run all the way around. 

 

[trueblade]

One more addition, it was clear from AON how big a problem EW was. You see the guys confused. You see Ron counseling him: "You don't have to have the perfect call. Just make a call and let the guys get lined up."

[CRA]

20 minutes ago, trueblade said:

One more addition, it was clear from AON how big a problem EW was. You see the guys confused. You see Ron counseling him: "You don't have to have the perfect call. Just make a call and let the guys get lined up."

especially when Luke is your MLB.  Just let him play chess w/ the QB

[Manther]

I noticed that the secondary coach and the 2 dbs giving Donte Jackson "advice" are all gone....(I think Jackson is going to be a pro-bowler at some point).  

I confirmed my suspicion that when Elder is going on the field, we are in serious trouble.  

I noticed that TD realized before anybody that we needed to right the ship.  RR waited waaay to long.  I wonder how much we'll miss TD this year.

I noticed that there was little air time for CMC off the field.  Is that guy just a no drama machine?  Nearly 2000 all purpose yards, sheesh and little air time.

 

[OneBadCat]

43 minutes ago, trueblade said:

One more addition, it was clear from AON how big a problem EW was. You see the guys confused. You see Ron counseling him: "You don't have to have the perfect call. Just make a call and let the guys get lined up."

That was pretty enlightening and the more I think about it. That situation is probably one of the most underrated and underappreciated aspects of the NFL. The media and the culture of the NFL now likes to hype up all of the mental aspects and strategy behind the play calls. But you have to balance that with the abilities your players have and let them play fast. You can technically make a bad call coverage wise but if the DE gets loose and makes a sack then QB never gets to exploit the weakness.

[Manther]

46 minutes ago, trueblade said:

One more addition, it was clear from AON how big a problem EW was. You see the guys confused. You see Ron counseling him: "You don't have to have the perfect call. Just make a call and let the guys get lined up."

Wasn't that TD saying to RR "You don't have to have the perfect call."  or am I remembering wrong?

[MechaZain]

Devin didn't play like he was on top of the depth chart but he sure acted like it.