Are We/Carolina Panthers Ready For Regular Season

[PantherPhann89]

We haven't looked good on any level during Preseason with the exception of a few couple of spots here and there. I know, It was Preseason. Well the 3rd preseason game through the 1st half is generally a dry run of what to expect on game 1 of regular season. Our new offensive line didn't look good at all. They were pushed around on the line with our backs getting hit in backfield, with Cam having to move as soon as he planted. 

We were 26th in total offense with an average of 252 yards per game and 4.2 average yards per play, with an avg of 164 passing and 88 rushing. Our QB's threw 5 touchdowns with 3 coming from, in my opinion the 2nd best QB on the roster at the time, released Heinicke.

The defense seemed to be a work in progress getting 16 sacks and 4 fumbles.

I really had high hopes for this season, that we'd finally be able to protect Cam, that Cam would get the ball out of his hands quicker, that our WR's would get more seperation, etc. I still have hope, but Cam getting injured holding on to the ball again, set me back. I was like here we go...

Do you guys and ladies think we're ready? Can you assure me?

 

 

 

[WarPanthers89]

YES. / Thread.

[Harbingers]

11 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

YES. / Thread.

Now hold your horses there. 

Cam/Cam & WR’s.

Oline

have yet to be seen on that. 

Everywhere else we are. Now you can close thread.

[jfra78]

We will know soon enough.... close thread

[Cary Kollins]

Assume probably not because low expectations ftw

[stratocatter]

I am going with No.

Offense will be behind, defense too. And NFL teams in general have tended to use the first couple of weeks as an extension of preseason lately.

Am I excited about our skill positions on offense? Heck yes. And maybe the QB got what we needed done, done. I am going to need proof that he has his timing together. And the OL.. well, that's another I will have to see it to believe it.

Defense will have to show me for sure. Most worried that we can't stop the run.

[rayzor]

OL is the only real concern I have, and that's a big one.

Cam's shoulder is a bit of a question mark, but I think he's good to go....provided the OL doesn't let him get killed.

I think skill positions on O are set.

I think the front 7 will be phenomenal. 

Keys for offense and defense is going to be creativity and ability to disguise and keep other team guessing. Less you can tell from personnel on the field, the better we'll be.

I am cautiously optimistic about Sunday, but I am optimistic. I think we can win or at the very least hold out own and give them a fight. 

Rams pass rush is scary, though.

 

[Tepper's Chest Hair]

7 minutes ago, rayzor said:

Rams pass rush is scary, though.

Is it really scary?  Donald?  He is scary.  But as a unit, the Rams were middle of the pack in sacks.  Donald was basically 1/2 of them himself.  They have a good pressure rate.  They lost Suh who was a decent amount of their hurries.

[Harbingers]

18 minutes ago, rayzor said:

I think skill positions on O are set.

Minus the fact outside Olsen and CMC nobody has really formed a Rhythm with Cam yet. 

[L-TownCat]

A team that lost the SB and has not played its starters since that game is gonna travel to the East Coast to play a hybrid defense (no tape) and defend a unique offense led by (when healthy) an MVP caliber QB?

Gimme that home squad in what could be an absolute smacking of a so-cal team riding last year's hype.

If we do beat them, and we should, they will really struggle this year.

[Sgt Schultz]

The other thing the Rams face is the game, for them, starts at 10am.  Maybe the fact it is a long week will help mitigate the early start for them, but west coast teams generally hate 1pm eastern games when they are on the road.  I'm surprised the league schedule it that way in week one.

As far as whether they are ready, as Stratocatter said, every year most of the teams, if not all of them, look rough the first couple of weeks.  Defenses tend to come around faster than offenses, but any timing related looks off.  My expectations are low, and not only for the Panthers.  And teams that look like well-oiled machines right out of the starting gate are often toast in November.  Welcome to September in the NFL, where the word "ready" is relative.

I agree with Rayzor, the OL concerns me but mostly because they can get our hopefully recovered QB killed.  I am hopeful Cam's shoulder issue has been addressed.  So count me cautiously optimistic.  That doesn't mean I think they will be in mid-season form on Sunday.

[Pimpdaddy]

...i think we'll get out coached in a squeaker...which we should of handily won...then Tepper will start going bald...

[Knockout]

Yes, not much has changed since last season.  Remember the team was 6-2 before Cam's shoulder problems.  

[Mr. Scot]

Rivera's teams tend to start slow, sometimes rough. It's a byproduct of how he runs the offseason.

The question's going to be whether the Rams are more so or less so.