Welcome to Ron and Marty's final chance

[Jeremy Igo]

There are no excuses for anything less than a winning season this year. Everything surrounding the Panthers today has been known all offseason.

Cam’s shoulder? Known.

Defensive struggles? Known.

Offensive line woes? Known known known.

These are not challenges that have sprung up recently. These are things that have been painfully obvious not just this offseason, but previous ones as well.

 Marty Hurney and Ron Rivera have addressed all these issues to the best of their abilities. The Panthers now have two promising backups to Cam Newton. The Panthers have moved to a 3-4 defense and Ron Rivera himself has promised to be calling the plays. The Panthers signed a veteran center and drafted a new offensive tackle. Problems solved? Hopefully.

But if not, and the Carolina Panthers have a slow start to the season, you can expect a quicker drop off in fan attendance and enthusiasm since the days of Jimmy Clausen.

Welcome to Ron Rivera and Marty Hurney’s last chance. Let us hope they knock it out of the park.

 

[jfra78]

Is Marty's fate really tied to Ron? 

[Carl Spackler]

It's all about winning the close games. That's what made us good in 2017 and what made us suck last year. The last five minutes of games will determine our success.

[Mage]

Just now, jfra78 said:

Is Marty's fate really tied to Ron? 

I don't see why Tepper wouldn't fire both, if that is the route he goes.

I'm not as anti-Rivera or anti-Hurney as others are (in fact, I think Hurney has done a great job cleaning up Gettleman's bad decisions), but it wouldn't make sense to only get rid of one.  It's been too long since we hired a GM and Coach in unison (Fox was fired, Hurney was kept; Hurney was fired, Rivera was kept; Gettleman was fired, Rivera was kept).  

[Carl Spackler]

1 minute ago, Mage said:

I don't see why Tepper wouldn't fire both, if that is the route he goes.

I'm not as anti-Rivera or anti-Hurney as others are (in fact, I think Hurney has done a great job cleaning up Gettleman's bad decisions), but it wouldn't make sense to only get rid of one.  It's been too long since we hired a GM and Coach in unison (Fox was fired, Hurney was kept; Hurney was fired, Rivera was kept; Gettleman was fired, Rivera was kept).  

I agree, but it also depends on what GM is out there who's legitimately an upgrade over Hurney 2.0 (and I mean upgrade in the sense beyond "He's not Hurney so he has to be better")

[Mage]

1 minute ago, Carl Spackler said:

I agree, but it also depends on what GM is out there who's legitimately an upgrade over Hurney 2.0 (and I mean upgrade in the sense beyond "He's not Hurney so he has to be better")

That's true, but I think it would be a risk Tepper is willing to take.  

But it's gonna be all good.  No doubt in my mind this team will be great this year.

[Jeremy Igo]

Tepper isn't new to the NFL. He has been in it for a long while and has plenty of high level NFL friends. He would have no issues finding replacements for both. 

[electro's horse]

you wait so long for something to arrive, and when it finally does, you don't know what to say

[WarPanthers89]

Just now, Jeremy Igo said:

Tepper isn't new to the NFL. He has been in it for a long while and has plenty of high level NFL friends. He would have no issues finding replacements for both. 

Very true and with the insane amount of free agents/one year deals that were handed out, and the fact that we have not signed Shaq/Bradberry to an extension all, to me shows that this is a make a break year. If we go with a new head coach and gm they will have a blank slate to build a team.

[MHS831]

While a lot is riding on Cam's shoulder, I still say their refusal to address LG is going to haunt them.  Maybe they thought Little would start day 1 and Williams could play G, but that is not a solid plan.  Williams is going to be a bit of a liability at LT, but if you have one at LG and Paradis does not improve his play from the NE game, we are looking at a long season.

The focus sure seems to have been on defense.

You know, it seems the OL has never been a priority. After Gross, what have we really done in the draft to address it?  Little was an act of desperation when there was a run on tackles in the draft, but you can say he was a second rounder (too little, too late?).  Turner a third rounder.  We left a C position vacated by a second rounder and former all pro to a couple of undrafted players, one coming off a serious surgery.  Throw in an undrafted LG, and a fourth rounder playing LT for the first time,  I just don't get it.  The left side of the line will determine how good this team will be--

 

[ellis]

I think Ron would land somewhere else as a head coach at some point, if they fired him.

I’m not sure if Marty ever gets back to this point again if he gets fired.

Stranger things have happened: like Marty Hurney returning to the Panthers after a 5-year hiatus. 

[Jeremy Igo]

14 minutes ago, ellis said:

I’m not sure if Marty ever gets back to this point again if he gets fired.

 

We have the answer to this already.

He would be back on sports radio.

[MVPccaffrey]

Cam has some skin in the game too, with his next contract decision looming and all

[Udogg]

Is this like a groundhog day thread?   It feels like every year is the last.