Pause here to consider the possibility the panthers are better than you think

[PhillyB]

5 minutes ago, Jon Snow said:

Sunk cost.  That's how I rationalize it.

I don't actually regret it. I love the team and showing support internationally will be cool regardless of how they're playing, in addition to hanging out with huddlers/roaring rioters in london. And no matter how poorly that goes I've got ten days in Europe to enjoy.

[BrianS]

12 minutes ago, SurvivalSloth said:

Look...you're making great points. But I still need time to pout. I'm just really ticked off this team isn't performing to the level I know they are capable of. 

See, I disagree with this.

The team as a whole is actually not performing all that badly.  CMC is running well when the box isn't stacked against him.  Receivers are getting open.  The defense is playing reasonably well given they are adjusting to a new system.

Against the Rams it was easy to look at the game and say "We were unlucky to have lost that game".  Against the Bucs, you have to say that a game manager at QB would have won the game for us comfortably.

The honest truth is that our QB is letting us down.

[TheRed]

Jameis played well, you have to give him credit for that. Actually having a run game helped substantially for him. Although the Bucs don't have the greatest OL, Winston's LT wasn't basically playing on roller skates for 4 quarters. Cam obviously had his struggles with accuracy, but situationally the Bucs did Jameis more than enough favors to put them in a position to win the game.

[SetfreexX]

26 minutes ago, AceBoogie said:

I hope you’re right Philly. Like I said Cam threw what was probably the game winning touchdown to Samuel, but fell short because the offensive line got dominated. 

Not dominated, they blitzed more than we protected, Barrett had a free run at Cam. 

A lot of people seem to forget when 6 or 7 come from the defense that's not on the OL. TB's pressure gave us fits, when then went to a four man rush overall we handled it well.

[MVPccaffrey]

Denial and coping, though I will say the Defense is looking like an above average unit, we're not that destitute.  But the offense behind center is as bad as all the board histrionics indicate. 

[thefuzz]

Just now, TheRed said:

Jameis played well, you have to give him credit for that. Actually having a run game helped substantially for him. Although the Bucs don't have the greatest OL, Winston's LT wasn't basically playing on roller skates for 4 quarters. Cam obviously had his struggles with accuracy, but situationally the Bucs did Jameis more than enough favors to put them in a position to win the game.

Our O line isn't good.

That said, they are going to look worse and worse to us until we can prove to be able to beat the blitz, and push the ball downfield. 

If we are having trouble completing the quick hitters (and we are, it's obvious), and if not a single team in the NFL is scared of our deep ball, all they have to do is stack the box, shut down the run, and force Cam outside his comfort zone.

It's working.

[stirs]

If you were a DC for the Panthers upcoming games, how would you handle it?

I would blitz people over and over to make sure CMC had to pick up a blocker.  Takes away the Panthers main weapon and since coaches won't allow Cam to run, puts all the pressure on his arm and accuracy.

After the Rams game, the Bucs did just that while spying CMC all night.

[UncleWillie]

40 minutes ago, thebigcat said:

We lost at home on a short week to one of the worst teams in the league who was BEGGING us to take the game.

 

There's no twerking that

Twerk something

[Sam Mills Fan]

47 minutes ago, PhillyB said:

I'm more depressed about the Panthers than I've been since 2010, and last night was the first time in his career I've actually questioned Cam, who I realized I have an emotional attachment to, so this isn't a slathering positivity thread like the sort that invariably pops up after existentially bruising losses. However, consider the following:

• Cam is rusty. He threw a lot of dimes between the numbers, especially on those crossing routes he's struggled with in the past, and on the misses deep there were a lot of miscues in addition to overthrows. That tells me timing is off, and that's rust.

• The offensive line is terrible. I was at the game last night and found myself specifically watching the pocket every snap. On virtually every incompletion Cam had a defender barreling straight at him. At least one wide-open touchdown was stymied by a free rusher. No one in the league could get a rhythm behind that line - it's '07 Raiders level of historically awful.

• The defense is elite. No dropoff from Thomas Davis and that DL is a bunch of animals.

So unless you're hoping to lose out and dump Ron and Norv - which I would count as a long-term victory, as he's clearly worn out his welcome - the season could easily be turned around. A few line adjustments (posters have suggested switching Moton and Williams) giving Cam time to settle into a rhythm could produce offensive competency, Cam's returned confidence, and a couple of schedule-evening wins against weaker teams.

It happened in 2013 - if it happens in 2019 that's exactly how.

Is it a good sign that a 9-year veteran playing with the same receivers he had last year that was present for all of training camp and practices throughout the week and had a full game under his belt from Sunday is this "rusty"?

[PhillyB]

1 minute ago, Sam Mills Fan said:

Is it a good sign that a 9-year veteran playing with the same receivers he had last year that was present for all of training camp and practices throughout the week and had a full game under his belt from Sunday is this "rusty"?

no?

[NanuqoftheNorth]

21 minutes ago, PhillyB said:

And no matter how poorly that goes I've got ten days in Europe to enjoy.

Hopefully most of the fans heading to London are going for more than just the game.  

[*FreeFua*]

There were just way too many throws Cam missed with a clean pocket on routes that weren’t heavily dependant on timing for me to look past it.

Cam also isn’t reading the field well and it’s year 9. I can’t remember what quarter exactly (mayyyybe 3rd) he tried forcing a 3rd down ball to DJ who had a corner draped all over him. Samuel was standing right there behind him wide open. Samuel was so open that they had him run to the exact same spot on the very first play when the Panthers got the ball back to pick up an easy 10. 

Like you, I’ve had an emotional attachment to Cam the last 8 years but after spending way to long in airports Friday and Monday last week and nearly melting in that stadium Sunday only to see him miss guys I could hit, I’ve seen enough. It only got worse yesterday when I didn’t even think that was possible.

This team isn’t BAD. If Greg Little can just be decent at LT on paper a lot of the pieces are there. But this entire thing doesn’t work if our QB can’t make easy throws. I think we’ll be fine if we can land Tua, Fromm, Herbert or even Burrows in the draft. Don’t need a Superman like QB anymore with the pieces we have just someone to make the correct read and hit the open man. 

But I get it from a you’re going to London perspective 

[TheRed]

The fickle fans throwing Cam in the trash lack the resolve and testicular fortitude to endure losing. They'll disappear eventually through the rebuild. No point even quoting them.

[Sean Payton's Vicodin]

Weve lost 25% of our home games already. Im sorry but this ship is sinking.