Winning/Losing close games

[ellis]

 

[Snake]

Hurney magic

[trueblade]

1 minute ago, ellis said:

 

It was bad prior to 2015 and seems to have reverted to back to that. 

[ellis]

I get it: when you’ve got a UDFA + injured starter in the mix, you’ll lose a few close ones. Cam and Kyle have both been on that raw end of that. 

In many of those close losses, it really feels like a defensive and game management issue. 

[hepcat]

With the exceptions of 2013, 2015, and 2017, the Panthers have been horrible in close games. Says a lot about Ron over his tenure.

[TheRed]

2018 is when the Panthers gradually began to decrease Newton's rushing attempts. Obviously we know what happened in the second half of that season.

In 2017 Cam was our leading rusher. One of the biggest differences we are seeing in this offense now versus years past is not having a dynamic first down machine like Newton at our disposal at any given moment. Especially in the red zone. Even with a talent like McCaffrey in the backfield we've failed to punch it in multiple times with the game on the line.

The Panthers need to figure out how to win without a transcendent talent behind center. That begins with better situational playcalling.

[Ivan The Awesome]

That's what happens when you play not to lose. 

[thefuzz]

Defensive minded head coaches playing close games....say it ain't so.

[BrianS]

1 hour ago, TheRed said:

In 2017 Cam was our leading rusher. One of the biggest differences we are seeing in this offense now versus years past is not having a dynamic first down machine like Newton at our disposal at any given moment. Especially in the red zone. Even with a talent like McCaffrey in the backfield we've failed to punch it in multiple times with the game on the line.

I dunno, I sort of agree with the sentiment, but not entirely.  CMC has touched the ball 289 times this season, and 27% of his touches have resulted in first downs.  CMC has pretty much been that dynamic playmaker that Cam was, just in a different way.

I get what you're saying about punching it in on the goal line, but I feel like that has WAY more to do with out horrific OLine play than not having good enough talent in the backfield.  Goal line situations have always been about line play and moving people off the ball . . . and we've been really bad at this in 2019.

[outlaw4]

So we're basically the East Coast version of the LA/San Diego Chargers with all the way they blow close games. Not surprising when you realize Ron and now Norv used to work with them.

[trueblade]

19 minutes ago, outlaw4 said:

So we're basically the East Coast version of the LA/San Diego Chargers with all the way they blow close games. Not surprising when you realize Ron and now Norv used to work with them.

Pretty much. Sarah Spain led a segment talking about a team that does well when nobody is paying attention and folds when the spotlight gets on them. I thought she was talking about us. Nope, it was the Chargers.

[bigpoppa]

58 minutes ago, Ivan The Awesome said:

That's what happens when you play not to lose. 

While I agree, Ron seems to find a way to lose games he is playing to win as well.

Think the Detroit game last year.

[CBDellinger]

 

 

[LinvilleGorge]

2 hours ago, ellis said:

 

For the longest time early in Ron's tenure we were absolutely atrocious in games decided by a possession or less. Then for a brief period we rebounded and now we're right back to being atrocious again. It's becoming more and more clear to me that Ron simply peaked around that 2015 season and we've been seeing a regression toward the mean ever since.