The closest thing to a must-win game in years?

[top dawg]

8 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Week one is never a must win game.

I understand why people say that, and IMO it's very easy to say, but irrespective of the teams, week one is just as important as any other game. If you lose week one and miss the playoffs by a game, then it counts just as much as all the rest of the losses.

[CRA]

Vegas has Panthers in Carolina at -4 presently.  Over/under 43

Denver/Giants over/under at 42.5.  The only one lower week 1. 
 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2021-nfl-week-1-odds-49ers-open-as-biggest-favorites-eight-games-have-spread-of-three-points-or-less/amp/

 

[Sgt Schultz]

43 minutes ago, NanuqoftheNorth said:

Not judging any team, much less the Panthers, based on the first game of the season.

I'm old enough to recall plenty of great teams stumbling out of the gates on the way to a winning season and the playoffs.

 

I feel that way about the entire month of September.  There were several seasons where the Bills were the champions of September and finally going to unseat the Pats in the AFCE......only to finish under .500.

September has almost become and extension of preseason except the results carry over.  I expect it to be more so given one less preseason game for teams to work out the kinks. 

About the only way a September game can be a must win is if a team with expectations is sitting at 0-3 heading into the final week.  And that assumes the team is not in the 2021 reincarnation of the 2020 NFCE.

[top dawg]

Even if you don't see it as a must-win game, you have to acknowledge that the Huddle will implode, and it will probably be appropriate.

[Pup McBarky]

18 minutes ago, CRA said:

Vegas has Panthers in Carolina at -4 presently.  Over/under 43

Denver/Giants over/under at 42.5.  The only one lower week 1. 

Everybody knows our strength is defense and with Saleh the head guy in NY now, not surprising folks expect a low-scoring game.

[trueblade]

Winning or losing Week 1 isn't a great barometer for the season. One year we beat Minnesota Week 1 with Chris Weinke as our QB and didn't win another game all year.

[BurnNChinn]

2 hours ago, therealmjl said:

That game derailed our entire season

thanks for nothing Gano

Or you can that the league for making a holding call cancel out a roughing the passer penalty that would have made that fg about 35 yds instead of 50. Just my opinion!

[CanePantherHornet]

I think it's a must win for Sam Darnold's confidence. You've gotta think it would really give him a boost to exorcise those demons and stomp the Jets.

[Mr. Scot]

12 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Even if you don't see it as a must-win game, you have to acknowledge that the Huddle will implode, and it will probably be appropriate.

Huddle implosions are hardly ever appropriate.

This one would be no exception.

[Moo Daeng]

The Super Bowl 

[top dawg]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Huddle implosions are hardly ever appropriate.

This one would be no exception.

So you think a loss would be justified?

[Mr. Scot]

3 minutes ago, top dawg said:

So you think a loss would be justified?

I think a loss would be one game followed by sixteen additional chances.

[cookinbrak]

Half the teams in the NFL don't win their first game every year. Look it up.

[CRA]

30 minutes ago, Pup McBarky said:

Everybody knows our strength is defense and with Saleh the head guy in NY now, not surprising folks expect a low-scoring game.

We play some stout defenses this preseason which will be good to see how Darnold fares behind our weak OL.  

Teddy was a check down king afraid to make the throws needed.  But I think it might be overlooked how him spending a couple years in the scheme and liking to get rid of the ball helped the O function last year.