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Tough medicine to swallow

Khyber53

By Khyber53,
in Carolina Panthers

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Khyber53 Grand Master

Khyber53

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Rhule and Co. swallowed a lot of pride last week and brought Cam back. This was not their plan going into the season and probably wasn't even close to their radar screens before it was apparent that Darnold could NOT be sent out there again, because of injury.

Let that sink in a bit.

If Sam hadn't been hurt again and been obviously unable to play, we'd have trotted him out again against the Cardinals. On Monday evening after Sam's MRI, there must have been the start of a very difficult conversation that carried over into Tuesday and probably early Wednesday morning. On Thursday the decision was implemented, the appropriate calls had been made (including the most important one between Rhule and Cam) and a deal was very quickly signed.

Whoever pushed for Rhule to accept the change and go after Cam did not just the right thing, but offered Rhule a second chance right then and there as well as a huge learning moment. Rhule was apparently wise enough to take it. 

Let's make no bones about it, had we kept going the direction the team was, Rhule's days were numbered here. Brady would probably be pushed onto his own sword first and then Rhule would follow... contract be damned. His desire to hold onto the idea of Darnold and Walker as QBs was not playing out and was killing the team and the fanbase. In the off season, Darnold had been a cute, smart gamble but when it quit paying out it put a lot of blood in the water. Any other advances made by the team were completely swallowed up by how bad the QB situation was.

Gosh, even I wanted it to work out for Sam, but there was just no doubt in even the most ardent supporters minds that the kid was nowhere near starting QB capable -- those ghosts were real and they were running all through his house. He couldn't read the defense, he couldn't work with the line (which was atrocious) and he didn't have the leadership skills to make his linemen or receivers accountable for their mistakes. It was a train wreck, week after week. 

And through all this, Rhule may have learned one of the most important things that makes the NFL and college football different -- star power at the right position can elevate the entire team. On the defense we've seen Shaq Thompson's star rise along with the leadership he provides there (there's no doubt after seeing them play when he was out) -- he elevates that unit. On offense, there were some excellent players but there wasn't that person in charge who could bring the power levels up by force of personality and actions. Cam, whether he has a noodle arm or not, has three truckloads of charisma and a massive amount of experience putting that to use. 

So, now Matt Rhule may understand that mojo makes the difference in the right hands. And Rhule had to eat some crow to learn that. If he's the guy  we thought he was, then Rhule will grow from this and become a better coach. Tough medicine to swallow, but it might just cure what ails us.

Lord, I sure hope so.

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kungfoodude Grand Master

kungfoodude

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What I hope Rhule learns from this(hopefully successful) season is the value of veteran leadership on a team. And Cam isn't the only example of that. Think about Snow's quote about Stephon Gilmore wanted to get Kyle Pitts in the ATL game. That is another example of veteran leadership that I think has been relatively lacking for an EXTREMELY young team.

It was one of the things I was most concerned about when they went into this rebuild in earnest in 2020. They also jettisoned/lost all of our leaders(some deserving, some not). We never really regained that until this season.

You need those guys who have experienced success in the NFL and know what it takes to succeed. It's invaluable.

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t96 Grand Master

t96

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I'm not convinced about Darnold's "injury." I think the team was fed up with his play and went looking for something. I don't doubt he has an injury, but I do doubt that it's one keeping him out a month+ if he had been playing well before it. In other words, I don't think it took an injury for this front office to decide to try out Cam and go in a different position at QB. I think they had their mind made up independent of the injury to Sam.

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kungfoodude Grand Master

kungfoodude

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4 minutes ago, t96 said:

I'm not convinced about Darnold's "injury." I think the team was fed up with his play and went looking for something. I don't doubt he has an injury, but I do doubt that it's one keeping him out a month+ if he had been playing well before it. In other words, I don't think it took an injury for this front office to decide to try out Cam and go in a different position at QB. I think they had their mind made up independent of the injury to Sam.

That would be a pretty cowardly move, IMO. Don't get me wrong, glad it ended up that way but that would be pretty chickenshit.

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hepcat Grand Master

hepcat

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They brought Cam back because their backs were against the wall. The defense is playoff caliber talent wise and the offense has enough playmakers to win with even an average QB. They were turning the ball over at an astronomical rate with Darnold at QB. It was frankly embarrassing. The fans were turning on the team because trading for Darnold with no safety net move was infuriating and even a casual fan could see a Jets reject QB as your only starting option was NOT a good idea.

So they could either sign Cam and see what he can do, win the fans over, sell tickets, and hope he drags this team into the playoffs.....or lose the fanbase. Those were literally the two options they faced. I don't really think it's "good on them" for doing it. We forced their hand. We were about to tear them apart.

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TF330 Collaborator

TF330

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I think we're giving him too much credit. He's not doing it to admit he's wrong, he's doing it to keep his job. 

 

I know Tepper committed a ton of money to Rhule but another losing season, especially with a top 3 defense in the NFL? If we had rolled with PJ and Darnold and Rhule was somehow kept, then next season would have been the hottest of seats. 

 

Rhule is smart enough to know to get to the playoffs now and cool the seat a bit while not wasting potentially the best defense we've had in decades

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CRA Grand Master

CRA

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I think Tepper told Rhule Cam would be the QB to finish the season.  That’s what happened.  

all this talk by Rhule that Tepper has nothing to do with anything is bunk.  

and we shouldn’t let the fact Cam returned erase the horrific failure of Rhule at the QB position.  

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t96 Grand Master

t96

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3 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

That would be a pretty cowardly move, IMO. Don't get me wrong, glad it ended up that way but that would be pretty chickenshit.

It happens all the time in sports, all these guys are banged up and if you went and did MRIs and scans on all these guys you'll find some things. Especially other sports where teams get cap relief for guys who are injured. It's a business after all, and one way to deal with a potential distraction when moving on from and replacing a starting QB mid-season is to get him away from the team. Only way to do that with Sam was to find this injury.

I mean, Sam had a shoulder issue going into the Pats game and still played the entire game despite throwing multiple terrible picks and putting up no points, and there was no noticeable aggravation of the injury or really any big hits on him in that game. Does anyone really think if he had been playing lights out and we had a winning record that the team would put it out there immediately that he "may" be done for the season? Initial timeline reported was a few weeks, then suddenly he "may" be out for the year? All the information out there is very deliberate by the team. Sam will almost certainly never play another down for the Panthers, and it's not because of a season ending injury.

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cookinbrak Grand Master

cookinbrak

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19 minutes ago, t96 said:

I'm not convinced about Darnold's "injury." I think the team was fed up with his play and went looking for something. I don't doubt he has an injury, but I do doubt that it's one keeping him out a month+ if he had been playing well before it. In other words, I don't think it took an injury for this front office to decide to try out Cam and go in a different position at QB. I think they had their mind made up independent of the injury to Sam.

If he had been playing well, we wouldn't have needed another QB. 

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t96 Grand Master

t96

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7 minutes ago, CRA said:

I think Tepper told Rhule Cam would be the QB to finish the season.  That’s what happened.  

all this talk by Rhule that Tepper has nothing to do with anything is bunk.  

and we shouldn’t let the fact Cam returned erase the horrific failure of Rhule at the QB position.  

This is very possible but also very troubling. Meddling owners are a huge issue and Tepper is no different. I understand we're all fans of the Cam move, it made sense and was a good move this time even if it doesn't save our season. But if it was Tepper making the call that does not bode well at all for this team's future.

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Ivan The Awesome Mentor

Ivan The Awesome

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As much as Rhule and the coaching staff says this came to fruition because they sat down and had a tough conversation, I don't believe. I believe Tepper just stepped in and put his foot down and told them to get their poo together. Rhule AVOIDED Cam like the plague.. I have a hard time believe they swallowed their pride as much as they give themselves credit for because at the end of the day Tepper pays their checks and he was not happy. So I give credit to Tepper mostly. 

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