So Far, So Good....

[panthers55]

p55 i disagree with you on a lot of things, but i totally agree here! i have been saying this for the past couple of days. Everyone keeps saying we havent lost anybody special,while this may be true, we havent added anyone special yet either.

They act like this is some master plan by the fo to "go young", when all it really is is a opportunity to salary dump.

p55 have you notice our team is the only one making these whole sale changes? seems strange to me.

Actually Washington dumped 10 veterans off their roster but did so with the point of saying they were trying to clean up the mess of the past and eesentially admitted they were rebuilding with a different philosophy.

The problem for the Panthers is that we were not supposed to be rebuilding or cleaning up anything. We are not as bad as the Redskins as far as past mistakes, but in my estimation have gotten rid of some good productive players in the rush to go younger and cheaper. I can't fault all the moves but will have to wait to see what we do before I believe that we have upgraded or will be fine.

[twylyght]

you do realize that a meeks defense relies a lot on the dline. it doesnt blitz very much at all.

The middle of the line has to play a control scheme. Once that is in place, the defense works. Case in point, Hollis Thomas being inserted last year.

[scpanther22]

Again, I point to the last 5 games for last year. You want the model of a winning team. There it is.

If every game had no pressure...then yeah.

[mick eye]

OK nay sayers and chicken littles. It stinks we don't have a first but E. Brown is Meeks's project and if he can turn him into Freeney 2.0 we are fine. I also see Raheem Brock being signed to replace Brayton. Connor or Anderson will upgrade Diggs spot soon enough. That leaves the interior dline and WR as our biggest holes. Wide Receivers are plentiful in this draft and if we do our homework we should be able to get one that fits what we want. Defensive Tackles are also plentiful this year and i am interested which philosophy we use. Meeks (smaller penetrating) or Fox (big nose tackle) There are two Georgia Bulldawgs that fit what we could want- Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins. I am not worried in the least.

[twylyght]

If every game had no pressure...then yeah.

As I recall, 4 of those teams were in playoff contention at the time.... so yeah.

[carpanfan96]

I'd say 9-7 would be a pleasant surprise with the current roster. I'll wait till after the draft and second round of FA to say for sure what the record will be. I will say this though if Fox makes the playoff's with this team this year, He's got an extension. Doesn't matter if fox goes or not Hurney's still going to be here. He can stay as long as he pleases according to Gnatt.

[scpanther22]

As I recall, 4 of those teams were in playoff contention at the time.... so yeah.

Are you talking about the games Matt Moore started??

By the time he got in it was over.No pressure.

[mick eye]

No pressure huh? We were 4-7 and trying to get to win out. We almost did. Drink the kool aid Moore is gonna be very good.

[twylyght]

Are you talking about the games Matt Moore started??

By the time he got in it was over.No pressure.

If you are questioning how Moore performs under pressure, then I would agree that it is a fair question. Regardless, the teams we played were under a lot of pressure and absolutely pasted three of them without our star offensive performer.

Either way, I am feeling as good about this year's offseason than I have felt in a LONG time as a Panther fan. Last year left me with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and publicly stated many times that I would be elated if we went 9-7.

For this season, I fully expect to win 11+ games with at least 4 of them coming from within the division. If you would like to revisit this predition in October, feel more than free to do so.

[RazzleDazzle]

Tank Tyler is pretty good. He use to play for the Chiefs. I have been given a few free tickets in my day to see them ever since I have moved to Missouri and I have always liked him. I think he's a starter.

Charles Johnson was a projected first rounder the year we drafted him in like the third.

Louis Leonard did alright last year before getting injured.

Everette Brown was also a projected first round pick.

Ed Johnson could also end up being pretty damn good too.

I say we give them all a try and see what they can do, I think our defensive line will do just fine, I think we should pick up another DE to be sure but I think we're good going into next season so far. In my opinion, we're better off and look good on defense besides the loss of Peppers but I think someone can step up and be a ten sack a season guy. We're getting better and we're getting younger. Lewis, Brayton and Diggs were not stars.

[panthers55]

Again, I point to the last 5 games for last year. You want the model of a winning team. There it is.

Again I point out that several key members who contributed significantly in those last 5 games are gone. We generated 10 sacks in the last 5 games. 5 of those sacks went to guys not on the team right now. You can also erase 49 tackles and Moose's 19 catches on offense.

I liked the last 5 games which is why I can't figure out why Hurney and Morrison are determined to tear things down so that we are a shell of our former selves. The team this year won't be the same team that played the last 5 games particularly on defense.

[twylyght]

Again I point out that several key members who contributed significantly in those last 5 games are gone. We generated 10 sacks in the last 5 games. 5 of those sacks went to guys not on the team right now. You can also erase 49 tackles and Moose's 19 catches on offense.

I liked the last 5 games which is why I can't figure out why Hurney and Morrison are determined to tear things down so that we are a shell of our former selves. The team this year won't be the same team that played the last 5 games particularly on defense.

I am confident in what I saw for our team during that stretch and that the people I feel will be on our team next year will produce. As I said before, feel free to bring this thread back in October.

[panthers55]

I must have missed something. Has Brayton signed with someone else? Is there any reason for us to not have the option of bringing him back? We have addressed our key players, and can now focus on our support roles. In fact, we would do well to look at a number of positions to see where we have actually jettisoned our personnel where it is assumed that we will not sign players back. Just because someone is an UFA does not mean that they will not end up with the team.

Also, to focus on a traditional system where sacks is your sole measuring stick of a Dline's performance would be wrong to consider in how Meeks is implementing his scheme. We now have a defense that is dynamic and agile where offenses will now have to guess where the pressure is coming from. Granted, we will do better with that run-stuffer in the middle (hence my trepidation of letting Lewis go), but we will now see LBs and DBs coming off the edge and stunting up the middle for pressure. Leave the Trgo views of defense dead and buried in the past. Meeks showed that he can do this.

The sky is not falling. It has opened up for us as an organization.

Yeah you missed alot. The defense we have now wasn't the one that performed so well the last 5 games. And you have it wrong on so many counts. Lewis wasn't the run stuffer, Thomas was. Lewis was the penetrating 3 technique guy who sometimes had to play stout against the run because we were decimated with injuries. You obviously don't know the cover 2 defense or you wouldn't be saying that we will be blitzing often with linebackers or defensive backs. Pressure and resultant sacks has to come from the D line which is a shell of it's former self. The back 7 can't do their job unless the front four are getting pressure.

Go do some homework and get back with me.

[Nytrogen]

really? you think a team with the amount of turnover we just had can go from 8-8 to superbowl, with a few draft picks and little fa activity?

Did you even watch last season? Delhomme is gone, he was our turnovers. Don't talk please.