So Far, So Good....

[twylyght]

With the exception of letting Damione Lewis go, I am very much liking how the front office is driving this offseason. Reading the posts of how the freaking sky is falling from so many posters just strikes me wrong in so many ways.

For those of you that aren't into the in-depth analysis, the last team the SB champs lost to was us. For the rest of us, we have jettisoned those players that have either held us back/done little to see us to the next level of play. When I look around the league and see all the hullabuloo for putting emphasis on the passing game, I can't help but smile. We are going to be the team that can be the bullies on the block and dictate the style of play with the talent and gameplan that we are setting up for.

I wasn't psyched for Ron Meeks when he was brought in last year, but seeing his schemes coming together against the best in the NFC raised my eyebrows. I am interested to see what is on the horizon.

Obviously, the biggest plus is the organization's willingness to eat the guaranteed monies loss with cutting Jake. Couple that with the firing of Crossman, this is the long awaited affirmation that they see what everyone else has been seeing. Moreover, the recognition that our OLine and running game is powerful enough to show off a vaunted ball-controll running game attack points to what I belive may end up being the most feared offense for Defensive Coordinators to try and scheme next year. With Moore now getting the endorsement, he will provide the role of the necessary QB at the helm to provide that heady "chip-away" mindset to run this behemoth.

In short, the rest of the NFL will be built to beat everyone else in the NFL except Miami and Carolina. Carolina has the talent to be that team where everyone else will know our gameplan but simply wont be able to stop it.

Barring disaster in injuries, this may well be the year that Carolina brings the Lombardi home.

[carolinanimal]

With the exception of letting Damione Lewis go, I am very much liking how the front office is driving this offseason. Reading the posts of how the freaking sky is falling from so many posters just strikes me wrong in so many ways.

For those of you that aren't into the in-depth analysis, the last team the SB champs lost to was us. For the rest of us, we have jettisoned those players that have either held us back/done little to see us to the next level of play. When I look around the league and see all the hullabuloo for putting emphasis on the passing game, I can't help but smile. We are going to be the team that can be the bullies on the block and dictate the style of play with the talent and gameplan that we are setting up for.

I wasn't psyched for Ron Meeks when he was brought in last year, but seeing his schemes coming together against the best in the NFC raised my eyebrows. I am interested to see what is on the horizon.

Obviously, the biggest plus is the organization's willingness to eat the guaranteed monies loss with cutting Jake. Couple that with the firing of Crossman, this is the long awaited affirmation that they see what everyone else has been seeing. Moreover, the recognition that our OLine and running game is powerful enough to show off a vaunted ball-controll running game attack points to what I belive may end up being the most feared offense for Defensive Coordinators to try and scheme next year. With Moore now getting the endorsement, he will provide the role of the necessary QB at the helm to provide that heady "chip-away" mindset to run this behemoth.

In short, the rest of the NFL will be built to beat everyone else in the NFL except Miami and Carolina. Carolina has the talent to be that team where everyone else will know our gameplan but simply wont be able to stop it.

Barring disaster in injuries, this may well be the year that Carolina brings the Lombardi home.

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?

[KillerKat]

I agree depending on if Fox changes some of his old ways too.

[SorthNarolina]

I think we've made some really financially healthy decisions but we're going to have to replace the fat we've trimmed with some muscle.

[carolinanimal]

am i missing something here? a team that is on the brink of winning the super bowl doesnt jettison its entire dline and get rid of most of its vets. there is no way we have the turnover in the defense like we do and it not affect the d. all the guys we have coming back have played together , heck they havent even started for that long.

[pantherj]

We're almost certain to have a great running game next season. I think we'll have a good defense, and our special teams can't be any worse than it was under Crossman. The question mark is still our passing game, and more specifically Matt Moore. We're a good passing game away from being a playoff team. Moore has shown he can play poorly, but also very well at times. Consistency is the key. He needs to have more good games than bad games for us to have a shot at the playoffs. There is no question in my mind that Moore will have some bad games next season. The question is how many. 3? 5? Who knows, but it's important that he doesn't become rattled. This forum will explode everytime Moore lays an egg, but if he can keep his cool, then maybe he can have mostly good performances. Moore is the biggest 'x' factor heading into next season.

[ThPantherFan]

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?

I do.

[Seamonk]

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 check the Saints record before last season?

[twylyght]

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?

Take a look at the people that we let go and tell me how they contributed meaningfully to our last five games last year. Add to that the return of DWill and Thomas Davis back to the mix and we not only have addition by subtraction, but we positioned ourselves nicely to improve where necessary.

The Dline was constantly being rotated last year. We have more than enough starting caliber linebackers. Our secondary is largely unchanged. The RBs and TEs have shown ample ability to provide a lift in the passing attack (especially in the short and intermediate routes). So long as Moore does not develop a "riverboat gambler's mentality" like Jake and continue to develop his accuracy, we are in perfect position to be that team.

As I see it, all we really require are three things: solid backup QB (unknown as McCown is still unproven), an additional situational DE, and another WR that can stretch the field. All other teams are looking for pieces that they will not either get or busy fitting a scheme built to beat other teams and not us.

[Zod]

They are acting a lot like the patriots in some respect.

[Fiz]

the strength of the defense last year was the back seven, and that's for the most part completely intact.

they're rebuilding the defensive line around speed and getting to the Quarterback, instead of just having julius peppers and 4 guys named dave. if the offense played the way it's shown it can the last two years, it will not be a problem.

blah blah blah fatalistic horseshit blah blah blah

[rayzor]

seriously....how much have we really lost?

we have all the key elements that helped us win the last part of the season. DT will be a question mark but at what point was it not last year? it was only after we went out and got a lot of stop gap support from the garbage bin that we got what we needed. we can do that again.

as far as DE and being without peppers....not as bad as you would think. johnson has really been coming into his own and brown is going to be wreaking some havoc soon. once the game slows down for him (which comes with more play time and a year under his belt) he will be as potent as he was in college and probably more so over time.

the offense may not have a WR across form smitty yet but the key part of that thought is "yet". our passing game just got much stronger by taking jake out of the picture and eliminating that temptation. moore is accurate, has a good strong arm, can make good decisions quickly, spread the ball around, protect it, scramble....he does what you want and need....what the panthers need form their QB. given an offseason with the gameplan being built around his strengths we should see a much better and more open offense. moore can just flat out do more than delhomme and you will see that. all that we need is another WR threat.

bring in some depth at positions across the board, shore up the Dline a little and maybe bring in another LB as well as a vet DE and DT that can be signed for a one or two year deal and we are good to go.

[scpanther22]

the strength of the defense last year was the back seven, and that's for the most part completely intact.

they're rebuilding the defensive line around speed and getting to the Quarterback, instead of just having julius peppers and 4 guys named dave. if the offense played the way it's shown it can the last two years, it will not be a problem.

blah blah blah fatalistic horseshit blah blah blah

But now we just have just 4 guys name dave..lol

I cant say how we will be.When the season starts but if it was today.I would say we have one of the worse Dlines.

[carolinanimal]

seriously....how much have we really lost?

we have all the key elements that helped us win the last part of the season. DT will be a question mark but at what point was it not last year? it was only after we went out and got a lot of stop gap support from the garbage bin that we got what we needed. we can do that again.

as far as DE and being without peppers....not as bad as you would think. johnson has really been coming into his own and brown is going to be wreaking some havoc soon. once the game slows down for him (which comes with more play time and a year under his belt) he will be as potent as he was in college and probably more so over time.

the offense may not have a WR across form smitty yet but the key part of that thought is "yet". our passing game just got much stronger by taking jake out of the picture and eliminating that temptation. moore is accurate, has a good strong arm, can make good decisions quickly, spread the ball around, protect it, scramble....he does what you want and need....what the panthers need form their QB. given an offseason with the gameplan being built around his strengths we should see a much better and more open offense. moore can just flat out do more than delhomme and you will see that. all that we need is another WR threat.

bring in some depth at positions across the board, shore up the Dline a little and maybe bring in another LB as well as a vet DE and DT that can be signed for a one or two year deal and we are good to go.

if i t was this easy why havent they done this yet? how do you shore up a line we dont even know will be all that good? it is not like we had the vikings dline waiting in the wings. we got these guys cheap for a reason.