something to feel good about in the offseason..."could be something special brewing in Carolina"

[Proudiddy]

On 5/17/2025 at 7:58 PM, PadresPanthersFan said:

We had our close losses last year to playoff teams. Ill take winning any day. Fug a couple draft spots. Gimme a couple more wins and a playoff berth all day

This.  And ultimately, what we can learn from perrineal contenders is that draft position doesn’t matter - it’s who you acquire and how you develop them.  If Bryce is indeed for real, and if Morgan and the front office prove to be elite at talent acquisition and development like we hope, then it’s just plugging holes from here.  It focus should be winning.  Period.

and funny enough, reading that excerpt, this is the first time in our entire history that I’ve ever seen us mentioned with one of the lowest strength of schedules.  For as long as I can remember, we were always in the top 5 toughest and it felt like we never could catch a break when it came to that.  Maybe things are finally going our way.

[flagfootballcoach28]

10 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

And we went 5-12 last year while being nowhere near the playoffs 

You think going 8-9 while being in the playoff hunt until Week 17 or 18 and ending up just missing out wouldn't be considered growth this year?

You're acting like I'm saying we should be playing for the #1 pick and try to lose every game for it.  It's not even like I'm saying I want us going into Week 18 needing a win to make the playoffs and a loss keeps us out and thus I'm rooting against us that game.

I'm solely saying that I think making the playoffs only to lose in the first round would in the end, be less beneficial for us than if we were to just miss the playoffs, pick 5-7 spots earlier in the draft, and get the easier schedule that goes along with it.

A Panthers team that makes the playoffs but still loses round 1 probably has a better version of Bryce Young than a Panthers team that barely misses the playoffs. If we’re doing hypothetical, give me a higher %chance of Bryce being the real than better draft picks. 

[tukafan21]

5 hours ago, jfra78 said:

You said that you'd rather miss the playoffs if we can't win the superbowl, and getting to the championship game is not winning the Superbowl.  So its the same thing.  I much rather get a wildcard game and get bounced than watch some other team play that game.  Don't care about draft positioning

So you're just going to put words in my mouth?

Because literally the very first sentence I said in this thread was that if we're not going to be true contenders (not champions, but just an actual contender, i.e. a team that can win multiple playoff games and have a true chance at making a SB run), that I'd rather miss the playoffs than win the division and then lose in the first round.

On 5/17/2025 at 7:22 PM, tukafan21 said:

Unless a miracle happens and we're legit SB contenders, I want to just miss the playoffs due to some close losses, not win the division to lose in the first round.

But you've tried to twist it into me now saying if we don't win it all, then I'd rather miss the playoffs, despite me numerous times in this thread stating that's explicitly not the case, it's solely two options, make the playoffs and lose in the first round or just miss the playoffs, in which I'd rather miss the playoffs by a nose.

Have a different opinion if you want, but don't try and tell me I'm saying something I'm not to make your point.

Edited 2 hours ago by tukafan21