Scott Fowler on game

[raleigh-panther]

Some excerpts   Leaving out repetitive history

“The Carolina Panthers got whipped in their first preseason game, 30-10, by a Cleveland Browns team that went 3-14 a year ago and was barely playing any of its starters Friday night.

And you know what?

It really wasn’t a bad thing. I wouldn’t worry about it much.

When it mattered — when the Panthers were playing their first-teamers — quarterback Bryce Young looked just like he did at the end of last season. In other words, he was pretty terrific.

…..

The Browns’ Sanders did go 14-for-23 for 138 yards, and his famous father Deion did write on X “Yes Lawd! Yes!” But Sanders’ two touchdown passes came against Carolina’s second- and third-stringers. When the Panthers’ first-teamers were in for the first two drives, Sanders and the Browns had zero points.

In other words, Carolina’s depth needs some major work. No surprise there, and that’s going to catch up with the Panthers if it doesn’t improve dramatically.

But the Panthers’ starters left the game ahead, 7-0, midway through the first quarter. And Carolina’s touchdown came due to Young making the sort of off-platform, freelance play that he showcased so well at the end of last season.

.

The third-year quarterback moved Jalen Cokeraround on a scramble drill, extended the play by running to his right and then threw a gorgeous five-yard TD pass to Coker after the wide receiver found an open spot. This came in the same drive after Legette had been ejected from the game.…

—

There were trouble spots, though, in this 30-10 loss:

The Panthers’ run game was mostly non-existent. With offensive coordinator Brad Idzik taking a turn at calling plays — Canales will do so during the regular season — at one point Carolina had nine run plays and 32 passes. The Panthers ended up rushing 14 times for only 40 yards.

The defensive reserves. Sanders by and large had a good bit of time to throw, and he frequently was dumping it down to guys who were open by 2-3 yards. Cleveland’s two quarterbacks combined for a 113.5 pass rating (Young had a 137.5 in limited work, but Carolina’s other two QBs were less than 90).

Losing by 20 points to a three-win team that hardly played any of its own starters. Again, this is problematic. Not to be able to turn Sanders over even once isn’t good, either, especially given this was his first NFL action and he played nearly three quarters. 

…

Meanwhile, Carolina veteran backup QB Andy Dalton threw an interception and Panther Trevor Etienne fumbled a punt after his own teammate got blocked into him.

“Part of our play style is playing smart,” Canales said. “I didn’t feel like we did that. I felt like there was sloppiness.”

The good news? Canales said he probably plans to play Young and the first-team offense for three series against Houston in the next preseason game, rather than the two series they got Friday night. The connection between Young and McMillan can look dazzling even in these very early stages. We all need to see some more of that.

Said McMillan, when asked to talk about both of the game’s starting quarterbacks: “I mean, I think Shedeur went out there and killed it, obviously. (But) I take my quarterback anytime, any day of the week. So shout out (No.) 9, man.”

[frankw]

Stopped reading after he said another ass whooping didn’t matter.

Yeah it's preseason and these games don't count but getting our asses whooped has been the consistent story more often than not of the Carolina Panthers since at least 2018.

That matters.

[Doc LRB]

The good part is we didn't get any one hurt,Thank You Lord!!  

That 9 play drive that ended with Coker improving a toutchdown was a Thing of Beauty.  Was worth the price of admision.  Was only bright spot of night almost.  I still Beleive!!!!!!  Go Panthers!!!

[LinvilleGorge]

I could probably find this same article in each of the past seven years when we were desperately sifting through the rubble looking for a glimmer of hope. Long story short, I'll believe the Panthers are heading in the right direction when we actually start winning some meaningful regular season games. I'd be willing to bet that half the wins in the Tepper era have probably come when we're mathematically eliminated from the playoffs or virtually eliminated like needing to win out and everyone else needing to lose out.

[Castavar]

All this game showed me was:

1. Starters will be decent

2. We have terrible depth

3. Special teams will be..............special

Oh yeah, and Andy Dalton sucks ass

Edited Saturday at 05:43 PM by Castavar

[TD alt]

I mean, maybe if it wasn't an ass whipping...

It really may not have been a bad thing, but it really may not have been a good thing either...

I guess it all depends upon perspective, which is fine...but I was expecting---maybe crazily in hindsight---something a little more definitive. From one vantage point, we're making progress, but from another vantage point, we're the same old Panthers. I think that everyone can agree that since we are negotiating the monkey bars of perception about the Panthers' performance last night, we are certainly not where we want to be.

 

[dep]

9 minutes ago, Castavar said:

Andy Dalton sucks ass

 

[LinvilleGorge]

7 minutes ago, Castavar said:

All this game showed me was:

1. Starters will be decent

2. We have terrible depth

3. Special teams will be..............special

Oh yeah, and Andy Dalton sucks ass

1. Not sure we know that for sure. I mean, the D was going up against the opposing 4th string QB.

2. Yeah, a team that won three games last year absolutely dominated us as soon as our starters left the game.

3. The punt return game in particular looks to be full blown panic level red flag alert.

[Icege]

Confirming what the realists among the fanbase already understood:

• Depth, especially for some position groups, will be an issue as the team continues to rebuild/retool
• The defense will be a work in progress but has improved from last season
• Special teams, as a result of questionable depth on the defense, will suffer

However, we did see some things to keep the optimists happy!

• The WR room is crazy deep with a very, very high ceiling should TMac, Horn Jr, and/or XL show half of the development that Coker has
• Bryce looked like the Bryce that came back from benching
• Corey Thornton is this season's UDFA darling that seems destined to make the roster

And not to leave out the pessimists:

• omg Andy Dalton blargh
• omg Nick Scott starting at safety blargh
• Mercury is still in gatorade (or whatever the crystal girls say)

[PantherChris]

57 minutes ago, frankw said:

Stopped reading after he said another ass whooping didn’t matter.

Yeah it's preseason and these games don't count but getting our asses whooped has been the consistent story more often than not of the Carolina Panthers since at least 2018.

That matters.

Literally did not matter, and Literally is not news that our depth sucks, Browns scored 0 on the starters, and our starters probably score on both drives if not for a scub guard playing for Lewis blowing his assignment on third and short. 

 

Health will be key.

[frankw]

Just now, PantherChris said:

Literally did not matter, and Literally is not news that our depth sucks, Browns scored 0 on the starters, and our starters probably score on both drives if not for a scub guard playing for Lewis blowing his assignment on third and short. 

 

Health will be key.

You really pooing posts over a team with the worst win percentage in professional sports the last few years getting blown out in their stadium in their first in game action of the year?

 

[PantherChris]

7 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

1. Not sure we know that for sure. I mean, the D was going up against the opposing 4th string QB.

2. Yeah, a team that won three games last year absolutely dominated us as soon as our starters left the game.

3. The punt return game in particular looks to be full blown panic level red flag alert.

4th string is a misnomer when the Browns have 5 mid backup QBs and no defined pecking order among them.

[RevJ]

Evidently, Fowler has discovered a new rule - if you are ahead and pull your starters while in the lead you . . .umm  . . . win???

[PantherChris]

17 minutes ago, frankw said:

You really pooing posts over a team with the worst win percentage in professional sports the last few years getting blown out in their stadium in their first in game action of the year?

 

Pooed one post because being knee jerk doomer about a pre season game were the players who will actually be doing the playing when It matters on a professional sports team that has been awful the past few seven years, actually looked like they picked up were we left off making progress and left the game up 7-0.

Pre season is a glorified warm up action designed to knock off rust and evaluate depth.... which anyone who knows our team knows our team knows that our depth is god awful!!! OUR so called "professional" teams defense was the worst In NFL HISTORY last year and expectations for anyone rational on that side should be very very very low.

 

Expecting low end depth players and UDRFA camp bodies from the aforementioned worst DEFENSE IN NFL HISTORY not to allow 30+ points is what's irrational.

Edited Saturday at 06:19 PM by PantherChris