If they lose the last three......

[PleaseCutStewart]

On 12/16/2025 at 6:00 PM, amcoolio said:

We went from being able to rest the starters the last two weeks for a home playoff game to likely eliminated. That is how catastrophic getting swept by the Saints was. All you needed to do was win one against the Saints. And if we won both we'd clinch with any win over the final 3 weeks. But this is the Panthers, and we can't have nice things. 

Absolutely can't extend Bryce if we don't make the playoffs. You just can't as a franchise. If Bryce was worth his salt he would have beaten one of the worst teams in the league once to make the playoffs. He had two chances and fumbled both

Not sure you can blame Bryce game 2 vs the saints. D couldn't get off the field and the play calling was atrocious. One of the few times I think Bryce gets a "I'm bad, but the loss isn't my fault" card

[strato]

On 12/17/2025 at 9:12 PM, PleaseCutStewart said:

Not sure you can blame Bryce game 2 vs the saints. D couldn't get off the field and the play calling was atrocious. One of the few times I think Bryce gets a "I'm bad, but the loss isn't my fault" card

Agreed. It is similar to when we win and he has 120 yards and 1 TD. It wasn’t about him. 

[UnluckyforSome]

On 12/17/2025 at 9:12 PM, PleaseCutStewart said:

Not sure you can blame Bryce game 2 vs the saints. D couldn't get off the field and the play calling was atrocious. One of the few times I think Bryce gets a "I'm bad, but the loss isn't my fault" card

Everyone knows that is not how it works, at all, for the "franchise qb" at this level.

[Joe Bear]

I’ve rarely ever been more sure of anything than losing out — but how can anyone say with a straight face “Bryce hasn’t improved, but Canales has and he’s masks his flaws”. You have to be so out of touch with reality to put one way above the other when discussing those two. 

[OneBadCat]

Losing out would mean a total defensive collapse. I imagine it would be Evero who gets axed.

[mrcompletely11]

1 hour ago, OneBadCat said:

Losing out would mean a total defensive collapse. I imagine it would be Evero who gets axed.

How did you axe someone that doesn't work for you?

[frankw]

The Panthers are so comically inconsistent they could very well defeat the Bucs this Sunday and then lose the final 2 games.

[strato]

5 minutes ago, frankw said:

The Panthers are so comically inconsistent they could very well defeat the Bucs this Sunday and then lose the final 2 games.

Following the crazy up down pattern we finish 9-8 with an improbable sweep of TB, and lay an egg in the home playoff game. 

I don’t know if I can sign on to sweeping TB but I suppose it’s possible, they aren’t really that good this year. 

 

ps I can buy beating TB Sunday and losing to Seattle.  Then it just gets to can you fluke one game. Any given Sunday. So we’ll see. 

Edited 6 hours ago by strato

[frankw]

1 minute ago, strato said:

Following the crazy up down patter we finish 9-8 with an improbable sweep of TB, and layman egg in the home playoff game. 
I don’t know if I can sign on to sweeping TB but I suppose it’s possible, they aren’t really that good this year. 

I presented that scenario because this is a home game and we seemed to have improved in some capacity in that area as of recently.

The problem with the possibility of sweeping the Bucs is this team has had a habit of quickly falling victim to momentum shifts. The Bucs are coming off a bitter loss the same as the Panthers but the Bucs have a much better proven track record this time of year and they have performed when the pressure is on unlike our Panthers.

We have a shot against the Seahawks here in BOA but that is a matchup that could quickly get out of hand because they are a well coached team and that goes back to the momentum shifts I mentioned.

I just don't see this team beating the Bucs in their stadium to close the season. Tall order to say the least.

[strato]

1 minute ago, frankw said:

I presented that scenario because this is a home game and we seemed to have improved in some capacity in that area as of recently.

The problem with the possibility of sweeping the Bucs is this team has had a habit of quickly falling victim to momentum shifts. The Bucs are coming off a bitter loss the same as the Panthers but the Bucs have a much better proven track record this time of year and they have performed when the pressure is on unlike our Panthers.

We have a shot against the Seahawks here in BOA but that is a matchup that could quickly get out of hand because they are a well coached team and that goes back to the momentum shifts I mentioned.

I just don't see this team beating the Bucs in their stadium to close the season. Tall order to say the least.

It is why they play. But the only consistent measure for predicting, this year, has been the up down. Insane. 

[frankw]

7 minutes ago, strato said:

It is why they play. But the only consistent measure for predicting, this year, has been the up down. Insane. 

Blow out the Falcons. Blown out by the Patriots. Squeak by the Dolphins with a QB they just benched (who is Bryce Young's best comp). Squeak by the Cowboys. Squeak by the Jets in an abysmal offensive performance. Blown out by the Bills. Squeak by the Packers. Lose to the Saints starting a rookie QB who has a career day. Squeak by the Falcons. Lose in embarrassing fashion to the 49ers in primetime. Squeak by the Rams. Lose to the Saints with the same rookie QB with the division and playoffs on the line.

When you see it all in print it really isn't impressive. Could argue we need both a new QB and a new head coach.

[3838]

3 hours ago, frankw said:

Blow out the Falcons. Blown out by the Patriots. Squeak by the Dolphins with a QB they just benched (who is Bryce Young's best comp). Squeak by the Cowboys. Squeak by the Jets in an abysmal offensive performance. Blown out by the Bills. Squeak by the Packers. Lose to the Saints starting a rookie QB who has a career day. Squeak by the Falcons. Lose in embarrassing fashion to the 49ers in primetime. Squeak by the Rams. Lose to the Saints with the same rookie QB with the division and playoffs on the line.

When you see it all in print it really isn't impressive. Could argue we need both a new QB and a new head coach.

If "squeaking" equates winning I'll take it.

[amcoolio]

Wins are wins, Packers and Rams are quality wins against really tough teams to play. Any road game win is also a decent win, as games are just harder to control and predict on the road. 

If the Panthers lose tomorrow they are 98% eliminated. I'd say even if we finish 8-9 it was a disappointing season given how close we were to a playoff berth but just fumbled it with unprepared, bad play...despite how flawed the roster is. 

I wouldn't extend Bryce if we miss the playoffs and make him prove it in a contract year, while also finding a decent backup next offseason. Probably not going to be in a position to reach for a QB in the first round, and we sorely need defensive help in a loaded defensive draft

[frankw]

9 minutes ago, 3838 said:

If "squeaking" equates winning I'll take it.

It's all about evaluating the full body of work. Winning multiple close games by the skin of your teeth and then losing divisional games against inferior opponents like the Saints when something is finally on the line doesn't sound sustainable. We win when it's not expected and flounder when there are expectations. We perceive any wins as massive improvement when in reality we are at the bare floor of what competitive teams expect let alone actual consistent playoff contenders.