Bleacher report not buying Panthers’ hype

[OldhamA]

3 hours ago, thunderraiden said:

All this hand wringing just for sharps to start hammering the panthers over. This forum has just turned into racist boomer circle jerking atp

What the fug?

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, frankw said:

And that is the definition of what it is to be a #1 pick. Overcoming adversity and performing at a high level in doing so. Only in the Panthers fanbase has that definition shifted to playing at a high level only when the moving parts around them are elite and the conditions are 100% ideal. Loser mentality.

Yeah, I'm still not completely sold on Caleb but I'd take him over Bryce all day everyday and every other NFL team would too, including the Panthrs though they can never admit it since they effectively gave the Bears a ton of roster building capital while handing them the pick that eventually became Caleb Wiliams.

[LinvilleGorge]

3 hours ago, thunderraiden said:

All this hand wringing just for sharps to start hammering the panthers over. This forum has just turned into racist boomer circle jerking atp

For the record, most of the loudest Bryce critics were also among the loudest Cam supporters.

So... WTF are you talking about other than just wanting to dismiss views you don't like with unfounded accusations to avoid having to argue your point?

[frankw]

9 minutes ago, OldhamA said:

What the fug?

There was a time when this place had bigots roaming. They were easy to spot in the Cam years. The overwhelming majority are long gone.

But this logic that if you expect BY to play like a #1 pick and elevate the team you are racist is comical beyond words. Especially when you consider these same posters will throw any other player or coach under the bus in an instant to suit their narrative.

Also. Under such logic. Every person critical of Evero is a racist. Which coincidentally would include pretty much every Bryce Young defender.

Edited 2 hours ago by frankw

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

I mean, I don't think we're doing jack poo next season either.  That schedule is murderous.

[SetfreexX]

18 hours ago, OldhamA said:

How many of those teams are better than the Rams and the Packers?

I think we're more talented this year than we were last year. 

I'm not saying we're going to sweep all that comes before us, but I think a 6-11 projection underestimates the roster rebuild job that's going on here. 

Might be a little too much Kool aid, those Rico games mask how pedestrian Bryce was,and earned us a few wins to stay afloat.

We lost 4 of 5 down the stretch as we controlled our own destiny, and we moonwalked into the playoffs off of whacky tie breakers. 

We over achieved last year. 6-11 is pretty conservative but I also don't think its that far off the mark. If we finish over .500 (primarily because Bryce is our QB) I'll be surprised. 

[TheSpecialJuan]

20 hours ago, raleigh-panther said:

Well, everyone is a critic.  not much meat on the bone here in analysis but if the team needs motivation … lol
 

I have also heard a lot of talking head or two say that ‘Young is not in the same class as most of these teams and that in 12 of the 17 games he is the lesser QB
 

BR write up below 

2025 record: 8-9

Last season, the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They won the division. Bryce Young made strides, throwing for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 63.6 percent completion rate. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan won the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

In free agency, the Panthers signed edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd to bolster their middling defense. Carolina can win with complementary football if the offense continues to trend in the right direction.

In 2026, Carolina will play the AFC North and NFC North on a first-place schedule, which includes matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and the Seattle Seahawks. The club will have a much tougher 17-game slate than it had last year, which may lead to regression.

The Panthers aren't on the same level as the league's top teams. We'll see the gap between them and division-winning clubs from the previous season.

2026 projection: 6-11

 

What hype? Most media outlets are (rightfully) doubting us again. We weren’t exactly convincing last year, it’s fine I’m cool with it. 

[LinvilleGorge]

1 hour ago, SetfreexX said:

Might be a little too much Kool aid, those Rico games mask how pedestrian Bryce was,and earned us a few wins to stay afloat.

We lost 4 of 5 down the stretch as we controlled our own destiny, and we moonwalked into the playoffs off of whacky tie breakers. 

We over achieved last year. 6-11 is pretty conservative but I also don't think its that far off the mark. If we finish over .500 (primarily because Bryce is our QB) I'll be surprised. 

Facts.

Rico caught lightning in a bottle and looked like one of the best players in the league over a five game stretch. We were 4-1 over that stretch. Rico still averaged almost 7ypc in that loss to the Bills but only had 8 carries because we were getting boat raced. He rushed for 100+ yards three times. We were 3-0 in those games. Rico ran for a combined 519 yards over those three games. Bryce threw for a combined 499 yards over those same games.

With a playoff berth on the line we went 1-3 over the last four weeks of the season. Bryce threw for over 200 yards only once in that stretch bottoming out in that disaster against Seattle where he only managed 54 yards in the second to last game of the season.