The Colts are a warning to the Panthers

[Jangler]

Two years ago they were in the Superbowl. Now they can't win... You can't build a team around one person. I hope the Panthers don't get into this mindset and think they will be able to plug anybody in at any position and as long as we have Cam we will be fine.

[nickzz]

jon beason is on our team as well

[blackcatgrowl]

I don't think that will happen.

I think JR wants us to be more like the Steelers and Pats, than the Colts.

[SCP]

pffft, Cam Newton is not one person.

But I agree with your analysis good sir.

[Cyberjag]

Peyton Manning doesn't play defense

[Jangler]

Yeah, and the Colts have had a few other players over the years too. But now look at them... I don't buy it they are tanking for Luck.

[FugginPoo]

Warning: Don't have a backup QB named Curtis Painter and a figurehead "Coach" on the sidelines.

[4Corners]

warning: don't open this thread

[The Huddler]

Yeah but you wont get to the superbowl without a QB.

[rayzor]

you could say that about most teams with elite QBs. you take out the QB and that team is most likely going to fall apart. it all depends on the system.

in the case of the colts and i would even throw in the saints here, peyton and brees are the system. both play a huge role in the playcalling and design of the offense. of course peyton is essentially the OC there.

you can take aaron rodgers out of greenbay and that team would suck balls as well. the lions need stafford to not suck. the falcons need ryan to help them maintain mediocrity. same with the cowboys and romo. lots of teams would take huge hits if they lost their starting QB.

the pats were successful with the matt cassell because of the system they have in place. brady is good, but that team has been dominant for so long because of the system there and the fact that they have the perfect QB for it. cassell showed that you could still be solid in that offense and not have brady, though. that is a rarity.

one thing about the colts, the problem goes much deeper than just losing peyton. that defense last night let a team score 7 TDs on them. the coaching is the biggest problem there. well...that and the fact that they have done a piss poor job in bringing in talent on defense. i guess you can thank their GM for that. and for replacing tony dungy with jim caldwell. wow...what a drop. it's like they didn't even try.

i agree, though, we shouldn't have the team rely totally on newton. the good thing is, this offense is not devoid of talent aside from it's QB. any team that has smitty, stewart, williams, olsen, and shockey as well as this oline is going to do well once the team is comfortable in the system. like the pats, i think we have the perfect QB for this system, but i don't think that it will fall apart without him...as long as they had a QB that could run it, or at least most of it. you won't be able to find a backup who can be the dual threat that newton is, but you could find someone a bit mobile who has a big arm and has confidence throwing the ball downfield (that isn't clausen, btw.) there would be a drop off for sure, but the offense should still be somewhat effective.

the thing that is really going to hold this team back is the defense, but i think our struggles there are going to be short-lived. rivera got the san diego defense turned around, but it took him a full offseason to do it. once we get beason back in there as well as a couple tweaks and additions in personnel, i think the defense will be downright respectable and will help keep this team in games regardless of how the offense does.

cam will be the center of this team for a long time, but it's not a team and a situation that will fall apart like the colts have. it's a much more balanced team with better coaching.

[bigcatdaddy]

Jon Beason, Greg Olsen, Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, J-Stew, D-Will, Steve Smith, should I keep going?

[Pantherball]

Yeah but you wont get to the superbowl without a QB.

That's funny coming from a Panthers fan. Or considering the only perfect team in NFL history is one such team. Not only can you get there, you can win it too. Don Shula would slap you silly.

Anything can happen in the NFL. Superbowl isn't just about a QB. Winning records year after year and making the playoff is though.

The 1972 season was legendary coach Don Shula's third with the Dolphins. Under his strict no-nonsense approach, the young Dolphins team gelled into a cohesive unit. Though the team featured players, like Nick Buoniconti, Larry Csonka (left), Larry Little, Bob Griese, Jim Langer and Paul Warfield - all Hall of Famers - it was often contributions from the lesser-knowns that made the difference. In fact, the team featured a defense that, although very good, lacked "star-power." Capitalizing on their anonymity, they accepted the nickname the "No-Name Defense." Eventually, even the "No-Names" of defensive linemen Manny Fernandez and Bill Stanfill became familiar names.

In week five a name from the past surfaced when 38-year-old veteran quarterback Earl Morrall came off the bench to replace a severely injured Bob Griese. Morral kept the unbeaten streak going through the remainder of the regular season and a 20-14 playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns.

In Week 16, it was a healthy Bob Griese who came from the bench to direct his team to victory with a hard-fought 21-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two weeks later, Griese started and finished Miami's 14-7 victory over the Redskins in Super Bowl VII.

LOL....they swapped QB's mid-season and still stayed perfect. And then they swapped again in the playoffs and still won the Superbowl.

[Dpantherman]

This isn't 1972

[Lumps]

This thread has a very valid point. As of now our close games are because of one player.

I don't think it was the personal however. I think good players are good players and what it is, is more of letting the QB run the game and make the calls 100% of the time.

The Colts let Manning have more control, and for good reason. But I believe that is the problem more so than building around a great QB.

But, ideally you want to build around a QB and on the other hand what are you supposed to do? Tell them they have no control of a team? It builds a closer team with healthy expectations. Building a leader as such has it's rewards and it's negative results and the first outweighs the latter. For example you say the Colts are in a bad situation because of Manning, but they do have a trophy from him do they not? Would you risk 15 years for a trophy and numerous other appearances? I would. It's more than the Panthers have as of now.

If Cam gives us a career like Manning's I'll take it for a shitty season when/if he leaves.