Why do you need to give a coach three years to prove himself?

[TheRed]

The Rivera fans are out in force, two wins and all is forgotten already? Look I honestly like him, but I still maintain overall perspective. We sit at 5-9, one win less than last year with two games left to play. We are still having the same problems closing games this year as last year. It all stops with Ron.

Why did we wait until we were eliminated from the playoffs to start playing aggressively?

I want improvement in all aspects.

If we can beat Oakland and go into New Orleans and get a W in that environment with how they are currently playing, that will go a long way. They embarrassed us in our final game last year, we need the redemption.

[CarolinaCoolin]

Rivera isnt a SB winning coach. Its not even seen that hes a playoff winning coach. No sense seeing what he has in year 3 if we will fire him anyway. Im tired of being 2nd/3rd tier team. I want a coach who takes us to the next level and have people talk about us in a good way. Get a coach now while we can still break away easy.

[DaCityKats]

new GM will bring his guy in. what has Rivera done to prove he needs another year?

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

No one has said Rivera is Bill Parcells. He is just, as of today, the best option of getting the team to continue this performance in year 3 than hitting the reset button with retreads and college coaches.

He has made errors and mistakes but has acknowledged them and adjusted since. Sure he was slow to make the offensive changes but is that not part of the curve? If you discount the wins then you wont change your mind no matter what the outcome. There will be a justification for each win..ATL(took the week off) but they destroyed the Giants the next week.. SD(players quit).

Raiders(its the Raiders) ..then when NO wins a close game its see!! he sucks!

[Cyberjag]

Rivera has admitted he has made mistakes and this week stated that is was a mistake not to have hired a coordinator with head coach experience to help him. He instead put all the emphasis on hiring good teachers to teach the players what to do. Maybe I being too optimistic but i would like too believe that philosophy is finally bearing fruit and will do so even more in the future. I don't want to give Rivera a total pass here because he surely has made mistakes. But I also don't want to throw him under the bus given that he has done some good things as well.

I'm not throwing him under the bus, but I am saying that he's had enough time and if it were up to me, I would be inclined to replace him. I'm not certain he's the best coach out there for Newton, but he's not the worst either. And if the incoming GM is great with him, then maybe we'll have something here.

Frankly, I don't think Rivera is ever going to be a top-echelon coach. And I'm aware that we could end up replacing him with yet another downgrade. But I would rather risk that than strive for just above average, which is the best I think he's going to do. We've got a real star in the making under center, and he deserves better than that.

FWIW, I've come around to your way of thinking on Gruden, so at least we can agree on something here. :)

[Bob NC]

I don't have confidence in ownership to hire somebody better.

If Rivera is fired I'm picturing another low cost, inexperienced Rivera in his place.

I'd rather Rivera get a 3rd year than see Rivera2.

[Shonuff]

I don't have confidence in ownership to hire somebody better.

If Rivera is fired I'm picturing another low cost, inexperienced Rivera in his place.

I'd rather Rivera get a 3rd year than see Rivera2.

Just wondering, who are these "great" experienced coaches in waiting? I don't think some folk are in tune with a realistic view of the NFL coaching landscape...most college coaches fail when transitioning to the NFL...see Spurrier, Sabon, Petrino, etc....

I don't know who else is out there??? Please, I'm interested in knowing. Gruden? Not gonna coach Carolina, Stone jaw...chillin in Rawleigh...., etc, etc.

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

I don't have confidence in ownership to hire somebody better.

If Rivera is fired I'm picturing another low cost, inexperienced Rivera in his place.

I'd rather Rivera get a 3rd year than see Rivera2.

Sadly this will be the reality...a Chip Kelly wont just be an inexperienced college coach..he will be a handsomely paid inexperienced coach.I like him a lot actually but just not the best timing for JR to want to pay Rivera and an expensive coach. It would be at best a Mike McCoy type guy..

If Rivera and gang start off poorly again... then its a no-doubt-about-it-replacement...OR if the Panthers lose to the Raiders or repeat a Giants style performance game with the Saints.

The reality is that the 2013 Panthers will be a 7-9 or 6-10 team...with a new staff having to learn new systems, terminology they will be a 7-9 or 6-10 team.

Bringing the staff back brings continuity and familiarity which is usually key for the best defenses and offensive lines.

- You just know we are going to be letdown with the GM hire...just like free agency and 33 percent of the drafts. just expect it and you wont be shocked.

[Brooklyn Bully]

The real answer is, you don't.

[Marguide]

The players including Newton really didn't know how to close out games in the NFl. The reality is that poor player execution by Newton alone cost us at least 2 or 3 games this year. I don't know how it can be Rivera's fault that Newton grounded a 5 yard pass to a wide open receiver inn the endzone or fumbled backwards after making a first down to seal the game. Or threw critical interceptions when he could have thrown the ball away.

Does it not bother you that our QB has to have a flawless game to get a win? Does it not bother you that our gazillion dollar backfield could not find a way to run the ball in the offense we employed early in the year? Does it not bother you that Hurney had to be sent packing and JR had to read Rivera the riot act to get us to change to a more balanced offense?

Do these things not give you pause for thought?

[beastson]

Rivera usually last 2 years

I think that says enough

I wasn't big on him last season, now this season seem like nothing has changed

[rayzor]

new GM will bring his guy in. what has Rivera done to prove he needs another year?

if he can't win more than he did last year then i'd say not enough.

[pantherclaw]

Very simply put, there is much for new coaches to learn. I promise Rivera will coach better next year due to what he has learned.

A new head coach doesn't mean instant improvement.

[pantherclaw]

I might feel differently about keeping Ron and Chud if they came out and admitted that they did a poor job with our offense to start the year, rather than just blaming it on the players' failure in execution.

Why is this admission important? Two reasons:

1) It tells us they've learned from their mistakes and aren't likely to repeat them

2) It sends a message to the team that they're all in this together (players and coaches) and that the coaches are as willing to learn and improve as the players.

Until we hear this kind of admission, there is no reason to believe they won't screw up again, and if that's the case, we might as well make the change now.

why do we have to gear it?

Will it put all the concern to rest?

I doubt it.

The players and coaches know where they stand with each other.