ESPN 8 pm: Carolina @ Baltimore

[CPcavedweller]

And the experiment continues....

We all need to understand that Oz is a fake.

The Great and Powerful ESPN can sway your opinions, if you allow them to. They won't sway mine.

Play the damn game and I will make my own opinions.

I don't need Disney to publicly admit that putting the literal, most likely-to-succeed player in the NFL in a position of contrived, so-called inescapable failure doesn't raise their ratings.

Disney/ESPN is playing us all.

You don't think Cam noticed that ranking? Players do, contrary to popular belief, hear and read about these things. I could care less what ESPN thinks but the fact of the matter is that they are a lot of people's number one source of information. I doubt Cam wants to be perceived that way by anyone.

[Achilles]

If by "look like Tom Brady" you mean Flacco will go 11 for 12 for 150 yards and a TD in preseason action, then, yes, I think that sounds about right.  Cam will not look as good.

 

I will mainly be looking at the WR position and the running game.

 

On D, I hope to see some signs that we will pressure the QB with our front four.  I doubt they will show a lot of blitzing during a preseason game.

[xerxes]

I actually think we'll win this walking away. After a subpar performance last week and against the Super Bowl champs, I think we play almost all out. Whereas I don't think the Ravens really care.

[CRA]

If by "look like Tom Brady" you mean Flacco will go 11 for 12 for 150 yards and a TD in preseason action, then, yes, I think that sounds about right. Cam will not look as good.

I will mainly be looking at the WR position and the running game.

On D, I hope to see some signs that we will pressure the QB with our front four. I doubt they will show a lot of blitzing during a preseason game.

Flacco and the Ravens throw the ball similar to us....chunk plays. If Flacco goes 14/15 we better be very worried....he has been a 50+ completion guy the last 2 years bc of the type passing O they are

[MadHatter]

They died for a reason. However I'm not surprised there's more discussion about how bad we are or what scrubs have been cut by other teams when we have a game tomorrow.

Bottom line is, I don't care. And I'm on my phone and it was easier to add a new thread that hasn't been derailed yet.

They died because they are crappy threads. Version 4 of said thread is no better.

[therealmjl]

Well, the golden child is about as negative as they come.

[Jmac]

Lets put it this way, in two weeks the live fire begins.The Seahawks are superbowl caliber.If we suck against the superbowl winning Ravens, then I don't know what to think. Don't say only preseason.The same starters will be on the field tonight as on sept 8 (give or take one or two).Either you can hang with the big boys or not.

[CPcavedweller]

Oh the horror that will ensue if Cam and the defense don't beat the Ravens convincingly.

Gentlemen, let's try to remember that if we get our asses kicked on prime television, ESPN and NFL Network will be crucifying our squad for the following 10-12 hours. So let's try not to bring irrational thoughts into The Huddle. The third preseason game is the most important out of the four but regardless... it's preseason.

I don't think anyone mentioned or implied that winning was necessary. Just not looking like complete poo would be nice. I understand it is preseason and we have had some beginner level madden play calling, but a switch can't just be flipped.

There's no way we can be following the same routine as the past two years because something in our offseason and preseason prep is broken. It's obvious by the 2-8 starts and I think everyone would like to see a solid TD drive from the ones, if nothing else than to prove we aren't the Jets of 2012.

I don't care if we win but I want to see everyone playing like the game matters. If they just show up then ill be worried. Like I said, that switch can just be flipped from oh this doesn't matter to full on game play for four quarters.

[CPcavedweller]

Flacco and the Ravens throw the ball similar to us....chunk plays. If Flacco goes 14/15 we better be very worried....he has been a 50+ completion guy the last 2 years bc of the type passing O they are

Joe Flacco is probably the best deep ball passer in the game. I remember watching him at Chatanooga for the national championship and he will throw the ball under duress with no effort 60 yards spot on. Mind you App won that game 49-21 and Flacco completed less than 50% of his passes. I saw him make the same throw in consecutive passes to the same guy, the first was called back by a penalty.

[Cyberjag]

I think we will still play vanilla defense and we won't look that good.  We are not going to all out blitz or do what Baltimore will do from the get go. Common knowledge is that you kill the spread with a blitz, did we do it last week??  No and we won't this week.  We are likely to be better on offense and we are likely to throw more against their blitzing given we need the work and realize that running against them won't  be effective.  Will be run a bunch of read options or open up the whole offense?  I doubt it.  Expect some screens and misdirection but it won't be exotic.

Will Gettis have a good game?  I think he will.

 

Remember when blitzing in the preseason was unheard of?

 

I think we continue the vanilla too, and I think we lose simply because we're playing on the road.  No one is really focused on this game, if there's a game focus at all it's on Seattle.

[CRA]

Remember when blitzing in the preseason was unheard of?

I think we continue the vanilla too, and I think we lose simply because we're playing on the road. No one is really focused on this game, if there's a game focus at all it's on Seattle.

Teams blitz more now....and you have to practice it to be good at it.

I think Rivera stays soft and safe this year on the regular season....we have no guys who can cover (haven't proven to be)

[TheRumGone]

we have a spotlight on sportscenter coming up soon. They previewed it by saying "Cam Newton facing a lot of pressure this upcoming season"

[Creep59]

So its only on espn?  I guess its Mick and company for me tonight.

 

grrrrrrr

[panthers55]

Remember when blitzing in the preseason was unheard of?

 

I think we continue the vanilla too, and I think we lose simply because we're playing on the road.  No one is really focused on this game, if there's a game focus at all it's on Seattle.

I was reading an article where Rivera was saying that it will be a test for our offense because Baltimore has been using the whole playbook on defense and dialing up a lot of blitzes.  Meanwhile we are not going to open things up or use our whole offensive playbook which included Newton running which he  hasn't done yet and likely won't this game unless he is scrambling. That is the reason why I laugh when people get bummed out over preseason. When one team is dialing up everything they have and the other is keeping things under raps, of course it will look like a mismatch.  But it doesn't mean it will continue into the season.

I agree about the focus on Seattle.  Here is the article if you are interested.

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/08/21/4253535/carolina-panthers-3rd-preseason.html