Jump to content

  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

Barnwell drank the kool-aid

Cyberjag

By Cyberjag,
in Carolina Panthers

Recommended Posts

MadHatter Rookie

MadHatter

Posted
Posted

Very well done and accurate article.

 

Defense has been stellar all season.

Cam has played excellent over the last 4 games

Running game has come alive

Coaching has drastically improved

 

But, there still is a lot to prove.  The next two weeks will determine if we are pretenders or contenders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cyberjag Newbie

Cyberjag

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Barnwell has been on our side for a while now.  He's got a handful of articles concerning us.  It's a good time to be a fan right now.  And to think, we were 0-2 and 1-3 at points during this season . . .

 

I think a lot of that has to do with our DVOA ratings.  The Panthers were inexplicably high earlier this year based on record, and now they're showing why.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
That49Guy Newbie

That49Guy

Posted
Posted

MJZVBC2.jpg

 

CIny8.gif

 

 

 

 

 

49ers just won 5 in a row, and beat their last four opponents by a combined 89 points. Barnwell, the guy who picked the Buccaneers to win the NFC South, quantified this by saying you had to have a four game winning streak and win each game by 14. The 49ers did that, sans the Titans game that they only won by 12 because of a garbage time touchdown on fourth down.

 

The Panthers are a very dangerous team right now and Rivera finally got his head out of his *** and started coaching, but remember you can manipulate stats to say whatever you want them to. According to Mike Nolan, Alex Smith is undefeated when his team scores more than the opponent.

 

true+story.jpg

 

As a 49ers fan who hasn't missed a snap since I could wipe my own ***, this game scares me. If we can run the ball, we win. That's our formula, unless your defense sells out for the run and lets VD and Boldin run free like the Packers did. Otherwise, we HAVE to be able to run the ball. We also haven't rushed the QB well at all as of late, and Cam is scary moving around. Heck, we didn't record one sack against the Jaguars. Plus, Teddy Ginn will be extra motivated to beat us considering we cast him off as fodder. You're all experiencing how big of a difference he can make when he's used correctly and his speed is allowed flourish, but you're also experiencing what 49ers and Dolphins fans did for years, and it's freaking frustrating: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYSxJgjjJFc. I'm also a Buckeyes fan, so I'm fully aware of how good he can be, and how dangerous he really is. He should have had a huge game against the Buccaneers, but he just can't hold on to the friggin ball. It always frustrated the living crap out of me that we didn't just let him go streaking down the field and let Kap or Alex air it out to him, but I'm glad to see Cam's strog arm is used with Ginn's speed. We sure could have used him this year as we have the worst WR corp in the league IMO.

 

Here's how I see it:

 

1.) The 49ers have to be able to run the ball, and have a great O-line/RB combo, but you guys have an aweome DLine.

 

2.) We struggle with mobile QB's because we rarely send extra guys to blitz, so when you neutralize the pass rush with your legs, we struggle, and well you guys have Cam Newton.

 

3.) We have a very good run defense, and none of your RBs are scary. Tolbert is the one who worries me most. We don't sub out - why, I have no freaking idea - and can wear down with RBs like Tolbert.

 

4.) We have the secondary to contain Smith, and the LB's to stay with Olsen, again it's Ginn who scares me as our safeties love to bite on the play action, but they have done much better this year. And Eric Reid is the real deal, but Teddy will know how to beat Whitner.

 

5.) Special teams are about even.

 

6.) Rivera does look like he's turned into a competent coach, but one thing I think everyone's seen is that Harbaugh is a great at preparation, so the extra week is working against you.

 

It looks pretty even to me. An extra weeks rest, an extra week for coaches to prepare, and getting back Aldon and Manningham will work in our favor, but you guys have the kind of team we struggle with. If you guys stop the run and make us beat you with Kap, you win. If we can get the running game going and let Kap make a few plays here and there, we win.

 

That's how I see it.

 

PS - I miss Colin Jones. You can have the $1.25 and bag of stale popcorn back that we got for him. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • hepcat
      The NFL seems to be intent on killing the Panthers season this weekend, per the ref assignment

      By hepcat · Posted

      The referee assigned to this game is Shawn Smith. This is a critical data point for betting purposes because his crew has one of the most distinct, long-term statistical biases in the NFL. "Road Team" Bias: Historically, Shawn Smith is known as the "Road Team Referee." In a league where home teams usually win ~55% of the time, home teams in Smith's games have historically won at a rate far below league average (often hovering around 40-42%). Against The Spread (ATS): The trend is even starker here. Home teams have covered the spread at a rate of roughly 37-40% in his career. The Mechanism: Analysis shows his crew tends to call a higher rate of False Start and Unnecessary Roughness penalties on the Home Team. This negates the traditional home-field advantage (crowd noise causing false starts for the visitors). Impact on This Game: This specific assignment heavily favors the Buccaneers (Road Team). If you believe the referee influences the game, Smith's presence suggests the Panthers will struggle to get "home cooking" calls and may face untimely procedural flags that stall drives. The Panthers have only had Shawn Smith officiate four home games since he became a head referee in 2018, and they are all losses. Date Opponent Result Score Nov 24, 2024 vs. Kansas City Chiefs Loss 27–30 Oct 9, 2022 vs. San Francisco 49ers Loss 15–37 Dec 12, 2021 vs. Atlanta Falcons Loss 21–29 Nov 25, 2018 vs. Seattle Seahawks Loss 27–30 Considering the how rare it is for Shawn Smith to officiate a Panthers game at all, this seems like an odd time to assign him to a Panthers game, unless the NFL wants to kill the Panthers season once and for all.  The Panthers' offensive line situation creates a "perfect storm" for referee Shawn Smith's specific tendency to call False Starts on the home team. The "Carousel" Factor (Communication Vulnerability) The most damning stat for the Panthers' offensive line in 2025 is their lack of continuity. The Stat: By Week 13, the Panthers had already fielded their 10th different offensive line combination. The Impact: False starts are often "communication penalties"—they happen when a guard doesn't hear the center's snap count or a tackle anticipates the wrong cadence. A unit that hasn't played together struggles with non-verbal communication. The Shawn Smith Multiplier: Shawn Smith’s crew calls False Starts at a high rate on home teams. He will likely look for flinches on the exterior of the line. A disjointed line that is constantly rotating players (due to the injuries of starters like Cade Mays and the illness issues with Robert Hunt earlier this season) is "fresh meat" for this specific referee bias. The Specific Culprits (2025 Penalties) Ikem Ekwonu (LT): Leads the team with 4 False Start penalties this season. He is the most frequent violator on the line. Taylor Moton (RT): Has been flagged for 3 False Starts. The Trap: Smith’s crew often focuses on the tackles (the players furthest from the ball) jumping early to get an edge on speed rushers. Since Ekwonu struggles with this discipline naturally, having a referee who hunts for it is a massive disadvantage. The "Managed Outcome" Synthesis The "Bucs Cover" Script: If the desired outcome is a Buccaneers win to solidify their playoff standing, the officials simply have to apply the letter of the law. Calling strict False Starts on a confused, banged-up Panthers O-line will consistently put them in "3rd and Long" situations, killing their drives and allowing the Bucs (-3.5) to cover easily. The "Close Game" Script: If the desired outcome is "Week 18 Drama" (keeping the division tied), look for the officials to ignore the Panthers' twitchy tackles. If Ekwonu jumps a split-second early and no flag is thrown, it effectively neutralizes the Bucs' pass rush, allowing the Panthers to keep the score close. Summary of the Edge Vulnerability: Extreme. The Panthers are playing backup interior linemen (like Jake Curhan or practice squad call-ups) next to jumpy tackles. Betting Implication: This strongly reinforces the Bucs -3 or -3.5 play. The combination of a "Road Team Referee" and a "Home Team O-Line in chaos" suggests the Panthers will beat themselves with procedural penalties. Based on the collision of the hard data (Referee bias + Offensive Line injuries) and the soft narratives ("Managed Outcomes"), here is the definitive recommendation. If you have to place a single Moneyline bet to win this game straight up: The Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-165) While the "Entertainment Script" hints at a Panthers upset to keep the division messy, the structural disadvantage the Panthers face in this specific matchup is too massive to ignore. Here is why the Buccaneers are the stong moneyline play: 1. The "Shawn Smith" Road-Field Advantage This is the decisive factor. In the NFL, Home Field Advantage usually accounts for about 1.5 to 2 points of value. The Reality: Referee Shawn Smith negates that advantage entirely. His crew calls penalties in a way that historically suppresses home crowd momentum (False Starts, holding). The Result: You are essentially getting the Buccaneers on a neutral field (or even a "pseudo-home" field) against a team with a worse roster. 2. The "Drive-Killer" Synergy To win as an underdog, the Panthers need to play a clean, mistake-free game to keep drives alive. The combination of Panthers' 10th O-Line combo + Jump-prone Tackles (Ekwonu) + A Referee who hunts False Starts is a recipe for disaster. The Scenario: Expect the Panthers to face multiple "1st and 15" or "3rd and 12" situations due to procedural flags. These drive-killers will force them to punt or settle for field goals, while the Bucs' offense (led by Mayfield) stays on schedule. 3. The "TV Product" Counter-Argument You asked about the "Managed Outcome." While a Panthers win creates "chaos," the NFL also values Star Power in the playoffs. Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers are a proven national TV draw with recent playoff history. If the league has to choose between "Chaos" (Panthers) and "Ratings/Legitimacy" (Bucs), the "Script" likely leans toward ensuring the Buccaneers—the more marketable team—secure the division lead. They won't "fix" the game against the Panthers, but they won't intervene to save them from their own penalties. Final Verdict Betting on the Panthers requires you to hope for a miracle 4th-quarter collapse. Betting on the Buccaneers requires you to trust that a superior roster—aided by a favorable officiating crew—will control the game for the first 45 minutes. Take the Buccaneers Moneyline. The "Safe" money is on the Ref. The Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win and Cover Projected Score: Buccaneers 27, Panthers 17 The Bet: Buccaneers -3 (or Moneyline -165) Confidence Level: High on the Winner; Moderate on the Spread (due to potential "garbage time" variance).
    • kungfoodude
      If you can only fire ONE person before 2026....

      By kungfoodude · Posted

      He isn't a good HC. I think he has proved that conclusively.
    • kungfoodude
      Panthers Leaders in Missed Tackles

      By kungfoodude · Posted

      The missed tackle percentage is on that screen cap.
×
×
  • Create New...