This time Rivera talking generally on PFT. Reading the tea leaves: Don't look for much change offensively.

[Growl]

"Coach, how do you plan to improve your offense which was one of the worst in the league last year?"

"We don't."

"Coach, your offense was pretty bad, and your defense had to compensate in pretty miraculous fashion on more than one occasion."

"I trust the process."

"Ron, even in the instances where the offense did pull something off, it laid on the shoulders of a couple of your best players whom are now gone. How do you plan to replace that?"

"I think Mike's done a great job with those guys. Look at how well our QB ran the ball on broken plays last years. Shula da man."

[PantherPhann89]

Probably because Smitty was telling cam not to spread the ball around so much and throw more to him.

That sounds more like an assumption than fact...

[BigCat]

The offense should evolve that's only natural. If we did the same thing as last year, we are really limiting our team. The plays that worked last year might not work with the current personnel.

[panthers55]

That sounds more like an assumption than fact...

You must be new here.  Smitty is infamous for demanding the ball all the time.

[PantherPhann89]

You must be new here.  Smitty is infamous for demanding the ball all the time.

No, I'm not new here or to the Panthers. It's been reported in numerous articles that Gettleman saw Smith as a distraction and was ready to turn the locker room over to the younger players. It has not been reported that Smith was released because he demanded the ball. Although I'm sure he did, just as any #1 WR on an NFL team and before you say Smith isn't a #1 WR, he's been a #1 WR on this teams for years...

[AKPantherFan]

Double dipping OL in 1st two rounds then WR in the 3rd.

[Jackofalltrades]

Double dipping OL in 1st two rounds then WR in the 3rd.

Who do you want in the first?

[top dawg]

I agree with most points but I don't think the offense took a marked step backwards if you look at numbers.

 

In 2012 we averaged 22.3 points a game 5.8 yards per play and a TOP of 29.51.  We converted 20.5 first downs and made 43% of our 3rd downs.

 

In 2013 we averaged 22.9 points, averaged 5.1 yards per play and had a TOP of 31.54.  We converted 19.9 first downs a game and made 44% of our third downs.

 

The only difference I see was in total yards and a slightly higher yards per play but that in the category that counts the most which is points scored we did slightly better and controlled the clock which helped the defense.

 

I don't see the big regression at all.  In fact I think this past offense was actually one of the big reasons we went 12-4.  Obviously the defense and hugely improved special teams were two big other reasons as well.

 

It's all relative. But that 26th ranking in total offense is really sticking in my craw, especially compared to the two previous years.

[panthers55]

No, I'm not new here or to the Panthers. It's been reported in numerous articles that Gettleman saw Smith as a distraction and was ready to turn the locker room over to the younger players. It has not been reported that Smith was released because he demanded the ball. Although I'm sure he did, just as any #1 WR on an NFL team and before you say Smith isn't a #1 WR, he's been a #1 WR on this teams for years...

First of all everything that happens in the locker room is not going to reported in an article.  Secondly it has been reported that Smitty told Cam not to listen to Shula.  So yes it is speculation that since Cam spread the ball around much better than in the past and Smitty's production went down that he would be unhappy about that and might be telling him to throw it to him more often. Which goes against Shula strategy to take what the defense is giving him and find the underneath target.  It isn't speculation that Smitty demanded the ball and was upset when he didn't get the most targets.  So while it is speculation it certainly is within the realm of possibility and likely a bone of contention 

[panthers55]

It's all relative. But that 26th ranking in total offense is really sticking in my craw, especially compared to the two previous years.

26th is in total yards which in my estimation is one of the poorest ways to measure an offense.  You don't win or lose games based on total yards.  You do however on points for and points against.  And points for has been within 3 points all three years. 

[PantherPhann89]

First of all everything that happens in the locker room is not going to reported in an article.  Secondly it has been reported that Smitty told Cam not to listen to Shula.  So yes it is speculation that since Cam spread the ball around much better than in the past and Smitty's production went down that he would be unhappy about that and might be telling him to throw it to him more often. Which goes against Shula strategy to take what the defense is giving him and find the underneath target.  It isn't speculation

that Smitty demanded the ball and was upset when he

didn't get the most targets.  So while it is speculation it

certainly is within the realm of possibility and likely a bone

of contention 

 

"Your bone of contention is still the spreading of speculation" I do understand where you're coming from. But what top WR doesn't want the ball? And out of the WR'S we've had as of late, why would you not want him to have the ball? In any case maybe him demanding the ball played a part in his release, regardless of it's percentage. 

 

[top dawg]

26th is in total yards which in my estimation is one of the poorest ways to measure an offense.  You don't win or lose games based on total yards.  You do however on points for and points against.  And points for has been within 3 points all three years. 

 

I agree with you to a point, but when is the last time someone ranked in the bottom third of the league in total offense won anything?  Not saying it doesn't happen, but it doesn't happen often.  By the same token, you have teams that are consistently in the championship hunt based mostly due to offense.  New Orleans is in the thing every year it seems like.  

 

Bottom line: We have to improve on offense to take the next leap to sustained success.  It drives me crazy to be so close to the right formula to win a championship, but yet so far because of not being tough enough on offense to will ourselves to a victory when the time comes. 

[Jackofalltrades]

San Fran only averaged 2.5 more points than us in 2014. 24th overall O.

Seattle with a whopping 3.2 more points were at 18th.

I want a better offense, but an elite D buys you a lot of wiggle room.

[panthers55]

I agree with you to a point, but when is the last time someone ranked in the bottom third of the league in total offense won anything?  Not saying it doesn't happen, but it doesn't happen often.  By the same token, you have teams that are consistently in the championship hunt based mostly due to offense.  New Orleans is in the thing every year it seems like.  

 

Bottom line: We have to improve on offense to take the next leap to sustained success.  It drives me crazy to be so close to the right formula to win a championship, but yet so far because of not being tough enough on offense to will ourselves to a victory when the time comes. 

Don't get me wrong, I want a better offense as well.  But my judgement of what is better or not won't be based on total offense yardage stats.  Look at Peyton over his career.  How good has his offense been over the years?  How many superbowls has his teams won?  Offense is fine as long as it is balanced and you can grind it out and score when you need to.  Flashy offenses are fine but rarely win championships.  The only year Brees won was when the running game was top 10 and the defense was top 10 as well.  Just having a great passing game rarely wins superbowls.