I just don't get why we didn't leave a TE in to block more frequently. They weren't getting open anyway.
Feels bad man. There was a part of me that thought sleep would help. That throwing some words on the page and coming back to edit with fresh eyes would allow me to see Super Bowl 50 in a new light. Maybe be hopeful about the future, or discuss how the Broncos lost two years before winning -- but I can't. I just can't do it. This hurts more than 2003, and it's not even close. It was so much easier to see the Panthers back then and and say "wow, they came so close" following a season where making the Super Bowl was pure luck. The scoreboard was closer, but at least that team got to show their potential. They pushed the Patriots to the limit and forced a vaunted team to win on a last-second field goal. Super Bowl 50 was so far removed from anything we saw from Carolina in 2015 that it might as well have been a different team playing. Losing the Super Bowl hurts much less than the reality that this team never got to realize its potential on the brightest stage. That statement can live alone while still congratulating the Broncos for an amazing year and a worthy performance in the Super Bowl. The Panthers ran head-first into a buzzsaw and didn't have a chance on offense. Every single weakness was exposed, every strength was dismantled, the Panthers we saw were a shadow of themselves. Before Super Bowl 50 I wondered why I wasn't more excited. After it I'm left trying to work out why this hurts 1,000 times more than I thought it would. See, I had this whole idea prepared. If Carolina lost I was going to talk about the future. How all the building blocks were in place for something great and how the Panthers' window was just opening -- but I can't. Instead I just have questions. A million queries buzzing around my head like flies I can't swat away. Why didn't the offense get Mike Remmers help earlier? How does Mike Tolbert not fumble for five straight years then put the ball on the ground twice? Why did Corey Brown need to get injured at the time the offense needed him the most? How does Jerricho Cotchery drop a pass inside the 10-yard line when Carolina was just down 6? Why didn't Cam dive on the football? What happened that caused Graham Gano to doink a field goal? How does Luke Kuechly suddenly start missing tackles in the biggest game of his life? The read option was clearly sniffed out. So why didn't the offense move to something else? I'd re-watch the game to try and determine the answers to these -- but I can't. Not yet. Nothing went Carolina's way. I'm not talking about officiating errors, because those happen -- but for whatever reason every single fumble and loose ball bounced Denver's way, and firmly away from Carolina. Weird moments like the 61-yard punt return happened when they never should have. Sometimes things don't go your way, or they're not supposed to. I'd love to say this is part of something bigger and the Panthers will be back, better than ever -- but I can't. Not yet. Cam Newton is getting torn apart for his one-word answers at the podium after being crushed in the biggest game of his life. Suddenly it seems he has no respect for the game. If he was an old white coach like Bill Belichick or Gregg Popovich it would be hilarious and endearing, but not Newton. He doesn't get that. Make no mistake: He should have probably stuck around and talked more. That's part of his job and I get that. However, putting an emotional 26-year-old at a microphone and being asked about the biggest loss of his life minutes after it happened in the same room as a Broncos player preening over how they shut the Panthers down -- yeah, that's bullshit. The media demands on players are utter crap. It's the 21st century. Stories can still be filed an hour after the game while giving players an appropriate amount of time to dump their adrenaline and be in a better place emotionally. Some players handle losing better than others. Just like how some humans deal with disappointment better. I'd take Cam's emotion over the alternative any day. Most NFL players care about winning, but nobody in the league lives his wins and losses like Cam Newton. The Panthers didn't get to have fun in the Super Bowl. That's what makes me the most upset. I think Cam's reaction would have been different if the game was a shootout, or if the Panthers played to their potential and got beaten in the last second. His disappointment echoed mine: The team never got to show up. People regret all sorts of things. personally, I don't regret the times I've failed in life -- I regret the times I failed and never gave myself a chance. That's what happened here. So Bill Romanowski can have his racist hot-takes on Cam while ignoring what a roided-up, HGH fueled embarrassment he was while playing. Rob Lowe can make his pithy remarks about a 26-year-old, while ignoring that 24-year-old Rob Lowe made a sex tape with a 16-year-old. The peanut gallery is in full swing, and it's open season on Cam Newton. How appropriate that we saw the bell curve reach its conclusion. Cam went from being hated, to loved and now everyone loathes him again. All is right in the world. Thanks for the great season CSR. I'd love to give you some sweeping conclusion about how the Panthers will Keep Pounding an return to the dance, but I can't -- not yet. See you soon.
Play calling was fine if guys just executed basic things. Could we have run it more? Yes, obviously. We threw it more than any game all season. That said: -if Fozzy doesn't miss a few blocks when Stewart went out -Cotchery makes catches he almost always does -Tolbert doesn't fumble after a long run -Norman or McClain hold on to one of several would be picks -we don't commit double digit penalties -gunners don't let Denver have an easy 60 yard return because they didn't do their only job We aren't complaining because we'd have won. Plain and simple. The blocking was good enough to win given two hall of fame edge rushers and several elite inside guys for Denver. Fact is the playmakers didn't make plays when we needed them.
About to head back to the Carolinas from San Francisco. The loss notwithstanding, it was an awesome trip.
I can handle poor play. Everyone has bad days/games, whatever. Cam not jumping on that ball, or at least trying to get it still irks the hell out of me. Super disappointed in that.
Meh, seemed pretty clear to me he thought Kalil was gonna be on top of it. Had two dudes right at his ankles. Either way, I'm not too concerned.
So what do we do personnel wise the next few months? Resign Tolbert if it's a low number? Cut Johnson? Franchise Norman? Let Cotchery retire?
Would like to keep Norman from both a skill and entertainment standpoint. Really hope they do something to shore up the OL, whether that's through the draft or free agency. I think with KB back healthy they can take an OL in the 1st, although I've seen some mocks where they take a WR. Gotta build a legit OL to compliment Cam's gainZ as a pocket passer.
I'd really like to keep Norman. Our own division is QB heavy and the top defenses have at least one shut down guy almost without exception. I think we draft an OL on the first. Gettleman has proven he can find WRs to fill roles and Funchess seems like he's going to turn out ok. After that id guess RB, safety, and a DE to pair with Ealy who is going to be a monster.
I really like Josh Norman. I always though he was about winning and not himself despite his antics. http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016...anthers?_ga=1.124718986.1804350466.1454953024 This just cemented it for me. I hope we keep him, but don't want to overpay and get locked into a long term deal. I would think about the franchise option. I assume Tolbert will resign at a low deal. We got him on a more than fair hometown deal when when we were bad, so can't see him going somewhere else for what would be only a little more money as a FB. Either way I would assume we cut Johnson. Save $11 Mil on cap with a $4 Mil hit. Johnson just isn't worth $15 Mil a year. Cotchery probably gone. I think by and large the OL was good this year. Both OT were league average, but the interior was near top of the league. Neither OT was good enough to slow down Denver, but nobody could do it by and large. Making the OT situation much better will cost significant resources because those positions are such a premium. I can't see us doing anything there in FA. Perhaps Daryl Williams will improve and be an option at OT next year. In the draft, I could see them looking at DE, OT and CB. Might just be a best available type situation drafting late. Minus Johnson and Allen the DE position is the worst on the team. Even with them it is pretty thin. CB has a hole as well beside Norman as we started Finnigan and McLain in the Super Bowl.
just saw some clips of Ron rivera's presser and cam questions. good for him standing up for Cam. really like Ron overall.
I just want to apologize to you guys for going full Ale on you I was a bit too upset about the game. It really was a great season and we're going to have a solid team the next few years. We get a couple of DEs and an elite tackle the future looks bright.
We just signed a punter named Swayze Waters who was the CFL Special Teams POY, so that's cool. Hopefully that means Nortman is out.
So what's up with this Norman thing? Even if a long term deal isn't happening, why not keep him on the franchise tag for a year for another Super Bowl run?
Yep. Seemed strange at first, then you think about it and it actually makes a lot of sense. Take the extra cap space, and give KK his extension, see how much Star would cost, etc. Cornerback is an issue now, but Josh was gone after this year anyway. Rip the bandaid off now and start finding new guys. Better than dealing with a distraction all summer.
Yup, 100% my thoughts as well. KK has to be paid, they really would want to pay Star as well. Both are extremely important to how we play. Norman was never in the long term plan, and with us playing so much zone and with a good front seven - we will never over pay for DBs.
Well, he got paid. Can't be mad at him for that. Hate that we couldn't work something out, but I have faith in Dave Gettleman's process and have no reason not to. The work he's done for us in the past 3 years is phenomenal. I am looking forward to an OBJ vs. Norman matchup twice a year though. So, what CB will we be taking in the draft?
Dodd/Ogbah were the two best guesses until Norman left. Now I could see us going Apple from tOSU or the Houston corner I'd either are available. Plus an option of whatever OT is left at 30. Personally I'm hoping a run on Qb and WR gives us better options than anticipated.