Carolina Panthers

[cltbwimob]

CJ is playing this weekend.

[HopHead]

Tough game for the Panthers last night. No pressure on Brees and he had a field day back there with the D playing zone coverage. The secondary has always been a weak link and just wondered how it would hold up against a team like the Saints. We get them back in Charlotte in a few weeks so hopefully the Panthers can get some redemption. Now need some big time help to win the division otherwise it's Wild Card or bust. Bright side? It's better to have the winning streak end now instead of January

Edited December 9, 2013 by wend28

[ScottCLT]

Another win for the Panthers! Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't this guarantee us a spot in the playoffs, at least as a wild card? The Saints are losing pretty bad in St. Louis right now. If we are able to beat them next week then we will lock a spot in the playoffs (because we will definitely beat ATL!) and skip the wildcard game and go straight to the second round of the playoffs, right?

[MilZ]

We haven't clinched a playoff spot yet because Arizona is only one game behind us with two games left. But since the Saints lost, if we beat the Saints and the falcons, we would now get the two seed for a bye and a home playoff game.

[ah59396]

I had a lot of fun heckling Jets fans at the game yesterday. They were loud, but luckily, heavily outnumbered by vocal Panthers fans.

BOA is slowly becoming the miserable experience an away fan should have to deal with. Dreams do come true.

[tozmervo]

I arrived home last night and passed a couple of gate boarding areas at CLT with a lot of sad looking Jet fans.

[HopHead]

I had a lot of fun heckling Jets fans at the game yesterday. They were loud, but luckily, heavily outnumbered by vocal Panthers fans.

BOA is slowly becoming the miserable experience an away fan should have to deal with. Dreams do come true.

 

Amazing what having a winning team will do ... Love it.

[nowensone]

Didn't get to watch the Rams/NO game, but wonder how the Rams were able to shut the Saints down, and how that can work for us.  It will of course help playing them at home this time, but that wont be enough alone.  This season is a crazy one, really have that feeling that in any game if we can just be disciplined we can beat any one.

[HopHead]

Didn't get to watch the Rams/NO game, but wonder how the Rams were able to shut the Saints down, and how that can work for us.  It will of course help playing them at home this time, but that wont be enough alone.  This season is a crazy one, really have that feeling that in any game if we can just be disciplined we can beat any one.

 

Saints can't play outside of the Superdome. They will be slower on grass and in the cold next week. Very winnable game for the Panthers. Win the next two, and they have the #2 seed in the NFC locked up.

[Niner National]

Saints can't play outside of the Superdome. They will be slower on grass and in the cold next week. Very winnable game for the Panthers. Win the next two, and they have the #2 seed in the NFC locked up.

Right now the forecast is for 73 on Sunday. Shouldn't feel much different to them than a dome game temperature-wise. 

[AuLukey]

Didn't get to watch the Rams/NO game, but wonder how the Rams were able to shut the Saints down, and how that can work for us.  It will of course help playing them at home this time, but that wont be enough alone.  This season is a crazy one, really have that feeling that in any game if we can just be disciplined we can beat any one.

 

Our secondary is garbage.  Yes, we can intercept the ball, but half the time we're getting left in the dust and hoping for a poorly thrown pass.  Don't let the Jet's game fool you (although those two Jet's touchdowns were prime examples.)  I love our team, but Brees is going to carve into us again.  The Saints have us pegged pretty well this year.  Playing zone defense is where the Panthers always fall apart this year, let's pray that Rivera doesn't believe in playing Zone against Brees again.

 

I'm hoping for some lucky plays on our side of the ball this week, anything less and we'll end up playing Atlanta to secure the wildcard spot (assuming the Cardinals beat the 49ers AND the Seahawks.)  Any team that can accurately throw the deep ball has hurt us this year.  I'm hoping for a close game that goes our way.  We control our own destiny.

 

With Ginn finally rounding out our receiving corps on top of LaFell (who is slowly getting better) and our gem, Olsen (Smith is a given,) we really need to focus on the secondary in the offseason.  Holding onto linemen will also help.

[nowensone]

One thing that's been apparent (and recently commented on) is our time of possession, if we can dominate this aspect again we leave Brees few opportunities to score, much as we did to the Patriots.  We just can't have any turnovers, and our on-and-off opportunistic defense needs to come with their A game as well.  I'm a bit confused as to why even at 11-5 we couldn't make the playoffs though I believe this exact scenario happened to the Pats a few years ago.

[MilZ]

Our secondary is garbage.  Yes, we can intercept the ball, but half the time we're getting left in the dust and hoping for a poorly thrown pass.  Don't let the Jet's game fool you (although those two Jet's touchdowns were prime examples.)  I love our team, but Brees is going to carve into us again.  The Saints have us pegged pretty well this year.  Playing zone defense is where the Panthers always fall apart this year, let's pray that Rivera doesn't believe in playing Zone against Brees again.

 

I'm hoping for some lucky plays on our side of the ball this week, anything less and we'll end up playing Atlanta to secure the wildcard spot (assuming the Cardinals beat the 49ers AND the Seahawks.)  Any team that can accurately throw the deep ball has hurt us this year.  I'm hoping for a close game that goes our way.  We control our own destiny.

 

With Ginn finally rounding out our receiving corps on top of LaFell (who is slowly getting better) and our gem, Olsen (Smith is a given,) we really need to focus on the secondary in the offseason.  Holding onto linemen will also help.

I trust that Rivera, mcDermet, and Shula will have made necessary adjustments and have a solid game-plan. Lucky plays always help in big games like this but I'd take our D over StL (or NYJ) despite our secondary's occasional holes.

[grodney]

I agree on the Secondary being pretty bad.  They are big play makers, which is great when the big plays happen.  But very susceptible to accurate QBs who have time to throw.  Which leads me to the biggest key for me -- getting good immediate pressure from our D-line (and blitzes).  The D-line needs to play with super-high energy and get to Brees immediately.  Of course that exposes you to the run, but you have to take your chances and hope to limit that and also trust your LBs to limit any big gains.

 

It would be SO BIG to win on Sunday.  Can't wait.

[nowensone]

Keep the rain coming, we may have our equalizer!  13th man.

[CLTProductions]

Playoffs?!?! You talkin' about playoffs?!?! 

[DMann]

Yeah boys! Go Luke!

[Urbanity]

Revenge is a dish best served cold (and wet).   Last minute play and Charlotte makes the Playoffs!

[CLTProductions]

Cam showed what it means to not just be a good quarterback, but a great one. Hasn't done a thing all game, then there is 1 minute to go. Playoffs and a #2 seed on the line and drives the team to victory. THAT is what it takes to be a good QB in the NFL.

[tozmervo]

not to quibble, but "hasn't done a thing all game" doesn't sound like a great quarterback at all?

[CLTProductions]

I'm speaking in the overall. What it takes to be a great quarterback is, if you are having a rough game, like Cam did, to still have the ability that when it counts to not get discouraged and win the game for your team, which he did. It isn't all about putting up massive numbers, it's carrying the team to victory no matter how its done.

[ah59396]

Winners make the plays when it matters. That's what Cam did yesterday. Also, without question, we have the best linebacker duo in the NFL (Keuchly & Davis). What an unbelievable performance yesterday.

Hey Aulukey, doesn't look like Brees carved much yesterday. He spent a lot of time on his backside though! Beat Atlanta.

[cltbwimob]

First sentence in the Bleacher Report power rankings-Every team in the league should fear the Carolina Panthers.

[AuLukey]

Hey Aulukey, doesn't look like Brees carved much yesterday. He spent a lot of time on his backside though! Beat Atlanta.

 

I am more than happy to eat my words!  It helps that we stopped playing zone coverage so much.  The only time we switched primarily to Zone in this game, they scored a touchdown.  That was all we knew how to defend with during the first match-up.  Hard to pressure Brees in zone coverage.  His receivers will eventually find that hole.

 

Our time of possession was TERRIBLE compared to the rest of the season.  I don't know what was going on, but I really hope there isn't a third match-up in the playoffs, home-field advantage or not.  It can't rain like that every time.  Our offense gave Brees a ton of chances, I'm glad our D-line woke up.

 

On the plus side, I did receive two Keuchly jerseys and a Cam t-shirt for Christmas.  The Dick's Sporting Goods Jersey Report shows off just how much love those two have been receiving lately.  As of right now, Cam has the highest sold jersey overall in the last 7 days, and Luke has the highest sold defensive jersey (he was 2nd highest overall last week leading up to his rock-star performance, it's like people knew what was coming!)  Let it be known that that is a really big deal considering the size of our market compared to most.

 

My boss is a diehard Cowboys fan, I'm having a great time!

 

Things to worry about:

-Aaron Rodgers is back just in time to play for a spot in the playoffs

-Romo is out, meaning we'll probably be facing Nick Foles at some point

 

Things to cheer for:

-If the 49ers win in Phoenix AND the Seahawks lose to St Louis, we will be the NFC's No 1 seed with a win in Atlanta.

 

I'm still debating going to Atlanta for the game this weekend.  We need this win.

Edited December 27, 2013 by AuLukey

[atlrvr]

AuLukey...stop debating and go to the game.  Make it like a home game!

 

We are going down.  Section 125 (lower level endzone)...taking my 6 year old, and maybe score a Newton touchdown ball?  I hope its packed.