Last year we had one of the best offenses in the league and one of the worst defenses in the league.  Our Special Teams were near the bottom.  So what did we do to improve defense and special teams:

1. Drafted Kuechly, Alexander, Norman,
2. Signed Nakamura to replace Martin.
3. Cut McClain and signed Dwan Edwards.
4. Promoted Norman to starter moving Captain to the nickle package.
5. Drafted Adams and Nortman for ST.
6. Signed Tolbert as FB/TE/RB and ST player.
7. Cut Mare and kept Medlock at PK.

There are two ways to ask this question...

1. Before the season began, did you believe that we made enough moves to improve on defense and special teams?

2. After 1/4 of the 2012 season, do you feel our defense and special teams are better, worse or equal to those last year?  Why?

It takes teams a few years to rebuild and we just started that process last year when we drafted Cam.  We've added a few key pieces that will help solidify this team in years to come (Kuechly, Alexander, Silatolu, Norman, Nortman and Adams) - feel free to debate those - but limited pieces (and young) do not complete a puzzle. 

Let's hear it.  Are we moving in the right direction or will continue to feed on the bottom as key veterans (Gross, Smitty, Gamble) begin to regress and need replaced as well?

Technically Beast you get 20 games and then its fire the Coach time.  Works great for Oakland, Browns, Bills, Bucs, St Louis, Washington, Miami, Kansas City, Coming soon Panthers.
But hey we will be the team that defunks the fire the coach every other year trend.

1. I thought before the season began that we did enough (Beason, 2 Edwards, Keuchly, Davis coming back, Norman starting) to improve on defense at least to win 9-10 games. I also thought we did a good job with some of the ST's players, but the P/K situation to me was not solved.

2. A quarter of the way into the season, I feel ST's is definitely better if not for anything else other than the fact that we don't see quite as many mistakes or huge returns from the opposition. And Adams/Pilares are doing better IMO than Armanti did. I haven't noticed a drastic drop off in punt yardage, so I'm assuming since we aren't talking about it, the Punter is doing his job. Also, the whole ST's seems to be run more smoothly i.e. less penalties and mistakes.

A quarter of the way in, I feel that the defense is better than last year. I know I know, stats might say otherwise and we have only won 1 game. But I honestly think that the presense of Keuchly and the Edwards bro's, in addition to Norman starting and allowing Captain to play Nickel, AND Davis coming back seemingly healthy have made the Panthers D overall better. If it wasn't for Nakamura missing a few plays yesterday (remember he did get a TD saving INT), the D would've done pretty darn well against a top offense. If everyone comes together and puts in a solid effort each week, this defense is talented enough to become much better.

Beason needs to be back to full strength and the S situation needs to be fixed. And Norman needs some more EXP, along with Keuchly. And CJ needs to step up and play like he did yesterday every game. But still, I think at the end of the year our concerns will shift slightly from defense to offense.

Who is going to get OPEN on 3rd and long so Cam doesn't have to scramble around looking to make a play? What is D-Lo's role vs. Stewart? Can we move the ball effectively against the top pass rushers/CB's in the league or will we stall like we did against NYG?

hurney has run this team into the ground (not that they were ever anything special save a couple seasons). should have been fired with fox. instead he got an extension.

First let me say that the term Rebuilding has almost....almost become obsolete.  

Either you have the right QB/Coach Combo or you don't.  If you do you can win right now, not tomorrow but now.  If you don't then you're in trouble.  Remember the Bucs are supposed to be rebuilding right?  Entirely New staff, still a fairly young team, BUT they smashed us .

I get that it take a year, but to be in year two and still looking like you're "rebuilding' is a serious problem.

We have talent we just aren't prepared enough, smart enough, or hungry enough to win.

I'd be looking for a real QB ......

We have a QB, quit flaming.

bigbirdy wrote: I'd be looking for a real QB ......

1st off Jerry Richardson has ONLY ever Fire 1 HC & NO it wasn't John Fox so being Rivera signed a 4 yr deal I don't expect him to Fire Rivera so
Yes I would say Our Special Teams Unit has improved & our DL has but Because of Jon Beasons & Thomas Davis Injuries our LB unit needs redone & yea our secondry hasn't improved much at all

The defense is still bad,it's not close to where I would want it.ST still is a huge concern also.

Giving up an average of 30 points over the last 3 games,gets gashed in the running game and easy to pass against except for Gamble.Pass rush does look better overall though.

Cam is the least of my worries on this team but having to score 30+ every week is tough on any QB.

really quick on this subject and my two cents worth.  We are better off with Martin at FS and  Cam is living the dreaded so -called "sophomore slump".  It's not all bad though, we went toe to toe with pretty much the best team in the league this past weekend and basically should have came out of that game with a win.  Poor execution and play calling in the last few minutes cost us that game.

Battlecat1 wrote: The defense is still bad,it's not close to where I would want it.ST still is a huge concern also.

Giving up an average of 30 points over the last 3 games,gets gashed in the running game and easy to pass against except for Gamble.Pass rush does look better overall though.

Cam is the least of my worries on this team but having to score 30+ every week is tough on any QB.

nakamura good ST not good S.

52Beast wrote: Last year we had one of the best offenses in the league and one of the worst defenses in the league.  Our Special Teams were near the bottom.  So what did we do to improve defense and special teams:

1. Drafted Kuechly, Alexander, Norman,
2. Signed Nakamura to replace Martin.
3. Cut McClain and signed Dwan Edwards.
4. Promoted Norman to starter moving Captain to the nickle package.
5. Drafted Adams and Nortman for ST.
6. Signed Tolbert as FB/TE/RB and ST player.
7. Cut Mare and kept Medlock at PK.

There are two ways to ask this question...

1. Before the season began, did you believe that we made enough moves to improve on defense and special teams?

2. After 1/4 of the 2012 season, do you feel our defense and special teams are better, worse or equal to those last year?  Why?

It takes teams a few years to rebuild and we just started that process last year when we drafted Cam.  We've added a few key pieces that will help solidify this team in years to come (Kuechly, Alexander, Silatolu, Norman, Nortman and Adams) - feel free to debate those - but limited pieces (and young) do not complete a puzzle. 

Let's hear it.  Are we moving in the right direction or will continue to feed on the bottom as key veterans (Gross, Smitty, Gamble) begin to regress and need replaced as well?

1. NO, we didn't target our biggest weakness but many said that is ok,that Kuechly would make up for a weak secondary. Has not happened so far.

2. not better because the secondary is still weak.

bigbirdy wrote: I'd be looking for a real QB ......

Well Cam Newton in his 2nd year at 23 years old is better than Matt Ryan in his 2nd year. Plus Matty Ice and the Falcons can talk the talk and walk the walk in the regular season, but when the playoffs come they CHOKE!!!

I thought with Beason back, and the addition of Kuelchy the LBer group would be a strength. So far they haven't even been average. Davis coming off his 3 ACL's is making as many plays as the rest

I do think we've gotten better personnel wise on both D and ST. Coaching in those two areas are poor.

I firmly believe we have the talent to go all the way, we just don't have that mentality or discipline to take advantage of the opportunities.

McDermontt was "highly regarded' by the NFL "experts" however, a lot of Eagle fans was glad to see him leave. Maybe they knew something. I gave him a pass last year, due to the injuries at LBer and DT's. But I expected to see improvement this year.

Another write up about our solid coaching yesterday!

Everything below comes from this article.

espn.go.com/espn/playbook/stor...weak-some-rules

Sweet 'N' Sour Sequence of the Week
Trailing Carolina 28-21, Atlanta took possession on its 1-yard line with 59 seconds remaining, out of timeouts. Matt Ryan play-faked, then threw 59 yards to Roddy White. Two quick sideline passes advanced the spot to the Panthers' 22, and stopped the clock. Field goal, and the Falcons, a league-best plus-10 in turnovers, won by covering 73 yards in less than a minute without a timeout. Sweet.
For the Panthers, all was sour. At 1:44, Carolina faced fourth-and-inches on the Atlanta 45, the opponent holding no timeouts. The Cats tried to draw the Falcons offside, failed, and punted. Just go for it! Carolina averaged 6.4 yards per offensive snap -- gain 1 yard and the game is over! Now Atlanta has the ball on its 1 with 59 seconds remaining and no timeouts. Where oh where might the pass go? Maybe up the field? Yet the Panthers put eight defenders "in the box" as if expecting a power rush, then fell for a play fake. The Falcons had no choice but to throw deep. Yet Carolina stacked against the run and then fell for a play fake.
Now it's Atlanta ball on the Panthers' 35 with 19 seconds remaining and the Falcons holding no timeouts. Atlanta needs a field goal to win. The Falcons need to get out of bounds to stop the clock. Where oh where might the pass go? Maybe to the sideline! Yet Carolina had no cornerbacks along the sideline; Ryan completed a short throw to Tony Gonzalez, who stepped out of bounds. Now there are 14 seconds remaining and Atlanta is on the 28. The pass can go one of two places -- the end zone or the sideline. Just to prove the previous play was no fluke, Carolina again has no cornerback along the sideline. Quick out, WR Harry Douglas steps out of bounds and Atlanta is positioned for the winning kick.
Before the two quick sideline passes, Carolina had a timeout -- the Panthers could have stopped the action to ensure their defensive backs understood the situation. The final two minutes of this contest were very sour for Carolina coaches, who made a series of knuckleheaded decisions.

WaitForIt wrote: We have a QB, quit flaming.

bigbirdy wrote: I'd be looking for a real QB ......

The sophomore slump looks real, I think it's a legitimate point.  It's clear that your offense this season isn't on par with last season.  Is that just coaching too?

PanthersAllDay wrote:

bigbirdy wrote: I'd be looking for a real QB ......

Well Cam Newton in his 2nd year at 23 years old is better than Matt Ryan in his 2nd year. Plus Matty Ice and the Falcons can talk the talk and walk the walk in the regular season, but when the playoffs come they CHOKE!!!

Well sure, it doesn't stack to Newton's playoff performances...  I would, of course, disagree that Newton is having a better sophomore season than Ryan, but I can see how reasonable minds could disagree.  Newton is on pace for more yards, but on pace for a significantly worse TD:INT ratio.

I'm not buying into the sophmore slump, yet.  Numbers are on par with last year and if you want to claim not improving is a slump then remember that Cam broke pretty much EVERY rookie record.  Ever. 

If we knock down the 59 yard pass and get the W last Sunday, nobody would be talking about Cam having a "slump" today.  Poor coaching and poor execution.  Yes, he fumbled.  That's on him, but we had MANY other opportunities to wrap the game up.

Haters gotta hate.  Lovers wanna love.  I don't want none of the above.  I wanna piss on you :0  Dave Chappelle