I know a week later, and after another loss, it’s easier to say that John Fox is gone. But I found Scott Fowler’s article after last week’s loss interesting. In it, he says it’s a done deal that John Fox is gone after the season. I’m not trying to debate whether he should be gone or not. More so that if Jerry Richardson really has already planned to let Fox go, why even allow him to coach this season? Or was Fowler’s assumption premature?
[quote=“Normmm, post:1, topic:23973”]I know a week later, and after another loss, it’s easier to say that John Fox is gone. But I found Scott Fowler’s article after last week’s loss interesting. In it, he says it’s a done deal that John Fox is gone after the season. I’m not trying to debate whether he should be gone or not. More so that if Jerry Richardson really has already planned to let Fox go, why even allow him to coach this season? Or was Fowler’s assumption premature?
[quote=“49RFootballNow, post:2, topic:23973”][quote=“Normmm, post:1, topic:23973”]I know a week later, and after another loss, it’s easier to say that John Fox is gone. But I found Scott Fowler’s article after last week’s loss interesting. In it, he says it’s a done deal that John Fox is gone after the season. I’m not trying to debate whether he should be gone or not. More so that if Jerry Richardson really has already planned to let Fox go, why even allow him to coach this season? Or was Fowler’s assumption premature?
If you can’t tell from their draft strategy or the Panther’s free agent additions…Jerry don’t give a s*** this year.[/quote]
This. And to answer your question about why let him coach this season. Because he didn’t would have already had to pay his contract for this season anyway. Just like we are for Lutz, you can’t just cut a coach and not pay him like a player. This way he can get whoever he wants and let them start fresh after the lockout stuff gets worked out.
The was the perfect set up for JR. He has no coach to pay next season. If he had fired Fox last year he would have had to sign a new coach who would have been paid in the event of a lockout or strike. This way JR saves money in the event of the stopage.
That’s right. And, he also will get a young team with a year to mature under their belts. He’s throwing away one year to build for the future. Panther fans sometimes get a little anxious. They have had a ton of success for how long they have been in the league. Compare the Panthers to the Jaguars. That could have been your role in the NFL.
Yea, it’s too bad that Richardson said “F the fans” this year.[/quote]
True, but then again is another 8-8 season really any better than a 3-13 season? At least we have the team set for the next few years. I hate to say it but I agreed with Sorensons article that we should go ahead and trade smith, if we can get a 1st and 3rd rounder we could use that one plus the first rounder we are going to get after this year to build on what we have.
Yea, it’s too bad that Richardson said “F the fans” this year.[/quote]
Just about every franchise has to say that every so many years. I don’t agree with raising ticket prices this year - but the steps taken this year should build the foundation of the franchise for the next 10 years.
Yea, it’s too bad that Richardson said “F the fans” this year.[/quote]
Just about every franchise has to say that every so many years. I don’t agree with raising ticket prices this year - but the steps taken this year should build the foundation of the franchise for the next 10 years.[/quote]
I get that he still would have had to pay Fox. And I also get that this was a rebuilding year. But I hope he’s in the ear’s of Williams, Smith, Gross, Beason about his long term plans. Because I think it sends the wrong message to have a complete waste of a season with a lame duck coach. The players may say, “well, if they don’t care and that’s how they’re going to treat my coach, I don’t care”.
Yea, it’s too bad that Richardson said “F the fans” this year.[/quote]
True, but then again is another 8-8 season really any better than a 3-13 season? At least we have the team set for the next few years. I hate to say it but I agreed with Sorensons article that we should go ahead and trade smith, if we can get a 1st and 3rd rounder we could use that one plus the first rounder we are going to get after this year to build on what we have.[/quote]
I think to get rid of Smith is a mistake. He is without a doubt the best talent on the team. To get rid of him means that we have yet another star to replace. We still need a solid QB AND WR. I understand rebuilding and having a young team but one of our problems is that we dont ever want to pay proven stars. We can get all the first round picks we want but it is still a risk.
Steve Smith is a good WR, but he’s not elite. He’s a strong #1, yes, but he needs a quality #2 cause he can’t carry the load himself and he doesn’t make your WR corps better.
As I’ve said in the past, until you get better WRs and a better O-line, you can put whoever you want in at QB and they will fail. When there is pass protection, none of the WRs get open. The WR should be solid in 2 years, when they mature into the roles, and Steve Smith can teach them a lot, so I wouldn’t trade him. I think they do need to trade one of those RBs though.
[quote=“Powerbait, post:14, topic:23973”]Steve Smith is a good WR, but he’s not elite. He’s a strong #1, yes, but he needs a quality #2 cause he can’t carry the load himself and he doesn’t make your WR corps better.
As I’ve said in the past, until you get better WRs and a better O-line, you can put whoever you want in at QB and they will fail. When there is pass protection, none of the WRs get open. The WR should be solid in 2 years, when they mature into the roles, and Steve Smith can teach them a lot, so I wouldn’t trade him. I think they do need to trade one of those RBs though.[/quote]
That O-line wasn’t a problem when we had two running backs run for over 1100 yards last year, having Otah out is hurting the o-line more than people realize. I really think it’s the O coordinator, the plays they run are so bad. It’s so obvious what they are going to do, we put in two TE’s and everyone in the stadium knows its a run up the middle, plus there never seems to be an open check down to a RB or TE like other offenses you see in the NFL. Watching Miami play last night they always had a RB or WR in a shallow route open. And that’s the O coordinator we used to have. The panthers offense seems to make it hard on themselves.
[quote=“Powerbait, post:14, topic:23973”]Steve Smith is a good WR, but he’s not elite. He’s a strong #1, yes, but he needs a quality #2 cause he can’t carry the load himself and he doesn’t make your WR corps better.
As I’ve said in the past, until you get better WRs and a better O-line, you can put whoever you want in at QB and they will fail. When there is pass protection, none of the WRs get open. The WR should be solid in 2 years, when they mature into the roles, and Steve Smith can teach them a lot, so I wouldn’t trade him. I think they do need to trade one of those RBs though.[/quote]
Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure with Smith. But I do think he is elite. Dude has never played with a good QB yet has routinely been a top 5 receiver. He’s one of the few receivers where they essentially just try to give him the ball and let him create. He creates way more on his own than most receivers.
[quote=“Powerbait, post:14, topic:23973”]Steve Smith is a good WR, but he’s not elite. He’s a strong #1, yes, but he needs a quality #2 cause he can’t carry the load himself and he doesn’t make your WR corps better.
As I’ve said in the past, until you get better WRs and a better O-line, you can put whoever you want in at QB and they will fail. When there is pass protection, none of the WRs get open. The WR should be solid in 2 years, when they mature into the roles, and Steve Smith can teach them a lot, so I wouldn’t trade him. I think they do need to trade one of those RBs though.[/quote]
I totally agree with that except that I am really concerned with our luck with developing WR’s. The prime example is Jarrett. I want to like the guy. I want him to do something, but at this point it is obvious to me he really isn’t going to turn in to a great wide out. I’ve just seen so many WR’s come and go in trades and expect to see our name get thrown in the barrel and it never does. Most recently T. J. Houshmandzadeh. Not that he is an elite, but we could have had 2 solid wide outs. That way everyone and their mother does not say, “Hey, double cover Steve Smith and they have nothing.”
I think Clausen will be fine. Panthers need a solid #2 WR and help on the DL. O-line will get better with Otah back. Clausen had more time in the 2nd half, save a few blitzes from the secondary.