6-10. Hope I’m wrong.
The schedule is much harder this year, and the defense is terrible. Why would you hire the Colt’s defensive coordinator anyway? Offense should be good, though.
6-10
9-7
[QUOTE=eason49;429876]The schedule is much harder this year, and the defense is terrible. Why would you hire the Colt’s defensive coordinator anyway? Offense should be good, though.
6-10[/QUOTE]
“While the Colts are best known for their offense, they finished in the top seven in points allowed five times during Meeks’ tenure. Indianapolis led the NFL in scoring defense in 2007.” I’m guessing that, plus the aggressive nature of a Meeks-lead defense as shown by players flying to the ball and causing a lot of turnovers and pressure-without-blitzing had something to do with it. He also has a pretty ring on his finger. Do you watch football?
9-7 or 10-6
[B]7-9[/B]
Some guy said it on the radio this morning - our schedule will once again dictate our record. We are remarkably consistent.
1995 [B]7-9[/B]
1996 12-4
1997 [B]7-9[/B]
1998 4-12
1999 8-8
2000 [B]7-9[/B]
2001 1-15
2002 [B]7-9[/B]
2003 11-5
2004 [B]7-9[/B]
2005 11-5
2006 8-8
2007 [B]7-9[/B]
2008 12-4
2009 [B]7-9[/B]
9-7
10-6. I think we’ll bring it together mid season after losing 3-4 early.
7-9.
Offense will be decent, but with little depth an injury would be crippling. The defense hasn’t adjusted well yet to the new scheme, and the struggle to stop the run will be a year long battle.
What alot of fake football fans fail to realize is that the cover 2 scheme doesn’t work without LBs who can fly around the field. Ours were hurt in the preseason. You are also trying to make the QBs take 3 step drops forcing the ball out quicker which usually results in worse decisions.
Panthers are going up against the AFC East. That’s a no joke division. The Bills would have been a playoff team in the AFC West. Heck, NE was the first team in 24 years (or something similar) to go 11-5 and not make the playoffs.
Historically, they are one of the most dominant divisions in football, and I don’t see that changing this year.
Their NFC match-up is no cakewalk either, the NFC East is also historically very dominant. The Panthers have the Cowboys and Redskins early, when both the teams seem to perform much better.
You have a team that was one late drive away from winning the Super Bowl and one of the most punishing defense + running back combos in the league with Minnesota. And now they have an HOF QB (although I think Jackson is a solid QB and they are hurting themselves long term by not giving him a chance to run that offense).
Where is the letup in their schedule? I don’t see it. This could be a very long season for the cats. Being matched up with the AFC and NFC east in the same year is brutal, and the NFC South is no joke either. Tampa Bay is the weakest link on paper right now, and they were a playoff contender last year. You can never count out a guy like Drew Brees and everyone knows the history with the Falcons.
If they could switch some of the home and aways I think it would fare much better for them too. Going to NE in December? The Giants in December? If they could have gone to Buffalo early instead of NE late, I think you’re helping them out a lot in the long run. They are going to have to come out of the gates strong, because if they don’t they could fall apart in the late season.
I hope they win every game other than Nov 19th, but I see them being a middle of the pack team this year, maybe sneaking into the playoffs as a wildcard depending on how the league shakes out.
"While the Colts are best known for their offense, they finished in the top seven in points allowed five times during Meeks' tenure. Indianapolis led the NFL in scoring defense in 2007." I'm guessing that, plus the aggressive nature of a Meeks-lead defense as shown by players flying to the ball and causing a lot of turnovers and pressure-without-blitzing had something to do with it. He also has a pretty ring on his finger. Do you watch football?Yes, I'm sure the fact that teams were forced into throwing the football to catch up to Manning's ability to score, which took most teams out of their gameplan, had nothing to do with it. They won the super bowl despite their defense.
Do you watch football?
2005: 16th Rushing D
2006: 32nd Rushing D (Dead last in the NFL)
2007: 15th Rushing D
2008: 24th Rushing D
Maybe the Panthers will put up 40 points a game, so the other team has to pass nonstop because Meeks’ D is usually good at stopping the pass when its blatantly going to occur, but I don’t see that happening.
[QUOTE=eason49;429981]Yes, I’m sure the fact that teams were forced into throwing the football to catch up to Manning’s ability to score, which took most teams out of their gameplan, had nothing to do with it. They won the super bowl despite their defense.
Do you watch football?[/QUOTE]
I have to go with Ninerball on this one as Meeks’ defense has a bend but not break mentality. In the past they have given up lots of yards even on the ground but have been able to keep teams out of the endzone. Hopefully this system can work for the Panthers.
[QUOTE=bleedsgreenandgold;429959]What alot of fake football fans fail to realize is that the cover 2 scheme doesn’t work without LBs who can fly around the field. Ours were hurt in the preseason. You are also trying to make the QBs take 3 step drops forcing the ball out quicker which usually results in worse decisions.[/QUOTE]
More like Cover 3 scheme now. Powerbait, you’re making a good point that everyone else is also mentioning about the tough schedule, but I don’t understand why everyone is using it as a reason the Panthers will be bad…Why not talk about how the tough NFC/AFC East divisions have to put up with the NFC South this year? Panthers were 12-4 and it’s basically the same team, more than likely with an improved defense (with the coach probably getting fired if that doesnt happen) and the same dangerous offense we saw last year, probably much improved as the RBs are still young and the OLine has had experience together.
I see the tough schedule as a way to sneak into the playoffs and to know who we are when we get there…as opposed to last year, playing a decent schedule and then getting smacked at home because we weren’t tested enough.
The AFC East has some good teams, as does the NFC East…but you could take any one of them and point out the same amount of problems that we’re doing here…most of those teams have changed more than the Panthers.
The Giants have literally nothing at receiver. Cowboys lost TO and some help on D (losing TO might be a positive thing though) and they’re not worth mentioning anyway cause even if they had won a playoff game in the last 13 years, that wouldn’t matter with Romo on the roster, who literally cannot perform that task. Philly has lost some starters on D and is just about the same team, which wasn’t that good until a late playoff run. I see Washington as the most improved team considering the help they picked up on D, but they were the worst…so improving…eh.
Jets…solid D…rookie QB. No legit receiving threat. Patriots have lost everyone and a half on defense so if you do a good job of keeping that offense off the ball, I say your chances are pretty good. Any team that can run on them…look out. I think we’re one of those teams…along with Chargers, Pittsburgh, Tenn…The Bills are solid…assuming TO hasn’t ripped them apart by the time they play the Panthers, but they have weak spots on D so are subject to the same fate as the Patriots if we use our strengths. The team I see us definitely losing to in that division aside from considering home/away is Miami just because they could beat us at our own game and our run defense will suffer both with the new scheme and the lack of Kemo’s presence in the middle.
I’m most worried about the division matchups. Saints are scary with an improved defense. Falcons defense is a question mark but I’m sure Matt Ryan didn’t get any worse…their offense is scary. Tampa is the only team on the schedule that doesn’t legitimately scare me but that’s because they don’t have a QB yet. Leftwich has had success…I think he could do a good job. This division is going to be strong…but we can’t forget it was strong last year and the Panthers came out on top. They’re back this year with the same pieces, a chip on the collective shoulder, and everyone’s now sleeping on them. I say we get wildcard and that’s what I’m rooting for cause they seem to do well with a tough road through the playoffs. Keeps them humble.
Meeks’ D in Indy was usually good at defending the pass, and speed rush teams, but teams found out the last couple years to just run it down their throats to beat them, b/c he used undersized lineman for their speed, and they couldn’t do anything against the downhill rush. Many teams, if they have the RB’s, will use this against Carolina (Atl, NYG immediately come to mind). Why do you think they grabbed the kid out of FSU, he fit the prototypical Meeks DE (Freeney).
Meeks' D in Indy was usually good at defending the pass, and speed rush teams, but teams found out the last couple years to just run it down their throats to beat them, b/c he used undersized lineman for their speed, and they couldn't do anything against the downhill rush. Many teams, if they have the RB's, will use this against Carolina (Atl, NYG immediately come to mind). Why do you think they grabbed the kid out of FSU, he fit the prototypical Meeks DE (Freeney).When I saw him standing next to Peppers and Brayton during the Baltimore game, he looked like he could be their child he was so small in comparison.
Meeks' D in Indy was usually good at defending the pass, and speed rush teams, but teams found out the last couple years to just run it down their throats to beat them, b/c he used undersized lineman for their speed, and they couldn't do anything against the downhill rush. Many teams, if they have the RB's, will use this against Carolina (Atl, NYG immediately come to mind). Why do you think they grabbed the kid out of FSU, he fit the prototypical Meeks DE (Freeney).
Which was a good system with Indy’s offense. Get down early against Manning, and it becomes a long game.
Just don’t think the two offenses compare, though.
...On a side note, if i'm counting correctly the Patriots have two first round picks next year. What if we traded Peppers up there for the two first rounders after the season? And then use one of those picks to draft a QB.
Why would the Patriots trade 2 first round picks for a free agent or a 16 plus million franchise player? The Pats offered a 2nd Rounder for Peppers last yr.
Which was a good system with Indy's offense. Get down early against Manning, and it becomes a long game.Just don’t think the two offenses compare, though.
exactly, but teams like Pittsburgh, and SD realized that if they ran right at you, and minimized the Colt’s O being on the field then it wasn’t such a great D.
Let’s be honest Peyton Manning >x1000 Jake Delhomme.
I think 9-7. There is still a great deal of talent on this team, don't forget that. The schedule is what gives me the sense that there will be quite a few losses. There could be a couple of games where they shock me but I am going to say 9-7 and a possible wild card berth with the NFC south being tight.
This…exactly