Top 5 Carolina Panthers squads

[readjack]

At least Delhomme played his heart out in a SB game. Not so much the other Panthers QB.

I think the other Panther QB was ordered to throw the game. That may be why he acted the way he did in the post-game interview.

"Ordered" by who? A fix has an explanation.

I can't find it now, but there was a great article after the game, I think at the start of the next season (they played each other in Week 1), where the Denver players talked about everything they saw on film, and how prepared they felt. That preparation certainly showed.

The Panthers were also fairly one-dimensional on offense. Cam really was Superman that year, throwing for almost 4000 yards, 35 TDs and a 99.4 rating with Greg Olsen (who I love!) as his best target. They did not have anyone else on that offense anywhere close to Cam's level. They reminded me in a way of the '09 Cavs, where LeBron was other-worldly and could paper over the roster's deficiencies. But you get into the playoffs against the wrong matchup, and things go south.

Cam not diving for that fumble was a terrible look for sure, and swung the game. But he was also clubbed all day by that defense. Until the Super Bowl, the most sacks that Cam took in a game was 5, and the most QB hits that Carolina allowed (I'm sure nearly all were on Cam) was 7 a few times.

In the Super Bowl, Denver sacked him six times and had THIRTEEN QB hits. The Panthers also had 12 penalties (including four false starts) and four fumbles, losing three. Miller and Ware were unstoppable.

Every Super Bowl has such a massive spotlight on it that we're accustomed to wondering what's on the level and what's not. But to me, you have to start with the reality of the game, and the reality is that Denver's defense simply overpowered Carolina.

[readjack]

2015 is the Obvious one! You can't possibly get 'cute' and say any other squad is.

Sure-enough more than not will place their other Super Bowl team, 2003, at #2. But there may be numerous here who don't.

Besides the two already mentioned, you have five others who won 11 games or more - two of them also making it to the NFCCG, just that neither made that next step as '03 & '15 did.

Its enough to make it a nice Top 5.

Fun question! And yes, kind of obvious with this franchise. 2015, 2003, 1996 and 2008 are first, and then I would say 2005 is next. I could argue 2017, because it's hard to get back to the playoffs after losing a Super Bowl, even after two years.

I would love to hear from a Carolina fan on this!

[Brian wolf]

At least Delhomme played his heart out in a SB game. Not so much the other Panthers QB.

I think the other Panther QB was ordered to throw the game. That may be why he acted the way he did in the post-game interview.

"Ordered" by who? A fix has an explanation.

I can't find it now, but there was a great article after the game, I think at the start of the next season (they played each other in Week 1), where the Denver players talked about everything they saw on film, and how prepared they felt. That preparation certainly showed.

The Panthers were also fairly one-dimensional on offense. Cam really was Superman that year, throwing for almost 4000 yards, 35 TDs and a 99.4 rating with Greg Olsen (who I love!) as his best target. They did not have anyone else on that offense anywhere close to Cam's level. They reminded me in a way of the '09 Cavs, where LeBron was other-worldly and could paper over the roster's deficiencies. But you get into the playoffs against the wrong matchup, and things go south.

Cam not diving for that fumble was a terrible look for sure, and swung the game. But he was also clubbed all day by that defense. Until the Super Bowl, the most sacks that Cam took in a game was 5, and the most QB hits that Carolina allowed (I'm sure nearly all were on Cam) was 7 a few times.

In the Super Bowl, Denver sacked him six times and had THIRTEEN QB hits. The Panthers also had 12 penalties (including four false starts) and four fumbles, losing three. Miller and Ware were unstoppable.

Every Super Bowl has such a massive spotlight on it that we're accustomed to wondering what's on the level and what's not. But to me, you have to start with the reality of the game, and the reality is that Denver's defense simply overpowered Carolina.

Youre right, Jack ... the reality of that SB game was Denver's defense dominating the Panthers but Newton made it alot easier to happen with his play--or lack thereof. In the playoffs, Cam was using his legs, running around, getting rid of the ball quickly, as the Panthers built big leads and easily won. In the SB, he did none of these things and stood their like a statue, never seeming to find an open receiver, waiting forever to get rid of the ball, as Ware and Miller engulfed him. Jonathan Stewart only had 12 carries for the game, as the Panthers were hoping Newton would do it all by himself with some receivers like Ginn and Brown making catches, but hardly any by Funchess or Cotchery. The fumbles didnt help and I was surprised Newton even had 45 yrds running, as he never seemed to use his running as a factor.

Watching the game, my take was that it seemed destined that Manning was going to finally get that elusive, second SB ring and it seemed a sexier, more plausible story, than a small-market team like Carolina winning their first championship. Panther fans I talked to, couldnt believe what they were watching, considering how their defense--especially DE Kony Ealy--kept stonewalling the Broncos offense, with Newton never taking advantage.

[Citizen]

Newton didn't throw the game, he got the hell beat out of him. And his demeanor after the game reflected a player who...had just gotten the hell beat out of him.

[readjack]

Newton didn't throw the game, he got the hell beat out of him. And his demeanor after the game reflected a player who...had just gotten the hell beat out of him.

Exactly!

[readjack]

Youre right, Jack ... the reality of that SB game was Denver's defense dominating the Panthers but Newton made it alot easier to happen with his play--or lack thereof. In the playoffs, Cam was using his legs, running around, getting rid of the ball quickly, as the Panthers built big leads and easily won. In the SB, he did none of these things and stood their like a statue, never seeming to find an open receiver, waiting forever to get rid of the ball, as Ware and Miller engulfed him. Jonathan Stewart only had 12 carries for the game, as the Panthers were hoping Newton would do it all by himself with some receivers like Ginn and Brown making catches, but hardly any by Funchess or Cotchery. The fumbles didnt help and I was surprised Newton even had 45 yrds running, as he never seemed to use his running as a factor.

Watching the game, my take was that it seemed destined that Manning was going to finally get that elusive, second SB ring and it seemed a sexier, more plausible story, than a small-market team like Carolina winning their first championship. Panther fans I talked to, couldnt believe what they were watching, considering how their defense--especially DE Kony Ealy--kept stonewalling the Broncos offense, with Newton never taking advantage.

Indeed Brian! Look, we've all watched sports forever, so we know: weird shit happens! A team that looks unbeatable gets beat. The best player in a league has the worst game of his season. We've all seen it all. Sometimes the matchup is bad and it's not your day. Could Cam have done more that day? Perhaps. Maybe he stood in the pocket too long. And clearly he should have gone for the fumble.

But ya know, things happen. Teams show up and show out. Denver had two HOF pass rushers each having career days. That's how it goes!

[7DnBrnc53]

In the Super Bowl, Denver sacked him six times and had THIRTEEN QB hits. The Panthers also had 12 penalties (including four false starts) and four fumbles, losing three. Miller and Ware were unstoppable.

Every Super Bowl has such a massive spotlight on it that we're accustomed to wondering what's on the level and what's not. But to me, you have to start with the reality of the game, and the reality is that Denver's defense simply overpowered Carolina.

I agree that the Bronco defense was awesome that day. I am not denying that, and I don't want to.

However, the NFL wanted Manning and co. to win that day. They would have done anything to make that happen.

There is someone that has a blog called Super Fraud. He calls it that because his original intent was to show how each SB was rigged in some way.

I don't know that every one has been, but I believe (as Bubba Smith believed) that SB III was compromised, and I also believe that every SB since the 9/11 Pats-Rams showdown has been tampered with in different ways. That's why I don't watch the current NFL anymore.

[readjack]

In the Super Bowl, Denver sacked him six times and had THIRTEEN QB hits. The Panthers also had 12 penalties (including four false starts) and four fumbles, losing three. Miller and Ware were unstoppable.

Every Super Bowl has such a massive spotlight on it that we're accustomed to wondering what's on the level and what's not. But to me, you have to start with the reality of the game, and the reality is that Denver's defense simply overpowered Carolina.

I agree that the Bronco defense was awesome that day. I am not denying that, and I don't want to.

However, the NFL wanted Manning and co. to win that day. They would have done anything to make that happen.

There is someone that has a blog called Super Fraud. He calls it that because his original intent was to show how each SB was rigged in some way.

I don't know that every one has been, but I believe (as Bubba Smith believed) that SB III was compromised, and I also believe that every SB since the 9/11 Pats-Rams showdown has been tampered with in different ways. That's why I don't watch the current NFL anymore.

I don't buy into anyone who broadly says everything is rigged. If you look for conspiracies everywhere, you'll find them, because you'll train yourself to believe that any coincidence or surprise is a conspiracy.

It's interesting that you noted that you think every SB since Pats-Rams has been "tampered with in different ways." We've seen a real acceleration since 9/11 of conspiratorial thinking. We went from "conspiracies exist" to "only conspiracies can explain the world." This is the Brian Tuohy view of sports: that EVERYTHING is rigged. I bought his first book and it's way too broad.

We have all of these instances now of sports gambling corrupting the pureness of sports, but even these are not grand puppet-master events. They're individual players, or individual referees, exploiting their knowledge/control and, more recently, the incredibly lax gambling landscape.

My view on conspiracy theories is that people try too hard to create them. A conspiracy is multiple people working together to secretly cause an outcome. Conspiracies are common, but they also have what conspiracy theories often lack: tangible logistics.

[JuggernautJ]

Cam not diving for that fumble was a terrible look for sure, and swung the game...

It's not just that he didn't dive for the ball...
It's that he started to make an effort to recover the ball, pulled back, made a "business decision" and walked away from the play.
Anytime someone mentions Cam Newton I see that moment of hesitation and then (what I can only think of as) cowardice and I lose (almost) all respect for a man who, in that moment, completely abandoned and failed his team and teammates.
To me, there's not much worse than someone who has all the talent in the world (and Newton was overflowing with talent) not making a sincere effort.

...but he was also clubbed all day by that defense....

Linemen get "clubbed" on virtually every play of every game.
It's football. Man up.

(Not trying to be disagreeable or pick a fight with you, Jack. That post just reminded me of a moment that, obviously, got me very riled up.)

Edited to add:
(And I completely agree with your take on Conspiracy Theories. To quote Ben Franklin: "Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.")

[7DnBrnc53]

This is the Brian Tuohy view of sports: that EVERYTHING is rigged. I bought his first book and it's way too broad.

Brian doesn't believe that every game or event is rigged. He looks for certain storylines that leagues like to push (like Tebow in 2011), and he believes that the league will help out those storylines as much as possible.

He is following in the footsteps of Dan Moldea (author of the book Interference). Dan once said that there were eight fixed games in 1979 (I think that two of them involved the Eagles, but that's me).