Seems this Super Bowl participant doesn't get much love. Yes, just #16 in offense; quite better at #8 on D. But just a paltry +21 PD for an 11-5 finisher.
A soft division and soft schedule. No quality-wins, really, to speak of. Yes, an overtime win at Indy to complete their 5-0 start, but Edgerrin was out (the other Ricky Williams in). They then get waffled, brought down-to-earth, at home vs Titans, 37-17, the following week. Wks #12 & #13 respectively, they lose at Dallas and then at home to Philly by more than a TD. That dropped them to 8-4 only to then lose the following week at not-good Atlanta in OT (now 8-5).
But rally, they did, to 11-5 with three more soft opponents remaining.
In fairness, however, they dealt with many injuries. And come playoff-time, they over-achieved when needed! I wasn't surprised, at the time, they getting revenge at home over Dallas in the 1st-Rd, but beating Rams in StL a surprise! And I didn't see Eagles letting down yet again this time, especially with the logic that Panthers would be worn-out in that double-OT affair (house-money has now run out, law-of-averages now taking over, etc).
But wrong I was! And then to simply give the Pats everything they possibly had two weeks later...(had them up against the ropes)...yes, 'everyone' gave the Pats a game in their SBs, but still.
So what are your takes?
Will anyone here dare 'stir-the-pot' and actually give these guys more kudos than...Carolina's 2015 installment??
2003 Carolina Panthers
Re: 2003 Carolina Panthers
The luckiest team in NFL history
-
ShinobiMusashi
- Posts: 166
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2025 3:13 pm
Re: 2003 Carolina Panthers
The not yet 2 year old Texans defeated them that year in a defensive duel with Capers taking down his former team with the new one. That same Texans team took the Patriots DEEP into OT that same year in the same stadium where New England defeated Carolina to win that Super Bowl. One of my favorite early Texans games even though we lost, they were SUPER close to upsetting that team that day. Rewatching that game a few years ago sent me down the rabbit hole of Belichick vs Capers/Fangio history and it's an interesting one where Belichick teams historically had trouble with the Capers/Fangio teams.