NFL Power Rankings:

[kearly]

I don't think we go to the spread as much as Kearly believes, I would bet we go pretty straight fundamentals until we see what the O Line is like and what kind of protection Wilson gets and then how much he can trust them. That means run and run some more.

Going with spread causes the defense to tip their hand and robs them of their ability to disguise things. It's a good system for WRs and QBs, but it's also like training wheels for the OL.

Like you, I think Pete wants to get back to power football / inline blocking again some day. But I think he'll start with the training wheels on given how young and inexperienced the 2016 OL will be.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

I don't think we go to the spread as much as Kearly believes, I would bet we go pretty straight fundamentals until we see what the O Line is like and what kind of protection Wilson gets and then how much he can trust them. That means run and run some more.

Why would we go with something our OL can't do? I believe Cable's job is on the line this year and he better stop screwing around and get actual lineman that have played the position and are coachable. If he does that it gives Pete the chance to go power running in a year or two. If not.....it's all on Wilson just like Brady, Rodgers and Rothliesburger for years coming like their respective teams.

 

[olyfan63]

My thoughts on the rankings:
...
#1 Carolina. All they did was just suffer one of the more frustrating and humiliating SB losses in NFL history. Their 2015 season was nearly a mirror image of the 2005 Seahawks, from the league's easiest schedule to the the really weird and painful SB loss. We all know what happened to Seattle the next year, they were lucky to hit 9-7. Carolina will likely experience a similar decline next year, and truthfully told they were nowhere near as good as their record even in 2015. Cam Newton's confidence, as well as the belief of his teammates, has to be damaged after his antics in that game. They've also done pretty much nothing in FA, and though they are getting Benjamin back, it remains to be seen if that is even a good thing given that the offense did so much better when it wasn't relying on him.
...

Charles Johnson and Mike Tolbert left millions on the table to resign so we'll see about the teammates thing. Good point about the division-Paul Soliai is being paid by the Falcons and was going to be their 3rd highest paid player after Ryan and Jones, and will now rotate with Short and Lotulelei.

Carolina's D sure played a championship-level game in the SB, just didn't get a defensive score.
Will the Panther D be as good this year?

How do you think Cam will respond to the SB loss?

Do you see Denver's successful defensive game plan as a blueprint other teams will use against Carolina, or, will that be pointless for teams that don't have Denver's personnel?

 

[ctrcat]

^ Great questions Oly! It's too early to say IMO but I'll try.

The D may miss Harper and Tillman's (and even Finnegan's) experience but may be addition by subtraction in physical ability at this point. Benwikere will return from injury and Boston are both young players they like, but remaining FA, the draft, or maybe a player trade are all possibilities to add some pieces to the secondary. I never thought Charles Johnson would return but never thought he'd take $3 million per. By comparison Robert Ayers is older and has nearly 40 less career sacks and the Bucs gave him 3 years $21 million. Johnson did have 3 playoff sacks and can still be effective if healthy. Since everyone else returns and they added Soliai I think they will be better but we'll see.

It may not fit the narrative of many but here's another view of Cam's Super Bowl performance http://nflbreakdowns.com/cam-newton-in-the-super-bowl/. He's emotional and unliked by most outside the organization, but emotional and liked by all that I'm aware of inside. I think the fact that he didn't bash his teammates and respected vets Kalil and Olsen genuinely like and respect the guy will help, but only time will tell.

The last question is a great one. I said all year that Daryl Williams is a more talented player than Mike Remmers, but not sure if that would have made a difference or not. Every player and coach on all 32 teams make a lot of money doing their jobs full time, so I wouldn't put it past any one of those professionals to scheme up something seen or unseen. To expect 15 wins again is borderline silly. But anything less than a 4th straight division title would be a catastrophic failure.

 

[olyfan63]

Sounds like Carolina's roll of the dice on which players to keep and pay, and which to let walk, is comparable to what Seattle has been facing. So it will be +/- which key players get injured, and how good the depth behind them is.

I really still see Cam torching most teams this coming year and leading Carolina to the playoffs again. There are so few teams that have the caliber of defense Denver did last year; Seattle 2013 and Carolina 2015 are the only ones that come quickly to mind. If anything, I'd expect Cam to rededicate himself to doing the work to play QB at a high level.

I concur with most of the analysis in the article; take away the 2 fumbles that Denver turned into TD's, and Cam is easily the game MVP if Carolina wins. Part of me wonders if Mike Shula had a brain freeze during the game, but really, Denver's D is pretty tough. Anyway, like Seattle, I'd guess Carolina will be focusing on improving that O-Line this offseason.

So my answer to my own question, a blueprint for stopping the Panther attack, would be that without Denvers' personnel, without Von Miller and his compadres, very, very few teams can follow that blueprint to cause those types of problems for the Carolina offense. I hope Seattle is one of them...

On paper, with the players coming back, injured Carolina players getting healthy, and Ron Rivera's superb coaching leadership, it sure looks like the Panthers should have the #1 Power Ranking at this early point.

 

[ctrcat]

^ Great post and insight Oly. In the Panthers other loss, Vic Beasley also worked on Mike Remmers something fierce. However, there were several other near blown leads/losses (Colts, Giants) that had different dynamics as well so only time will tell if they get burned in similar scenarios this year.

I look forward to see how both teams fine tune their rosters before week 1.

 

[knownone]

#7 Seattle. The Philadelphia Eagles had the #76 pick in the 2012 draft. They are confirmed to be one of two teams that gave JS an angry phone call after he selected Russell Wilson at #75. You know who the regional scout was who covered Russell Wilson for the Eagles and urged them to draft Wilson in round 2? It was the very same Elliot Harrison who compiles these power rankings. Obviously, he doesn't have a job in the scouting world anymore. Where would the Eagles be today with Russell Wilson? Certainly the scout who pounded the table for him would be ascending the ranks...

So if that causes him to have the Seahawks a few spots lower than he can justify with logic, I understand where he's coming from. I'd be bitter too.

Elliot Harrison was never a scout, he's a life long journalist. You're thinking of Daniel Jeremiah who was the regional scout that gave Wilson a second round grade and was ultimately fired during Andy Reid's exit.

 

[ctrcat]

My thoughts on the rankings:
...
#1 Carolina. All they did was just suffer one of the more frustrating and humiliating SB losses in NFL history. Their 2015 season was nearly a mirror image of the 2005 Seahawks, from the league's easiest schedule to the the really weird and painful SB loss. We all know what happened to Seattle the next year, they were lucky to hit 9-7. Carolina will likely experience a similar decline next year, and truthfully told they were nowhere near as good as their record even in 2015. Cam Newton's confidence, as well as the belief of his teammates, has to be damaged after his antics in that game. They've also done pretty much nothing in FA, and though they are getting Benjamin back, it remains to be seen if that is even a good thing given that the offense did so much better when it wasn't relying on him.
...

Charles Johnson and Mike Tolbert left millions on the table to resign so we'll see about the teammates thing. Good point about the division-Paul Soliai is being paid by the Falcons and was going to be their 3rd highest paid player after Ryan and Jones, and will now rotate with Short and Lotulelei.

Carolina's D sure played a championship-level game in the SB, just didn't get a defensive score.
Will the Panther D be as good this year?

How do you think Cam will respond to the SB loss?

Do you see Denver's successful defensive game plan as a blueprint other teams will use against Carolina, or, will that be pointless for teams that don't have Denver's personnel?

The Panthers signed Brandon Boykin for the vet min. On paper he's an upgrade in the secondary. http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/03/br ... -panthers/