Expectations following the bye week?

what do you expect of the Panthers following the bye week?

what are your hopes?

 

I hope they can stop a back up running back, and find a way to cover witten...Oh and Ware and Ratliff dont kill newton.

 

I want them to score 24+ points per game and look like a decent offense, and demonstrate they can cover and tackle on D.

I expect them to look competitive and not have actually digressed in all phases since last year.

 

A win. Start by winning Sunday. Standings and stats mean nothing right now. Just win a game.

Then, repeat that.

Teams have been known to rip off several of those in a row. Would like to see this team do that.

 

No expectations for me. Win or lose, I'd just like to see a decent performance.

 

I expect them to suck, fool me into thinking they don't for a half or a game or two, then remind me that they suck.

I'd like to see our OC cut wtf back on the cute shit, our QB suddenly become an accurate short passer, our defense suddenly start tackling and covering people.

 

I used to cheer for this team as if I were on the payroll. I have learned to detach a bit.

Fanboys call radio shows when they're 3-3 and call for Andy Reid (.611 winning % since 1999) to be thrown in a fucking firepit. Reasonable adults see their favorite team for what it is at that moment, recognize their inability to control it, accept it and look forward to the following week.

Can't will the team to win from a sofa. But, goddammit, John Fox willed his team to win more than once (alone) in his time here, and once again last night, you see a Fox team generate something special.

My wish as a fan? Rivera begins to prove us all wrong. He's a good damn guy who has worked hard to get to this point. But, results are results.

I'll admit it: last year, after 9 seasons of JF chompin' nicorette and swaggin' out on the sidelines, it was a little disconcerting to see Rivera so stoic in the crunch time of some of those 4th quarter failures. Fans, by nature, want to see their coach ripping asses apart on the sidelines in those situations. Fox wouldn't often, but he had his pulse on the mood.

Then again, that's irrational. Rivera is being himself, and I'd much prefer that over a fucking fraud.

Just win games, ugly or otherwise.

Goddammit: too many words! I look like I fucking care again. I need my meds.

 

I like Rivera too, unpopular as it is. But he has to win. I do think he woke up and started dictating stuff to his OC/DC, so we'll see what happens.

Apparently Fox willed Rivers to throw the game away.

 

I expect the Panthers to be keyed up at the outset yet the Cowboys survive the emotional rush to lead at halftime via defensive touchdown, or short field score off of a turnover.

I expect the defense to give up lots of yardage but not a whole lot of scoring. Carolina will struggle to move, but will make enough big plays to get close enough for a Jason Medlock 48 yarder...which he pulls wide left.

But here's what I hope:
- That the Panthers will run the ball 35 times on Sunday
- That Carolina will win for the first time Newton throws an interception
- That Special Teams positively impact the score
- That Newton doesn't isolate on Steve Smith (ghost of Jake Delhomme here)
- That the secondary will play up and tough

And that I don't have to come back here Sunday night for my anger management therapy.

 

Just don't get ass raped and I'll consider it a moral victory