It won’t be a Jinx to say Panthers start 2024 with a ‘W’ in Dome

The Panthers trainwreck 2-15 season won’t immediately and finally be put to rest, the team didn’t survive a death march through the usual cauldron of Spartanburg heat for training camp, and only a few prognosticators elevate expectations to even the 5.5 wins the oddsmakers have set. (My $$ is down on that, couple bucks on winning NFC South at +1100 is legitimate)

Today, against an NFC South Saints team with numerous flaws itself, I’ll go with Canales positive outlook and several on-the-money throws to those offensive additions Panthers need to produce a very acceptable WIN, not a Feel Good close loss.

YES! About JT, DJ, a Cool Canales, and #MrTeppers$

Writing in the shadow of a 1:00 season opener in New Orleans, few things matter more than seeing a revamped Panther offensive line keeping what is still an above-average Saints defense off of quarterback Bryce Young. Having survived – a very accurate assessment – a 62 sack first NFL season in Charlotte, almost every factor in free agency and draft was tied to improving his situation.

Starting with a pair of guards getting big $$$ as GM Dan Morgan’s first move, and a surprising 4th round pick to add a potential star (finally!) tight end like Ja’Tavian Sanders that changes the conversation of ‘Nothing since Olsen left,’ the naysayers will be able to breathe easier later this afternoon.

Contributions from the fast, studly Xavier Leggette, highly proficient route runner Diontae Johnson from Pittsburgh for about to be released Donte Jackson, the reliable veteran slot receiver Adam Thielen has always been (103 catches/1014 yds/4 TDs in 2023), and the emergence of Jonathan Mingo https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/4426485/jonathan-mingo as a threat should bring a dynamic change from last years weak (tied for NFL low) 13.9 scoring average.

IMHO, very few have given team owner David Tepper sufficient credit for letting Morgan, Head Coach Dave Canales, and Executive VP of Football Operations (‘the cap guy’ to many) Brandt Tilis, run his team without even dabbing a big toe in matters. While he’s still getting described as disruptive in national press, he hasn’t opined about ANYTHING that’s been done since March. If/when that changes about 4:00 this afternoon, nobody should blame him for going a little extra yackety-yak happy.

He won’t be projecting a division title, but he can allow himself to congratulate eeeeeverybody mentioned above for getting the once proud NFL franchise’s rebuild on righter track without having to sweat taking a major load of guano.

What about Brooks and the defense?

Yes, its a team sport, and while NFL All Pro Derrick Brown and his upgraded contract (4 yr./$96M) after a record-breaking year https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/panthers-dc-ejiro-evero-thinks-dt-derrick-brown-can-get-8-to-10-sacks-this-season/ar-AA1q4e4v?ocid=BingNewsSerp has space to improve with sacks vs. QB pressures, a full replacing of Panthers linebacking experience because of departures by Burns, Luvu, Gross-Matos isn’t going to be immediately visible.

Jadeveon Clowney is still a force to be reckoned with holding the edge, even if Shy Tuttle isn’t a true-true nose tackle there’s more beef around Brown, and fingers will be crossed every day of the week-NFL season about oft-injured safety Jaycee Horn https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/panthers-willing-to-pay-top-dollar-to-extend-cb-jaycee-horn/ar-AA1pmvDJ becoming the lock-down safety he’s always been projected as.

Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero stayed in Charlotte after a #4 rated year for Panthers defense that would have gotten him head coaching consideration in a lot of other league situations, and a well-deserved whew! for Morgan about that. The cabinet is not empty despite the drain of last years linebacking corps, but the return of veteran Shaq Thompson (8 years a Panther) from a season-ending ankle injury against Saints in a Monday Night game, and rising expectations of Kentucky product Trevin Wallace (6’1″, 244 lbs, 3rd round) as a reliable middle LB and A-1 banger/blitz problem will count heavily.

Extra Points (but not Pinero related)

The secondary seems to have become a personnel strength, and credit Morgan with using the Panthers status as first in line for anyone worth while that got to waiver status; he picked up *six* on cut-down day (90 to 53), meaning he had to bump several names from the 53-man roster who originally made the cut. S Jordan Fuller, formerly of LA Rams, was an easy pickup back in March, and fits exactly the size and experience profile Evero likes at the back end.

Several names, including S Demani Richardson, who had two picks in joint practices with the Jets and another in pre-season win over Bills; veteran Jordan Matthews, (32 ) a converted WR who was elevated to regular roster after a couple other TEs haven’t fully recovered from dings; and undrafted QB Jack Plummer (Louisville), who had a sterling effort against the Bills (21/29 for 278 yards, 2 TDs to Jalen Coker and Terrace Marshall Jr., one sack) to earn being kept, will be heard from soon. Okay, maybe not from Marshall, who is now in San Fran.

Second round stud RB Jonathan Brooks will be on PUP (physically unable to perform football duties) list until after fourth game of season. Not pushing him to return from torn ACL surgery last November means cutting someone when he returns, so last years mainstay at RB will continue to be Chuba Hubbard (238 carries/902 yds/4 TDs) in meantime. Austin Corbett, who had ACL surgery in 2022, didn’t play in 2023, and is now switched to center position on Panthers redone O-line. LT Ikem Ekwonu will shake his sophomore season negatives, while Taylor Moton has a 100 game long string of starts at right tackle.

Prediction: Having noted several times that Sanders at TE would be targeted in the red zone early, getting a start today moves my prediction up a game, from third to second at latest. His speed is rated as ‘just shy of elite,’ he’s a touch it-count it guy. If he’s watched enough of Olsen tapes to have a ninja ability about disappearing-reappearing to catch a pass for first downs, or break away for long gainers, he’s going to be a tough cover nightmare around the goal line every week.

Morgan will be viewed as a seer and not just lucky that Sanders somehow fell to #101 in draft, and when Brooks gets into lineup and defenses have to be concerned about him on play action, Young will gain valuable half-seconds to find his new, faster-better receivers, including Mingo, who often failed to separate from coverage in 2023.

Pinero was seen as a silent holdout who thought he deserved more $$$, but he’s not a long-range leg, and will never be mistaken for original franchise member-Panther legend John Casey (1995-2011, over 1400 points). Kicking situation is settled, in the short term at least.

Boomer with Atttitude

I’ve seldom considered myself ‘a homer’ while sports writing/watching, my early chops writing about the NFL was in early ’80s, just as LeRoy Selmon, his brother, HUUUUUGH! Greene, mobile, agile, hostile; and Doug Williams, running for his life and yardage, made them a little less like Suck-aneers. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WildJa00.htm https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BellRi01.htm https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDo01.htm

QBs running and throwing because they *needed to,* thats how it USED to be for QBs on ungood teams got abused. Ask any Manning about Archie. A Legend, took that his whole career. Tampa for me was when the Bucs started getting some respect. Nobody forgets they started out 0-26.

The great Coach John McKay, who left a successful USC program to coach the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, put it classically pithily, when asked what he thought of his team’s execution,

“I’d be for it.'”

I was there a couple years later, 1980-82. Yeah, most called them the Suck-aneers, but 9-7, heroic stuff from their Before, Lost in 2nd round. My cousin Frank was in the band, I was a sport writer, Bucs and Rowdies soccer. I’ve seen pretty bad, Doug Williams was barely over 50% passing.

I’m not 100% convinced about Young’s worthiness, after one damn drive in preseason; mixed practices with the Jets was the O-line’s ‘don’t get hurt’ mentality until its For Real Blocking and Blitzes vs. Saints. It sure *sounded* like they’ve done a fine job of getting better personnel in camp, I trust GM Dan Morgan (with #MrTeppers$) no problem. Canales, fingers crossed about the Whispering.

Start taking the points, Panthers will probably always get, how many is enough? give them (or play 49ers?) I arrived in Charlotte in 1995, same as Panthers, and #1 fact worth stating again is always, until they went 10-0 by whipping Cowboys on Thanksgiving, almost nobody thought they were Super Bowl worthy. lol Amen! on the first shot out of barrel today (and my over 5.5 in short term).

Today is Game One. Whisper away.