Quote :

"We are still the 25th ranked offense. Our defense is the only reason we are where we are."

yeah I think our offense has actually regressed, I don't think you can blame it all on shula, my best explanation would be Smitty's decline and cam's refusal to run as much and the general mediocrity of our receiving core

12/23/2013 9:36:23 AM

What about the fact we have very poor running backs. If you can't run well - it's easier to defend against the pass.

12/23/2013 9:42:46 AM

We haven't been able to run the ball this last segment of the season.

People forget that we're on 4th stringers and converted defensive players at the guard position.

We've been playing tough competition too. The Saints have a really nice defense, the Dolphins defense is stout, and the Jets always take away what you really want to do.

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 9:43 AM. Reason : Deangelo is not a poor running back. We just haven't been clicking lately.]

12/23/2013 9:43:26 AM

people can load up against our run when they know we can't throw down field very well too

12/23/2013 10:02:19 AM

Any way we can avoid New Orleans or Philly for our first game is how I want things to play out.

12/23/2013 10:06:17 AM

I'm not afraid of Philly. They played well last night, but they are only one week removed from giving up 48 points to the terrible Vikings.

The way it sits, the Saints would play at Philly and the 49ers would play at Chicago wildcard weekend. Then we would get the highest remaining seed of those two games. If the Saints and the Bears win, we would get the Bears.

12/23/2013 10:14:04 AM

How awesome is this pic

12/23/2013 10:30:16 AM

Quote :

"Deangelo is not a poor running back. We just haven't been clicking lately."

DeAngelo is old, just like Smitty. He'll still show flashes of what he used to be, but they're getting less and less frequent.

12/23/2013 11:01:03 AM

He avoids contact. His only nice runs are when nobody touches him... how many tackles has he really broken this year?

12/23/2013 11:05:02 AM

exactly - we have to draft extremely well to do well next year. Otherwise, Stewart/Williams contracts are going to kill us.

12/23/2013 11:17:59 AM

With Smith out it might be time to try that rookie we picked up off waivers, Tavarres King. He was a fifth round pick for the Broncos and was only cut because of how loaded they are at receiver. The offense needs some kind of spark going into the post-season or we're looking at a one and done team.

12/23/2013 11:24:13 AM

Yall are being overly dramatic about Deangleo. He's solid as hell when he even gets a lick of blocking. He didn't look old when he was pulling away from the NO's secondary yesterday in a foot race. That run he had in SF wasn't too shabby either.

Is he Shady McCoy? Hell no. But he pretty damn good in his own right.

EDIT: Speculation is that is could be a piece of loose meniscus with smitty. If that is the case he could have it taken out and be ready for the divisional round. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 11:37 AM. Reason : .]

12/23/2013 11:31:39 AM

Knee sprain for Smitty. Week to week.

We really need that bye

12/23/2013 12:43:46 PM

Help me out here guys. If SF wins tonight and next week and Seattle loses next week, SF would win the NFC West. If we win next week as well, we'd be tied with SF at 12-4. We would get the one seed because we beat them, correct? Is there a different tie-breaking procedure that would come into play first?

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 12:57 PM. Reason : oops]

12/23/2013 12:57:21 PM

yes

12/23/2013 1:04:20 PM

With Smitty week-to-week, it makes winning next week and getting that 1st round bye even more important so 89 can get an extra week of rest.

Not that geting the bye wasn't important to begin with...now I guess there's just even more incentive.

12/23/2013 1:13:53 PM

Well that would be awesome, especially after starting 1-3.

12/23/2013 1:14:34 PM

Without Long, doubt the Rams will beat the Seahawks at their place....good news for the Rams, they will most likely have the number 1 pick in the draft (thanks Redskins).

12/23/2013 1:34:44 PM

Quote :

"Yall are being overly dramatic about Deangleo. He's solid as hell when he even gets a lick of blocking. He didn't look old when he was pulling away from the NO's secondary yesterday in a foot race. That run he had in SF wasn't too shabby either."

he's just not a franchise RB anymore and his/stewarts contracts are eating up the cap. we'll draft too late to get anyone much better but without them, we'd be fine with Tolbert and somebody else and use the excess to fill in other gaps for the time being. We really need to take a WR first.

12/23/2013 1:40:32 PM

Quote :

"We really need to take a WR CB first."

12/23/2013 1:53:19 PM

Deangelo restructured this past offseason so his cap number isn't ridiculous anymore. Also, we would never take a RB in the first round anyway. On top of it not being a position of need, that's just not good business anymore.

We're just going to have to agree to disagree on 34. Our running backs are really solid as a group. WR, OL, and corner are infinitely more important this offseason.

12/23/2013 1:54:18 PM

^^Those are definitely the two main positions of need right now. I don't really see any way we don't take a CB or WR in the 1st.

12/23/2013 1:59:59 PM

I don't see how we take anything other than a WR, unless the future Deion Sanders is waiting for us late in the 1st round. Maybe a TE if someone like Ebron drops that far. We're literally signing guys off the street for 1 year deals and hoping they aren't terrible. The secondary lacks elite talent but they do their jobs and the younger guys can only get better.

12/23/2013 2:17:26 PM

We need a stud left tackle to we can move Gross over to RT for the rest of his career. But stud left tackles are all gone in the top 5-10, so who knows

12/23/2013 2:24:18 PM

As been stated here, Panthers will draft a WR/CB 1st round, and looking more and more like a WR. Our Cb are not "elite" but they are servicing a a good Defense. Smitty needs true #1 to allow him to go to slot and take less hits and be on the move.

RB's are a rarity in the 1st round now, because it is a passing league. We don't need a RB in 1st round, but will be nice to pick up one that can get on the field (looking at K. Barner lol).


III

12/23/2013 2:25:39 PM

Maybe we can sign a Hakeem Nicks or something for a few years

12/23/2013 2:38:30 PM

Sammy Watkins Marquis Lee someone like that most likely depends who is there still.

12/23/2013 2:48:04 PM

Some of the better WRs currently set to hit FA:
Kenny Britt
Eric Decker
Julian Edelman
James Jones
Jeremy Maclin
Hakeem Nicks
Emmanuel Sanders
Golden Tate


Some of the better CBs currently set to hit FA:
Antoine Cason
Vontae Davis
Brent Grimes
Tim Jennings
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Sam Shields
Aqib Talib
Charles Tillman
Alterraun Verner
Eric Wright

12/23/2013 2:51:20 PM

Aqib Talib would probably get the Ken Lucas treatment from Smith

12/23/2013 2:59:22 PM

I honestly don't want us spending money on high priced free agents when we have so many of our own players that we need to resign. The last few games has shown us that Greg Hardy is invaluable to this team. Charles Johnson has been more or less invisible since his injury, imagine if we didn't have Hardy during that stretch. I thought about letting him go earlier in the season, but not anymore. Cam Newton is 24, there is no reason to take shortcuts with building this team, build the offense through the draft whiling maintaining the strongest defense possible.

12/23/2013 2:59:27 PM

Quote :

"PANTHERS @ Falcons (4-10) Carolina clinches NFC South division and a first-round bye with: 1) CAR win or tie OR 2) NO loss or tie Carolina clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with: 1) CAR win + SEA loss + two SF wins"

12/23/2013 6:57:48 PM

I would so want a tall WR. but panthers are probably going defense

12/23/2013 7:40:25 PM

we'll probably draft an inside linebacker in the 1st round. or maybe a backup for Cam.

12/23/2013 8:37:12 PM

doesn't david carr have a brother?

12/23/2013 8:44:30 PM

Guys Hurney isn't here anymore, its ok to have faith in our GM.

I want Benjamin badly. I'm telling you he is going to be great player in the NFL.

12/23/2013 10:28:40 PM

I hope MNF was an alert to our guys. ATL isn't just going to roll over. We better come to play on Sunday.

12/23/2013 11:47:52 PM

I hope they see your post

12/23/2013 11:49:02 PM

nice to see them get a deflating loss there though. doesnt hurt our chances given their situation

12/23/2013 11:49:07 PM

I was pulling for the 49ers. The Falcons scared me a little bit tonight though.

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 11:55 PM. Reason : Maybe they got their will broken tonight]

12/23/2013 11:52:14 PM

^^ huh?

we needed the 49ers to win in order to still be alive for the 1 seed

[Edited on December 23, 2013 at 11:53 PM. Reason : confused by your post]

12/23/2013 11:52:44 PM

i almost wanted the falcons to win so matt ryan could tell the 9ers "get the fuck off your field, and never come back"

12/24/2013 12:13:32 AM

meant that it was nice to see the falcons sort of get their hearts broken at the end after a good effort as opposed to them winning or getting handled the entire game. since we have to play them next week at atlanta it's better that they aren't on some sort of end of season crusade kind of like the Panthers have gone on the last few seasons. hopefully this crushed any will they have left.

12/24/2013 1:30:47 AM

12/24/2013 10:00:08 AM

12/24/2013 10:39:35 PM

Quote :

"Deangelo restructured this past offseason so his cap number isn't ridiculous anymore. Also, we would never take a RB in the first round anyway. On top of it not being a position of need, that's just not good business anymore. We're just going to have to agree to disagree on 34. Our running backs are really solid as a group. WR, OL, and corner are infinitely more important this offseason."

I agree totally, I wasn't trying to infer we were going to go for a RB. We're set there even if it's lackluster. A CB would be great but our defense has been pretty stout already. Our offense would really benefit from somebody who can take the heat off of Smith, although LaFell is getting better each outing.

My best case scenario would be a situation where we get a great CB and get a FA WR like Decker or Nicks. Or vice versa where we draft a WR and pick up somebody like Talib (although it would be funny to see him play on the same team as Smitty after the drama during MNF this year)

12/25/2013 1:26:26 AM

Peyton has made Decker too much $$$ this season for us to sign him

and for that, I'm thankful, because he isn't the type of receiver to build with. he's a total luxury.

12/25/2013 1:33:05 AM

does anyone still believe in Kenny Britt? We could get him at a bargain he just disappeared this year.

12/25/2013 1:37:14 AM

^^ I agree. I'd call Decker a 2+ receiver since he is better than average if the defense has to another another star player opposite him, but would never beat gameplans designed to shut him down consistently.

^^^ I totally agree corner would be a luxury pick and I really have no idea what kind of depth corner and WR have this year, but that Dennard kid from Sparty would be a hell of a pick if he dropped to us in the first round too.

12/25/2013 10:03:55 AM

There are like 6 receivers and a more than one TE with first round talent in this draft. We should be able to get one.

12/25/2013 3:03:38 PM

12/26/2013 11:56:40 AM