We may have won today, but it was a hollow victory. There were some highlights -- Chase Brown comes to mind. However, the caliber/level you'd expect at this point in the season is just not there. Again.

Coaching, slow starts, bad trades, whatever the reason(s) -- the spirit is just not consistently there. Are we forever regulated to have flash-in-the pan intermittent SB seasons, only to always inevitably fall back into mediocrity? It's MADDENING!

I wouldn't say it's a hollow victory... it was a must win game, and all things considered we won with a little comfort.

But there are still enormous concerns about the defence... and if they don't improve, we're simply going nowhere. Our offence can be great but you don't win it all with a defence as bad as this.

Next week's game looms large. We've got to toughen up and find a way to battle it with the Ravens. 1-4 would be an enormous hole to be in. Today's performance didn't do a lot to suggest we'll win next week, imo.

This defense is trash and it’s not going to magically get better during the season.  Everyone knew the line would be an issue but the decline in the secondary has been the most disappointing.  It doesn’t look like there’s anything to show for the high draft picks spent on defensive backs, Bell is cooked and Geno Stone has been a free agency bust.  

Any time you get a W in the NFL, especially on the road, it's a reason to celebrate.  Doubly so when it's the first one of the season.  Guess I'll let others worry about the other details, I'm just going to enjoy the dub.  

We're on to Baltimore.

Honestly Carolina is a better team than they are given credit for with Dalton at QB. Washington is killing the Cardinals. Not sayinging the defense isn't bad but the only game we should feel real bad about is against NE. I think what's really killing us is we have what is probably the worst pass rush in the league and our secondary is bad at tackling in run support. Maybe a dline rotation helps generate a pass rush but not sure how we fix the tackling I mean Dax is terrible at tackling.

(09-29-2024, 06:18 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Any time you get a W in the NFL, especially on the road, it's a reason to celebrate.  Doubly so when it's the first one of the season.  Guess I'll let others worry about the other details, I'm just going to enjoy the dub.  

We're on to Baltimore.

This.

Charlotte was buzzzzing this weekend. They just came off a win and came out in this game firing. That we beat this Team in their home turf with a patchwork defense, is big.   

So far so good - Stains and Stealers both lost. All we need is the Rats to lose to make it a really nice weekend.

I love the couch coaches and GMs....SMH

(09-29-2024, 08:19 PM)Joelist Wrote: So far so good - Stains and Stealers both lost. All we need is the Rats to lose to make it a really nice weekend.

Yep, looking forward to Allen having a really huge game for us.

Right I mean it's hard to get overly excited when you are 1-3.... Defense continues to be trash and thankfully Henderson only suffered a stinger.

Nearly every week is a must win at this point... got to get a W vs Baltimore at home.

I'm not sure how you fix the defense unless we believe Myles Murphy changes everything.. Obviously a more aggressive front office should consider a trade.

Low expectations

(09-29-2024, 08:25 PM)QueenCity Wrote: Right I mean it's hard to get overly excited when you are 1-3.... Defense continues to be trash and thankfully Henderson only suffered a stinger.

Nearly every week is a must win at this point... got to get a W vs Baltimore at home.

I'm not sure how you fix the defense unless we believe Myles Murphy changes everything.. Obviously a more aggressive front office should consider a trade.

Oh FFS.... AFCN standing
Steelers 3-1
Ravens  1-2 (hopefully 1 and 3 after playing the Bills tonight)
Browns  1-3
Bengals  1-3

People acting like we are 5 games back and in "must win" territory failed math. 13 games left. The Stealers will be lucky to win again.

This defense isn’t winning a superbowl.

I was VERY negative after the Chiefs & Commanders losses.

But, there are starting to be some glimmers of hope.

1) Mims is gonna be good. Hell, he was pretty good today. No sacks on Burrow for first time since 2021.

2) Jenkins is gonna be good. Hell, he was good today. Hellava play on the goal line.

3) D line getting healthier. BJ Hill looks like he could return. Murphy & Jackson are eligible to come off IR.

Not all rainbows & unicorns. Trey got dinged up. Anytime there is a neck/spine injury, I am worried. Hubbard still not looking 100% (hammies are tricky). And Rankins & Sample still out. But Jenkins back & more help on the way.

4) Chase Brown and the run game looked a lot better.

5) All Jr.

6) Rehkow is a stud.

7) Higgins is back.

8) Turner looked pretty good when Hilton went down.

Still need better pressure, run D, and coverage.

Ravens will be a step up. If we can manage a win, we'll be no worse than tied for 2nd, and the Steelers are not that good.

(09-29-2024, 08:29 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Oh FFS.... AFCN standing
Steelers 3-1
Ravens  1-2 (hopefully 1 and 3 after playing the Bills tonight)
Browns  1-3
Bengals  1-3

People acting like we are 5 games back and in "must win" territory failed math. 13 games left. The Stealers will be lucky to win again.

Yep, this morning we were 0-3 and by the end of the night we could be tied for second.  That's how wide-open this division is.

The game was good, for once, we were in control through out.

(09-29-2024, 08:29 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: This defense isn’t winning a superbowl.

Maybe the Puppy Super Bowl 

(09-29-2024, 09:04 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Yep, this morning we were 0-3 and by the end of the night we could be tied for second.  That's how wide-open this division is.

But seriously, how many wins do you expect in the division?  We will be lucky to be 3-3, but ,my guess is 2-4.

That want help win the division.

(09-29-2024, 08:29 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: This defense isn’t winning a superbowl.

Thought you said last week you were done watching???

(09-29-2024, 09:16 PM)Timanky12 Wrote: But seriously, how many wins do you expect in the division?  We will be lucky to be 3-3, but ,my guess is 2-4.

That want help win the division.

Prognosticator has never been my day job, so my guess is only that.  All I know is from a mathematical standpoint we could be tied for second by EOD, so perhaps it's not the lost cause some are suggesting.  Time will tell how well we'll do in the division and overall.