Carolina Panthers Season in Review

Carolina Panthers Season in Review

Wow. All I have to say about the Panthers this year is wow. Ole Cam and riverboat Rob did it this year. They beat the Saints and won the NFC South. After starting 1-3 the Panthers what went on an eight game winning streak, and finishing 12-4.

It was an awesome sight seeing Cam Newton mature the way he did. At some point Cam stopped worrying about himself and realized the old cliche was true, there is no '"I" in team. Cam stepped up and became a monster this year. He took care of the football and made all the right decisions. The only criticism I really had for Cam is he held the ball too long sometimes and didn't trust his arm enough. If you watch the film you will some receivers who weren't wide open but weren't completely covered. I believe Cam could have made those throws but instead he pulled the ball down and looked at other options. Another criticism is the same criticism all mobile quarterbacks get. Cam needs to stop taking so many hits. Yes he is a big guy, but all those hits add up.  Watching Cam mature this season was looking watching your favorite nephew grow up right before your eyes. It was an incredible sight. 

Like every other team, the Panthers suffered some injuries. Losing Charles Godfrey was a huge loss considering what he means to the team vocally and what he meant to the team physically. The Panthers had so many injuries on the back end at one point all their starting defensive backs were rookies, either drafted in the later rounds or undrafted. With a few of those players set to be free agents (Quintin Mikell, Mike Mitchell, Captain Munnerlyn) the Panthers need to find a way to replace them with effective starters. Alot of times that inexperienced secondary may have looked better than what they exactly were due to their fantastic front 7. If you don't know who Luke Kuechly is, then go to youtube and watch some of his highlights, and nothing more will need to be said. Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson might be the best tandem at rushing the passer. They had all the ingredients for a top defense in this league...more specifically top two defenses in the league.  

This offseason the Panthers are most likely saying bye to the greatest player in their franchise history Steve Smith. While I don't agree with this move, I understand it to a point. Money is clearly the main issue. Smith is set to make 7 million ( 4 million guaranteed, 3 million non-exercise fee). If Steve Smith can't be traded, then he will most likely be cut. If he is cut, they will still have to pay him 3 million. So maybe this isn't all about money? The Panthers feel Smith has lost a step or two and decided its time for them to move. I would love to hear how Cam feels about this. If Smith is cut they will need to replace him. Taking away weapons from Cam will only hinder his development. Hakeem Nicks says he wants to play with Cam, but that might be too much of a risk for the Panthers considering his medical history. Panthers need to be careful. Cam got a small taste of the playoffs, but now he wants a bigger scoop. It would be smart for the Panthers to supply him with weapons to keep moving forward.