WEEK 7 THOUGHTS -- BEFORE & AFTER THE GAME

 
Everything about this year is screwy..... I've been "with" the Panthers from the very beginning. I went to the very first game ever played in BOA stadium. I followed the Panthers closely (more or less..) every year..... And I've never seen a season like this one.

I NEVER guessed that we would win this last game against the BUCS. Totally made no sense.  Yes, our Defense has been playing good ball..... Only 'good' though, NOT "great."  Holding the Bucs ... no TDs only 1 FG.... Tom Brady -- ineffective.??  Really..??  Something in the stars just aligned for this result. Cannot explain it..... No-one can.

PJ Walker actually played like a professional. I give credit where it's due. I don't believe he is anything more than a backup, but in this game he came to play.  And this time, at least, it was enough.  Glad to see Foreman running like a power back for a change.  Even Hubbard wasn't too shabby. Moore made some plays. Tommy Tremble contributed too.

Looking at the "stat line", this game was a "toss-up". The Panthers were beaten soundly in Passing Attempts and Passing Yds. While the Panthers WON the Rushing game easily. Time of Possession was just about dead even +/- a few seconds.  3rd down conversion rates were terrible for both teams although the Panthers were slightly better (Bucs 2-12; Car 4-12..). The Bucs won the 'Return' game easily. Bucs had 92 return yds; Panthers had "0"  The Bucs also won the 1st Down battle  17-13  (The Panthers also got one 1st down by penalty..). And the Bucs had more Offensive plays (66-50..)

So, by all reasonable metrics, this was a VERY close game with a slight advantage going to the Bucs (Offensively..).  Except for one thing.... The Panthers scored 3 TDs and the Bucs scored "0".  So the game turned on "big plays". Nothing else accounts for it.

I don't expect the Panthers to continue to have this kind of "luck" moving forward.  The odds are going to catch up, and the stats will prevail over the run of games, UNLESS, the Panthers get their sh*t together and start winning the T.O.P., 3rd Down Success, and Passing efficiency.