I am not worried at all about Carolina.
The Patriots on the other hand would terrify me because they are just so consistently good.
Carolina just doesn't scare me like that.
I guess we'll see or not but as long as we're healthy at QB and some key spots I think we could easily beat them.
The Packers have just fallen off a cliff. They think it's the new guy calling plays but I think it's their run game.
The commentators who are former players understand how good we are just because well we are.
We aren't the most consistent team but we probably are the most talented.
Quick comment on your Patriot concerns, I've thought about that also, but I actually think we match up well with them. By that, I simply mean if any team is going to compete score for score with the Pats--which is really what you have to do unless they're having an off day--then we probably match up better than any other team. I don't think they have a D that can stop our multitude of options on offense, and if I'm Bettcher I single everyone up outside, double Gronk, and send everyone else to hit Brady. Our corners have a much greater talent level than their receivers. I wouldn't play zone at all against Brady. I feel the same way about playing GB, to a much greater extent.
I still believe our toughest matchup would be against Carolina. I don't think we match up well. They have a great defense, and Luke Kuechly, just by himself, can negate a lot of the slot play we've been getting from Fitz. He knows how to fill zones, rush the passer, he's great at everything. The main difference a player like Kuechly makes against a team like us though is basic form tackling. His range allows him to cover sideline to sideline and he's an excellent tackler, so suddenly those former big gains are tackled for 5 or 7 or 10 instead of 20+. Kuechly can protect the middle of the field against run or pass, and I for one happen to think we live off middle field concepts (running or passing).
Cam isn't a Marino or anything, I know some of you have no respect for him at all, but he's good at what most people on this forum love: situational football. He hits on his big plays when they're there and when it matters, and he represents the type of QB which can beat a talented secondary like ours: on broken plays. Scrambling, throwing on the run deep. That's how you kill great corners, it's the only way, it's not Tom Brady sitting in the pocket trying to throw to some rookie going against PP. He'll run just enough to get us to focus on stopping it, and then throw it to some no-name receiver who got behind our corners. That's what he does.
Again, it goes back to match-ups. I love our D, but they're aggressive, and what you don't want is guys peeking into the backfield while he scrambles, so he can throw it over the top. Sure, you can coach them not to do it, but when it's what you are, and how you've played all year, it's what you're going to do and even a second's hesitation will get you killed.
Carolina is a bad matchup for us.
