The problem with the opinion of former players of most sports turned talking heads is that for the most part with a very few handful of exceptions the players are horrible at in depth analysis and being on the networks just makes it even worse when they have to produce sound bites and entertainment for the masses. It probably comes from them being shoved conventional wisdom into their heads and going on their feelings all their lives and then not being able to step back from it. They are some of the worst people to ever get any meaningful things out of especially when it doesn't pertain to direct on the field tactical issues of their previous position.
For the record I'm not a Lions fan. As far as them beating the Bears I readily acknowledge the Bears were horrible this year.
Anybody that's objective just needs to look at the Panthers stats this year, or even if a person doesn't want to get that in depth with that just face the fact they didn't even have a winning record in one of the worst divisions in football in years. Not that they can't win going foreword because strange things happen in the NFL and any given Sunday with small sample sizes of only a few games, but they were just the least worst team that played the game. Losing Hardy might have stung for them, but every team has injuries, and that's not nearly enough to somehow account for their record this year. It's not like the Panthers were extraordinarily unlucky this year either. It's also not like the Arizona offense was the only one that was bad. The defense and special teams played terrible. Unusual for them, and it's not really the Panthers doing that by being so good they enforced their will on them. Arizona was just horrible.
