PODCAST: What Is Wrong With the Panthers?
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00:00:00 This is Desmond Johnson on the Believe in Carolina Panthers Podcast, here on the Believe
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00:00:35 You can also find us at Believe.com and @BelievePodcast on Twitter.
00:00:50 And welcome into a brand new edition of the Believe in Carolina Panthers Podcast brought
00:00:54 to you by the Believe Podcast Networks.
00:00:56 Do you believe?
00:00:58 I'm your host Desmond Johnson.
00:01:00 With me this morning, Skylar Callahan, beat writer for the Carolina Panthers, for Sports
00:01:04 Illustrated and the Panthers all-time lead in rusher, Jonathan Stewart.
00:01:08 Fresh off of a 28-17, Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the home opener Monday Night
00:01:14 Football, kind of a weird game.
00:01:16 We'll try to dissect it for you.
00:01:18 We like to believe that we are the voice of reason when it comes to the Panther Podcast
00:01:22 that are out there, Panther content creators.
00:01:25 I didn't even bother getting on Twitter really at all last night or this morning because
00:01:29 I knew what it was going to be.
00:01:30 So we're going to stay away from that.
00:01:33 We're going to give you the real.
00:01:34 We're going to tell you the truth, how we feel about what we saw.
00:01:37 But the whole pity party, giving up after Week 2 thing, that's not what we do here.
00:01:41 So that's not, if you're here for that, then you can go on about your day.
00:01:45 But if you're here to kind of figure out what we need to do next, maybe we can help you
00:01:48 out.
00:01:49 We'll be able to figure out what went wrong yesterday against the Saints.
00:01:52 The Saints defense might be the best defense in the league.
00:01:54 I'll just start off right there.
00:01:56 So a lot of this was, you know, you're playing against a defense that's like playing in molasses.
00:02:01 So we'll get into that also.
00:02:03 It's also Tuesday.
00:02:05 So of course, if I'm sure by now a lot of you have a lot of things.
00:02:13 If you are mad at the Panthers or the coaching staff, the Bryce Young or David Tepper, whoever,
00:02:19 here's your chance to vent.
00:02:20 You can actually get on youtube.com/@tobaccaroadsportsradio or the Facebook watch version of this live
00:02:26 video and you can get on and comment directly to us.
00:02:29 We'll be able to respond to it.
00:02:30 So if there's something you want us to question or to answer, I should say, or just something
00:02:35 an observation you've had, you can do so as well there throughout the show.
00:02:41 Before we get started, though, quick word from our sponsors over at Bet Online.
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00:03:19 Bet Online, where the game starts.
00:03:20 That felt longer than normal.
00:03:24 Where the game starts and where we start is a look at the box score and first observations.
00:03:29 Normally, we take a day or two between the end of our game and when we come on so we
00:03:34 can kind of collect our thoughts.
00:03:35 Of course, we knew this week was going to be a little bit different with it being Monday
00:03:38 night football.
00:03:39 Really only having about 10 hours to process what happened last night.
00:03:46 The Panthers 20 to 17, losers to the New Orleans Saints.
00:03:51 Let's just start off with you, Stu.
00:03:55 Initial thoughts, takeaways from last night's contest from what you saw at Bank of America
00:04:01 Stadium.
00:04:02 Well, I'll give him the positive first.
00:04:08 I think our defense is capable, just like last year, of keeping us in games.
00:04:18 I feel like Frankie Lou Vu stepped up big time with Shaq Thompson going down.
00:04:25 We're continuing to see guys, not just guys, but our starters and the leaders of this team
00:04:33 falling to injury.
00:04:36 Unfortunate situation where he got landed on by what it seemed to be a guy just finishing
00:04:43 a play.
00:04:44 It's just bad luck, man.
00:04:48 I hate it for Shaq.
00:04:50 Just hopefully he recovers and makes his way back to the field.
00:04:59 But the defense, man, Frankie Lou Vu, we see him week in, week out doing his thing.
00:05:07 I feel like when you have a leader like Shaq go down and you have somebody like Frankie
00:05:13 on that squad and is capable of leading by playing with his energy, I love seeing that.
00:05:22 Von Bell, I love seeing his play yesterday, coming up, making plays with his interception.
00:05:33 I just think our defense is capable of keeping us in games.
00:05:37 But now on the offensive side, we're watching a offense trying to find themselves.
00:05:50 And that's to be expected.
00:05:53 We can go into a season as fans and say to ourselves, "Oh, week one, we're just going
00:06:00 to hit on all cylinders."
00:06:02 Yeah, that's wishful thinking.
00:06:05 But I think now that we're two weeks in, reality sets in.
00:06:11 We aren't as far ahead.
00:06:14 We're not as far as what we thought we were.
00:06:16 It doesn't mean that we're not going to get there.
00:06:19 It just means that we're just not there yet offensively.
00:06:23 And I think yesterday I was pretty happy about the way they were able to rally towards the
00:06:31 end of the game there, putting some points on the board, catching some rhythm.
00:06:38 One of the things going back to last week where we were able to run the ball kind of
00:06:44 at will, we didn't really do that this game.
00:06:47 And so I'll say when things aren't going well, you have to commit to the run and give the
00:06:55 offensive line confidence, give the quarterback confidence.
00:07:00 Like Chuba Hubbard only got two carries.
00:07:06 And it wasn't like this was a game where the first quarter we were down by 21.
00:07:15 So you got to figure out a way to be physical in a game like this as a division opponent.
00:07:20 Yeah, the Saints defense appears to be probably one of the best defenses in the league at
00:07:26 this point.
00:07:28 But I think we could have run the ball more and could have been a little bit more physical
00:07:35 at the point of contact.
00:07:37 It looks like, okay, I'm looking through the box score.
00:07:39 Okay, we rushed for 100 yards even.
00:07:41 We only had 19 attempts.
00:07:43 Yeah, but part of that is Bryce, you got to remember Bryce Young was scrambling.
00:07:48 Right, he had a long run on that last drive.
00:07:51 Yeah, so take those away.
00:07:54 I mean, the mentality and the play calling, I feel like you weren't really helping yourself
00:08:00 there.
00:08:01 Yeah, that was 26 yards just on that run by Bryce.
00:08:04 But I also think, again, it goes back to the offense finding themselves.
00:08:11 Like Frank Rack is still trying to figure out what his players can do, especially in
00:08:18 a game moment like short yardage.
00:08:22 You can tell they're trying to figure out what they want to be in short yardage situations.
00:08:26 I mean, if it was me, just line Chew and Hover it up.
00:08:31 Just let them be a bully.
00:08:35 And we don't have to be too cute about things.
00:08:39 So I think if there's five of themselves, we don't have to jump the gun.
00:08:46 We got the Seahawks next week and we can make our presence known there.
00:08:52 Yeah, it doesn't get any easier going on to take on Gino Smith and Seattle Seahawks on
00:08:59 the road cross country in Seattle next week.
00:09:02 Skylar, you were there last night at Bank of America Stadium.
00:09:06 What were your initial takeaways from that game, 2017 loss of the Saints week two?
00:09:11 I mean, a lot of what Stu just said, I mean, he hit it right on the head.
00:09:15 I mean, the offense has just got to find a way to get the run game going early.
00:09:18 And I would understand it if, again, like Stu said, if you're down early and you're
00:09:24 kind of forced to throw it.
00:09:25 But I mean, this was a 6-6 game for a while.
00:09:27 I mean, it was 6-3 for a long time.
00:09:29 So and even when you're down 13-6, you still have to run the football.
00:09:34 You can't get away from that.
00:09:35 I think the biggest difference that I've started to kind of notice with this year's team through
00:09:39 two games versus last year, like when you look on paper, this team is more talented
00:09:46 than last year's.
00:09:47 And I don't really think it's close.
00:09:49 Now the depth, that's still obviously the biggest concern with this team.
00:09:53 But the main reason why that team was so good down the stretch last year and the reason
00:09:58 why they got the seven wins is because they ran the football at will and they played good
00:10:03 defense.
00:10:04 Well, right now you're doing one of those two things.
00:10:07 And running the football at will is something that you have to have with a really good offensive
00:10:12 line that can get downhill.
00:10:13 And you also have to have a guy that can kind of wear down a defense.
00:10:18 And I don't really see that running back existing in this room.
00:10:22 Like you don't have Deontay Foreman.
00:10:24 You don't even have Mike Davis back there.
00:10:26 Like you have two kind of elusive scat backs that can one cut and make you miss kind of
00:10:33 guys.
00:10:34 They're not really north and south downhill type of runners.
00:10:37 They can be.
00:10:39 But they're not going to bring a load like Deontay Foreman does.
00:10:43 And I think that's the one thing that's missing with this team.
00:10:46 You look up front, you're missing two.
00:10:47 You're starting offensive linemen both on the interior.
00:10:51 That's a problem.
00:10:52 I mean, you look at that offensive line across the board, you've got Chandler Zavala who
00:10:58 started at right guard last week, got flipped over to left guard.
00:11:00 You have Cade Mace who's bounced all over the place since he's been to Carolina.
00:11:04 Now he's starting at right guard.
00:11:05 You have Ike Ikuonu who's kind of going through a sophomore slump right now.
00:11:10 That's a young group outside of Bozeman and Taylor Mote.
00:11:13 So I mean, they've got to find a way to get the running game going.
00:11:17 But I don't know.
00:11:20 It seems like guys like to me, all the concerns that we had going into the season are coming
00:11:27 to fruition.
00:11:28 I think there's legitimate reason to be concerned about the receiving group because they haven't
00:11:33 been able to make plays consistently.
00:11:34 They haven't been able to stretch the field.
00:11:36 There's no verticality to this offense.
00:11:39 That's an issue.
00:11:40 Like last week, Bryce Young, I think his average yards per completion was 3.8.
00:11:47 This week was 4.6.
00:11:48 That's not going to win you football games.
00:11:51 >> Okay, so my initial thought, actually that last drive kind of skewed the game for me
00:11:57 a little bit.
00:11:58 >> It did.
00:11:59 >> Yeah, people are going to wake up and go, 20 to 17.
00:12:03 >> They're playing safe, soft coverage anyways.
00:12:06 >> Yeah, soft coverage.
00:12:07 >> Right, right.
00:12:08 >> Yeah, you can dump it off to the running back and he'll just be able to get 5, 10 yards.
00:12:14 >> Now he had a couple, he had that throw to Mingo, like right around the two or three
00:12:17 yard line or something like that, that looked okay.
00:12:19 But in the end, my first thought when the game was over was that, they let Bryce cook
00:12:23 a little bit.
00:12:24 They took off the limiter, I guess, because it felt like instead of him having to go up
00:12:32 to the line with a set play and then doing set play, and if it works, it works, if it
00:12:37 doesn't, it doesn't.
00:12:38 That last drive felt like, okay, they're giving him enough time to get to the line and see
00:12:42 the defense and then he's able to adjust to it.
00:12:45 And there was a couple times during those plays where he was able to kind of, not freestyle,
00:12:49 but he was able to adapt on the fly.
00:12:51 With the little cut back to Thielen in the end zone for the two point coverage, that
00:12:54 kind of thing.
00:12:55 That's the stuff that we're not seeing, we're not seeing that from Bryce Young.
00:12:59 I don't know if that's because of, I don't think it's the play calling, cuz to a degree
00:13:05 I understand why they're calling the plays they're calling.
00:13:07 Cuz again, like you both said, we don't really have that vertical threat, even with DJ Chark
00:13:10 out there last night.
00:13:11 It's just not there, so it's pointless.
00:13:15 I hear the fans going, well, you need to throw it downfield.
00:13:17 You can't just throw it downfield just to throw it downfield, there's gotta be a guy
00:13:20 open.
00:13:21 There's gotta be a reason to throw it down there.
00:13:23 And you can't just- >> Separation.
00:13:24 >> Yeah.
00:13:25 >> Yeah.
00:13:26 >> You gotta have some separation.
00:13:27 >> So I don't know, that last drive kind of threw me off a little bit.
00:13:30 I knew it was gonna look a little better at the end of the day, losing by three.
00:13:33 And then a little excitement at the end.
00:13:35 But that entire game, it did not feel like the Panthers offense was in control at all.
00:13:40 And really looking back the past two weeks, I'm trying to think, was there really a drive
00:13:45 where you felt like they had a rhythm to what they're doing?
00:13:48 What's their identity?
00:13:49 I don't know what they're supposed to be.
00:13:51 >> Not this week.
00:13:52 I mean, last week, I think that's the biggest difference between week one and week two is
00:13:55 even though week one was bad offensively, there was some moments that you saw like,
00:14:00 okay, this thing can maybe work.
00:14:02 And I think a lot of that was going back to what they did on first down.
00:14:05 They did a really good job on first down, I thought, last week, from what I can remember.
00:14:09 Now, I've covered so many dang teams, I might be getting mixed up, but-
00:14:11 >> No, well, they didn't this past, they didn't last night, but they did week one.
00:14:15 >> Yeah, and that was the difference last night.
00:14:16 They were getting themselves in second and 12, second and 14, second and nine, second
00:14:20 and eight.
00:14:21 You're not going to win if you stay behind the chains or at the chains.
00:14:24 You have to get positive yardage on first down.
00:14:27 And a lot of that is running the football.
00:14:29 But it's also hard to push the ball downfield when you have a barrage of defenders in your
00:14:33 grill.
00:14:34 It's hard to get the ball downfield when you've got guys up in your face, you don't have a
00:14:39 clean pocket.
00:14:41 And I think some of these concepts, I have to go back and watch the tape, cuz I don't
00:14:45 wanna overly criticize.
00:14:47 But I feel like some of these plays are taking really long to develop.
00:14:50 And I don't know if that's the route concepts, if that's just Bryce holding onto the ball.
00:14:56 I'm not really sure, maybe a little bit of everything, but I don't like how long it's
00:15:01 taking.
00:15:02 And there was a few plays last night.
00:15:05 There's one in particular where he had Adam Thielen going, basically on an out route toward
00:15:11 the sideline, had him wide open.
00:15:12 He was focused clearly on the other side of the field.
00:15:15 And there's three or four plays where he had a guy open on the other side and never even
00:15:20 made it over there.
00:15:21 So I don't know if he's not going all the way through, left to right, right to left,
00:15:25 or if that's just not even an option really, or if that's his fourth or fifth read.
00:15:31 I don't know what that is, but he's gotta get to that read.
00:15:34 Because there was multiple plays like that.
00:15:37 And there was one where I think it was Bryce was getting chased around in the backfield
00:15:41 and he was kind of going back and forth, almost got sacked.
00:15:44 And he had Terrence coming back to the ball along the sideline, would have been good for
00:15:49 like six, seven yards and didn't throw it to him.
00:15:51 And you think he ended up running for like a yard or maybe go back to a lot of scrimmage.
00:15:55 Those little plays don't seem like big plays until you go back and watch it.
00:15:59 Like man, that six or seven yards could have really helped.
00:16:03 It feels like, I do want to address one thing though, because I am seeing this amongst the
00:16:08 fan base.
00:16:09 I'm not here to yell at the fan base this week.
00:16:10 I usually do, because you guys, you are prone to disappoint me on social media, making the
00:16:16 whole family look bad out here.
00:16:18 Like, I'm not gonna rag on you guys, because I get it.
00:16:21 You want winners.
00:16:22 You want a winning team.
00:16:24 I get all of that.
00:16:25 I don't remember Frank Wright ever saying that he was holding back his explosive plays.
00:16:30 I keep seeing this narrative that this isn't an explosive offense that I was promised,
00:16:35 Frank Wright.
00:16:36 I'm like, when did he promise us an explosive offense?
00:16:37 He just said he wasn't running their plays.
00:16:39 That didn't mean the plays that he wasn't running were explosive.
00:16:41 It just means they weren't running the stuff he wanted to run.
00:16:44 If this is the stuff they want to run, and he doubled down on that in the post game,
00:16:49 where someone asked about the play calling, and he was like, we don't believe it's the
00:16:52 play calling.
00:16:53 We just believe we just need to execute the plays we're calling, which to an extent, I
00:16:57 can see it.
00:16:58 - That's true.
00:16:59 I can see that.
00:17:00 Like, when it comes to the play calling, I think at the end of the day, the play calling
00:17:07 works, right?
00:17:08 Like, whatever plays you call, clearly you have an understanding of what you're doing.
00:17:13 Like, you get paid for that.
00:17:16 So I don't think people should even like question Frank Wright's play calling, right?
00:17:22 But all we're really saying is, when you're struggling as an offense, you have some dogs
00:17:30 that you got to trust to move the chains.
00:17:34 Like if your quarterback is in a funk, let him lean on the offensive line and the running
00:17:43 back in the running game, just to get things moving here.
00:17:48 Like, don't just disengage from the run like that in the game like this.
00:17:55 You have a game, a division game, where you're sitting there three to three, six to three,
00:18:02 like 14 to like nine, like those types of games.
00:18:07 You see what's happening up North, Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland
00:18:13 Browns, those cold weather games where it's just like, man, these guys are just out there
00:18:18 like going fist for fist.
00:18:22 Turn that game on, right?
00:18:25 Turn that type of game plan on because what that's going to do, A, is wear down a defense
00:18:31 and keep your defense nice and fluid.
00:18:36 You know what I'm saying?
00:18:37 So I don't know.
00:18:39 I just really, the physicality, I mean, for me as a running back, you live for games like
00:18:46 that where, okay, our quarterback's struggling.
00:18:49 Give me the ball.
00:18:50 I want to help.
00:18:51 You know what I'm saying?
00:18:52 It feels like I don't get it.
00:18:56 Let's just hit somebody in the mouth.
00:18:59 If we go three and out, at least we hit them in the mouth because the next time we go out
00:19:03 there, they're going to remember when I hit them in the mouth.
00:19:06 Do you think it's the simplest thought though?
00:19:08 Because it does feel like, it's weird because you watch the Panthers play and then it'll
00:19:15 be like Dallas or Kansas City or something that's on right behind it or Miami and you're
00:19:20 just watching two different worlds of offense.
00:19:22 Oh, man, listen, you can't compare nobody to Miami right now.
00:19:26 Yeah, oh gosh.
00:19:27 They're on something else.
00:19:28 When you talk about speed, this is what you're talking about.
00:19:31 You're talking about a Hyundai and a Porsche as far as speed, bro.
00:19:41 Their speed is just crazy at all skill positions, receiver, tight end, and the doggone running
00:19:49 back position.
00:19:50 I got to run at four three.
00:19:52 I got three things on the whole play calling thing.
00:19:55 First of all, I don't understand the overreaction, but I also get it.
00:20:00 Everyone's under, they're frustrated and I get that, but every time something doesn't
00:20:05 work, they just want to move on to the next guy.
00:20:08 Same thing with the quarterback.
00:20:09 The backup quarterback is the most popular man on every football team.
00:20:13 It could be the same thing with the play calling.
00:20:16 To me, the play calling is not the issue.
00:20:18 If you're not executing, it doesn't matter if Frank Reichwald is calling the plays or
00:20:21 if Thomas Brown is calling the plays.
00:20:23 It doesn't matter if you're not executing.
00:20:25 Secondly, you're two games into this thing.
00:20:28 You brought Frank Reich here for a reason.
00:20:30 He is this mastermind of offenses.
00:20:33 He may not be the Sean McVeigh or Kyle Shanahan of the world, but he's a very well-respected
00:20:39 offensive mind that's had success with quarterback play.
00:20:45 He knows what he's doing.
00:20:46 He's not alone.
00:20:47 He's got Jim Caldwell on there.
00:20:48 He's got Thomas.
00:20:49 I mean, there's other guys, Josh McCown.
00:20:50 There's a group of guys.
00:20:51 Here's my point.
00:20:52 Yes, you're frustrated, but you want to take away the play calling from a guy that's done
00:20:58 it for years and hand it to a guy after two games.
00:21:02 After two games, guys.
00:21:03 I'm going to tell you why we mad, son.
00:21:04 I'm going to tell you why we mad, son.
00:21:05 I was waiting for somebody to get to it.
00:21:06 I'm getting hot now.
00:21:07 Yeah, I was waiting.
00:21:08 But you want to hand it over to a guy that's never called a single NFL play in a regular
00:21:17 season game in his life.
00:21:19 That's no disrespect to Thomas Brown.
00:21:21 That's just the cold, hard facts.
00:21:22 He's never called a play in a regular season.
00:21:24 I think the fan base isn't aware of that.
00:21:28 They don't know that Thomas Brown wouldn't call in plays.
00:21:31 When the offense is in disarray like it is, you don't want to change it and give it to
00:21:35 a guy that's never called plays before.
00:21:38 You got to go to the guy that's done it and figure out how to get out of this before.
00:21:41 He's been through this before.
00:21:43 You mean to tell me the Colts have never had a struggling offense starting season?
00:21:46 He was one in five and made the playoffs.
00:21:49 I'm not saying that's going to happen with this team, but he found a way.
00:21:52 He's done this for years.
00:21:53 Thomas Brown is learning.
00:21:55 This is not the time to turn it over to Thomas Brown just because we're two weeks in and
00:22:00 they can't move the ball.
00:22:01 It's a new offense.
00:22:02 It's a whole new scheme.
00:22:04 A lot of young players, a lot of new faces.
00:22:06 You have two of your offensive linemen out.
00:22:08 This is going to take some time.
00:22:10 It was never going to come out and just hit on all cylinders right out of the bat.
00:22:14 I think people got comfortable.
00:22:16 Panther fans in general kind of expected that.
00:22:19 I'm trying to sit back because we got a little bit of a taste of that too.
00:22:22 It was like we were kind of expecting it to be a little better, like Stu said at the top
00:22:24 of the show.
00:22:25 Now, after week two, again like what Stu said, I think reality is starting to set in a little
00:22:29 bit in terms of what we have.
00:22:32 Willie asking why weren't offensive adjustments made.
00:22:35 How do you know they didn't make adjustments?
00:22:37 It just didn't work.
00:22:38 That's always been my thing too with the fan base.
00:22:40 They assume the coaching staff hasn't tried to change something.
00:22:43 A lot of times they have and it just didn't work either.
00:22:46 The Saints defense is really, really good.
00:22:49 I will apologize to the Saints because I was down on them all offseason.
00:22:52 I was saying they're the oldest team in the division and I don't trust them, blah, blah,
00:22:56 blah.
00:22:57 I got caught up in the whole, "Well, I don't like that team so I'm just going to try to
00:23:00 make sure I don't predict them to do well."
00:23:05 The Saints really played a really good game on defense.
00:23:08 They did.
00:23:09 Well, yeah, on defense.
00:23:10 Yeah.
00:23:11 I just wish we would have ran the ball.
00:23:13 We got to make sure we take advantage of the opportunities we get to make the play calling
00:23:19 more comfortable to call the plays.
00:23:21 Right?
00:23:22 And execution.
00:23:23 I just thought of something too that-
00:23:25 I'm going to tell you why we mad, son.
00:23:26 I'm going to tell you why we mad, son.
00:23:27 You know Deontay Foreman was a healthy scratch for the Bears this past week.
00:23:32 They didn't get on the field.
00:23:34 I'm just like ... That made me think, and I was talking to you guys about this before
00:23:38 the show too.
00:23:39 I was like, "Why did we trade Christian McCaffrey?
00:23:43 Why did we trade him?"
00:23:44 I'm trying to remember what the circumstances were.
00:23:46 I know we had just lost ... Well, Rule had just been fired.
00:23:49 He was traded after Rule was let go, right?
00:23:53 Yeah.
00:23:54 Yeah.
00:23:55 He was playing one game with Wilch, I believe.
00:23:56 Why did we trade him?
00:23:58 I'm trying to think of why.
00:24:00 Because the offense that we have constructed right now, imagine that offense with a Christian
00:24:04 McCaffrey in it.
00:24:06 I would think it would just elevate a little bit of everything you can do.
00:24:10 He'd probably be the best route runner on the team, to be honest.
00:24:13 I don't know.
00:24:14 I mean, it would be a little bit easier for Bryce because he knows he has that security
00:24:19 blanket.
00:24:20 I'm like, "What did we get from McCaffrey?"
00:24:22 Some of the stuff ended up going to the Bears to move up, to draft Bryce Young.
00:24:28 I think one of the picks was the fourth round pick we used on DJ Johnson.
00:24:31 I think we have a fifth next year that we still have.
00:24:34 Or no.
00:24:35 We traded all of them off to various things or whatever.
00:24:38 So in the end, what did we get from McCaffrey?
00:24:41 And would it have been better just to keep him?
00:24:43 Because we could have still moved up to number one anyway.
00:24:45 I mean, we still could have won those seven games with McCaffrey here.
00:24:47 I don't know.
00:24:48 It was just one of those Marvel "what if" type things.
00:24:52 What was the reasoning behind it?
00:24:55 Financial relief is number one, in my opinion.
00:24:57 I think that's what it was.
00:24:58 Because-
00:24:59 But see, then when you throw the Burns thing in there-
00:25:00 We do have a lot of staff next year.
00:25:01 You throw the Burns situation in there, you're just like, "Okay, well, if we did these moves
00:25:07 for to bring in our guys like Burns or whatever, why could they not figure out how to sign
00:25:12 Brian Burns before the season started?"
00:25:14 If that was your plan, if your plan was to save us money for them.
00:25:17 The Burns deal will get done.
00:25:19 I don't have any concern with that.
00:25:21 I think that's just a matter of coming to an exact number.
00:25:25 That'll happen in the offseason.
00:25:26 But to me, I think it's all about financial relief.
00:25:29 When you have a chance to strike while the iron's hot, you have to do it.
00:25:33 Especially with the running back position.
00:25:35 I hate that the value is what it is with the running backs, but it is what it is.
00:25:41 When you look at Christian's injury history, you're like, "Man, we're stuck with this big
00:25:46 contract."
00:25:47 That was all the talk going into last season.
00:25:48 It was like, "Man, the Panthers are stuck with this contract."
00:25:49 You're right.
00:25:50 Of course, as soon as he leaves here, he's the healthiest he's been in five years or
00:25:54 whatever.
00:25:55 That's the point.
00:25:56 As soon as he shows that he's healthy, and if the team's not playing well, you trade
00:26:02 him.
00:26:03 You get the most out of him while you can, so you get something back in return.
00:26:06 You're not stuck with that big contract.
00:26:09 Now you are able to pay Brian Burns at some point.
00:26:12 You are able to pay Frankie Lou Vu and whoever else is going to be up for contract negotiations.
00:26:17 I think that's the biggest reason.
00:26:19 I think, again, as good as Christian McCaffrey is, he's still, by the league terms, a running
00:26:27 back.
00:26:28 You don't want to pay those guys an absurd amount of money if no one else is.
00:26:34 Not like Pat Mahomes, who, oh Lord, cashed in.
00:26:38 We'll get to that in a second.
00:26:41 Donald Duck says, "I said it last night.
00:26:42 C-Mac and DJ Moore laughing at us right now.
00:26:44 Y'all think you're better without me hitting different right now."
00:26:46 I don't think DJ Moore's laughing at anybody.
00:26:48 Have you seen what's going on in Chicago?
00:26:50 DJ Moore is in the exact same situation that he was in last year with Carolina.
00:26:56 It's a different city, that's all.
00:26:59 You can tell because remember him talking in the pressers before the season started.
00:27:03 He wasn't really throwing jabs at Carolina, but it would be like, "He's a little shadowy.
00:27:07 Yeah, the Chicago press is great and blah, blah, blah, and it's much bigger here."
00:27:11 He's not really shade of Carolina, but you could tell he wasn't happy he got traded.
00:27:15 Now he's in a worse situation.
00:27:18 He's in a much worse ... He would be getting targeted at least 10 times a game here still.
00:27:23 Justin Fields?
00:27:24 Yeah.
00:27:25 I don't know what ... I say all this for the Panther fans that are watching, so you know
00:27:32 there are worse situations going on in the NFL right now than what's going on in Carolina.
00:27:37 This is growth.
00:27:38 This is building.
00:27:39 This is building up to something.
00:27:40 I don't know what Chicago's doing.
00:27:43 I don't know.
00:27:44 I don't know what they're planning.
00:27:45 I want to say in the preseason too, this is not a retool.
00:27:48 This is a legit reboot.
00:27:51 You have so many guys on this team that were not here last year, a whole new staff.
00:27:58 You're not bringing back 70% of your roster that won seven games a year ago.
00:28:02 That's a lot of fans.
00:28:03 They had the stat last night before the game started that the Panthers returned 34% of
00:28:09 their scrimmage yards from last year or something.
00:28:11 It's the lowest in the NFL.
00:28:13 So there's a lot of stuff they're trying to figure out.
00:28:18 It feels like we're watching them figure it out on the fly, but there's really no other
00:28:21 way to do it.
00:28:22 You got to just roll it out there and see what you got.
00:28:24 It was a weak wide receiver, free agent base.
00:28:27 I know people are going to say DeAndre Hawkins and stuff.
00:28:29 DeAndre Hawkins would have made a difference on this team.
00:28:32 I just don't see him making that huge of a difference with what we've seen so far.
00:28:38 Mike Aldridge says, "Y'all mad about the game.
00:28:40 I'm mad my internet won't allow me to watch the game or even a podcast about the game."
00:28:43 That sounds like a problem that we can't help you with, Mike.
00:28:50 I'm sorry.
00:28:51 I hope that works out for you.
00:28:53 Donald Duggan, "Another Ohio State quarterback not panning out.
00:28:56 Are we surprised?"
00:28:57 Guys, it's been two games.
00:29:00 You know what?
00:29:01 I wasn't even going to go into it.
00:29:03 I'm going to tell you why we mad, son.
00:29:04 I'm going to tell you why we mad, son.
00:29:05 Why are we so quick to jump on this whole bust, get rid of this guy, that guy thing
00:29:12 so quickly?
00:29:13 It's September 19th.
00:29:14 We played two games.
00:29:15 I'm probably talking about field, but I agree.
00:29:21 Even fields.
00:29:22 He's played all of what, 14 games or whatever as a starter or something weird like that?
00:29:29 This whole microwave popcorn mentality of instant gratification.
00:29:33 The Panther fans, I don't know.
00:29:35 We picked the Panthers to be tuning in with this program, but we weren't being logical.
00:29:40 We've lost some key components on our defense at this point.
00:29:44 Our mentality has changed.
00:29:45 Some of the fan base, they're just expecting perfection.
00:29:50 I don't know of any team that can do that.
00:29:53 Just give it to you constantly, just perfection, what you want.
00:29:57 It's drilled in our heads that we should expect this.
00:29:59 I don't know where it's coming from.
00:30:00 I have no idea where this Panther fan base is expecting this from.
00:30:04 We just had to scrub out three years of the previous regime.
00:30:09 Let me give you guys a stat right quick.
00:30:12 Peyton Manning, you want to know how many interceptions he threw his rookie season?
00:30:16 In 1998?
00:30:17 I used to know it's like 28 or something like that.
00:30:21 Yes, exactly.
00:30:22 28 interceptions.
00:30:23 28 interceptions.
00:30:24 That's a lot.
00:30:25 That's a whole lot.
00:30:26 I'm pretty sure people were like, "Man, who in the hell drafted this man?"
00:30:34 We drafted Ryan Leaf.
00:30:36 Why did we draft Peyton Manning?
00:30:37 Why did we draft Peyton Manning?
00:30:38 Well, lo and behold, we're one of the greatest of all time.
00:30:43 Listen, don't be that guy or gal that beats Bryce Young up or this coaching staff up too
00:30:53 early because we will remember you.
00:30:56 Yes, we do keep receipts here, I believe.
00:31:01 We do keep those receipts.
00:31:02 Do you believe?
00:31:04 I still feel like I'm still not seeing anything that's making me alarmed with Bryce Young.
00:31:12 You know what I mean?
00:31:13 I'm not seeing it.
00:31:14 Anthony Richardson has not finished the first two games that he's played this season.
00:31:18 That's alarming to me.
00:31:20 With Bryce, I don't know if it's...
00:31:23 Do you think it's the coaching staff and the plays are calling that's telling Bryce to
00:31:27 not look downfield?
00:31:29 Or do you think it's Bryce not looking downfield but the option is there?
00:31:33 Because that's two different things.
00:31:35 Guys aren't getting downfield quick enough and getting open fast enough.
00:31:40 And then you also have the pressure thing, like I said earlier.
00:31:43 So when you have those two things combined, you have no chance to throw the ball downfield.
00:31:47 But it's not that they're not trying.
00:31:49 I mean, in Atlanta, they had five or six calls that were trying to get the ball downfield.
00:31:55 Now only one or two of them actually went downfield.
00:31:58 But I mean, I think it's just a barrage of things.
00:32:01 I don't think it's any one thing that you can really point to.
00:32:04 But I mean, again, this is going to happen when you have a whole new staff.
00:32:09 You're going to have some growing pains.
00:32:12 And I mean, Steve, you probably know this.
00:32:14 I mean, going through it yourself, you can speak to going through a coaching change and
00:32:21 how much of a culture change that is.
00:32:24 As much as we talked about and praised Steve Wilkes last year for the job that he did and
00:32:29 really turning that locker room on a dime, they're still having to do that again and
00:32:35 trying to get the whole team bought in.
00:32:36 That's a hard thing to do.
00:32:38 >> Right, some of those dudes aren't here, they're elsewhere.
00:32:43 So you're taking a little bit of the culture you were starting to build there.
00:32:46 Someone made a point in the comments earlier, I can't find it right now.
00:32:51 But basically, yeah, they're basically having to rebuild the culture again for the third
00:32:55 time in four years, five years or whatever.
00:32:57 I think they're on the right path, including former Panthers like Stu, Keekly out there
00:33:04 yesterday.
00:33:05 We've seen Steve Smith and Thomas Davis and these guys running around.
00:33:08 You're trying to instill some sort of culture that was here previously that Ron Rivera and
00:33:14 John Fox and them understood.
00:33:16 And the previous team tried to kind of wipe out.
00:33:19 So you're kind of working behind the eight ball to begin with.
00:33:21 And then you said it all offseason, Skyler, the number one problem for this team is depth.
00:33:26 And we saw it again last night.
00:33:28 Do you have an update on Shaq Thompson and his injury?
00:33:31 Cuz I'm seeing it's significant and he might be out the rest of the year.
00:33:34 >> I don't know if it'll be the rest of the year or not.
00:33:36 We'll probably get something here.
00:33:37 We talked to Frank at I think one o'clock.
00:33:41 But he did say last night he expects it to be something that forces him to miss extended
00:33:47 period of time.
00:33:48 So to me, again, I'm just assuming here, but from what I take out of that, that's IR.
00:33:54 That's at least four games if not longer and it didn't look so like, I mean, when you get
00:33:59 card off the field, you rarely see a guy that gets card off the field back in a week or
00:34:03 two.
00:34:04 So yeah, yeah, we've seen a bunch of injuries.
00:34:07 The first two weeks.
00:34:08 Oh my god, I've still I've not seen it.
00:34:11 Like I've only saw it on ESPN.
00:34:12 I don't want to see it.
00:34:13 I've heard I'm just glad I don't play football.
00:34:14 I'm a man for real, like watching that injury, like and then thinking to myself, man, I gotta
00:34:29 go out there and run the ball.
00:34:30 Like, yeah, like that could have been me or you don't sound like, like the mental aspect
00:34:35 of this game is all jacked up a lot of ways.
00:34:41 Like just the instabilities that are there that are not addressed for guys.
00:34:47 Like hopefully, you know, today or tomorrow, you know, guys are, you know, talking about,
00:34:53 you know, how can we not let that happen?
00:34:57 You know what I'm saying?
00:34:59 Like, how can we come in and make a play and not like take somebody's knees out like that?
00:35:05 You know what I'm saying?
00:35:07 And I know it was a bang bang play, but sheesh, man, for the days over with, because I'm surprised
00:35:13 I haven't seen it already.
00:35:14 But yeah, yeah.
00:35:15 I don't want to blame.
00:35:16 Yeah.
00:35:17 Prayers to Nick Chubb, man.
00:35:18 I hope he his mental is, you know, it's the same leg.
00:35:23 There's some solid.
00:35:24 Yeah.
00:35:25 So yes, same leg.
00:35:26 I thought so.
00:35:27 He tore the ACL, the MCL, PCL, all of it.
00:35:31 All of it.
00:35:32 Yeah.
00:35:33 So I don't want to.
00:35:35 I don't want to totally blame anybody for it, because it's like when stuff happens in
00:35:39 the football field, like you can't control things.
00:35:41 But like Deshaun Williams, like I don't know what what even if Shaq doesn't get hurt on
00:35:48 that play, I'm not sure of what he's trying to accomplish there, because if you miss the
00:35:52 play, he gets tied up with Trevor Penning and just like suplexes into the ground.
00:35:59 Like I don't know what he was doing to just like to me, if you're an offensive lineman,
00:36:03 you're doing that.
00:36:04 That's good.
00:36:05 Yeah.
00:36:06 To me, the only thing that comes out of that, if you're a defensive player, is disaster.
00:36:11 And that's exactly what happened.
00:36:12 So again, I'm not putting blame on Deshaun Williams, because that is the last thing that
00:36:16 guy needs, because he probably already feels terrible about that.
00:36:20 But again, you've got to be you got to be smart in these types of plays.
00:36:26 But it's hard.
00:36:27 It's hard.
00:36:28 It is.
00:36:29 Yeah.
00:36:30 Courtesy says only kind of have a Bryce has to be more accurate with the deep ball.
00:36:33 He's overthrown quite a few balls downfield.
00:36:35 I was thinking about this last night, too, because that last drive, it made me kind of
00:36:41 remember, well, Bryce can actually throw the football like that's why he got picked number
00:36:44 one overall.
00:36:45 Like it made me remember what he was doing in Alabama.
00:36:46 Then it made me remember who he was throwing to at Alabama, because when he thrown to Jalen
00:36:50 Waddle, Devonta Smith, when Ruggs on that team, like he had like a group of what he
00:36:56 had, like four wide receivers that went like in the first round or something, didn't he?
00:37:00 Devonta Smith on the Heisman.
00:37:02 I can't remember who all he had, but I mean, Baym has been loaded with the receivers for
00:37:05 a long time.
00:37:06 So that's a little different.
00:37:07 Throw into Devonta Smith and you know what I mean?
00:37:12 It's a little different going to them than it is to throw him up.
00:37:15 We currently have at one.
00:37:17 It was funny, though, because my buddy, he's a Saints fan and he was talking to me last
00:37:22 night.
00:37:23 He's like, man, if y'all were to get the number one overall pick, which obviously they can't
00:37:29 because it's now Chicago's, and Bryce is playing awful.
00:37:33 He's like, I would take Caleb Williams.
00:37:35 I was like, I don't know.
00:37:37 If they even had their number one overall pick, I would say they'd probably just do
00:37:41 what Chicago did and trade it away.
00:37:44 Because you have Bryce, you want to get more help around him.
00:37:46 You still believe him.
00:37:47 Are we there?
00:37:48 Is that where we are?
00:37:49 No.
00:37:50 No.
00:37:51 I'm not going to get rid of that one.
00:37:52 Let's stay on topic.
00:37:53 Let's stay on topic.
00:37:54 But what I will say about this, though.
00:37:57 It does stop for Carolina that if they do have a bad year, they don't have that first
00:38:04 round pick to where they're not going to get that top tier rookie that's going to help
00:38:09 this team win right away.
00:38:11 They're going to have to go the veteran route.
00:38:12 Or like a Marvin Harrison Jr., like somebody like that, because that's what they need.
00:38:18 They need a receiver for Bryce.
00:38:20 They need a dude that's a tear.
00:38:23 They need a Justin James.
00:38:24 It's going to have to be free agents.
00:38:25 Is there going to be somebody out there like that?
00:38:28 Because if they go the free agent route, you're talking about spending $20 million a year
00:38:31 for somebody like that.
00:38:32 Who would that be?
00:38:33 I don't even know.
00:38:34 T. Higgins.
00:38:35 We were talking about T. Higgins, right?
00:38:36 Yeah.
00:38:37 That could be.
00:38:38 What about Brandon Ayewick?
00:38:42 The kid from 49ers?
00:38:43 49ers.
00:38:44 Maybe.
00:38:45 I mean, they need a bunch.
00:38:47 So I'm not going to say no to anything.
00:38:49 Mike Evans.
00:38:50 Mike Evans.
00:38:51 I'd take Mike Evans today.
00:38:53 Right now, if it was available.
00:38:55 I don't think they would trade within the division, but if he's a free agent, then yeah.
00:38:59 Yeah, he'll be a free agent next year, right?
00:39:02 He'll be a free agent next year.
00:39:03 That's what they're saying in the chat.
00:39:05 So we'll see.
00:39:06 Now, he's a little long in the tooth now because he's played, how many seasons has Mike Evans
00:39:10 played?
00:39:11 Like 10?
00:39:12 Eight, nine?
00:39:13 He's played a few.
00:39:14 And that's the thing, like with Adam Thielen, we're getting him at the end of his career.
00:39:18 So he's going to give you what he can give you, but he can't give you what he was given
00:39:21 the Vikings five years ago.
00:39:23 And Bryce needs somebody like that.
00:39:25 Like it feels like he doesn't have that one guy he can depend on.
00:39:29 Like he hasn't built that kind of chemistry with somebody that's consistent every week.
00:39:34 And because of that, he's like not trusting what he's seeing in terms of receivers.
00:39:39 And I think he underestimates the speed of the NFL because there was a couple of those
00:39:41 times where he got ran down from behind by Saints defenders where you would have thought
00:39:46 he would throw it away and he didn't.
00:39:48 Like for some reason, the one down towards the goal line where late, where if he had
00:39:53 thrown it away, it had been fourth and three or whatever.
00:39:56 And who knows, Frank Wright might've decided to go for it there and they ended up kicking
00:39:59 the field goal instead.
00:40:01 Those little things can affect the game.
00:40:03 Like just that sequence, if that had been different, maybe the rest of the game is different.
00:40:07 Who knows?
00:40:08 But it feels like he needs that.
00:40:10 I don't know who that would be.
00:40:11 I don't know.
00:40:12 I don't think that person's on this roster.
00:40:14 Is that safe to say?
00:40:16 I don't know if that guy's here, if he's going to develop into that over the course of the
00:40:19 season.
00:40:20 And a lot of people in the chats are saying we need to definitely build this run game.
00:40:26 Yeah, I was going to say, maybe we'll see it come to fruition with Hurst, right?
00:40:34 Like the tight end position, I love the tight end position because I've seen it really make
00:40:46 an offense pretty good, which was Carolina Panthers the year we went to the Super Bowl.
00:40:56 I would say we had an offense that like Cotterie, he would catch the hard balls, the ones that
00:41:03 were in traffic, like no matter what it seemed like.
00:41:09 Greg Olsen, whenever there was like a scramble out of the pocket, that was Cam's guy.
00:41:17 But then we had a deep threat with Ted Ginn.
00:41:21 He's faster than everyone on the field.
00:41:24 So you have to respect that.
00:41:29 So we have those elements.
00:41:32 We just have to, like I said in the beginning, there's two games into this, they're still
00:41:40 trying to find themselves.
00:41:43 I think that comes with chemistry, right?
00:41:45 So Cam had chemistry with those guys that I just listed off.
00:41:50 If you look at guys around the league, they have chemistry with the guys they feel comfortable
00:41:56 with.
00:41:57 It just didn't happen overnight.
00:41:59 So I feel like Panther fans shouldn't be discouraged about any of this.
00:42:09 And the reason why I said I felt pretty good about the end of the game last night, yeah,
00:42:14 it was chopped liver, leftovers or whatever.
00:42:19 But that was a moment for them to gain chemistry.
00:42:22 That was a moment for him to, okay, I remember that pass I threw to Thielen in red zone.
00:42:29 And he walked in for a touchdown or hit the pylon.
00:42:33 That to me is a positive gain for their experience moving forward for the season.
00:42:38 I like Tony Gibson says construction site is a mess right now, but we are building.
00:42:43 That's a pretty good observation of what it is.
00:42:46 When the house is first getting built, there's drywall and stuff all over the yard.
00:42:50 And you see the rain getting built.
00:42:52 You're trying to picture what it's going to look like.
00:42:54 It's going to be all right, guys.
00:42:55 Grass growing out of the dirt, out of control.
00:42:59 We'll get it fixed.
00:43:01 We'll get it fixed.
00:43:03 I'm trying to decide here where you guys want to go because we do have Seattle Sunday.
00:43:10 It's cross country.
00:43:14 It's four o'clock kick.
00:43:15 12th man.
00:43:16 Actually, I think I'm going to be on believes Seahawk show later on this week to help them
00:43:22 preview this game.
00:43:23 What's the thing that you guys are looking at for them to build on going into next week?
00:43:28 Because from everything that we've said, we've hit all the hot spots.
00:43:34 They got to focus on the run game.
00:43:36 They need to find them a receiver.
00:43:40 What do you think they should do there?
00:43:41 Before we do that, I'm sorry.
00:43:43 The ones that are online comparing Cam Newton's first two games to Bryce Young's first two
00:43:47 games.
00:43:48 Please keep in mind that what Cam Newton had around him.
00:43:51 They had this guy over here on that roster.
00:43:53 They had Steve Smith on that roster.
00:43:55 Greg Olsen was on that roster.
00:43:56 He had an offensive line in front of him.
00:43:58 He had Jordan Gross at left tackle.
00:43:59 He literally had DeAngelo Williams was still on that team.
00:44:02 They had a squad already.
00:44:04 They literally just needed to put a quarterback in it and go.
00:44:09 Look at what we have.
00:44:10 This is not the same thing.
00:44:12 To expect Bryce to go out and throw for 400 yards first two weeks and the explosiveness
00:44:18 and all that, he doesn't have a number one receiver like Steve Smith.
00:44:21 Like Steve Smith is a homebamer.
00:44:22 I was about to say, Steve Smith alone in that Arizona game, I think, counted for 200 yards.
00:44:27 Yeah, fearless jumping over people at five nines like doing all that stuff.
00:44:31 We don't have a guy like that right now.
00:44:32 And that's OK.
00:44:33 We knew we didn't have one coming in.
00:44:34 In fact, I think Skyler was the only one.
00:44:37 It was like, guys, we don't have we don't have these things.
00:44:41 So I don't know how we're going to win those games.
00:44:43 But we were like, nah, well, reality is a reality is set in.
00:44:48 Give me your thoughts on this in Seattle.
00:44:50 What Seattle's I don't know what Seattle's record is right now.
00:44:53 They're running out all at all at Studio because I literally have a guy just decided to start
00:44:58 weed whacking right up against my apartment.
00:45:01 Will you take us for a minute?
00:45:06 Go ahead, Stu.
00:45:07 Now, look, all that weed whacking going on over there.
00:45:12 Listen, so.
00:45:15 I expect what we what we need is for our defense to remain solid during these tough times.
00:45:22 So do you believe?
00:45:28 Yes.
00:45:29 And, you know, because I look at, you know, the Seahawks play the first game, the Rams.
00:45:37 Yes, I want to say.
00:45:39 Yeah.
00:45:40 I mean, if I'm if I'm the Carolina Panthers, I'm looking at that Rams game and trying to
00:45:45 dissect what the Rams did to really put Seattle in a like standstill.
00:45:54 You know, they weren't able to get anything done on offense.
00:45:59 So whatever that defense did for the Rams, take a page out of that book and add it to
00:46:07 the Panthers book.
00:46:08 So that was a home loss to for Seattle.
00:46:10 Yeah, it was not like possible to do it.
00:46:15 And then on offense, I mean, I would want to see some some downfield connects, man.
00:46:20 You know, we got to we got to spread this.
00:46:22 We've got to spread the defense on the field so we can create running lanes and some comfort
00:46:29 for our guy, Bryce Young.
00:46:31 So Curtis says vice versa.
00:46:34 Bryce has a defense, no offense.
00:46:36 Cam, he had an offense, but no defense.
00:46:37 We had some dudes on defense, too.
00:46:40 Yeah, there was some some dudes on defense.
00:46:43 So that roster had people.
00:46:47 They just had we had Beeson.
00:46:49 Yeah, we had Beeson.
00:46:50 Beeson was still playing.
00:46:51 Yeah, yeah.
00:46:52 They had some guys.
00:46:53 2010.
00:46:54 I think it was on that line.
00:46:58 They had dudes like, yeah, they had dudes on that team.
00:47:01 It's not the same level as this, especially now with our defense with no Shaq Thompson,
00:47:06 no JC Horn.
00:47:07 That's your number one cornerback and your veteran leader of the defense like gone in
00:47:12 two weeks.
00:47:13 Now I'm seeing CJ Henderson getting like just robbed like like ski masks like like
00:47:20 half the game.
00:47:22 And it's weird with CJ because he'll be really good one play.
00:47:26 And then you're like, what was that on the very next play?
00:47:28 Like it goes back and forth like the whole night.
00:47:31 So Dante Jackson had to step up and and play.
00:47:36 I think it was CJ that was guarding Olave on that catch.
00:47:41 That was that's changed the game was that catch going back to Olave.
00:47:47 That man is a dog.
00:47:48 Yeah, he's a good man.
00:47:49 I understand.
00:47:50 He's really good.
00:47:51 And they're getting Kamara back after next week.
00:47:58 And the defense again, that defense out of all the defenses you guys have seen so far
00:48:03 this season, where would you put that Saints defense?
00:48:06 Because I got them with the 49ers and the Cowboys like they're top five somewhere top
00:48:11 five like up in there.
00:48:13 I think the Cowboys defense might be the best one, to be honest.
00:48:18 They are a nightmare.
00:48:19 And the 49ers are good, too.
00:48:22 But I feel like the Cowboys defense is better.
00:48:24 Like they just they're playing.
00:48:26 They're playing all right right now.
00:48:28 But eventually they'll show the colors.
00:48:32 I don't know, man.
00:48:33 Michael Parsons looking like Lawrence Taylor out here like this.
00:48:35 Yeah, Michael Parsons is a dog.
00:48:37 But everybody else, man, they got they still I am.
00:48:41 I am a true believer in everybody else.
00:48:43 Michael Parsons is a dog, though.
00:48:45 Scott, your thoughts on the Seattle matchup.
00:48:47 What do you think the key is to win?
00:48:49 Because do you think there's something drastic they need to change being Carolina?
00:48:53 Or do you think they need to, you know, stay the course and just execute?
00:48:58 So we got the leaf blower going out to.
00:49:00 So I'll try to get over the top of this stuff.
00:49:05 We got to.
00:49:07 I think you got to you got to, again, establish the run early and set the tone
00:49:12 because Seattle's a physical football team like everyone wants to talk about,
00:49:15 you know, Gino and that passing type of their their physical football team.
00:49:18 They went into Detroit and beat maybe one of the most physical teams in the league.
00:49:22 So I think you got to deal with that and also to help deal with the noise,
00:49:27 because obviously Seattle is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.
00:49:31 And to be able to run the ball and kind of gash that defense,
00:49:35 that's going to quiet the crowd down a little bit.
00:49:38 But defensively, I think they just they they do what they've been doing
00:49:42 the last two weeks.
00:49:42 If they do that, they're going to be just fine.
00:49:44 Obviously, they need to be a little bit better against the run.
00:49:47 But when you're out there for as many places they were last night,
00:49:52 I mean, it's kind of hard to ask your defense to do much more.
00:49:54 I mean, I looked up at one point in the Saints, it ran 30 more plays than the Panthers.
00:49:58 Yeah. So you've got to be able to extend drive.
00:50:01 Stay on the field a little bit longer.
00:50:03 And by doing that, you're going to give yourself a chance to win.
00:50:05 You're not going to win if you have 30 less cracks at it.
00:50:09 >> And that's a good point too, because Derek Carr was rattled all night.
00:50:13 Like he did not have a great game.
00:50:15 The Panthers defense actually played really, really well.
00:50:18 >> That's one thing I should have pointed out earlier,
00:50:21 is even though the Saints are 2-0, if you're a Saints fan,
00:50:26 you're not feeling really good right now.
00:50:27 Because you last week had three turnovers against Tennessee.
00:50:31 You forced three turnovers, and you only beat them 16 to 15.
00:50:34 You scored 16 points, and you had three turnovers, only one by one.
00:50:38 That's a problem.
00:50:39 >> Your defense didn't let up.
00:50:41 >> Yeah, exactly.
00:50:42 And as bad as the Panthers offense was last night, and you only won by three, and
00:50:46 you only put up 20 points, that is a serious problem.
00:50:49 The Saints offense is much more talented and
00:50:52 experienced than the Carolinas, and they don't look all that much better.
00:50:56 >> That's excellent point, which should make Panther fans feel better,
00:50:59 cuz that's kind of when I left that game.
00:51:00 I'm like, the Saints are 2-0, and
00:51:03 it doesn't really feel like they were that much better than us.
00:51:06 It just felt like they capitalized on opportunities better than we did
00:51:09 in the actual game.
00:51:10 I want turnovers.
00:51:11 I want the defense to start forcing some turnovers,
00:51:13 cuz we need to start helping Bryce out with some short fields.
00:51:16 And just make it easier for them.
00:51:19 There's some things we can do with the stuff we do have.
00:51:21 We do have a top notch defense.
00:51:24 I do think we have a top half of the league type of defense,
00:51:27 top 15 or so with the talent that's on it.
00:51:30 It's the bright spot of this team.
00:51:32 I feel like they are gonna have to take the lead here and be like, look,
00:51:36 if we're gonna win games, it's gonna be through our defense.
00:51:39 We've got to do something to disrupt these teams to get the ball.
00:51:42 We're doing enough right now to keep them out of the end zone for the most part.
00:51:46 But I think they need to do little interceptions, fumbles, something,
00:51:49 punch the ball, just something to disrupt to get the ball back to our offense on
00:51:54 shorter fields.
00:51:55 Because if we're putting Bryce at the 25 every single time and
00:51:59 asking to drive us down 75 yards on these little dink and
00:52:02 dunk screens and whatnot, and they're not able to get it downfield because of
00:52:06 the no separation, it's just gonna make it for a frustrating watch.
00:52:09 And that's what the first two weeks have felt like to me.
00:52:12 They felt like the same game, like literally the same game.
00:52:15 It's a rock fight for three quarters.
00:52:17 The Panther defense holds, fourth quarter, the Panther defense is wore out.
00:52:21 The other team scores a touchdown, and then they might score a touchdown late at
00:52:25 the end and it looks bigger than what it was.
00:52:27 That was exact same script for both games, week one and two for the Panthers.
00:52:32 I feel like they can change it, but
00:52:34 I don't know if they have the horses to do it with on offense.
00:52:38 That's where I'm at right now, unless they just completely commit to the run game
00:52:42 like they did last year and just be like, look.
00:52:44 >> But again, to do that,
00:52:45 you have to have a guy that can wear you down and they don't have that.
00:52:48 >> They don't have that guy.
00:52:50 >> Can you trade for Deontay Foreman in midseason?
00:52:52 Can we bring him back?
00:52:53 [LAUGH] >> Listen, I'll tell you this.
00:52:56 Like after the first game, Chuba Hubbard can wear down a defense.
00:53:01 >> Mm-hm, I think so, yeah.
00:53:03 >> I saw the way he- >> I think he can wear defense down in
00:53:06 a different way.
00:53:07 >> Yeah, in a different way.
00:53:08 The way he was running the ball, if you commit to that,
00:53:12 you commit to the way he was running the week before, going into Seattle away game,
00:53:17 get that clock ticking, you know what I'm saying?
00:53:20 That's gonna help your passing game.
00:53:23 That's what's gonna open things up down the field.
00:53:26 So that way, you can launch one to DJ chart and we in the end zone.
00:53:32 Now, we can do whatever we want once you start doing that, okay?
00:53:37 So we just need to, man, listen, run the ball, man.
00:53:40 >> Madison's echoing exactly what you just said.
00:53:44 People talk about the pass game and Bryce Young, but
00:53:46 very little talk about what establishes the pass game,
00:53:49 which is physicality at the line of scrimmage and a run first philosophy.
00:53:52 >> Got to be physical.
00:53:54 >> And it doesn't feel like they are.
00:53:55 It don't feel like they're really, that was the difference when Wilkes took over
00:54:00 at the end of last year, where you could feel it through the TV that they were gonna
00:54:04 be the most physical team that day.
00:54:05 They were gonna push you around.
00:54:07 You knew they were gonna run it and they were like, stop it.
00:54:09 Like that's the difference.
00:54:11 I don't know what we're gonna do.
00:54:12 >> Again, when you have two guards that have a combined total of three, it starts.
00:54:18 >> That's tough.
00:54:21 It's tough, but hey, listen, Young Bucks, unexperienced guys.
00:54:26 This is your time to shine, okay?
00:54:30 If they said that you didn't have it, you gotta tell them, yes, I do.
00:54:35 This is your time.
00:54:36 >> If you're Chandler Zavala or if you're, not Austin Corbett,
00:54:40 if you're Chandler Zavala or Caden Mayes, you're taking this opportunity and
00:54:43 running with it because Brady's out for the year.
00:54:46 He can't do anything to get his job back this year.
00:54:49 Austin Corbett, when he comes back, he's a starter.
00:54:51 But there's gonna be at least one spot potentially could be taken over, and
00:54:56 that could be Brady Christensen's spot.
00:54:58 If you play to the performance where they're like, you know what?
00:55:03 You are the guy.
00:55:05 I mean, even though Brady has done well,
00:55:07 you played so well that you are our left guard, that's a possibility.
00:55:11 And that's not saying Caden Mayes can't do it either and
00:55:13 just flip over to the left side.
00:55:14 But one of those two guys has a chance to really supplant themselves as a starter.
00:55:20 >> That's how Bozeman became the starting center, right?
00:55:22 Pat, I went down with an injury last year.
00:55:23 He came in and just played so well.
00:55:25 They were like, well, Pat, I guess your services are no longer required.
00:55:28 We're gonna just let Bradley do this and go from there.
00:55:31 I'm seeing a little thing in the chat.
00:55:35 People are kind of ganging up on Miles Sanders.
00:55:37 They're saying they'd rather see Chuba than Miles.
00:55:39 And a direct question to Stu, is Sanders as good as advertised?
00:55:43 Cuz I think the fan base thinks it's a bit underwhelming,
00:55:46 cuz he was the big splash at running back to base sign.
00:55:49 It wasn't even that big of a deal.
00:55:51 It was really more cuz he was the last running back to sign,
00:55:54 and nobody else really signed after him.
00:55:56 I haven't had a problem with Sanders.
00:56:01 >> Yeah, I don't have a problem with Sanders at all.
00:56:04 Like, 14 carries, you see all the time where your primary
00:56:10 back has 14 carries and his stats throughout a game, right?
00:56:16 >> Yeah. >> But then you have probably one more
00:56:19 carry that takes him to the house, right?
00:56:22 All it takes, I mean, the very opening, the first play of the game yesterday.
00:56:27 >> 13 yarder.
00:56:28 >> It was a 13 yarder out the gate because there was a hole.
00:56:32 And the way it developed, he gave a little hessian in the backfield
00:56:37 to actually anticipate that whole opening.
00:56:41 Instead of just hitting his offensive line and
00:56:44 then probably maybe stumbling for a five,
00:56:47 he gave a hessian in the backfield and then hit it.
00:56:51 And so those are the types of plays that we can get out of Sanders.
00:56:55 So no, we don't bench Sanders.
00:56:57 We just utilize both running backs.
00:56:59 >> Use them all.
00:57:00 >> Yeah, why you need him?
00:57:02 >> And I think also too, what happens though, man,
00:57:06 going back to this whole play, Conor,
00:57:10 it's hard to find that type of rhythm in a game.
00:57:15 I know that, one thing you know is three and out here, three and out there.
00:57:20 Next thing you know, you ain't been running no plays, right?
00:57:24 And so things can get out of touch or out of hand quick.
00:57:29 And so that's why you have to stay committed from the very jump.
00:57:36 After that 13 yarder, man, listen, dial that thing up again.
00:57:40 >> Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
00:57:41 >> If I'm a running back, I'm like, listen, do that again, coach.
00:57:45 >> Yeah, give it to me.
00:57:47 >> There's been multiple times in my career where Cam would be like, hey,
00:57:51 good stuff, we're gonna dial it up again.
00:57:54 And the very next play, we're on the same play.
00:57:56 It might not be the same explosion, but we get yards.
00:58:00 Cuz we knew that it worked the first time, we catch him in the same look, boom.
00:58:04 >> That builds confidence.
00:58:05 >> Like builds confidence for the offensive line.
00:58:07 >> In the game, yeah.
00:58:08 >> Yeah, and so that's what I'm really talking about, man.
00:58:11 Like if we looking like we not confident in what we're doing on the field,
00:58:16 that your best bet is to figure it out in the running game.
00:58:19 >> It's the little things, and that's a good place to kind of to cap it here,
00:58:23 where I feel like what you just said, I think there's a difference between a team
00:58:27 being overly confident in general, like on Tuesday, Wednesday,
00:58:30 that we're confident in our abilities, we're confident in our staff, blah, blah,
00:58:35 blah, but then in the game, building confidence that you can do the game plan
00:58:39 that you came in with against that team.
00:58:42 Those are like little victories that pile up over the course of the game.
00:58:45 And I feel like we're not getting those.
00:58:47 We're not getting those little victories that are making the offense,
00:58:50 the defenses, the defenses winning these little getting sacks,
00:58:53 or cause turnovers, just create and have it.
00:58:56 And they're building on that so they can stay in the game.
00:58:58 The office doesn't feel like they're getting that burst, that big run,
00:59:03 that big catch.
00:59:04 The Saints didn't have it last night until the lobby catch, and
00:59:07 that was kind of the spark that kind of got them going.
00:59:09 >> Because all it takes is one.
00:59:10 >> You take that out, there was nothing that the Saints did last night on offense
00:59:13 that was memorable, really.
00:59:15 So we need those, and I don't know how you do that other than just
00:59:19 will and get up, we just gotta play better, we gotta execute better.
00:59:24 There's talent on this team, they're not going 0 for 17,
00:59:26 like some of y'all are saying on the phone right now or whatever.
00:59:29 It's not that bad.
00:59:30 Again, check out Chicago, go check Chicago out.
00:59:33 If you really wanna see- >> That's bad.
00:59:35 >> Like DJ Moore's on the sideline when he's crying.
00:59:38 >> I low key for him.
00:59:40 I feel bad for Justin Fields.
00:59:42 >> I do too. >> Because the organization,
00:59:44 they ain't doing right by him.
00:59:48 That man too gifted.
00:59:50 I know, like I said, I probably said, hey, Justin Fields ain't got it last year.
00:59:56 But watching him this year, there's really just not been any growth.
01:00:00 >> Yeah, he stepped back, he was worse.
01:00:02 >> And just the growth aspect as a player,
01:00:06 that comes from the organization.
01:00:10 You know what I'm saying?
01:00:11 What is your intentions in that locker room?
01:00:15 What's your intentions in the meeting rooms?
01:00:17 I feel like you gotta figure out a way to decode him.
01:00:23 >> He even looked like this at Ohio State.
01:00:26 Matter of fact, coming out of high school, him and Trevor Lawrence were like one and
01:00:29 one A in terms of quarterback rankings.
01:00:31 He's got the tools.
01:00:33 >> That's the real question is if Carolina continues to help out Chicago here.
01:00:38 I mean, they may have two cracks at the number one pick.
01:00:40 If they do get the number one pick, I mean, you can't trade out of it again, right?
01:00:45 I mean, you almost have to take Caleb Williams over Justin Fields.
01:00:50 >> Or maybe Shadur Sanders.
01:00:51 >> Do you believe?
01:00:52 >> Cuz- >> Yes, I believe.
01:00:53 >> Climbing, we didn't talk about Deion yet.
01:00:55 We still, hey, people have been asking me,
01:01:00 Stu, Oregon, Colorado, undefeated.
01:01:05 I think Oregon's what, 10th ranked, I think?
01:01:07 Oregon's 19.
01:01:09 Who are you picking this?
01:01:09 It's in Oregon.
01:01:11 How did the Pac-12 win this?
01:01:14 >> Yeah, you know who I'm picking.
01:01:15 >> Voted this year.
01:01:17 >> I'm picking the Ducks all the way.
01:01:19 The Ducks gotta win this game.
01:01:20 No question about it.
01:01:22 >> I think Oregon absolutely can convince them.
01:01:25 I really do.
01:01:25 >> Yeah, yeah, now if things do change up though,
01:01:31 and Oregon end up losing this game.
01:01:34 >> [LAUGH] >> Let me tell you,
01:01:37 you thought they was here?
01:01:39 >> [LAUGH] >> Boy, you better get ready,
01:01:41 cuz they really coming after that.
01:01:43 >> Do you believe?
01:01:44 >> That'll set up a showdown with USC the next week in Colorado.
01:01:50 I didn't appreciate the- >> We gotta make sure we watch the refs
01:01:54 next week, this Oregon to Colorado game.
01:01:56 They like try to fix stuff.
01:01:58 >> I didn't like the announcer from ESPN saying that the sideline,
01:02:03 Colorado, like the BET Awards.
01:02:05 I didn't appreciate that.
01:02:06 That kinda hit me.
01:02:06 [LAUGH] Kinda hit a nerve with me.
01:02:09 But yeah, they had Master P down there and The Rock was there.
01:02:13 And I mean, all these people showing up to Colorado sidelines all of a sudden.
01:02:18 I don't feel so bad now cuz I was comparing them to 05 USC.
01:02:22 And people were looking at me like I'm crazy.
01:02:23 I'm like, this is the last time you saw, you don't see celebrities on the sideline,
01:02:27 Alabama or Georgia or whatever.
01:02:28 They're just pumping out 12-18.
01:02:30 >> Yeah, we're gonna pair all the sidelines.
01:02:32 >> It's a party, Little Wayne led them out.
01:02:36 Like with a theme song, who does this?
01:02:38 I love it, I love watching it.
01:02:41 That's 3.30 on ABC Saturday.
01:02:42 So that was our Colorado watch.
01:02:45 And of course, they got to take on Stu's alma mater, Oregon.
01:02:49 He's picking the Ducks to win.
01:02:50 So and Skylar, you said about a lot.
01:02:52 [LAUGH] You said Oregon about a lot.
01:02:54 >> Invincingly.
01:02:55 >> Heard it here first.
01:02:57 >> I'll tell you what, I'm still sleepy from watching that game.
01:02:59 >> Me too.
01:03:00 >> Yeah.
01:03:01 >> I'm thinking about taking a nap right now, matter of fact,
01:03:03 as soon as we get off here.
01:03:04 [LAUGH] >> Me too.
01:03:06 I'm glad they're playing at 3.30 this week.
01:03:10 >> Yes, I fell asleep before the overtime, right before the overtime.
01:03:15 So I woke up not knowing what happened.
01:03:17 That was the worst feeling in the world.
01:03:19 Reach for your phone at 10, what, did they win?
01:03:21 Did they win?
01:03:22 They won, no, it's the greatest game of all time and I'm just-
01:03:25 >> I woke up in a panic,
01:03:26 looking at my phone like, did they win?
01:03:30 Okay.
01:03:31 >> That 9.5 million viewers watched that game that started at 10.30 on the East
01:03:35 Coast, it's like the fifth most watched college football game of all time on ESPN.
01:03:40 This was a regular season game between Colorado and state.
01:03:43 [LAUGH] >> Man.
01:03:45 >> That's insanity.
01:03:46 Let's go ahead and get out of here.
01:03:49 I was gonna ask you guys this too, where the hell is Levisca Chenault?
01:03:52 Where is he?
01:03:53 Like, where is he?
01:03:55 Is he playing?
01:03:55 Like, it didn't feel like they put him out there at all.
01:03:57 What's going on?
01:03:58 Is he hurt, Skyler, anything?
01:04:00 >> No, I mean, he got some touches yesterday, not very many.
01:04:04 It seemed like he was gonna be featured a lot in that week one game.
01:04:07 >> Yeah. >> Early on,
01:04:08 that we can't do without, but- >> We gotta, in order for
01:04:11 us to do the things we wanna do with Levisca,
01:04:13 we gotta create separation from a lot of scrimmage.
01:04:17 >> We can't do that right now.
01:04:18 >> Until we can do that, we're not really gonna see
01:04:22 exactly what they have in store for us with him.
01:04:25 >> He's like, like you said at the beginning of the show, he's like that Porsche, but
01:04:28 he's got like a wheel jack on him, so he's just like sitting in third.
01:04:32 >> No, man, he just, he in the carport.
01:04:37 >> Yeah.
01:04:38 >> He outside, just not totally enclosed.
01:04:41 >> It's just, we can see him.
01:04:43 There he is, he's right there.
01:04:44 >> But I'll tell you what, when he get out that carport, my God.
01:04:50 >> Boom.
01:04:51 >> Boom, he out of there.
01:04:52 So Panthers, Seahawks, Sunday four o'clock kickoff,
01:04:56 I believe it's CBS this week that they're on, not Fox.
01:05:00 So we're gonna get out of here.
01:05:02 We'll be back next Tuesday to dissect that one.
01:05:05 Hopefully the Panthers will bring home a victory.
01:05:07 We'll have a victory Tuesday against the Seahawks.
01:05:10 They're not playing that well themselves.
01:05:12 They're one and one.
01:05:13 They've been outscored.
01:05:15 Still winnable games.
01:05:17 Don't abandon the Panthers after week two, guys.
01:05:20 Don't be that fan base.
01:05:21 >> Relax.
01:05:22 >> Relax.
01:05:23 >> Hey, if you made it last year through that start,
01:05:26 you saw how things kinda came together.
01:05:29 >> That was horrific.
01:05:30 Yeah, that was much worse.
01:05:32 >> If you made it through the rural era, congrats.
01:05:35 >> [LAUGH] Come on off that life preserver.
01:05:37 Let's figure this out together.
01:05:40 Presented by Bet Online.
01:05:42 Catch this episode and all previous episodes on the Believe Podcast Network.
01:05:46 You can find us on all major podcast platforms.
01:05:48 The video is always available at youtube.com/@tobaccoroadsportsradio.
01:05:53 And if I'm not mistaken, they're gonna start putting us on the fast channels here,
01:05:55 so you'll be able to watch us on Roku TV and things of that sort.
01:05:59 So more info on that as it comes along throughout the season.
01:06:02 But for Skylar Callahan and Jonathan Stewart, I'm Desmond Johnson.
01:06:05 You've been watching and listening to the Believe and
01:06:07 Carolina Panthers podcast here on Believe Podcast Networks.
01:06:09 Keep at it.
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