Ask The Old Guy: Celebrate the good times, and keep working

CHARLOTTE — Part of the reason so many football coaches encourage players to "be the same guy every day," is because the other way is exhausting.

A week ago, after the Panthers lost to the Bears in the opener, the Mailbag was radioactive hot — both in terms of volume and intensity.

This week, after beating the Falcons by an even bigger margin, there was a lot less in the box, and most of the submissions were of a pleasant nature. I bet social media, where I'm trying to spend way less time as I age, is struggling with the lack of rage. But the people attached to those accounts are doubtless happier.

There may be a life lesson in there, somewhere, if you were inclined to look for it.  Thank goodness it's one of Bryce Young's superpowers, as he's figured out how to ride the waves without falling out of the boat.

That's generally why I try to take the long view on games, recognizing they're part of seasons, which blend into eras. The individual parts get a lot of notice on Sundays, but they're part of greater wholes.

Speaking of wholes, this one isn't exactly empty, but it is kind of funny that the Mailbag gets shorter the better things go. Let's see what we've got this week.

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Well, it seems a lot of gelling happened on defense between Messrs. Devin Lloyd, Jaelan Phillips, and Bobby Okereke, to name just a few, this past week. Guess those old coaches knew what they were talking about after all, with the biggest improvement taking place between Weeks 1 and 2. Admittedly, no one is going to confuse the Falcons with the Bears, but aside from the QB, they still had pretty much a full complement of starters. The Panthers D did a good job of neutralizing one of the best backs in the league. Kudos to the Black and Blue. Now on to the Browns. Given the way the Panthers are coming together, I like our chances "by the lake" this coming Sunday.

My question, with Jonathon Brooks' latest injury, is there sufficient depth in the RB room to cover an extended absence, given Trevor Etienne is already on the shelf?

Appreciate all you do. You've got a great team too. Keep Pounding! — Chuck, West Jefferson, NC

Thanks, Chuck. We do it for the people.

Brooks aggravating that groin injury that bothered him between training camp and the start of the regular season was disappointing, and it's hard to know at the moment how long he'll be out. AJ Dillon is more than ready to step in as a supplement to Chuba Hubbard, and he's more of a like-for-like. Since they're still without Etienne for at least a couple more weeks, they might take a look at one of the guys on the practice squad, like Anthony Tyus III, who is a big and physical runner who had a good preseason. That's the danger of keeping three on the roster, but they can adjust.

And yes, the defense was on a heater this week. That's a lot more like what we're expecting from that group, after they spent a lot of intention (and money) to bring Phillips and Lloyd in on the first day of free agency.

As we've mentioned in the past, Lloyd is a force multiplier, and more in line with the linebacker tradition this place is known for. While it's going to take more than one game to prove it, the difference he can make in the entire defense was evident Sunday in Atlanta.

His coverage ability changes how they can deploy others and lets them do other things with the people behind him. His ability as a blitzer allows them to do other things with the people in front of him. That kind of versatility is rare, and special.

Now, for Dave Canales to call it one of the best linebacker games he's seen in 17 years of coaching is a lot, because a lot of those years were spent in Seattle when Luke Kuechly was in his prime here. Now, Kuechly only had two interceptions in a game once (against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving 2015), and had 18 in his eight seasons. Lloyd has 11 in his four seasons plus two games here. So I'm not saying he won't get there, the old person with one hand on the park brake just thinks we might need to slow down a little.

But Canales was excited, and the point stands, it was a really good game.

He also has help. When he's running with an Okereke, and there's an experienced reserve on the bench who has 43 starts in the league (in Tyrel Dodson), the margin of error gets wider if anyone misses time.

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Why don't the Panthers elevate WR Ja'seem Reed to the 53-man roster? Certainly had a great preseason, catching everything thrown at him. With Jimmy Horn gone and Xavier Legette not the answer, Reed could be the answer to the WR3 slot? — Gary, Summerville, SC

I don't necessarily mean to pick on poor Gary, but sometimes it's funny to go back and look at the questions that come in between the Tuesday publication of the previous Mailbag and the following week's game.

Legette going yard on Sunday for a 55-yarder, which Canales called the "tipping point" in the game, was the kind of thing you could see coming, at least in hindsight.

First and most importantly, he's big and fast and has continued to work on his craft. Secondly, he had a great week of practice last week, and made plays on Wednesday and Thursday that pointed to this kind of breakout.

But thirdly, TMac walked into Mercedes-Benz Stadium wearing his T-shirt, effectively calling the shot for him.

"I just felt like it was a good day to wear an XL shirt," McMillan said after the game. "I told him yesterday I was wearing his shirt. I was like, 'You're going to go off.'"

Reed had a good camp and remains a guy they want to develop, and they have high hopes for. But Legette can make an impact right now.

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Nice blowout there for a little bit. Bryce balled out yet again, but his praise of D-Lloyd and the D-Fence was his most accurate read of the afternoon. When one of your LBs scores more points than the entire opposing offense, it's going to be a good day. Great job to those guys for the quick turnaround and for setting the whole team up for success.

While I'd like to simply sit here and gloat, I do have a question. With Jimmy Horn Jr. off to Browner pastures, I don't think there is a soul on this team with better straight-line speed than Xavier Legette. It has confused me, then, when the Panthers have seemed set on scheming him up as a Swiss-army screen guy a la Deebo Samuel. Those looks are almost always late and low and in traffic, and XL is fast but not "twitchy". Considering his usage in college and the limited success he has found on deep shots like the one yesterday, I wonder if the Panthers' plans for XL may shift more from poorly-timed screens to game-altering deep shots, and if you think there is long-term room on the roster for such specific talent and usage?

Lastly, prayers for Brooks and Nick Scott and the injured around the league. As always, Keep Pounding. — Jake, Candler, NC

Yeah, sometimes it's easy to forget, amid all the clamor for the team to add a "speed receiver" this offseason, that they already had one.

Legette is the same dude who ran a 4.39 40 at over 220 pounds at the combine in 2024, and cats who can run like that tend to get a lot of chances.

The Panthers like to use the word "evolve" a lot when it comes to their offense, so there's no telling where it goes in the future. But getting the ball downfield is clearly something they want to do for a few reasons, not limited to Bryce being good at it and the downstream effects.

I also know that having Legette making plays downfield ought to make it easier for both McMillan and Coker moving forward, because that legitimate deep threat does nothing but create space underneath.

Also, "off to Browner pastures" reminds me of the time my grandpa tried to add a little nitrogen to the grass for his cows by spreading a few tons of chicken manure, and nobody could stand to visit him for a month.

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Darin, reflecting on the last game, what came to mind was from my sophomore year of high school. We had just played the perennial NC 3A state champion (we were a little 2A school) and got beaten 66-0! After the game, our coach came into the locker room, which was already deathly quiet, and simply said: "Guys, listen up. Ya win some, ya lose some ..... and some should'a been rained out. Let's just go home, and I'll see you on the field come Monday." Then he quietly turned and walked out. But you know what? That was the last game we lost that season. Let's hope that our Panthers take it to heart and do the same. — Jim, Timberlake, NC

Now I need to know where you went to school, and who gave you that kind of beat-down? Was that a Roxboro Person, or Burlington Williams or Cummings? Inquiring minds need to know, Jim.

Yeah, it's a long season, and it requires short memories. That's why last week, I kept thinking about how the Raiders beat the Patriots in the opener, and one of them ended up 3-14, and the other one ended up in a Super Bowl.

One of the benefits of aging is perspective, and I bow to Jim's Buddha nature. That's why he's a long-time FOTM and has the shirt to prove it.

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Lots of chatter about the defense. I'd like to bring up something that people seem to be forgetting. Under Ron Rivera's 4-3 defensive scheme, we had a 21-game streak of keeping opponents to under 100 rushing yards. We ran a very successful 4-3 defense since our founding. The same defense that got us to four NCF championship games and two Super Bowls. And we all know it wasn't the defense that lost us those games. And while I understand that defense schemes are a little more complex these days, base defense is still either 4-3 or 3-4. So why did we change? David Tepper. He forced Ron to change the scheme "because it worked so well in Pittsburgh". Well, how's it working out for us? We have not been able to stop the run since we made the change. The 3-4 is not Panther football. Get rid of Ejiro Evero, and bring back the 4-3. — Phil, Charlotte

It ain't about the 3-4 or the 4-3 as much as the which three and the which four.

Dom Capers ran a 3-4 here in the 1990s, and people liked it then. But it's not like it's an antique.

Four of the top six defenses in the league last year, and six of the top 10, run the same 3-4 base defense the Panthers do now. And the Panthers were a top-five defense in 2023, with Evero calling it, when they weren't getting much help on the other side of the ball and the margins were thin. The difference is the dudes.

It's amazing how much better it looked last week, and the run defense will likely get a bump when outside linebacker Patrick Jones II returns to the field as well. He's a force in the run game, and replacing him with pass-rushers was part of the problem. Getting him back helps them improve a couple of areas simultaneously, after a pretty big improvement last week. If you can keep Bijan Robinson from dropping a 100-spot on you, that's a good day. The work continues.

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I was incredibly saddened and disappointed to see that you were cut from the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee. It really feels like whoever is in charge over there is committing to overcorrecting, which was exactly what led to the issues last year. I hope that there's a path for you to get back on the committee, as the passion, exuberance, and unrivaled knowledge that you have for Canton and the Hall are all things that should be prioritized when building a panel to determine who belongs in the Hall of Fame. — Nate, Charlotte

Nah, it's their Hall, and they get to make the rules. And my role in it is literally the least important part of this deal, so shed no tears for me, Nate. Even if I never had anything to do with the Hall ever again (more on that in a second), I've gotten far more from this relationship than I ever provided.

For instance, in my very first meeting in 2010, a young newspaper reporter walked in, nervous and surrounded by legends in his field, and did his very best to go unnoticed for as long as humanly possible. I sat quietly in a corner, arranged my little breakfast and my notes, and tried to blend in (and by that I mean shut up and stay out of the way) and hope that Rick Gosselin and Nancy Gay and Jim Trotter and Dave Elfin and Peter King didn't call me out as an imposter. About two minutes before the meeting started, one of those legends, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic — whose work and work ethic and humanity and easy grace and sense of humor I always admired and still do — leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I don't know how to tell you this, Darin, but you're sitting in Ed Pope's chair." I damn near died, thinking I had offended the Miami Herald legend. Somers was about to fall out of his chair laughing while watching me scramble. Since then, we've spent hours together in dive bars and concerts and press boxes, and it was my honor for him to be my best man at my (most recent) wedding, and he's one of my best friends in the whole wide world.

But being in that room carried weight and demanded preparation, and I've sat in the corner with Somers and dear friends including Bob Glauber and D. Orlando Ledbetter and Matt Maiocco and Paul Kuharsky and engaged in debates that were worthy of the subject matter. Everyone who walked in the door took it seriously, or should have. I did my best to serve the players under consideration and the Hall, and I tried to put as much into my part as they did theirs. Along the way, I made presentations for Kevin Greene, Sam Mills, Julius Peppers, and Luke Kuechly. I've heard others selectors say, "When I got ______ in" as if they were the reason, but I never said that and would never dream of such a thing. Those guys got themselves in. I was just the guy who carried the mail.

And being in Canton to see each of those four Panthers legends enshrined, I've had experiences I could never have imagined. My very first professional assignment was covering an East Burke High School-McDowell girls basketball game in front of tens of fans in 1994 for the Morganton News Herald.

Also, I was there when Dom Capers presented Greene in Canton for his enshrinement. And Kevin's son Gavin was there, and later showed up for rookie minicamp here, getting to wear the same helmet as his dad.

I talked to Eddie Balina and a bunch of Sam's teammates from the Long Branch High Green Wave in the parking lot at McKinley High when they pulled up for his induction.

On the streets of Canton, I talked to Daphne Bridges, tears in her eyes, about Peppers being "like a son" to her despite the fact that they never met before she stopped his golf cart in the middle of the sidewalk.

And I know a man who took a five-legged flight from Canton to Dusseldorf to be there for Luke, because that's how much these people meant to people.

Also, I've stood in the Hall's gallery interviewing Peppers in front of the Sam bust about what the Keep Pounding story meant to him, and Luke in front of the Sam a few years later. And moments before Kuechly put his bronze on the wall in August, a familiar face saw me and said, "Hey Darin, will you take a picture of me and my brother and Mom with Dad?" Yes, Marcus Mills, I'd be honored to.

But I'm not finished with the Hall. As I told the Hall's Jim Porter a number of times, it's like "The West Wing"; I serve at the pleasure of the president. And when they called to tell me I would not be among the remaining 28 (because the Hall's board of directors amended their bylaws to prohibit team employees from being on that committee), they asked me if I'd remain as part of the screening committee to reduce the list of preliminary candidates to 50. The answer was an immediate yes.

Times change. Rules change. When I joined the committee, most of the 50 seats were occupied by newspaper writers, of whom I was one (I served on the committee for a decade before I started working here). Now six of the 28 remaining, including three non-voting alternates, work for newspapers. Change is the one constant. We'll see how it works.

But any small part I played from the shadows in those four Panthers legends having bronze busts in that room remains. More importantly (to me, at least), any enjoyment the fans who watched them play derived from seeing them enshrined in the Hall still gives me chills. This was never about me; this was about serving players, readers, and fans. And a lot of Panthers fans got to feel a lot of good feelings while I was standing nearby, and some cool stuff happened to me along the way too.

Who could ask for more than that?

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Good Kid! How the heck did you become the Old Guy? Well-earned. I'm retired, having spent the last 25 years in Asheville. Rock on. — Todd, Whittier, NC

Oh man, speaking of my career of good fortune, this was my first boss at the aforementioned Morganton News Herald, the guy who sent me to that East Burke-McDowell girls' basketball game, and kept me in stitches for the 364 days I worked there (before moving to the Lenoir News-Topic for an extra 50 bucks a week, which was a ton in 1994 money).

Todd was a legend for a lot of reasons, including the hair, the beard, the robes, and the sandals (little did he know I'd pick up on his style, even if it was 30 years later). Some of the Burke County natives called him Jesus, and come to think of it, he was super into peace and love and being good to other people. When I ran into another old friend from Motown a few weeks ago, he said, "I have to send a picture to Bill Poteat (our old editor and another distinguished gentleman). He's not going to believe the hair, Good Kid."

But when Todd hired me in late 1993, just after I graduated from ASU, I was fresh-faced, short-haired, and green as my grandpa's pasture, and since I didn't have journalism jobs on my resume, I mentioned that I was an Eagle Scout. Hence the Good Kid nickname.

So this week's Friend Of The Mailbag and the T-shirt that goes with it is an automatic, since this was the man who set me along the path to all these other wonderful things in the business and in life. It's literally the least I can do.

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Why did Jimmy Horn get a roster spot if he was evidently on such thin ice? His spot could have been used for someone like Jaseem Reed or depth elsewhere. I understand he played a poor game against the Bears, but you could say that about probably 60-70 percent of the team on Sunday. I remember in the Rams playoff game, Trevor Etienne had multiple muffed punts in a more crucial situation, and he was kept on the team. I get he hasn't made a TON of plays for us since we drafted him, but it seemed like he was improving last year and he brings an element of speed and elusiveness that few others on the team have. Is Horn being cut just because of this game, or has this been brewing for a while now? I thought he was primed for a breakout season after his solid preseason games. As always, I appreciate your insight and wisdom for these questions. — Grant, Columbus, OH

Personnel decisions are rarely about just one thing, and the driver of Horn getting waived last week was more about wanting to keep an experienced linebacker in Dodson, who other teams were trying to sign off the practice squad. And since Dodson was here for a reason, they didn't want to risk losing him. With Claudin Cherelus going down Sunday, the need for linebacker depth is acute now.

And as enticing as his speed was, the reality is that you have to take someone off the field to get him on it. And it wasn't going to be Tetairoa McMillan or Jalen Coker or Legette. So the combination of factors left him vulnerable. When your roster spot is vulnerable, you can't afford many mistakes, and he made a few the week before on offense and special teams.

Still a talented player, and tough, and confident, and they wanted to bring him back. But after he cleared waivers, he had a choice in this too.

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DG - I've often wondered how practice squad salaries are treated. Most recent example: Jimmy Horn was waived, cleared waivers, and was assumed to return to the Panthers' practice squad, but the next day signed to the Browns' practice squad. I assume when you go from the 53-man roster to practice squad, you lose your contracted salary? I assume there's a set payment for p/s players? If so, do we assume Horn opting for the Browns over the Panthers p/s was more of a personal decision than a financial one? Thanks for any clarity you care to offer! — Willard, Ocean Isle Beach, NC

The short answer to your question is yes, Jimmy had an offer to come back here, but chose to go to Cleveland. And when you're on the practice squad, the money is effectively the same there as here. Guys on the practice squad in his experience range make $13,750 per week, or $247,500 if they're there the whole year. The rookie minimum on the 53-man roster is $885,000, which is why an offer to join another team's 53 is usually a no-brainer (unless you parlay it into a spot on the 53 at your current place, like Dodson did last week).

But in addition to business, there's an element of personal pride that comes into play. Being told there's a better use for your roster spot can make guys feel some kind of way, and sometimes they get over it and stay, and sometimes it bothers them and they go. That's the business of the league.

And sometimes you sign to the practice squad, thinking a chance to play is imminent. That might be what was on Ihmir Smith-Marsette's mind when he signed Tuesday.

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Where is QB Haynes King? Is he still injured? Shouldn't he be behind Bryce Young? Kenny Pickett stutter-steps and may not be ready for the NFL. — Renee, Catawba, SC

This offense is looking exciting! Any chance we'll see a little King shuffled in (see what I did there)? I know you have the scoop! — Jonathan, Whittier, NC

That was an amazing game in every aspect! Well except for the penalty issue! My question is about Haynes King. Online it says something about "third emergency." Is he OK? If not, our prayers and thoughts are with him! Thanks again for all you do! — Scott, Phenix City, AL

That's right, friends: the week after Bryce Young smokes Atlanta again and sits second in the league in passing yards, we get not one, not two, but three separate questions about Haynes King. He's well on his way to becoming our new Matt Corral, in terms of fan interest in the 'Bag.

King is healthy and in uniform each week as the emergency third quarterback. That might sound like an ominous designation, but it just means he can't play unless the first two are injured (which is, I suppose, ominous).

His run-around ability in college and his heroics in the Hall of Fame Game have captured the attention of the fanbase for good reason. But it's a little early to start daydreaming about his role on Sundays. With a little luck, we don't see him at all this year because that would mean other people got hurt and we wouldn't wish that on anyone. Maybe if the Panthers keep winning and clinch the division with two weeks to go, he could get some run then. Otherwise, his most extensive action will likely be in Week 1 of the 2027 preseason.

But he does have some things about him you definitely want to develop. But whenever you're thinking about putting someone on the field, it means someone else has to come off. And why would you take Bryce Young out for even a second right now?

He remains grateful for the support, though.

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Again from the older than the old guy. Again, the sun rises the same after a dominant win as it does after a bad loss. Looking at scores across the league just adds to my belief that, for most teams, it takes four or five games to get a true handle on how good or not a team is. Just wondering what the Panthers' philosophy is on when to take key players out. For example, I was positive that, with a huge lead at the end of the third quarter, Young was not coming out for another series?

One comment from last week, re: livermush vs scrapple, I'd have to go with scrapple. However I believe both take a back seat to the greatest breakfast sandwich — pork roll, egg, and cheese on a kaiser. Keep Pounding — Tom, Trent Woods, NC

Tom might live amongst us now, friends. But he is obviously a secret agent from either New Jersey or Eastern Pennsylvania, sent to infiltrate us and study our ways.

I enjoy a good pork roll when I'm up north, and I celebrate the entire catalog of smoked and processed meats. There was a head cheese sandwich at Cochon Butcher in New Orleans that I ate 13 years ago (with Kent Somers, of all people) that I think about to this day.

That said, I might fight a man about livermush slander.

As you've seen so far this season, benches get cleared for a number of reasons, some good, some bad. Mostly it's just about protecting people when the result of the game is out of hand. But you can't pull the ripcord too soon, because it would be bad if you had to put them back in.

But when Derrick Brown came out the other day, those were valuable teaching snaps for a young defensive line. The Pro Bowler is surrounded by a bunch of first- and second-year players who need competitive snaps. For them, it becomes like a preseason game, a chance to hone their craft against an opponent instead of in practice. So for Aaron Hall, TeRah Edwards, and Cam Jackson, it was gold.

It was almost as good as a pork roll sandwich.

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And on that note, let's go lightning round, brought to you by the patron saint of the lightning round Jeff from Fuquay-Varina, to close it out this week.

I think from now on (or at least until a new regime is in control) the phrase "the standard" requires a little more prestige. It is clearly a point of emphasis that this coaching and front office staff have a clear vision of what is expected and required from players and coaches. So from now on, I propose that the phrase "the standard" deserves its own emphasis. From now on, I insist that any time you write about it, it is now "The Standard". Not only that, anytime the team/a player/a coach/a journalist goes beyond The Standard, he or she should get the superlative "exceeds The Standard". (Darin Gantt is exempt, since he exceeds The Standard on a weekly basis.) — Chris, Greensboro, NC

I fight the fight against excessive capitalization anyway, saving it for the truly important things in life. But as a former Friend Of The Mailbag, you know that already.

Have you abandoned Twitter/X/whatever it is called? If so, where can someone find your perfect blend of snark, insight, and analysis? — Nate, Huntersville, NC

Yeah, I gave that up for a couple of reasons. For starters, it's no longer good for business, since they suppress links to other websites; that reduces my economic interest in it. But mostly, it's awful, and I didn't like spending time there. The hateful rhetoric is getting promoted to rile people up and increase engagement, and I don't need that in my life. So, if I don't make money off it, and it makes me unhappy, why would I go there? You can find important news about JJ Jansen's britches and other fun stuff on my Instagram and BlueSky pages if you really need it but most of the good stuff is right here on the trustworthy Panthers dot com.

Is Bobby Okereke saying "He's number one)" in this clip a Hot Rod (2007 Andy Samberg movie) reference? — Boris, Clemmons, NC

That's a deep cut if it was. But he might have been simply indicating that Lloyd was the best player on the field Sunday.

I remember when Steve Smith did a commercial on the What Moves U campaign. I've been looking for it. Do you have a video? — Venyl, Ruskin, FL

A quick Google search yielded a few other teams, but I didn't see his version. But because I'd rather light a candle than curse your darkness, I found this for you. It's almost as good, and ought to move you.

And maybe if someone out there finds it, they can write in next week, win or lose.