APPLETON, Wis. — There may have never been a better week for a short week.
That's not to say the Panthers are in a perfect position heading into tonight's game against the Packers; they're beat up physically and short-handed (no Jaelan Phillips or Damien Lewis tonight), and bruised from last week's loss to the Bucs.
(Maybe not as much as some fans, because this Mailbag was proof that the volume goes up after a loss in a way it doesn't after a win.)
But after a morning to wince and watch the film, it was right back to work, and that's what they needed most of all. And, they have been good in this situation before, 8-3 after a loss over the last two seasons. Doesn't mean they're going to win tonight, but it doesn't hurt.
Plus, it's always cool to be back in Wisconsin, where things worked out OK for the Panthers the last time they came here off a 30-point loss at home. (And being among the Brewers fans last night was cool in a way I hope the Carolinas get to experience someday.)
So let's ease into it and see what kind of day today's going to be.
------------------------------------------------------
Darin, I attended the game on Sunday. I felt embarrassed and disgusted; had it not been for Luke halftime ceremony, I would have left at halftime. Instead, I left in the third quarter. I just don't understand how the run defense can be this bad while allowing 258 rushing yards. I understand Evero doesn't make the plays, but since supposedly a very good DC, one would expect and anticipate that the defense would play much better against the run.
And finally, I understand that they have to move on to the Packers game on Thursday night, but what I don't understand is why anyone in the locker room finds it appropriate to play ping pong to have fun one day after getting embarrassed at home 43-13.
I truly wish players and coaches would have spent just a few minutes listening to WFNZ because I can tell you none of us fans felt like playing ping pong yesterday; instead, we felt disgusted and embarrassed, absolutely embarrassed, being Panthers fans. Everyone in the building needs to understand that when they get blown out, as they did on Sunday, they embarrassed the entire fan base. — Shaked, Charlotte
As one of the wisest and most caring people I know says: "Self-care is an important part of recovery."
Ping pong tables have always been a Rorschach test — you see in them what you want to see. When a team is winning, ping pong means camaraderie and chemistry. When a team is losing, it means lack of focus or not taking things seriously. But sometimes a ping pong ball is just a ping pong ball.
I think it would also be helpful if people knew what the average day looks like, and when the ping pong is happening. Players generally show up before the sun is all the way up. They get treatment, they have meetings, they work out, they study film, they practice. In the middle, there's usually a window of an hour or so, during which they eat lunch. That's when the media usually comes into the locker room three days a week. Then the media leaves, and they continue working, and leave around sunset. So if in the course of a 12-hour workday, blowing off some steam playing ping pong with your friends at lunch is bad, then I hope nobody follows you around at work all day and monitors your productivity. They've literally scheduled the least consequential 45 minutes of the day for media to be in there, and that's what fans see via the media.
"I would tell fans that a lot of guys get in here at 6 a.m. and we leave at 6 o'clock and in between the transition period of playing a physical game of sport, football outside, lifting, running, hours of meetings, you need some time to get your mind off of it," said veteran running back AJ Dillon, who is wise and has perspective on life, and was watching a Jonathon Brooks-Feleipe Franks game before taking on kicker Ryan Fitzgerald later. "You can't be 'revenge, revenge, revenge,' all week. All these guys are locked in the same focus. Everybody's under the light, under the microscope, doing this for their jobs; so very, very locked in.
"It's just such a weird existence. I think people think it's supposed to be chaos 24 hours a day when you lose a game, and I think one thing I learned early is you can't let one game beat you twice, right? And that's especially important on a short week. So I think being able to come in here, understand your mistakes, but then going back in and refreshing. If you go into the next game thinking, 'Oh man, what I did last week,' you put yourself at a disadvantage."
If all they were doing was playing ping pong, eating lunch, and screwing around, I'd understand the frustration. That's not all they're doing, though, and when you see a 15-second clip on social media, you're not considering the other 11 hours, 59 minutes, and 45 seconds of the day.
Also, no one loves Mac and Bone and Kyle and Colin and the gang at WFNZ more than I do. I was walking those halls when Mark Packer and Jim Celania were on staff. But basing your daily activities on the moods of people on sports talk radio isn't healthy. I mean, they could wear the sackcloth and ashes and mope, or they could get back to work. I know which I'd prefer.
------------------------------------------------------
You will not print this, and I am OK with that. I will have completely vented, which I need. I have been here for the whole 30-plus years. In my memory, this is by far the worst performance I have witnessed. Did they take the full two weeks off? Did they prepare a game plan? They have failed to replace the two CBs. There is plenty of blame to go around. I may never trust this coaching staff again, and that is a shame. This week is critical to where the season goes. We could be looking at another complete rebuild. How are you processing this? There is a lot of talent here, but they were completely destroyed and looked like Ned in the first reader. I am trying to vent and move forward because I was buying in and having trouble regaining any faith. I am trying but oh man. — Stephen, Columbia, SC
Take that, Stephen, I did print it. I do it for the people.
And how am I processing it? As a bad L, tied for the 18th-largest margin of defeat in franchise history. Not the worst. Not even top five. One of the benefits of being old is that I've pretty much always seen worse, whether it comes to football or regular life. It takes a lot to surprise me anymore, and that wasn't it.
As Sam Elliott said to The Dude in "The Big Lebowski," "Sometimes you get the bar, sometimes the bar gets you." And as he said to Dalton in "Road House," "What's the matter? Still living in the past, aren't you? We're a long way from Memphis." Anyway, Sam Elliott is great.
I work here, so people think I'm not supposed to be honest about what's going on. But no matter where my paychecks come from, I didn't anticipate they'd go 15-2 this season. I reckon you didn't either.
------------------------------------------------------
I know everyone will be down after this week's game, but it only counts as one loss, and I am still extremely happy with the overall direction of the team and our overall roster. Since I know everyone will be overly upset this week, I wanted to pivot to something else. Is it possible to showcase some interesting plays broken down in detail? For example, I loved the scheming that got Mr. Tommy Tremble so open against the Eagles and would love to see the play drawn up and explained why it worked so well against the particular defense the Eagles were playing. I'm a complete nerd about the details. Thanks for everything you do Darin and tell everyone that the sun will come out tomorrow and we WILL bounce back against the Packers on Thursday night! — Steve, Clayton, NC
Steve, I bow to your Buddha nature.
And because you've chosen the road less traveled, I'm making you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag, and getting the appropriate honorarium on the way to you soon.
And I'll take your suggestion and see what we can do. We have a lot of film breakdowns on The Huddle and some of our other properties, but we'll see if we can add a little of that here into the pages of the old dot com and figure out what we can do to scratch that particular itch. I have an idea, actually.
------------------------------------------------------
Shoutout to the squad for a truly horrifying performance in honor of Halloween! Here's hoping the exorcist can pencil them in before Thursday night.
On a serious note, perhaps the worst part of Sunday's game happened after I had already tuned out for the afternoon. In the event that this was Taylor Moton's final game, I'd just like to offer that it has been an absolute pleasure. Tackle is a hard position to play well at this level for this long, and he has been one of the few consistent bright spots of this team for what has been a pretty difficult period of fandom. I'd ask you to pass along the mantra for me, but I'm sure he already knows.
As for everyone else, Keep Pounding! — Jake, Candler, NC
Yeah, football stinks sometimes. And seeing Moton go down and get carted off was the worst part of last week, and would have ruined the mood if they won by 30.
None of this is promised to any of us, but when ball players pass 30, you start to worry if an injury means more than just this season. And man, I hope for the sake of fans, teammates, and coaches, and mostly for Taylor Moton, that this wasn't the last we've seen of him.
Taylor Moton is the kind of football player you want your football players to be. He's strong and smart and dependable and accountable. He's an adult, the kind that helps train up the guys who will eventually and inevitably replace him. And he's really good at his day job, which is blocking other 300-pound dudes and clearing the way for the smaller people to do theirs well. And yes, he was often an island of sanity during a chaotic time.
Taylor Moton is also the kind of human being you want in your community, considerate and smart, and aware that he's fortunate, and that many other people allow him to do his thing. He's constantly thanking the athletic training and medical and strength staff for keeping him going, and helping the community relations department because giving back matters. And he makes sure teammates pick up their towels in the locker room, because they're not too good to clean up after themselves.
Taylor also genuinely appreciates it when fans reach out. Taylor is a good dude, and we all want him well and happy because he does his business the right way.
------------------------------------------------------
Hi Darin, why are we not seeing more of Chau Smith-Wade at CB? I know he is used in the nickel position, but with Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson being out, he seems like another good option. He looked really good in the preseason. — Deirdre, Tega Cay, SC
We're about to. With Akayleb Evans out this week with a triceps and knee injury, Smith-Wade is one of the two healthy corners on the 53-man roster. The other one is rookie Will Lee III and they'll add some more help later today before kickoff because two is not enough against any team, much less Green Bay.
Smith-Wade's an interesting player, because he's got a lot of the traits they want in corners, except for size. When your starters are guys like Jaycee and Mike Jack, it leads you to having a type. But he's smart and tough, and has made some plays when he's had chances in the past.
When they started working with Horn as the nickel in training camp with the idea of using him there during the regular season, that took away some of his opportunity. And when the fourth-round rookie Lee stood out in camp as a guy they could trust on the perimeter when Horn went inside, that took away a little more of his opportunity.
But they also kept him for a reason. And when you keep a player who doesn't exactly fit your preferred physical profile, that means he has a lot of other qualities you admire.
And as often happens, he now gets his chance, and we'll see what he does with it.
It's really hard to replace guys as talented as Jaycee and Mike Jack, especially within the course of a season when everyone's filled their rosters. But Nick Scott, as he often does, said something smart the other day. He said one of the ways Ejiro Evero and Jonathon Cooley were really tuned in is by not keeping the expectations the same when the people change.
So you're saying the backups aren't as good as Horn? No kidding. So don't ask them to do the same stuff the same way. And that means making adjustments throughout the defense, which they're in the process of doing until Horn and Jackson come back.
------------------------------------------------------
Good, I mean, sad, sad Monday morning! This Old Guy waited all week thinking that we had a very good chance to finally put the Buccaneers in place, after Baker Mayfield had a 5-1 record against us. It looks to me like Evero just isn't very good at changing up his plans during a game, as a former player and lifelong Panther fan, who can probably count on one hand the number of games I've missed. My question is: why, when he noticed that they were 90 percent run, didn't he switch personnel? Lathan Ransom is a wrecking ball safety, who could have at least caused some turnovers. Also, everybody in the football universe has fussed about Akayleb Evans, but Evero, why not put in Chau Smith-Wade? He is definitely better against the run! Panther Sad — James, Millers Creek, NC
Cheer up, James; it's a beautiful day in Wilkes County, whether the weather is good or not. We landed in Wisconsin yesterday afternoon and it was, . . . warm (Ron Burgundy question mark voice)?
As Derrick Brown said this week, when people talk about run defense, it starts up front. And that's not to say the secondary doesn't play a part, but no one safety would make that much of a difference.
Honestly, and this sounds boring and like something a coach would say, but run defense is truly an all-11 effort. One guy out of his spot can make it all come undone, but if they all play their gaps, it can work.
------------------------------------------------------
Win or lose, why do they always downplay opponents? It looks the same as last year, they get a major win and then a week later look like it all went to their heads.
Also why is Evans still a starter? With Horn and Jackson out doesn't it make sense to get a look at any of the other corners like Corey Thornton because at this point, its clear he just can't cut it right now. — Eric, Brick, NJ
Human nature? How many of us are truly the same person every day. All we can do is try.
Evans has been getting beaten up pretty good out in the public the last couple of weeks, but it's important to circle back to what Nick Scott said. You have to know your personnel. Evans is a solid backup corner and an excellent special teams player, but you get treated differently when injuries turn you into the team's most experienced corner. He's not Horn, and nobody who stepped into that spot on this roster would have been. Besides, he's hurt and out tonight, so people don't have him to kick around tonight.
------------------------------------------------------
They say every team has a brand of football. After Sunday's 43-13 loss, I'm starting to wonder if the Panthers' brand is inconsistency.
One loss doesn't erase progress, and one dominant win doesn't make a contender. They all count the same in the standings, but if losses are classrooms, this one had plenty to teach. We learned the defense still struggles to adjust when Plan A gets punched in the mouth. We learned Bryce Young may have been hiding more offensive line deficiencies than we realized (even before T-Mo went down). Most of all, we learned that a team that hasn't won three straight games since 2021 is still trying to figure out exactly who it is.
No more talk about identity or culture, take accountability, and get back to work. — Aaron, Chattanooga, TN
They won three straight last year, beating the Dolphins, Cowboys, and Jets before embarking on their alternate-ending rest of the season.
That's kind of how the league is working this year, though. I mean, two of the undefeated teams in the league lost to teams at .500 or below. (Granted, the Seahawks are probably pretty good, and I have no idea what the Falcons are all about; it depends on who's playing quarterback that week.)
Mostly, I think it's part of the growth of a team. You learn to win any game, you learn to win a couple in a row, and then you learn how to be actually good. Being consistently good is the hardest thing, so it makes sense that it's the last thing to pick up.
And getting back to work has been kind of the order of the week. Let's see if they still know how to respond to adversity.
------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure the Mailbag will be full this week, but losing by 30 when the opposing QB has 64 yards passing is completely embarrassing. There is a part of me that knows that many mistakes that pile up won't happen again (hopefully). The defense was far from the only problem and this game was lost in all three phases, but I can't understand why the defense wasn't as aggressive as they were against Atlanta and Philly. I know Baker is a much different player but he had a bad throwing hand and no Egbuka. Canales has stepped to the podium for three years and said some version of "I like the play calls or I like the scheme." When do the players get tired of it getting blamed on them publicly after historically bad performances and have coach publicly share the blame with Evero? — Dustin, Albemarle, NC
When Canales starts airing anyone out at a press conference, that'll be news because it's not something he's going to do.
Sometimes games like that happen.
I remember covering a game like that one back in the day. The starting quarterback was out, the backup was hurt and couldn't throw well, so they just stuck DeAngelo Williams behind the center and ran it 52 times and only threw it seven times and still won. And the only touchdown was a 1-yard pass (to current Bears assistant GM Jeff King), because that might have been as far as Chris Weinke could throw it that day.
As John Fox liked to say, "The other team practices too." Sometimes you just get got.
------------------------------------------------------
Hey Darin, long-time reader (of ATOG and everything else you and Kassidy do), but first-time questioner.
It's one thing to lose. It's another thing to get embarrassed. If it was a competitive 27-24 loss, I'd say "hey, it happens" and move on. But every time this team builds up some hope, momentum, and expectations, it all seems to come crashing down spectacularly. Why is this team so inconsistent from week-to-week? I get we're still a young team and building. I get we're battling injuries. But it's kind of like you can consistently bet on this team to show how inconsistent they are after a big win or two.
In 2024, we got blown out by the Bucs after beating the Cardinals in OT. Last year, we got obliterated by the Patriots after beating the Falcons by 30. Now, we get nice wins over the Lions and Eagles just to, once again, get blown out by the Bucs. You can call it a learning opportunity, but surely we've had enough of those in Canales' tenure so far.
I'm not trying to bash the staff. I actually really like Canales. But when you think back to the days of John Fox or Ron Rivera, were there any things their respective staffs were doing on a weekly basis to prepare the team that our current staff just isn't? I feel like we have a good group of players and we have grown overall, but the level of inconsistency and lack of preparedness week-to-week is killing me. — Dante, Charlotte
Welcome, Dante, come back any time.
Especially if you're going to answer your own question. Takes the pressure off me.
A team playing without both starting corners that loses one of the emotional leaders in mid-game against a desperate team loses game. Film at 11.
If inconsistency is killing you, I fear this might not be the sport for you, because the whole league's that way. Canales is doing what Fox and Rivera did, which is building slowly, from the ground up, because that's all you can do when you inherit their situation.
------------------------------------------------------
What is the actual status of Jonathan Brooks? Not listed on roster or on injured reserve. Left with pulled groin. Seems like he should be back. — Mike, Hallettsville, TX
How is Jonathon Brooks progressing in his recovery, and do you see him making an impact for the Panthers before the end of the season? — David, Fort Wayne, OH
I was beginning to worry because we hadn't had a Weekly Jonathon Brooks question in a few weeks.
He's definitely on injured reserve. He's running around doing his thing, about a month into a recovery that Canales pegged at 6-to-8 weeks. So tune in for next week's Mailbag for another update.
I do think Brooks will eventually make an impact, because I've seen how fast he is, and the kind of player he was in college. He's got terrible luck in the NFL, but when you have that kind of talent, you get lots of chances for a reason.
------------------------------------------------------
Long-time reader here, currently living in Berlin, Germany. I have a question for you regarding the AFLE (American Football League Europe).
There are some seemingly original teams competing in the AFLE, like the Berlin Thunder, the Paris Lights or the London Warriors, but there are also some, how can I put this, which resemble an uncanny similarity with NFL teams regarding names and colour schemes (e.g. the Vienna Vikings
or the Alpine Rams - a Swiss team).
One of these latter teams is called the Wroclaw, yeah, you guessed it, Panthers. In case you wondered, Wroclaw is a beautiful city in the South of Poland with a population of around 675,000, and it's really worth a visit, I can truly recommend it.
My question is the following, plainly: is this legal? To have the same name and colour scheme as an actual NFL team? Isn't this somehow copyright infringement? Is there any cooperation between the Carolina and the Wroclaw Panthers that I don't know of? Is this like a "B" team or a practice team where "our" Panthers send younger players to season? Or is this whole thing just "accidental" and there's nothing to see here? Thank you in advance if you are willing to commit a bit of journalism on my behalf.
I think I can speak for all us here in the Old Continent that we are very grateful for all your work overseas. It really is a joy to follow and cheer for the Carolina Panthers! (Sunday's score notwithstanding.) As always, Keep Pounding! — Derek, Berlin, Germany
There's no connection, and I think this is a case where there are only so many nickname possibilities in the world before you get weird. A lot of high schools in the United States become Panthers or Buccaneers (like Providence High and Charlotte Country Day, locally) and have vaguely familiar logos.
The last time the NFL sponsored a developmental league overseas was NFL Europe in the 1990s through the mid-2000s, which produced future NFL stars including Panthers Hall of Honor QB Jake Delhomme, Panthers almost-legend Dameyune Craig, and Mike Duffy (the guy back at the office who has to approve my expense reports).
Of course, games there are becoming more common. Loved our trip to Munich a couple of years ago, and can't wait to go back abroad (at least as long as Sean McVay's not planning the trip for us).
------------------------------------------------------
I will be honest, I had to turn the game before the half. I can get losing or being behind, but when your run defense is that atrocious that Tampa isn't even throwing the ball. There needs to be some kind of changes because that tells me the 3-4 scheme isn't working especially with the run defense. I would like for Carolina to go far, but how can we if the run defense is letting running backs run all over them. This is a problem and I thought this was addressed in the offseason and the past couple of games were the defense knew the run gaps and what to do. I do not know how it can be fixed going forward to be honest. — Anthony, Dayton, OH
We're doomed; we'll never make it. Also, it's Week 8, and the two weeks before, they allowed 81 rushing yards combined, and one of those teams had Jahmyr Gibbs on it. I don't know, maybe give it a couple of weeks and see if it's always like this or an outlier.
------------------------------------------------------
Two wins in a row! It feels good. So good! So good! Yep, I did that. Hubris is bad. I don't believe it's hubris to say that 94-yard drive, which ended the third quarter against a darn good Philly defense, should concern defensive coordinators everywhere. Bryce truly playing like a first overall is 'sposed to play. I been hard on Bryce Young; we all have—he survived, now he's thriving. Idzik has shown to be a much less rigid play-caller, and that has allowed Bryce to excel. Chuba Hubbard is balling. In a different time, Chuba woulda' been a superstar. He would have been a faster OJ Anderson in 1983. He could be one this year. Great o-line work.
Evero is on fire. The work with the front seven is really good stuff. The way they working them dogs with Devin Lloyd and Bobby Okereke is nice. Using Tre'von Moehrig as a big nickel/third LB looks trippy to the QB that I can tell. It's paying dividends. Brings me to my question.
Is Zakee Wheatley the greatest football player on the planet or does he fit this scheme like that Star Fleet suit fit Seven o' Nine? The more that cat plays, the better the defense plays. He affects ever'one of the plays he's supposed to. I apreciate your attention to this matter, sir. — Deric, Gastonia, NC
*Sigh* I wrote a glowing review of the team last week, had a solid question ready to go, and then missed the deadline. Talk about bad timing.
Well, never mind now. Baker Mayfield and his Sir Purr voodoo doll came to town looking nonplussed and left town looking dapper and unruffled. The man threw for a whopping 87 yards, barely broke a sweat, and completely beat the brakes off the Cats.
I ain't thinking our cornerback issues are what allowed 248 rushing yards. And I do be thinking Jaelan Phillips setting the edge is not what was missing here. It seemed like Tampa just ran it straight up the gut and between the tackles for most of the game. Though the defense was terrible, the offense didn't help at all. Even special teams provided a spark... for the Bucs. I'm just gonna throw this tape away. I won't learn anything from the All-22, and I don't believe the coaching staff will either. Seriously, how do you beat a voodoo doll?
So, even though the contest was abysmal, and my son's first live Panthers game was regrettable (though we did stop into the ice cream place on the walk from the train to the stadium—it was magnificent and soothed a couple of tender, painful souls), I'd like to pivot to the question I was late with last week.
How have I not heard more about possibly the greatest football player in the known universe, Zakee "Always in Class" Wheatley? I be joking, but the dude is ALWAYS right where he is supposed to be. Latently or directly, the man affects every single play. He was the one guy who didn't add to the sadness of the day; he was still just Zakee Wheatley. He fits this defense like that Starfleet jumpsuit fit Seven of Nine. Is he secretly the best free safety in the history of football, or is he just a guy who meticulously studies film and does exactly what he's supposed to do on every single snap? Because I'mma have to go out and get myself a No. 20 jersey.
I appreciate you, sir. I'll be quicker with the send button next time! — Deric, Gastonia, NC
Behold, the full gamut of the human experience following a sports team.
The highs, the lows. The exhilaration, the depression. And the only consistent through line is, . . . checks notes, . . . a consistent interest in an attractive character from Star Trek with whom I was previously unfamiliar.
I'm beginning to think Chuba Hubbard and Zakee Wheatley aren't really what these letters are all about, though.
I'm a Star Wars guy, but you do you, Deric. The heart wants what the heart wants.
------------------------------------------------------
The last Mailbag was full of concerns about excessive penalties. I know the Panthers used to employ practice refs during training camp to throw flags and coach that issue. Do they do so during regular season pad practices? Are there actual coaching sessions that address the fine line between what the players can get away with and what they can't? Besides bemoaning, are there actually proactive steps the Panthers take to address this issue? Thanks again for your insight. Cheers! — Wally, Charlotte, NC
Yes and yes.
The refs are a regular fixture around the stadium, as they bring in at least three or four of them for every practice.
And the coaching points are made clear. As we discussed a week ago, you can't really yell a person into changing; you have to teach. And that's what Canales wants his staff to specialize in. Teaching takes patience, but it's usually worth it.
------------------------------------------------------
My nerd question: what is the Panthers' decision-making process in reference to the opening coin toss? i.e., defer, want the ball, which direction to head in.
Thanks for working at a polling place. The first question I ask someone when they attempt to discuss politics is: did they vote? If not, end of conversation. If so I still try to change the subject, such as the Panthers.
And it's the small things that matter, especially with my wife being limited mobility-wise. Shout out to Jackie at guest relations (by Section 119) for storing and then quickly getting our wheelchair back from storage. Of course, it helped that by the end of the game most fans were long gone. Also the usher at 119 for assisting my wife down the two rows to our seats. Keep Pounding — Tom, Trent Woods, NC
Perfect timing on this question, since last year's at Green Bay was critical.
Usually teams will defer to the second half, and that's their pattern, but when they won the toss at Lambeau last year, they took the ball first. That allowed them to choose direction, and since special teams coordinator Tracy Smith is incredibly detailed when it comes to weather (he's the Brad Panovich of football), he knew with the winds blowing like they were, they'd want it behind them in the fourth quarter.
As for the toss itself, they send a different group of captains every week, and usually if Bryce is out there he'll call it, and if he isn't, JJ Jansen will.
Jansen and former punter Johnny Hekker once called three straight tosses successfully by linking their choice to the flip of a snack waffle 93 minutes before the game. You can't argue with that, it's just science.
Young's methodology remains a mystery. But you might be surprised to know how many important choices he leaves up to vibes.
And thanks for mentioning Jackie; I appreciate that, and I passed it along to the department head. Take care of the people who take care of the people.
------------------------------------------------------
Sunday afternoon was not a great sports afternoon for me. I attended Northwestern basketball's preseason exhibition against No. 18 Iowa State, and the 'Cats lost by 36 points. It was ugly. Afterward, I attended the press conference (I attended the game with the student radio station), and it really looked like our coach (Chris Collins; he played for Duke back in the day) was feeling quite deflated by the result. He specifically said that he knows that many of the players' confidence is shaken, which is unfortunate. Like many other people at this school, my confidence has been rattled a bit here at times academically, and to be quite fair, my confidence in other things has dipped a bit as well. I very well know that the Carolina Panthers face a very similar predicament after Sunday's ugly defeat.
So, my question for this week: How does one build confidence in themselves? And how can one gain confidence in other people (i.e., this football team?) Keep Pounding, — Zach, Evanston, IL
All you can really do is have a process, and stick to it, and continue to work when things don't go well. And when you continue to work, your luck tends to turn. And when you get positive outcomes, your confidence grows.
It all goes back to work.
Speaking of which, you know what comes next, right... GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
------------------------------------------------------
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.
How come Carolina is so overrated? ... — Jeff, Draper, UT
I knew when the first Mailbag question Sunday came in at 1:16 p.m., after about the first Bucs drive of the game, that it was going to be a special week. But it contained a lot of profanity, so much it was pretty unusable. And weirdly, it came from Utah. I didn't expect that from a Utahn, which I only recently learned is what they call people from Utah. I guess that's better than Utahnians or Utities.
Hi Darin, before I get into the game stuff, let me say how good it was to see you on the TV camera in the Panthers' locker room during the Derrick Brown postgame interview. I don't know if you realized you were being filmed or not, but you rocked that '70s hair (much like I myself) and made a lot of us proud. The only thing I must admit is my jealousy over your ability to grow those sideburns. I love my Fu Manchu, but I've never been able to grow sideburns like yours. OK, enough of the nostalgia for now. — Jeff, Concord, NC
Respect the flow. All respect to my stylist Janna, whom I inherited from Tom Sorensen when we traded lives (I moved to the city, and he went to the suburbs). I wish I could grow a good mustache, but in my family, the mustache gene went to my oldest brother, and he grew a bad one.
I live in Southwest VA. It's really close to KY and TN, but I like everything about the Carolina Panthers, but I can hardly ever watch or listen to them. Roanoke is the furthest the broadcast comes from. Put in SOMEONE'S ear that there are people down this way that would love to see the Panthers play weekly instead of the Titans (they are on EVERY week). We would greatly appreciate ANYTHING you could do to help SWVA w/Panthers football.THANKS! — Kevin, Jonesville, VA
You're good to go this week; it's a national broadcast. But get in touch with your local affiliates. They've got to know you want it. If not, there's always Sunday Ticket.
If Bryce keeps playing out the season with the numbers he is putting up, do you think he will be a top contender for the '28 Madden cover? If so, is the "Madden Curse" still a thing? — Matt, Raleigh, NC
I mean, Caleb Williams was on it this year, and he got hurt. I'd rather not risk it.
Will we sign a cornerback before the trade deadline? — Gary, Summerville, SC
They're going to have to at least elevate one from the practice squad to be able to play tonight, since they only have two healthy. But the trade deadline is tricky, because the other team has to agree to trade a good one, and you have to be able to afford it.
Hi Darin, me again. What was that? I mean, I'm not sure how else to ask that. Evero has presided over several of the worst defensive performances in franchise history. At what point is a change made? I'm sure you're contractually obligated to never publicly criticize team personnel, but Christ almighty. — Greg, Charlotte
I'm only contractually obliged to shill for Deep Eddy Vodka because they sponsor the Happy Half Hour, and Bojangles because, . . . Yeah I do that for free because I love it.
What do we do when it hurts? This is not to celebrate another team. It's to make a point. The Falcons' Zachariah Branch dropped a punt—his second fumble of the game. It led to a Chicago score. Branch was shown throwing his helmet on the sideline. The camera went away to another shot but later came back to Branch, who was huddled with Bijan Robinson, and they were praying. Whatever anyone thinks of prayer is not the point. The point is that a teammate was upset with himself. And another teammate responded by encouraging him. That's what people who care about each other do when one of them is hurting over a mistake he never wanted to make.
Hope your mail this week, Darin, shows that kind of support. Keep Pounding, Panthers. Green Bay is next. — Dan, Greenville, SC
Yeah, it didn't, but thanks for putting the good energy into the universe. Your reward will be eventual and inevitable.
Would you say my dedication to the Panthers is stupidity, or a base reaction to surveying the stupidity described in your link the last Mailbag? From becoming a fan when I was 6 based off colors, logos and rebellion against my family's Niners; to the cardiac cats; Super Bowl 50; the drought; and the inconsistency of now I always wonder myself.
However, if you all did not click on it, check out "The Stupidity Of The Ages" by Robert Kahn. And nothing true has not been said better before, so Keep Pounding, and listen to your heart not the media. — William, Mokelumne Hill, CA
Nah, you're just a fan, and a cool one. You know there's always another one, and it kicks off in a few hours.
