CHARLOTTE — Congratulations. If you're reading about, writing about, or watching football today, consider yourself among the most fortunate 1 percent of all human beings who have ever lived.
And in the particular context of the Carolina Panthers, that's true, too.
From some of the mail that landed in the aftermath of Monday's loss to the 49ers, you'd think this place was cursed, and that the coming winter would only bring starvation and suffering.
On the other hand, the Panthers are also 6-6 and a half-game out of the division lead on Thanksgiving. For a team that was days away from a coaching change en route to a 2-15 record two Thanksgivings ago, that seems kind of groovy by comparison.
Friends, that's a metaphorical tribe of indigenous people bringing you a feast to enjoy, if you're prepared to accept it, and not everybody is.
The reality is that the Panthers, at this particular moment in time, are an improving team, but a young one. And young things are flexible, but not finished products, and often prone to mistakes.
So Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the 'Bag, if you're into the whole gratitude thing. I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to participate. Every week I write it, this Mailbag has been inspired by the greatest Thanksgiving song of them all, which I listened to on a loop while writing this week. It only took about seven or eight playings to finish this one. I'm not proud. Or tired. So let's get to it.
------------------------------------------------------
Well, ... when do we stop this charade of BY9 being the guy? Honestly it's making you look "stoopiid." I wrote in back in Year 1 saying that no legit NFL team would continue to keep playing him as QB! This fact has not changed almost Year 3 into this experiment. I'm all for giving someone time to figure things out, but there comes a time to cut your losses. Game-winning drives, records for a franchise (of which there is only one), etc., etc. Stats are stats, and the most important one is that BY9 is rated # 32 of 32 QBs in the NFL after almost 3 years. This organization has been floundering for way tooooooo long, and now we get this roller coaster ride of BY9. We as fans expect and deserve better than this. I see things clicking on the upward side. Bad QB play is not one of them.
I still continue to read your column. If one reads and listens enough, they can see trends, cracks, etc. I'm starting to see some cracks in the BY9 support. — Scott, Hampstead, NC
Look at Scott here, full of the holiday spirit. Or something. I can almost hear him later today. "Turkey is overrated. Who even likes pie? I don't know about you, but I'm kind of sick of my brother."
I've only been doing this for 30 years or so, and there are a lot of people who know a lot more about football than me. And you can tell that because they say the football words to prove to you how smart they are. But here's what I know for sure.
I don't know how Bryce Young is going to turn out. And neither does anyone else, if they're being honest. He has good weeks, and he has bad weeks. But he hasn't had all that many weeks, either.
I know that he's still just 24 years old and the youngest quarterback in the NFC South. The Falcons and Saints drafted dudes older than he is in each of the last two drafts. I know that a couple of former Panthers quarterbacks who were top-five picks are prospering elsewhere after people with the unearned confidence that only comes with having grown up in an internet world declared that they absolutely weren't the guy and would never work.
I'm not certain of nearly as much as a lot of people are. Maybe that's why I'm not as internet-famous as other sports writers. But I'd rather risk that than looking "stoopiid" for premature declarations all the time.
Honest, you really don't have to make every day a referendum on forever. And you really don't have to predict how someone's entire career is going to go after every single week (that goes for last week when he broke a record, too). It's OK to leave the crystal ball in Ben McAdoo's other pants, I promise.
You'd think that having Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield in their lives, and recently, would make a lot of people realize that. But what do I know?
------------------------------------------------------
When are they going to realize that QB is the most important position? They will never win with Young at QB. It hurts to watch the defense play their hearts out, and the running game's above average. — John, Largo, FL
They will never win, ... checks notes, ... except the six times this year when they do, I guess.
Again, maybe I'm old-fashioned. But you don't get to pin all the results on one guy, good or bad. All the wins aren't the result of the side you decree worthy, and all the losses don't get pinned on the guy you have decided to be the singular problem.
It's a whole team thing. And this is a young one. And that includes the quarterback and the head coach and the GM, and a lot of people here.
So they're all growing together, and sometimes that means growing pains. The alternative is constant change, and I'm not sure that's the way you want to go either.
------------------------------------------------------
I am a Panther fan from the beginning, and not only moved to North Carolina from Florida but also bought my first PSLs this year and won't miss another home game, God willing.
I have been a Bryce fan since he was drafted. I was one of the crazies on the field at BOA on draft night, cheering the pick. With that said my issue with him is consistency. He brings it one week and then lays an egg the next. I believe he has it in him to be what we saw last week in Atlanta. What do you think we need to do to give him the opportunity to play like that every week?
Sorry for the novel, but first time posting. — John, Winston Salem, NC
Wait, you thought that was a novel? You really must be new here. That was a haiku compared to some of the letters we get. As such, I'm inspired to poetry.
John asks short question.
Know what that makes him today?
Friend Of The Mailbag.
I'll send you the appropriate honorarium soon, just to allow me to lean into this week's theme.
You know what it's going to take any collection of them to grow into the kind of team that does the same thing each week?
Time.
The Panthers made a conscious decision to go young (and, I suppose, go Young) because the other way wasn't working. And once you make that decision, you're obliged to ride it out for a minute.
And trading a veteran receiver like Adam Thielen before Week 1 and putting Young out there with a bunch of other kids was another step in a youth movement. Let them grow together, with emphasis on both of the last two words before the comma.
Veteran backup quarterback Andy Dalton lived this in his rookie year (2011) in Cincinnati when he was a Bengals second-rounder thrown into the starting lineup with a first-rounder (AJ Green) and a bunch of other dudes who weren't old enough to rent a car or run for Congress.
"Experience is the best way to learn," Dalton said. "To be out there and playing and to do it and for them to do it right and say that's exactly how they want it and to mess up and be like, hey, no, on that look, this is how we need it.
"I say it all the time. I was so thankful that I got to play early on in my career and start as a rookie because I got to just learn and grow and try to keep improving and all that kind of stuff.
"And they basically said, go learn together."
That's no guarantee it'll work. But it's the best way to potentially build something that lasts.
------------------------------------------------------
Dear Darin: This is going to be old news, but I thought I'd ask it anyway. Y'all posted the Top 5 most passing yards in a game (with Bryce on top now, and Cam with three, if memory serves). I noticed that the four that weren't Bryce were all losses, and I've generally noticed that QBs with more than 350 yards in a game seem more likely than not to have lost. I'm assuming that QBs often have that many yards because the team has been way behind and they're trying to catch up. What other reasons have you noticed? Enjoy SF! — Scott, Cheshire, MA
This makes me as happy as apple pie and that weird casserole my sister-in-law makes that's full of rice and sausage and peppers and onions and cream-of-something soup.
Most sane decision-makers understand that big passing stats come from having to pass.
But wins tend to come from getting to run.
If you throw yourself to an early lead and then wring the clock dry by running, that's a lovely day, even if you fall short of some arbitrary threshold for statistical merit. Being behind isn't a prerequisite to putting up a lot of passing yards, but it helps.
That Falcons game was a brilliant one for a lot of reasons, and as he was last January in Atlanta, Young was dealing. When a passer is in rhythm, it's a beautiful thing to watch.
But it's not the only way to win a game, or even the most likely way. And there are teams with the kind of experience and chemistry to choose to play that way every week, the way Jim Kelly and the Bills or Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs used to. But those are rare. And the ones like Chris Weinke throwing for 423 in a 27-13 loss (with three interceptions) are far more common.
------------------------------------------------------
Hi Darin, last week I wrote to you regarding how concerned I was regarding Bryce and his lack of performances this year, and his possible regression. I can't believe what I witnessed from him today, 448 passing yards, and a franchise record!!!! It was an amazing day, not just for Bryce but the offense as a unit!
I am originally from Dublin, Ireland, and this morning my national soccer team won their World Cup qualifier in very dramatic circumstances. I was on top of the world before the Panthers game even began, and the Panthers made it as dramatic as my earlier game!
For me, it wasn't that the way the Panthers won the game, but how we won!!! To come back from 14 points down on the road to a divisional rival. To pass up the chance of a FG and then miss on fourth-and-1. The way the receivers played, they really looked in tune this week, and YAC! For Bryce to orchestrate not one, but two game-winning drives in this one game...I know he will only get the credit for one...lol. So much more that I am forgetting.
I actually don't have a question, but I feel that if I am ready to blame our QB on a bad performance, I will give a massive shout out to him with such an outstanding performance and so much pressure on his shoulders from not just the fans, but the media in general! I feel there was a lot of pressure on Bryce this week with what I was reading. While I would love to see a lot more consistency on the team, you tell us how young the team is, so I am not going to preach today. I am just enjoying beating last year's win total already. Thanks, Darin, for keeping us so well informed! — Ronnie, Boiling Springs, SC
The post-Atlanta mail that came in after last week's bag published on Tuesday certainly had a different tone.
And I appreciate Ronnie's enthusiasm — and his recognition of former Spurs product Troy Parrott's hat trick, which put Ireland in the World Cup. Having Irish fans at the World Cup is going to be amazing.
I'm all for finding the joy where it meets you. That sounds like a proverb, or something. And the fact that an Irishman living in Boiling Springs would bother sending me a letter about an American football team likewise fills me with delight. So in the spirit of international goodwill and extra helpings, I'm making him this week's bonus FOTM.
------------------------------------------------------
Hey Darin. I've mostly been watching from the sidelines this season. Definitely have had some interactions on X, and probably have been doing some more interacting lately as I settle into the new place in Waxhaw and life is less hectic. What I can't understand from last night's game is Dave's reluctance to run the ball. The passing game clearly wasn't firing on all cylinders, and Rico Dowdle/Chuba Hubbard only had nine rushing attempts, but they looked good in those attempts.
I understand that maybe that wasn't the "game plan," but you have to use your eyes and your head to adjust in-game. For example, I watched the Cowboys down 21 to the Eagles come back and win while still being stubborn with Javonte Williams and calling some shot plays. It seems that too often Dave is quick to get away from the run, and it can't be just me. He wants to be a run-first offense, or so he says, so what gives? — John, Waxhaw, NC
I think if you offered Dave Canales a do-over on that one, he'd take it. But that's not me saying that — that's him.
"I try to be really transparent with the players and to own up to the places in the areas I could do better in this situation, and I want them to understand, this is all of us, we're accountable to each other," Canales said Wednesday, after telling the team in a meeting they probably should have been more balanced. "We're all pushing to try to win, to try to improve our football, and I'm certainly a part of that as a head coach and then of course as the play caller. So we all have to be connected on that and we all have to be real about it, you know, and, and look at, look at the opportunities, and while players may get the scrutiny for a missed play here, a missed block there, a dropped pass, an errant throw, a missed tackle, those types of things happen. The coaches are involved as well, and we've all got to be on the same page, be humble about it, and be looking forward to improving.
"And for me, as a youngish play caller, pretty early in my career, every week is a lesson for me. Every week there's something to take, and I have great people around me that we talk to that we have accountability with, and I lean on those guys because I want to get better as well as we continue to do this process."
So yes, he gets it.
It's tempting to want to build on the passing game after throwing for 448 the week before. Makes sense. And at a certain point in the game, down-and-distance and time require you to do things in a hurry. But in general, that last one was not the kind of game they want to play. I'd be surprised if it continues to look like that.
------------------------------------------------------
That was a tough loss, especially because it felt like the defense played well enough to win. I saw a statistic that the Panthers were only the second team in ten years to have three INTs in the first half and still be losing. With the defense having a historically bad year last season, there were many calls for Ejiro Evero's job. Now the defense seems to be the most consistent unit on the team. I'm not calling for anyone's job but we continue to hear about missed opportunities and lack of execution on offense. When do we take a serious look at the play calling from our offensive-minded head coach? The game was close most of the way due to the turnovers. Why would we only have nine rushing attempts by the RBs when both Chuba and Rico averaged 5+ yards per carry? — Dustin, Albemarle, NC
Again, the point is a valid one, as recognized by Canales yesterday.
But it's also worth zooming in on the other part of Dustin's question.
Remember when people were ready to run defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero out of town last year? Haven't heard that in a minute. Some weeks have been better than others, but the Panthers are a more stable defense now, hovering around the middle of the league in a lot of the categories (14th in points allowed, 18th in yards allowed).
The job they've done fixing that side of the ball this year has been nothing less than impressive.
Of course, it gets harder this week, with your guess is as good as mine in the secondary against one of the hottest quarterbacks in the last decade or so. But the point stands.
------------------------------------------------------
Hey Darin, how was the trip? Does the team have a layover someplace, or is it a straight shot to Cali?
Props to the defense for an impressive outing and prayers for the injured. Glad Jaycee Horn could show out on the national stage before his early exit. Sort of felt like the Panthers' Super Bowl under the bright lights of prime time, but they didn't answer the bell despite so many opportunities. Three points off of three turnovers is just silly, and nine total rushing attempts is game-plan malpractice despite what Canales says. I suspect (and hope) that spamming the pass has more to do with evaluating the future than winning now, but until "coach speak" is an option on Duolingo, I guess I won't know for certain.
My question is about the refs: Not big into blaming them generally cause their job is tough, but I don't think they called that one straight. Penalties (and lack thereof) felt biased to the point that it had the announcers commenting (and arguing with Gene Steratore) during the broadcast. Do these guys get reviewed and reprimanded for bad and/or missed calls or is it just a benefit of the doubt type of thing? Also, I know coaches and players are fined for criticizing refs, but can team-employed sports writers incur fines for doing so? (Blink twice if the answer is yes.) As always, Keep Pounding! — Jake, Candler, NC
If you think of it as a round-trip flight from Charlotte to Charlotte, the layover was in San Jose. We were there for about 33 hours total, and it was lovely. Went to dinner with some former and current co-workers, the kind of friends and family you appreciate this time of year because you've gone through some things with them. Got a decent night's sleep. Went for a nice run along the bay. Then watched that game, and flew back into a short week without the benefit of sleep or time.
Look, being an NFL official is a hard job, and I don't want it, because with national broadcasts, more camera angles, and 8K slow-mo or whatever, it's easier than ever to see the inevitable human mistakes.
I'd rather not find out about writers being fined for criticizing officials, and yes, the officials are graded by the NFL. That being said, I assume when the league looks back at Bryce Young's second pick, they'll see a pretty aggressive hold on Tetairoa McMillan which kept him from having a better chance at that ball. I'll leave it at that and save my philanthropy for more worthy causes. And if you need suggestions for those, I have lots of thoughts, beginning with Roof Above, which is trying to house our neighbors here in Charlotte at a time when it's more necessary and harder than ever. Or find one close to you. Take care of the people who take care of the people.
That may include a ref. If you have one in your life, give him or her an extra slice of pie.
------------------------------------------------------
Good morning, Sir Darin. It's Monday morning, and the excitement is brewing for us to take over the division. My wife and I have been waiting for this opportunity all season. Living in the Krewe country while talking smack to the neighbors sporting the Panthers flag proudly. Oh! I got so excited that I almost forgot my question. We are huge fans of Chuba. He was so dominant last season, and I've read your articles on his health. Why don't they feature him as the primary RB anymore? I respect Rico's game, but isn't Chuba our primary back? May I add that his mentor was CMC? Keep Pounding, and let's take the division. Thank you and Kassidy for your information. — David, Brooksville, FL
How do I tell him?
Chuba was the guy at the beginning of the season, and had the benefit of the doubt based on his 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. And, his generally being the guy, the kind of work-ethic leader you build around.
And then Rico went on a heater when Hubbard was hurt.
I've said consistently they're going to need both over the course of a season, and I believe that. So I still suspect that as the year goes on, you'll see a moment where Hubbard asserts himself again.
The snap counts this week might have been a sample-size error, but Hubbard's beginning to get a little more run.
Speaking of more run, I want to use this photograph by my guy Alex Herko again. Look at that. How cool is that?
------------------------------------------------------
I'll be brief this week: Who's got better chances, a snowball in Hell or the Panthers on Sunday?
Don't get me wrong, I think we are feisty, but the Rams look like they have this year's MVP under center, and about half of our defense left the Niners game with a doctor's referral. I'll be there cheering from the 500s, modeling the greatest T-shirt I own like always, but this is the hardest game to see us squeaking out of with a win. (OK maybe not so brief) — Nate, Charlotte, NC
This just in, the Rams are good at football. They're 9-2, with their only losses to the Eagles and 49ers. And yes, Matt Stafford is on a season-long hot streak, with 30 touchdowns and two interceptions, and 25 scores since his last pick. That's mind-bendingly good.
And the Panthers could be without the concussed Jaycee Horn and Claudin Cherelus, the suspended Tre'von Moehrig, and the still-injured Christian Rozeboom. Not ideal.
Then again, nobody gave them much of a chance at Green Bay or down 17 to the Dolphins, just like nobody gave the Dolphins much of a chance against the Bills.
Weird stuff happens sometimes. That's why we watch. And if you're out there wearing your Friend Of The Mailbag shirts in community with the like-minded, you never know what might transpire.
------------------------------------------------------
Things to be thankful for: 2025 Panthers edition
- We are 6-6 (one game better than last year) and still in the playoff race
- Bryce threw for a franchise record against the Falcons
- We swept the Falcons
- T-Mac is the real deal
- The defense has improved over the season
- Carolina Mic
and most importantly,
- The Mailbag Family
This fanbase has a lot of amazing curious cats — I'm so thankful for everyone! — Zach, Charlotte, NC
And all those things are true, especially the Carolina Mic part. Like Zach, I admire his pure and unbridled joy. We need more of that in the world. Who knows, maybe he comes back again this year.
And this is why we like Young Zach. He has not been beaten down into cynicism and despair by years of lived experience. And he retains the spirit of discovery we should all aspire to.
That does not mean, however, that it's not time for you to GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH (after dessert, anyway. I'm sure there's homework you haven't done).
------------------------------------------------------
Darin, so with less than five minutes to play, why did Canales send in the rookie kicker for a 57-yard field goal rather than going for the fourth-and-8? In my opinion, coach should turn over play-calling to one of the other offensive coaches. Your thoughts, please. Thanks. — Brian, Myrtle Beach, SC
The short answer is math. They needed two scores anyway, and at that point in the game, one of them was likeliest to be a field goal.
They run the numbers on all this stuff, and the percentages of a Ryan Fitzgerald field goal in that situation weren't bad. He hit a 58 in pre-game warmups. He just didn't hit that one well. It happens. Even FitzMoney misses sometimes.
------------------------------------------------------
Hey Darin, I hope this note gets to you in time, but I'm somewhat concerned that it won't. I got a new phone this past week and this is my third attempt at submitting this. The first two tries simply disappeared into the nanosphere without warning. I'm sure it's something on my end as I've never experienced this type of thing before.
Anyway, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and all things Mailbag, this will be my last shot for this week. In short, I'm certainly disappointed that we failed to come away with a Win on Monday night. However I was encouraged by the effort the team put forth and I refuse to beat them up over the Loss. There were certainly missed opportunities on both sides of the ball, but the thing I didn't see was a lack of effort. The guys played their rear ends off and never quit on each other or on us, their fans. In my opinion, they represented themselves and all of Panther Nation in a way that should reflect great pride and determination in front of a national audience. I would have to believe that more people than not came away from that game with a newfound respect for the Panthers. Regardless of the final score, we gave the 49ers all they could handle and more than they wanted. When the final seconds ticked off the stadium clock, San Fran knew that the Carolina Panthers had been there and had stood toe to toe with them. You can't suffer the number of injuries to your starters that we did and hope to come out on top. We just don't (yet) have the depth required in our second and third teams to survive those kinds of personnel losses, but we're closer today than we were a year ago. The tide is turning slowly but surely.
One question for you, did the decision to take the PAT off the board and then unsuccessfully go for two - was that the right decision on the road in such a high-profile game? Do you think that hurt our momentum at that point in the game? I can't help but believe that we were rocked a little bit, even though it was only one point.
I hope this submission finds its way to you, whereas my previous two tries did not. My failures are working on my nerves somewhat, and I'm pretty much over it for this week. Here's wishing you and all of our FOTM teammates a very Happy Thanksgiving! #KeepPounding — Jeff, Concord, NC
See, John From Winston-Salem, now this is a novel.
We appreciate Jeff; he keeps the vibes good, and ultimately, that's what matters. And he has a new phone that works. Which allows him to type (waves hands around in circles) all that.
As for the two-point conversion, there was kind of a Paul Harvey "the rest of the story" post-script to that one.
Goal-to-go from the 1 is certainly a time when many people reflexively want to run. But in that particular instance (at which the game had already reached the go-for-two-regardless stage), it was more complicated.
The Panthers do like to run a jumbo package with extra offensive linemen in those situations, but Chandler Zavala had left the game with a calf injury and was replaced by Jake Curhan. When everyone's healthy, Zavala's been the sixth extra one they've used to put another big, strong athlete on the field (at least when Brady Christensen isn't available).
So they haven't gotten a lot of reps running that package with either Yosh Nijman or Nick Samac (who isn't the biggest lineman and as such not ideal for that role). That was not the time to start drawing in the dirt.
------------------------------------------------------
I can't be the only one who noticed Atlanta's coach Raheem Morris accidentally drop what must amount to the vilest of curses to his fanbase in his press conference after they beat the Saints. Per Kassidy's most recent "Around the NFC South" article:
"We did a nice job going out, being able to run the football," coach Raheem Morris said of what helped the game plan. "We want to come out early and establish the run and those things you got to Keep Pounding at, keep going, and keep grinding."
I need to go actually watch that interview, to see if he realizes his mistake in uttering the motto of the I-85 rival that just swept his team, and then sputters out the synonyms that followed in an attempt at damage control.
Honestly, he probably didn't, ... But imagining he did gives me a chuckle and I need one after that Niners game as we stare down the Rams with our hobbled defense and inconsistent offense. — Layton, Raleigh, NC
I didn't notice it, and they probably don't capitalize it there like we do here, but that is amazing.
And let's be honest, it's just good advice for life. It's about continuing and persevering, but also about doing it selflessly, for the guy next to you. It's hard to imagine any situation where it isn't helpful.
------------------------------------------------------
What is the criteria for a former player to be considered as a legit Hall of Honor nominee? If by chance a 10-year career, leadership on the team and community as well as being amongst the Panthers all-time leading tacklers are factors I officially nominate Mike Minter! P.S., as bonus points to Minter's candidacy he absolutely represented the current GM's premium on having players that were flat-out Dawgs who loved playing the game! — Craig, Lincoln, NE
Mike's a legend, no doubt about it. All those things you said about him are true. He was one of the hardest hitters and best leaders they had during some of the early years of the franchise. I hope that now that he's done playing, the knot on his forehead has subsided, too.
Perhaps one of the best endorsements of Minter came from linebacker Sam Mills after Fan Fest practice in 1997, when the rookie safety lit up fullback Scott Greene in the flat during a goal-line drill.
"I will never forget that day," Minter said. "Because Sam Mills came up to me and said, 'Young fella, I like you; you're going to be one of us.'"
And when someone with the credentials and character of Sam Mills says you're "one of us," it means something.
There are lots of players deserving of consideration for the Hall of Honor, and Mike Minter is definitely among them.
When you can rattle off a list of names that include Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton, Ryan Kalil, Greg Olsen, Thomas Davis, Minter, Mike Rucker, John Kasay, Michael Bates, and more without thinking too hard, you know things have been OK here.
I will forward your suggestion to the committee.
------------------------------------------------------
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.
Why is the bye week always so late in the year for the team? Is it specifically just because of the stadium being used for a college championship game? Because every year players never get a good chance to rest until so late in the year due to it. — Eric, Brick Township, NJ
Because the league office hates me. Goes way back. I'm sorry.
It isn't just stadium usage for the ACC game, because they could easily just play on the road. Somebody has to get the late bye; they've just drawn that straw lately. Many people in the building would prefer it earlier, because it's not just Week 14 of 18, it's Week 20 of 24 when you factor in training camp and the preseason. Trust me, everyone's tired.
It is always interesting to me to see the ups and downs of this Mailbag, how quickly people go from celebrating to asking about benching everyone. I may not have been a Panthers fan very long (this is my third season) but I just don't get the turnaround. Anyway, I live in Dallas, surrounded by Cowboys fans that seem to forget how bad their team is and that love talking trash. Despite them losing to the Panthers this season, they still make excuses and talk smack. Chat GPT has run out of responses to use, so I am hoping to find a new level of trash talk from a person of experienced age. Any ideas? — Atticus, Allen, TX
My opinion of artificial intelligence is that it usually isn't. And the next time I see a funny joke from AI will be the first. Sorry, I prefer actual intelligence, which may not be helpful if you're surrounded by Cowboys fans.
Why isn't Bobby Brown III playing more? Is he in Evero's doghouse? — Mike, Charleston, SC
No, he just has three dudes playing in front of him named Derrick Brown, A'Shawn Robinson, and Tershawn Wharton. They've locked in a good rotation with those four and LaBryan Ray, and it's working. The run defense is vastly improved from last year because of it.
Quick question: do inactive players—like Hunter Renfrow still travel with the team for road games? I've seen guys like Jimmy Horn Jr. on the sidelines during home games earlier in the season, so I'm curious if inactive players routinely accompany the team away from home as well. — Jensen, Chattanooga, TN
Yes, they travel the full 53-man roster, because you never know when somebody's going to get sick at the last minute. That happened last year against the Cardinals, when Brady Christensen had about a 90-minute notice that he was starting at center for Cade Mays. It was about four hours before kickoff at the team hotel when he heard it was possible, but he didn't know until around 11:30 a.m.
They also travel the full practice squad, unless a guy is injured and needs to stay home for treatment. It's all part of Canales' developmental mindset.
The "FedEx Air and Ground" Winners?...C'mon man. — Skip, Winston-Salem, NC
Whatever, the game is to be sold, not to be told. Still fewer awards than the mainstream country music industrial complex has.
With the likelihood, due to economics, that Dowdle is allowed to walk this offseason, the fact that Jonathon Brooks is still on the roster to be that power back takes some of the sting out. Realizing that he will not play this season, what is the latest medical update on him? — John, Raleigh, NC
He's doing well, recovering on track, and remains engaged in the process. When well, he's one of the fastest backs around. So getting him back in camp next year will create a lot of competition, which is the point. Also, many people ask about Jonathon, and he appreciates that. He's also on the verge of becoming the Mailbag's new Matt Corral, who gets asked about every week.
Playoffs?!? Even if we don't, . . . this is fun, ain't it? — Miles, Durham, NC
It's supposed to be, anyway. As the noted Eastern philosopher John Fox liked to say, "it beats the alternative."
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Be grateful every day for what you have, because not everybody does.
