CHARLOTTE — A couple of days later, people are still walking around talking about things that happened Sunday.
This play. That block. The rain and the fact that nobody left because of it. Spontaneous Keep Pounding and "Chu-ba" chants that erupted in the third quarter. Memories made.
The Panthers have played a lot of football games, 497 of them to be precise.
And Sunday's win over the Rams will go down as one of the more memorable ones in the regular season in Bank of America Stadium.
And it's a pretty good list.
Starting with 1996 Pittsburgh, when a goal-line stand helped clinch a division. Or 2003 Jacksonville, when a quarterback no one could understand came in at halftime of the opener and became an instant legend. Or 2022 Detroit, when a bunch of misfits and rebels decided to fight back, and ran for 320 yards on a 20-degree day against one of the hottest teams in the league. Or 2015 Indianapolis, when a couple of generational if star-crossed quarterbacks dueled, and then let the kickers decide it in overtime. Or 2013 New Orleans, when surrounded by a field full of stars, injury replacement Domenik Hixon — of course — scored a last-minute touchdown as a young team began to realize how good it could truly be.
That's the kind of game this was, a remember-where-you-were game (and I know that in 10 years, approximately 500,000 of you will say you were there).
We don't know at the moment how any of this is going to turn out, but Sunday's game could turn out to be a turning point, another example of a team that figured out how to do the thing. Beating the best team in the NFC (for the second time this season), with an injury-depleted defense and a quarterback who seems to require adversity to be at his best, that's not a normal thing that happens. But the normal stuff's not anything anyone remembers.
On to the bye week mail.
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I don't ever want to hear again that Bryce Young can't be a quarterback in this league. Don't even think about it.
See, John from Winston-Salem, no novel needed this week. Darin understands the difference. — Jeff, Concord, NC
And you won't hear about it. Until the next time they lose a game, and he throws for 175 or something.
Young has almost become as much of a Rorschach test as a ping pong table in the locker room when it comes to fans. He either represents one extreme or another, depending on your own perspective, and is either everything wrong or everything right about the world. No in betweens. Gray area is so pre-internet.
For a lot of fans, he'll never live up to their own perceptions of what a No. 1 overall pick should be. But once they're in the door, draft position doesn't matter. It's just what you do once you're here.
And Young, as he showed Sunday, can have that pool-hustler's nerve, and can look like the guy who has more game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime than any quarterback in the league since 2023. He can also look like the other version.
As with most things, time will tell the ultimate story on Young, but the question of whether he can be a winning quarterback in the NFL seems to be settled case law. He might not always be — no one is — but he has that capability.
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Darin, among recent mailbag submissions, was one from Dustin. Within his inquiry, he notes the Panther defense has significantly improved over last season when many wanted DC Evero fired. Your response highlighted this, and notes Evero is the same guy who led the defense last season, and the job done in improving this year's defense has been impressive.
I believe much of the improvement on that side of the ball directly relates to Derrick Brown's return, after being lost for nearly an entire 2024 season. Draft additions on the defensive side have certainly helped, but the source of the improved play begins with the defensive line.
I also noted the Gunga Din-like effort you put in carrying the water for Bryce Young. I am not suggesting that Bryce should be done at the end of this season, but as soon as a viable path to replacing him becomes available, it should be utilized. Even if it takes another building year to position themselves, then be patient, but it must be a team priority in their future planning.
If you really took an honest look, would the loss of Bryce Young and then his later return have anywhere near the effect that Derrick Brown's has had upon the team this season? — Randall, Branchville, SC
It's not carrying water; it's merely refusing to hysterically overreact to the bad games while ignoring the good ones when it's convenient.
And what you're trying to create here is a false choice. Derrick Brown's one of the four or five best people on the planet at his job. He's a rare athlete, an agile man of incredible strength. He's been to one Pro Bowl and he's going to more. Go vote.
No one has suggested that Young is one of the four or five best people on the planet at his job. Right now, he's a young quarterback with a particular set of skills who seems to have the timeliness required to be effective as part of a young offense. He also has the mindset that allows him to ride the waves of emotion in a way that fans do not, equipping him for the long haul. He also has more game-winning drives at a younger age than any quarterback, ever (by getting his 11th Sunday, he passed some guy named Josh Allen on that list).
And if you couldn't tell the difference in the offense during the second half of last season and the time he was absent and Andy Dalton was running it, I can't help you. (And I think Dalton's quite good at his job, and he remains 26th on the all-time touchdown pass list, tied with some guy named Dan Fouts. But I also saw Dalton with a jacked-up thumb against the Bills, and Young the following week against the Packers. The difference wasn't as simple as one player, but you get my point. Or maybe not.)
Also, what if, during that time when they're working on the rest of the roster, he, ... stick with me here, ... continues to improve? Could he stay then?
Mind. Blown.
As we've discussed all season, the Panthers made a conscious choice to go young at offensive skill positions this year, knowing it would require a period of adjustment. Sunday, it worked. At other times this year, it hasn't. They knew that would be the case going in.
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Lifelong Panthers fan here, and this is my first submission for Ask the Old Guy. During training camp, coach Canales discussed being the type of team the rest of the league didn't want to play. Mostly based on physicality. Years prior, this was not the case. I feel most NFL teams looked at us as an easy win on their schedules. After watching us go toe-to-toe with the Rams and pulling out the victory, I'm convinced. We are the scrappy, tough-nosed team Dave Canales envisioned. From the punishing hits delivered by the defense, to the tough runs on offense, making defenders pay when they hit our running backs. This may be the toughest, most resilient group the Panthers have ever had. Curious as to your thoughts on this, and how you think we stack up physically to Panthers teams of the past. Keep Pounding! — David, Leland, NC
Canales was speaking in broad strokes back in July, when he very casually said, "This is going to be a very competitive team. I don't think people are going to want to play us by the style of football that we play."
It wasn't boastful, just very matter-of-fact.
And he was able to say it that way because that's the way this team was built.
General manager Dan Morgan played most of his career for a coach who preached "tough and smart" in his first team meeting, and those words still fall easily from him when he talks about players. And when you look at what they've invested in, you can see it.
Morgan inherited an offensive line that included tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton, along with interior options including Austin Corbett, Brady Christensen, and Cade Mays. And he added to it by spending $150 million on Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis (and invested in a backup tackle in Yosh Nijman, who has stepped in and played important snaps as well).
He inherited a defensive line with a Derrick Brown in the middle, and he added to it by investing in A'Shawn Robinson, Tershawn Wharton, and Bobby Brown III, while keeping it deep with young players like LaBryan Ray, Cam Jackson, and Jared Harrison-Hunte.
After rewarding Brown in his first major act as GM, he then extended running back Chuba Hubbard in midseason last year, recognizing the work ethic and the slam-it-up-in-there style that you noticed during Sunday's game. Then they secured Jaycee Horn, who plays football like he has a grudge against it (which the son of an NFL star doesn't have to do).
All this was intentional. Tough is what they want to be. So they invest in what they value. Both lines and culture guys. That's a great place to start.
They still want to add more parts. Next season will likely be less intense in free agency, but they know they need more dudes on defense. And when they go looking for them, they have a type in mind.
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Hey Darin! My yearly Panthers at Bucs tickets are starting to look a lot more interesting! Hopefully, this year is the year I see us win in Florida!
What exactly goes on during the bye week? Are guys still around and in the building? Is it two full weeks of prep for New Orleans, or do they look ahead some as well? — James, Sarasota, FL
Well, it depends on which guys.
Canales cut the players loose after their team meeting around midday on Monday, and cats were out the door with luggage 10 minutes later. They weren't sitting down for relaxing lunches with co-workers or chatting. You could smell the cloud of exhaust from the players' parking lot when all those vehicles fired up all at once.
The only players in the building today are guys who are in for treatment, and the few who come here to work out (some of the usual suspects). But they have to give their bodies a break. This isn't just Week 14 of 18, it's Week 20 of 24 when you factor in training camp and the preseason. Late byes are tough, man. That's a physical and mental slog for everyone.
Coaches are around for a bit. They did some self-scouting stuff, and they're laying in some degree of Saints prep on Tuesday, because they'll roll back in next Monday and get right to work. They're not really wired to focus on other opponents past that, because that would be in violation of the International One Game At A Time Treaty of 1869, and nobody has time in the middle of football season to get dragged to The Hague. Then, by the middle of the week, coaches will be out of here for a few days.
Some players and coaches (and athletic trainers, equipment staff, operations, and other support staff, and even content team members) scatter and leave town for quick vacations. Some stay close to home and reconnect with families they don't see enough of during the season. They all need a break, because this business is a grind.
"I think it's really important for everybody to just make sure they're connecting with their family," Canales said Monday. "Making sure that they're just unplugging for a little bit to just gather something back, just fill the tank up physically, with sleep, mentally by just being able to do stuff you love with the people that you love.
"And really just being able to get ready for the finish that's in front of us."
When they come back next Monday, that's a four-week sprint to the finish.
That includes the game in Florida you're going to, which may have more implications than it's had for years. Hopefully, when we see you there, there's something big on the line, like more work for all those guys who are refreshed from that month-ago break.
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I won't lie. I was someone who gave the Panthers no shot to win yesterday. The team as a whole stepped up when it mattered. Derrick Brown's importance to this team can't be overstated. The defense was very timely yesterday, even when the rooms seemed to be moving the ball with ease. I questioned Canales last week, and I think he called a wonderful game yesterday. I think the special teams showed what this team is about. The special teams unit gave up some big returns and a couple of impactful penalties, but by the end of the game, it seemed like the coverage unit had figured it out just like the team seems to do from week to week. I read an article earlier this season where coach Tracy Smith spoke about how injuries caused players to step in on offense and defense, which makes them more tired on special teams. I had never thought about that before.
With Adam Thielen being released by the Vikings today, many will want him back in Carolina. I think the young players have stepped up, and bringing Adam back could hinder their growth. Adam was great in Carolina, and I hope he gets to play meaningful football in January for his final season. What are your thoughts? — Dustin, Albemarle, NC
Don't worry, Dustin, you weren't alone. Ran into FOTM Nate in real life, and he said the snowball in hell had a better chance than he imagined. But I gather people don't mind being wrong about last week's game.
They traded Adam for the reasons they traded Adam, which included time to develop Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette. The improved draft position didn't hurt. If you're committed to process, why would that change now? They're also deeper in young receivers than they have spaces to put them, and adding an old guy would force them to park one of the young ones. I'm not sure that's consistent with the long-range goal, and the building they're trying to do.
That's nothing against Adam, it's just not the direction they're pointed at the moment.
(UPDATE: Since Dustin sent his message, the Steelers claimed Thielen off waivers to join Aaron Rodgers, so that makes it a moot point anyway.)
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Hey Darin. So this Thanksgiving, surrounded by family and friends, my 11-year-old nephew passed out blank pieces of paper to write down what we were thankful for. After the meal, we picked from the pile of notes and had to read and guess who wrote what. Looking around the room, my answer was instantly identified as mine. It read "Right Now." When you have a diagnosis that pretty well makes everything in life finite, the moments are the key.
So thanks to all those young men playing for the Panthers. They're making moments, not just for them, but for all of us. They seem to be living in the "right now" and moving on, win or lose, to the next moment. That's a big key in living a life, even when it may be cut a little shorter than you thought. So no question, but a big thanks to the Panthers for bringing unbridled joy into these quickly shortening Sunday afternoons. — Jimmy, Wilmington, NC
Dang it, Jimmy, why'd you have to go do that? Stupid allergies. Must be the pollen or something.
Thanksgiving's my favorite holiday anyway, and when I'm elected to public office, I'm introducing legislation to make it a three-day holiday. Anything to increase the gratitude in the world. But it's clearly in strong supply in Wilmington.
I'd tell Jimmy to Keep Pounding, but he already is, out there living life gratefully, and thinking of others. That's the part of Sam Mills' original message to the team that a lot of people miss. It's not just about fighting long odds, it's doing it selflessly for the guy next to you.
And in the context you're talking about, a ball game pales in comparison. But the point stands.
The people in the building Sunday, and the people watching at home with partisan interest were part of a community of like-mindeds. They were there making memories. That's going to last longer than any particular result. And the guys on the field have found a common cause. They're clearing building something here. After going 2-15 and 5-12 the last two seasons, being 7-6 and having something to fight for in December and January sounds pretty good.
And having something to fight for is what it's all about. Which is why there's a whole community of people (most of whom have never met Jimmy), who are lifting him up right now.
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OK, so who gets to be the poor bastard who has to follow that? That's not fair to anybody. So we'll just cleanse our palates with a minute of Chris Simms taking his second-worst L ever to the Panthers.
(Love Chris, who I used to work with at NBC. Great guy. He really is.)
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What a game! And, what a rollercoaster of a season!
Also, thank you for the T-shirt! You're right, it is real AND spectacular. And after this latest win, I'll forever remember that the Panthers beat the top Super Bowl Contender Rams, the day after I received my FOTM T-shirt.
I've decided that as long as the Panthers perform the final four games at a high level, no matter the result, I'm proud to be a Panthers fan. To go from 2-15 to the way they're performing this year is amazing. Yes, there are some consistency matters to work out, but at least these are within their control. Unlike when Bryce was drafted, and saw multiple head coaches, coordinators, and ownership distractions. Not to mention, he's still young, so he'll make mistakes, get a little ahead of himself, take unnecessary risks, etc.
One thing that has been crazy, at least for me, is that I don't ever remember a time when I was so optimistic about having the ball with the game on the line, except this year with Bryce delivering game-winning drive after game-winning drive. Even going back to 2015, I remember always being extremely nervous when Cam Newton was trying to put together a game-winning drive.
Anyway, since it's a bye week, I want to ask a fun question: One of my favorite celebrations I've seen done was when Cam would do his Superman shirt pull. I wonder, if Bryce were to follow in his footsteps, what superhero would he mimic? I'm thinking Ant-Man, to throw shade at his nay-sayers. Or, Iceman, for his record-setting game-winning drives. Before anyone freaks out, I know Superman is DC and Ant-Man, and Iceman are Marvel, I may be a geek, but I'm not a clueless one. — Jonathan, Whittier, NC
NEEEERRRRRRRDDDDD!
Sorry, that was reflexive (And a little glass-housey, from a gigantic Star Wars dork who still celebrates Life Day on Nov. 17. And Life Day, as we all know, is the Wookiee holiday of family, joy, and harmony that they celebrate on Chewbacca's home planet of Kashyyyk.)
I'm sorry, where were we?
Oh yeah, celebrations.
I think part of what makes them memorable is when they're organic. They come from a place deep inside you, not from market-testing. So when Cam hit the Superman back in the 2010s, that was his deal. (And when he hit it in 2021 in Arizona, people felt some kind of way for a few weeks.)
Bryce is, as you may have noticed, rather understated. That doesn't mean he doesn't have fun, like when he and McMillan do their weekly pregame ritual in which they go deep. And when that spilled out onto the field Sunday after McMillan's touchdown, you could tell it the joy was real.
Also, one of the conditions of membership into the prestigious FOTM society is that you share the maturity to not let small sample sizes affect your mood or emotions. You've got to be the same nerd every day, Jonathan.
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I could ask about whiplash, since answering this Mailbag has to make you the expert, and I wonder what other fans have bounced through this extent of extremes, but that's not my question. I could ask about concussion protocol, and our other guys recovering from whatnot, because you help us appreciate them as people as well as players, but that's not my question.
My question is can we put to rest the notion that the latest reboot of our Panthers still doesn't have depth? Now, I'm no expert, but it seems to me there is only one Derrick Brown per generation, and the difference he makes in this defense between being out last year and the before and after showings can't be disguised with depth. The offensive line rotation is proving everything you've been saying about depth there for awhile. But how about the rest of our defense?!? They said we have no pass rush. They said we have no linebackers. They said no matter how good Jaycee Horn is, we can only neutralize one guy at a time. They said we sure needed our FA safety because the rest are just bodies. Sometimes you beat a good team because you catch them flat, but how did we do against a top team playing as well as ever with half our name players on the shelf? How did we move the ball when the Rams defense did what they were supposed to and held Mr. McMillan to so few targets? Apparently, ink in national media or on stat sheets is not what makes a football player, eh? P.S.: Who are "they," anyway? — Dean, Zionville, NC
They are the worst. They say a lot of stuff and are never around to take accountability for it. They just talk and talk and talk. There's way too much they, and not nearly enough we.
The Panthers are still not what you'd call a deep team, but they're getting deeper.
They've transcended beyond the "sign a guy off the street on Tuesday and start him on Sunday" phase of their development. Last December was a journey, man.
That work has been intentional, and it takes time.
The offensive line has gotten a lot of attention this year for all their shuffling.
Run game coordinator Harold Goodwin walked past the other day, and without breaking stride, asked: "How many combinations is that?"
"Ten in 13 games, Goody, that's too many."
But for all the little moves, we're basically talking about two big injuries (Robert Hunt's torn biceps tendon and Brady Christensen's torn Achilles) and a collection of smaller ones. Ekwonu has missed one game. Lewis has missed one. Moton has missed two.
The key has been having guys like Mays and Christensen before he was hurt and Corbett before and after he was hurt and Nijman who can fill a lot of roles.
When Jordan Gross was around last week, he mentioned the importance of a guy like Corbett, who will fill any role, fill it capably, and do it all with no ego.
"And then, not only the value of them of the interior guys being able to move and and play as needed, but then the lack of ego where maybe now (Austin) Corbett's in a backup role," Gross said. "OK, now I need you at center, and there's got to be good culture and dynamic in that alignment for that to happen and not have issues with I'm starting, no, I'm starting and not have battles over that.
"I mean, it's just a whole-unit effort to be getting the results that we're seeing."
That's one example of a few.
Having a Krys Barnes on the practice squad, a guy who had started 30 games in the league, was handy when a couple of linebackers got hurt at once. Having a Chau Smith-Wade at nickel and able to pop outside was needed. Having a steady guy like LaBryan Ray as your fifth defensive lineman is a blessing, after he played way too many snaps last year as a starter out of necessity.
You win games by having Jaycee Horns and Derrick Browns. But you lose them if you don't have enough Austin Corbetts and Jake Curhans and Krys Barneses and LaBryan Rays. For all the static Nick Scott gets, he's played some solid and workmanlike ball this year, and made a play when it was needed.
And by drafting well and bringing in mid-round guys such as Lathan Ransom and Mitchell Evans, who have played important roles at times this year, you develop that pipeline for the future.
It would have been easy for Sunday to have gotten sideways. That it didn't is a testament to the improved depth and the collection of human beings who are playing those roles.
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Hello Darin! Been reading Ask The Old Guy for years and love the info you provide to the fans. GREAT win today and so proud of the team and coaching staff!!
One observation from my TV! That was not holding on Sanders (unless it happened before what was shown on the replay)! Which brings me to my question. The Rams had one darn penalty for the game unless I missed one! They could call holding on every play in football at every level. Has there ever been a game with no penalties on a team in the NFL? I think we were getting cooked today! — Randy, Garner, NC
Not only has it happened, the Panthers did it.
They committed no penalties against Green Bay on Dec. 14, 1997. The Panthers have been called for just one penalty 10 times, so it's not as uncommon as you'd think.
Now, in that flag-free game, they lost 31-10 (it wasn't exactly the rematch of the 1996 NFC Championship Game the locals were hoping for). And the Packers were only called for one penalty all day themselves. (It was 41 degrees at kickoff, so maybe the refs just kept their hands in their pockets to stay warm.)
It wasn't a great passing game, as Kerry Collins only threw for 56 yards. But Fred Lane ran for 119 and a touchdown.
Fred, god rest his soul, is still ninth on the team's all-time rushing list with 2,001 yards (right between Stephen Davis and Anthony Johnson on that chart). So here's a picture of Fred in action, saluting the absence of flags in that 1997 game.
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My only question is "what's with all the pessimism?" The team has become progressively better every year the current regime has been here. I think Canales will be the next coach to take the team to the Super Bowl, just not this year. I don't agree with the slurs headed to Bryce Young. He is a good quarterback and an outstanding human being. I don't doubt he will be the third QB to take the Panthers to the Super Bowl. Stop being so impatient, as the saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day". — Frank, Mount Airy, NC
That's right, Frank. After all, it took Jay-Z seven years to build Rome, wait, scratch that, I'm being told I have my metaphors mixed.
It's been a minute since the Panthers were in this spot, and some people are eager to skip steps in the process.
But going from two wins in 2023 to five to seven (and counting) this year makes it a successful step, no matter what else happens.
And the simple fact that Dave Canales, Dan Morgan, and Bryce Young are growing together points to something resembling stability. The last time they had a coach, GM, and quarterback for three years in a row was Ron Rivera, Marty Hurney, and Cam Newton.
So I'm inclined to let this one breathe and enjoy it for what it is.
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What a time to be a Panthers fan! Playing meaningful football, it's been so long that this feeling is electric! The up and down rollercoaster makes me think of older times. In that spirit I think we are lacking a much-needed nickname that each of the past eras have had like "Riverboat Ron" and "Cardiac Cats".
"Dice-Roll Dave"?
"4th & Young"?
"The Brown Wall?"
"'The process' of a heart attack?"
You must have better ideas than me, so if you would give a nickname or phrase that characterizes this team what would it be? — Stephen, North Charleston, SC
I will leave this one to the wisdom of the crowd. I'm pretty bad at nicknames, actually. Still call my children Baby Girl and The Boy-Child. We once had a stray yellow cat wander up to the house when I was young that I called Yellow Cat until it wandered off again. My college intramural jersey says Heavy D because it was the early 1990s and I was pushing 275.
So I'm the wrong one to ask. If others have better suggestions, Stephen here is all ears (in which case we could call him "Cab with the doors open" or "Jordan Gross."
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Thank you for doing the Mailbag. I enjoy reading it every week - getting a sense for what people are thinking, as well as your response. I don't have any questions for you, but I wanted to tell you how impressed I am that you're involved with the election process, and glad that you're stating it publicly. It might spur some readers to participate also. I've worked at the polls for a long time - I'm in Precinct 223 in northwest Charlotte. Mostly just taking people to the machines, but I really like the people there. It's a mixed demographic, and everyone talks to each other. What a concept!
Tell Dave Canales that if he needs help with his play calling on Sundays, he can send me an email, and I'll send my phone number so we can text back and forth during the game! — Linda, Charlotte
I do it for the people, Linda. And working the polls is one of the few things in the world I enjoy more than writing this Mailbag. We have a responsibility to put time into things we value, if we want to preserve it. And every time I do it, I always come away feeling better about the process and my neighbors.
And speaking of responsibility, I passed along your info to Canales. He said you could call all the plays this weekend. This plan cannot fail.
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Hello Darin, I've been a fan of the Panthers since their inception, it was only natural since I am from South Carolina, specifically Mullins. Shout out to Xavier, who everyone in Mullins is proud of. I am of a certain age, which I have come to realize just means old.
As an old guy, I have lived through some things, and one of those things is making mistakes. This makes me wonder do people still make mistakes, because some Panthers fans and internet creators must have never made mistakes. Their insistence that Bryce Young is horrible because he makes mistakes and is therefore a "bust" and must be immediately traded for a bag of chips or discarded altogether to start over with the next franchise quarterback that is waiting to be drafted or traded for.
One of the things that I lived through was Airborne School, where you spend three weeks learning to fall, and the last week putting it to practice by jumping out of a plane. One of the keys to life that I learned was from a Black Hat (Airborne Instructors), who provided such inspiration such as "Beat your boots" (Do squats) or "get down and give me twenty" (20 pushups). Tower week was where you learned to jump from a 34-foot tower and the 250-foot tower. This tower was the only part of training that accurately demonstrated what it was like floating down under a full parachute. The Black Hats would be on the ground shouting instructions from a megaphone. The phrase that really resonated was "Hold what you got, Airborne," meaning don't make no changes you are doing good. This phrase resonates with me as a Panthers fan, I don't get too high or low, I do get disappointed when we lose but I know we got a good team that is growing. So, in addition to "Keep Pounding," add "Hold what you got, Panthers fans." P.S. as a Paratrooper (there is a difference between Airborne and a Paratrooper, separate discussion) I have over 69 parachute jumps, Airborne School does work. — Willie, Fayetteville, NC
I admire Willie here for a lot of reasons, beginning with his service, and also the conviction required to jump out of a plane a second time, much less 69. If I have a perfectly functioning aircraft, I will not be leaving it, under any circumstances.
But mostly, I appreciate his perspective. From way up in the air, you tend to see things for what they are, rather than getting lost in the minutiae. That happens when you're in an airplane, or when you get a little older.
So Willie, I salute you, and am hereby bestowing upon you the rank of Friend Of The Mailbag, and will be getting the appropriate insignia to you soon.
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Huge win against the Rams this past Sunday, which was my birthday by the way, and an awesome birthday present from the team, so tell them I said thanks. The deflection off Brown's helmet that led to Scott's INT was a huge tone-setter for the rest of the game, and it actually got me thinking about our linemen and the Guardian Caps the league has.
Those add 2.5cm or 1 inch of padding around the helmets. That means that anyone wearing a guardian cap adds about 1 inch of height and 2 inches of width to every helmet. QB throwing windows are tight as it is, but couldn't they be made tighter if every defensive lineman wore a Guardian Cap? I'm not saying it would make a huge difference, but I have seen plenty of QBs zip passes that almost hit defensive players' helmets each and every game - wouldn't removing 2 inches of horizontal throwing window per pass rusher potentially lead to more Derrick Brown like helmet deflections that could lead to more turnovers? You put a guardian cap on every defensive lineman and when you rush four, you're essentially removing 8 inches of passing window every down. And as an added bonus, it increases the player safety, protecting their noggins for when they do get beaned with a Matt Stafford fastball to the dome.
There is no downside to this suggestion. Please let the team know, and have the guys on the line get used to the Guardian Caps over the bye week. I look forward to seeing the entire unit wearing them Dec. 14 against the Saints. — Eric, Fort Mill, SC
Eric, they said "you're welcome." They did it just for you.
See, this is outside-the-box thinking. But I've got an even better idea.
Coneheads.
You may not know this, but Beldar holds the record for passes defensed in the Remulak Football League with 37 in a single game.
I see no problem with this plan whatsoever.
(Also, Robert Hunt was actually going to wear the Guardian cap in a game last year before an injury cost him the final week. He would have been the first Panthers player to do so in the regular season.)
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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.
Where did Jimmy Horn Jr. go? He only played four snaps on Sunday. — Zach, Charlotte
He's still there, he's just short, so you can't see him. But seriously, folks, last week was a big-body game, and Brycen Tremayne played 17 snaps to Horn's four because run-blocking.
But maybe you can look for him when you GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
Tell the Bryce haters to zip the lip for a while. Young teams are inconsistent, but did we show potential, or what? If we can get healthy in the next two weeks, the playoffs can be a reality. — Bob, Aurora, CO
Young teams. I see what you did there. Try the veal.
I need a print equivalent of the Jim Mora soundbite handy for the next few weeks, I can tell. Also, bonus fun fact — Mora's nearly-as-famous "diddly poo" rant took place right here at Bank of America Stadium.
Tell Bryce I said hi. — Xavier, New York, NY
He's super-grateful for your support. And he says hi back.
This question. I am not trying to be funny. OK, has anyone in the organization thought about buying platform cleats for Bryce? I have looked at different cleats and ran across those. Not sure if they would be comfortable or have natural mobility wearing them. Would love to see if it could help. — George, Liberty, SC
Well, as long as you're not trying to be funny.
Bryce has played quarterback this size for a long time and done OK. As he said when he was drafted, "I was born this size." At which point I gained an immense respect for his lovely mother.
Hi Darin. I hope you are doing well. That was a great game. It was especially fun because almost no one thought we could win it. This team may not beat every team, but they have proven that they are capable of beating any team. With being in our bye, I'm going to spend a few weeks enjoying our win. Speaking of the bye, do the guys get some days off, or is it business as usual? — LeeAnne, Lincolnton, NC
I'm all for excess gratitude. No better way to spend a little downtime. Which they all need. Yeah, they're taking a few days to recharge. They need it. I need it. We all need it.
YAAAAAAAAA!!!! — Bart, Monroe, NC
What he said.
Happy bye week, everybody. The next time we Mailbag, we'll be fully in playoff mode. Which is something not a lot of people anticipated a few months ago, which is why it's so cool.
