TAMPA, Fla. — Exactly one year ago today, the Carolina Panthers were playing out the string.
They were 4-12, about to head to Atlanta for a meaningless game. Bryce Young had shown a few glimpses, but he still hadn't thrown that pass to Tommy Tremble. The only math we were doing was how many points, yards, and rushing yards they needed to give up to the Falcons to set all-time NFL records for defensive futility. (The day Dave Canales couldn't help but joke, "If you're going to be last, be first last.")
Today, they're landing in Florida on the verge of playing for a playoff berth, the first division title in a decade, and the math we're doing is about tiebreakers that could get them in the postseason even if they lose.
It's impossible to understate the difference in the Carolina Panthers in the last 365 days.
They've gone from witness protection to a standalone television window in Week 18, a game the country will be watching. Old national reporter friends you usually only see at the combine are coming to Bank of America Stadium on purpose. It became (Ron Burgundy reading the teleprompter voice) a destination, question mark? And the atmosphere at home was rocking, in an organic way, because Panthers fans have been waiting for this.
The Panthers have ascended to the kind of normal good the NFL perpetuates, the big middle, from which some stability, a couple of breaks, and good health can make you a playoff team. They're improving at a rate that exceeds most rational expectations. If you think the difference is vast in the last 365 days, imagine 730 or so ago, when they were wrapping up a 2-15 season with a second straight interim coach, with a pair of shutout losses to close the season.
That's where they were. This is where they are.
If you play, coach, or cheer for the Carolina Panthers, that's something you shouldn't lose sight of, no matter what happens this weekend.
Happy New Year is a thing people say. But that's also what the Panthers have just experienced.
------------------------------------------------------
Why does Carolina's head coach act like an offensive coordinator? Does Carolina have an OC? If so, what does he do? Does Carolina have a head coach? If so, what does he do? Canales is not doing a good job calling offensive plays. It's not even his job anymore, but yet here he is, pretending to be an OC. Maybe demote Canales to OC and promote OC to HC? Regardless, a person can't take on a bigger, more responsibility-filled role and then still try to do their old job as well. I'm not sure if it is arrogance or ignorance, but it ain't workin'. — Terry, Concord, NC
Yeah, Terry here sent this in the moments immediately after a 27-10 loss to the Seahawks, when they passed for 54 yards. He probably also thought the fact that it was 65 degrees on Monday disproves the idea of global warming.
Weather and climate are different in the same way individual games and seasons are.
Don't be a slave to the moment.
All Dave Canales did was take a team from two wins to five to eight, and a win away from the playoffs.
If you think Dave Canales is bad at his job, I don't know what to tell you, because we're not watching the same sport.
------------------------------------------------------
Hey Darin. Made it to the game yesterday with my son. A lot of fun. Gotta go a bit negative here. We looked flat. Giving a team like that a starting point on a short field three times on a fumble, a pass interception, and failure to get a first down was bad enough. But we accented it with dropped passes and potential interceptions, as well as a terrible, untimely, and stupid penalty. And not scoring a touchdown on a very short field after a fumble. Sheesh. I'm a pretty calm dude, but as a coach, I would have gone off on the guys. Dave seems to be a pretty chill, upbeat guy, but that's the kind of performance that would seem to deserve an ass-chewing. How does the coach handle games like that with the players? — Jimmy, Wilmington, NC
The same way he handles big wins. By being the same guy, coming to work, watching the film, teaching the mistakes, and moving on.
It's really hard and really boring to do that. And you're never going to go viral that way.
That doesn't mean you don't want to yell, because all that stuff you mentioned was maddening. They think so, too.
Yelling and hollering are gratifying emotional releases. Fans love that stuff. It's also not sustainable, because eventually your voice is going to give out, or even worse, people are going to stop listening.
John Wooden was kind of a drag, if we're being honest. Wanted Bill Walton to cut his hair, not because he was a square or a dictator, but because he believed long hair might flop in your eyes at an inopportune moment and cost you a possession, or heaven forbid, a game. His players used to roll their eyes when he spent practice time teaching them to put their socks on and tie their shoes the right way. But he feared someone being unavailable because of an utterly avoidable blister. He also won 10 national titles in 12 seasons. Work works.
The reality is, the Seahawks beat the Panthers last week because the Seahawks are better at football and have more good football players than the Panthers at the moment. Hollering won't fix that. Work might.
------------------------------------------------------
The Panthers offense reminds me of a nursery rhyme. "There was an offense with a little curl right in the middle of their forehead. When they were good, they were very, very good, and when they were bad, they were horrid."
Let's blame it on the coaches and play-callers, but wait, didn't they dial up a fourth-down pass that went for a mile and a touchdown twice? OK, let's blame it on the quarterback, but wait, wasn't he the one who threw those two passes and won the most close games since he came into the league? OK, let's blame it on the linemen. Well, they have had so many injuries. But wait didn't they play great even though we had so many different players in each position. OK, let's blame the running backs, but wait a minute, don't we have a 1,000-yard rusher and another who was injured and came back too soon? Once he was better, he was a big contributor. That leaves the receivers, wait. Don't we have a rookie who is in conversation for rookie of the year. All of the receivers have made major contributions by blocking and receiving and the entire offense has done what is needed. So what is needed to get this offense consistent? It seems they have the right parts. — Marc, Indian Land, SC
Marc, I bow to your Buddha nature. You have transcended. You have surpassed information and knowledge and attained wisdom. Thus, becoming Friend Of The Mailbag is a small signifier of your status.
The Panthers are not a finished product. There's a lot of work to do from all involved. And if you've been reading this space, you know that I'm going to answer this question with one of my favorite answers -- time and people.
At a certain point, they're going to have to become more consistent, to do things the same way week after week, and not swing wildly from wins to losses, from 300 yards to 150 passing, or what have you.
But that's a challenge in front of them, and something to work on in the years to come.
Realistically, next year's offense should look familiar, personnel-wise. Four of the five starting offensive linemen are under contract. So are the quarterback, the tight ends room, and most of the wide receivers. Having that kind of continuity can only help.
------------------------------------------------------
The bad news is we missed an opportunity to. The good news is we still have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us. I know we lost by 17, but I don't believe that was indicative of how close the game was. I still have full faith that the team will come together and win the division next week!
Our passing game took a beating, and I was wondering if you had any insight into how sick Tetairoa McMillan really was. I know coach Canales said that there was no drop off in his game, but he seemed a bit out of sorts. The pass he caught he seemed slower than normal. I do appreciate his passion in playing through the illness and hope it passes quickly. I'm hoping he can get his 1,000 yards next week, although I'm sure he'd settle for a win! — Chet, Myrtle Beach, SC
McMillan had that same crud that's going around, said it was mostly congestion and fatigue. And when players are sick, frankly, I try to interview them from a distance. It was the kind of thing you play through, but not at the same speed as when you're well. The difference between what people think is the same speed and what they're actually doing is often quite different when you're sick.
But he's been out there running around.
McMillan's a completely attainable 80 yards away from breaking Kelvin Benjamin's franchise rookie record for yards in a season (1,008). And if you remember Benjamin's rookie year, you recall the potential for more.
McMillan may have a higher ceiling than Benjamin did then. He has to improve, he has some bad habits he needs to break, and he needs time with this system to reach that full potential.
But make no mistake, he's on quite a trajectory. He's ahead of where Muhsin Muhammad was as a rookie (when Moose was behind two veteran starters, and not the focal point of the offense); now he just has to grind as Muhsin Muhammad did. The comp is probably DJ Moore as a first-year first-rounder, because you saw the reason he was drafted where he was, but also the specific things to improve that could make him great.
------------------------------------------------------
The Panthers have a history of success when they are a run-first offense with a two-running back system: Deshaun Foster and Stephen Davis, Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, and now we have Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Do you see the Panthers being able to afford to pay Dowdle to stay in Carolina to help continue the success of having a run-first two-back system? — Andrew, Greensboro, NC
Afford is a tricky way to describe it. You can afford whatever you choose to afford, but it just takes away from other opportunities during an offseason where they clearly need to add in a number of areas.
The bottom line is, Dowdle is a free agent, which means he gets a choice in this, too. And he'll turn 28 before the start of training camp, coming off a pair of 1,000-yard seasons. So he should have a market, at a time when it could be reasonably considered to be his last chance at a big payday.
That said, he's been a good fit here, and Dave Canales clearly wants to run it. And Chuba has been an adult about the whole thing, but he ran for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, so he's proven he can be the lead back too.
They have some developmental depth in Trevor Etienne and the Jonathon Brooks comeback story. When Brooks is well, he's the rare kind of fast that can make explosive plays happen on run downs. And there are generally backs in free agency, where you could look for a potential bargain like Dowdle has been this year.
But this is also home, and that matters, and he's fit in well here. Ultimately, that's a decision Dowdle gets to make.
And whether it's Rico or someone else, Canales' emphasis on that area means they're very unlikely to go shorthanded at the position.
------------------------------------------------------
Hi Darin, I hope you had a great holiday and spent some quality time with the family!!
I did not believe we would win against the Seahawks; I thought it was one step too far on this great season. I know now I was wrong in thinking this. If it wasn't for the turnovers, or even the Jaycee Horn facemask penalty on third-and-21, the game was there for the taking! I was so disappointed in the play by Jaycee, but I will leave that one alone because I will say the wrong thing!!
The question I have is were there no receivers open down the field, or was Bryce just protecting the ball, trying to keep the team in the game? He looked a little gun-shy to air the ball out. I understand that Seattle is the No. 1 defense, and they certainly showed that they are legit! I don't think Bryce had a lot of time with that rush coming for him either, but I am finding it hard that he couldn't have pulled the trigger more often down the field.
The good news is that if we keep the same trend going as we have since week 7, I believe this means we will win Saturday! Win, loss, win, loss etc. lol. Thanks, Darin, and Keep Pounding!! — Ronnie, Boiling Springs, SC
Quality time is kind of on hold for a minute. All this content don't make itself. But we do it for the people.
There are certain games when the ball comes out quickly by design. Green Bay was that way. Dave Canales was willing to sacrifice shots downfield to keep Micah Parsons from taking over that game. Seattle was a little like that too.
That team's really good, and as the Panthers grow, they're going to have to ramp up certain parts of the game.
But hey, you brought up the trend, I didn't. Beyond the team's ability to rebound, Bryce has shown it as well.
------------------------------------------------------
I didn't realize how much we were going to miss Trevin Wallace. Now I'm missing Claudin Cherelus. Who's left to play linebacker now, and how many draft picks are we using at that position this offseason? — Will, Rock Hill, SC
There's some subtle shade in that question, just based on the wording, but I'll overlook that for now.
The good news is that Christian Rozeboom and his hair are good to go tomorrow. That's a good start, because he's a solid vet.
And they have another veteran in Krys Barnes ready to help. Part of the answer might be mixing and matching of defense (teams are actually in their base defense a relatively small amount of the time), so you might see them deploy safeties differently, and there's always utility man Isaiah Simmons, who fills a lot of different roles.
But if it gets past Rozeboom and Barnes, then you're looking at undrafted rookie Bam Martin-Scott, and practice squad elevation Jacoby Windmon. Martin-Scott's a guy they like, who has jumped on defense a few times. But this was supposed to be a developmental year for him. Windmon's been around here for the biggest part of two seasons, and he knows linebackers coach Pete Hansen from their days at UNLV.
It's not an ideal situation, for sure. But it's Week 18, there are no ideal situations. (The Colts had to drag a grandpa quarterback out of retirement the other week.)
But yes, I'd imagine this is one of the areas they'll be looking to invest in this offseason, Wallace is a guy with a lot of promise, and a lot of talent. Adding someone next to him could magnify his talents. Trevin reminds me of former Panthers linebacker James Anderson, who was a great athlete and a good linebacker (and sterling human being), but when he was playing next to Jon Beason, he looked a lot better.
Kassidy Hill laughs at me when I say, "You know what would help this situation? More Luke Kuechly." (This applies to many situations.) But it doesn't have to be a future Hall-of-Famer (fingers crossed), raising the level at that position can happen a lot of different ways, whether in free agency or the draft. And I suspect that a certain former linebacker-turned-general manager already has an excellent feel for this year's class at his old position.
------------------------------------------------------
Two for two for the crystal ball! Darnold and Mayfield tried to surprise Carolina with a late Christmas gift (a playoff berth with a bow on it), with Baker mailing his part in from Miami and Sam flying in to hand deliver it in Charlotte. He tried not once, but twice (and almost three times).
The Panthers politely handed the gift back each time, though. Accepting a gift an ex got you is likely foolish, and accepting a gift two exes got you together is complete insanity. Newer guys like Mike Jackson and Nic Scourton tried to take the bait, but Horn, Hubbard, and Young understood the assignment and saved the day. Most people say that respect is given, not earned, but the Panthers would prefer to earn their respect the hard way, it would seem.
As for my question, is 54 total passing yards a franchise record, too? Maybe an NFL record? At any rate, it's the lowest I've ever heard of. No matter. It's ride or die here in Candler, so it's on to Tampa Bay and our collective destiny. The prophecy must be fulfilled (preferably before Goodwill's refund period expires). Keep Pounding!
P.S,-- The winning Powerball numbers are 5, 20, 34, 39, 62, and 1. The crystal ball didn't tell me that, though. Those come to me in dreams. Ask me sooner next time so you can actually use them. — Jake, Candler, NC
One of the benefits of being old is the frequency with which you can say, "I've seen worse."
I was at the Randy Fasani game in 2002, when the fifth-rookie from Stanford got fed to a Super Bowl Buccaneers defense and posted the 0.0 passer rating, going a clean 5-for-18 for 46 yards with three interceptions at home against Tampa Bay. That defense was so good that they only lost that one 12-9.
And that's another point worth remembering here. It takes the whole team, and it's possible to win without big numbers in the passing game. It just takes the whole team.
But you're the one with the crystal ball. You knew I was going to say that.
------------------------------------------------------
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.
When is Robert Hunt coming back? Was hoping to see him this week with the division on the line. — Katie, Charlotte
They didn't activate him from injured reserve before taking off this afternoon, so the answer is "Not this week." But it could be soon. It's not like he needs the motivation; it's an injury, so it just needs time to heal and strengthen. But making the playoffs would give him the needed time and all the inspiration anyone needs.
No Steve Smith in the final 15 for the Hall of Fame? What's that all about? — Stan, Charlotte
Don't get me started. Seriously, I have an entire TED Talk about 89's Hall of Fame case, and if someone pulls my string at the wrong time, they get the entire 18-minute extemporaneous speech. I have thoughts.
The short answer is until the Hall loosens a new-last-year set of rules that led to a three-man modern class, it's going to be hard for everyone. There were 12 holdover finalists from last year, most of them deserving. And dropping five first-time finalists into the mix meant two didn't make it, and unfortunately, Steve was one of the two. His time will come.
Hey Uncle DG, the game yesterday against the Seahawks was very frustrating, aggravating, and annoying, but we are off to Tampa. So my question is being at 4:25 kickoff time Saturday afternoon are the Panthers planning on having a viewing party in Bank of America Stadium or elsewhere in Charlotte? Thanks, and beat the Bucs. — Shaked, Charlotte
Nothing this week, as the stadium will likely still be ankle deep in mayonnaise by the time the Panthers kick off tomorrow. But you never know what might happen in the future.
Ah, we tried. We tried so hard. I thought our crystal ball from the pattern of the last lightning round spot had outdone that of Jake-from-Candler, but alas, Jaycee Horn was feeling a little too good and drew a critical penalty. That brings me to my question today. Jaycee has been undeniably great, but sometimes, when facing elite receivers, he seems to have concentration breaks. The two facemasks against JSN. The three falls against Chris Olave. Is Jaycee Horn good or lucky?
But beyond that, let's beat Tampa and KEEP POUNDING! P.S. If possible, give all of Panthers Nation a Happy New Year from me — Micah, Gastonia, NC
The short answer is yes, Jaycee Horn is good at football. You don't go to two straight Pro Bowls without being good at football. And we've seen enough in Tampa to know what it's like to be without him.
As for the P.S., you just did. But it's already been a Happy New Year around these parts, with hope for even better days ahead.
