CHARLOTTE — As a wise man once said, "It beats the alternative."
Hanging on for a win over the Lions in prime time, and hanging on the way they did was a huge swing for the Carolina Panthers.
If the Lions came back and won that game, and the Panthers were 1-3 and still beat up, the week off wouldn't feel nearly as refreshing as it does.
Because now, at 2-2 with a week to take a breath, put on flip-flops and go somewhere warm (or stay somewhere warm, or just lie on the couch), the Panthers can come back feeling completely differently.
Being in first place in their messy division, with a quarterback who's dealing and a rotating cast of guys making plays for him (and with him), things feel stable. The problems remain — they're still thin defensively, and they're dealing with new injuries every week — but the vibes are better.
They needed that.
But fans are fired up, and rightfully so. The first Sunday Night Football appearance at Bank of America Stadium in 11 years lived up to the hype, and people are ready for more.
But first, we take a weekend off. After we get through all this mail, of course.
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When things get tough, the tough get going, or in this case, "Keep Pounding." Hats off to the Panthers for overcoming injuries and playing backups to the backups, and still coming away with an impressive win. Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, and Chuba Hubbard were epic. Will all those Bryce Young haters please stand up and eat a big dose of crow? That young man is showing why he was a No. 1 pick and is now leading the NFL in passing yards! My question is: what, in your opinion, are the key attributes that make an NFL QB successful? What do you see in Bryce that's different from his first two years? — Norm, Greenville, SC
I don't know how different he is, to be honest. Because there are a couple of things that I have learned watching ball games that can be helpful to people in any field.
One, he's spent more time doing it, and with the same set of people going into Year 3 now. That first year was kind of a wash, but since then, the improvement has been steady, in him and the roster around him. He didn't have a McMillan with him in 2024, for sure, and that helps a lot.
But I think one of the underrated traits that people are picking up on lately is that Our Little Bryce, the mild-mannered quarterback who is super grateful and super blessed, is secretly an agent of chaos. Underestimate him at your own peril.
It's like the weirder things get around him, the better he gets. That's within pockets, within plays, within games, and within seasons. He's good at the improvising and the off-platform throws. But also maximizing days when McMillan is blanket-covered and he has to throw to Brycen Tremayne.
"This has been Bryce since I've been watching him," Panthers head coach Dave Canales said. "This goes back to his college days and certainly my last couple of years with him. When things get chaotic, he stays the same. It's not necessarily he rises to a moment; it's just that when the moments get crazy, he is so consistent with how he produces."
You wouldn't think that way to watch and listen to his press conferences, and it's not like he's out there leaving his buggy in the middle of the Harris Teeter parking lot or cheating on his taxes, but he's figured out how to stay calm when a lot of other people around him are freaking out. And that's pretty cool.
And listen, I dig on chaos, too (it's my starting word in Wordle every day, even after I nailed it in one that one time). Working in press boxes, full of loud and inconsiderate and the non-self-aware, you have to learn how to lock in. And being able to type while making eye contact with a person determined to distract you is a superpower. That's basically the same as what Bryce is doing. Or something.
Also, you know what's weird? Greg from Charlotte, who wrote in last week to inform me that Chuba wasn't good enough to start anywhere else in the league, never checked in this week. Hope he's OK.
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I know that it is early in the season with only four games under our belt, but considering the play of everyone in the win over the Lions with many guys stepping up, do you think the team is legitimately considered an authentic threat by other teams? KEEP POUNDING!!!! — William, Gastonia, NC
Who cares? Better for them not to be.
Do you know how much money coaches of actual good teams would pay to be overlooked? They practically beg for it in every press conference.
Let the world think you stink. That makes it more fun anyway.
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What a night! The injuries absolutely stink, but there's something cool about how many players in the organization got to contribute to that evening out on the field (and how many fans got to contribute from the stands!). Thanks for throwing a little love to Torricelli Simpkins III in the "Inside The Numbers" column! While the stars were stars and deserve every bit of love they have coming, it was also a night where winning one more individual battle and staying locked in on even the smallest assignment might have been a thing that flipped the outcome. Well done to the whole Panthers family! — Steve, Chapel Hill, NC
Hey, Simpkins now and forever will be known as a Panthers legend.
And how cool is this for him, having been born here, grown up here, and graduated from Olympic High School, to run through that tunnel and play a football game in prime time in his hometown? As Bryce would say, it's super cool.
That's one of the interesting things about football: how many people it takes to actually make the thing happen. That's why I love seeing the work of the equipment staff, the athletic trainers, the grounds crew, and the chefs and nutritionists who make this thing go.
And so as much as the stars got to shine on the brightest stage, every player who got to be a part of it will have a memory.
(Also, when you say his name to yourself as you read it, it's tore-uh-SELL-ee, not tore-uh-CHELL-ee. As in not an Italian pasta, but slang for a celebration, which Sunday night was.)
I remember Panthers players whose careers lasted one play. Ryan Sutter was injured while running down the opening kickoff against the Jets in 1998. His parents back in Colorado bought a satellite dish to see his debut, and his dad missed it while he was in the kitchen getting something to eat.
He turned out OK, went on to a career as a firefighter and was on a popular reality television show (the first season of The Bachelorette). And following the advice of Bryce Young, I decided to "Google it," and yes, they're still married.
So mazel tov to the Sutters and the Simpkinses and everyone who gets to be part of the show. You never know how long it lasts, so enjoy every moment.
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Hey Darin, with the emergence of Bryce this season and Tet getting into a groove on SNF, do you think that's garnered the attention of free agent speedster Tyreek Hill? I feel like adding his speed to our receiving core would make our offense even more explosive. And what moves are there to be made before the deadline to bolster the CB depth? — Jordan, Elizabethtown, KY
First off, please don't call him Tet. That's (an) offensive. Also, his Mom doesn't like it, and you can go cross Shawny on your own time. I won't be a part of it.
Also, it's corps, not core. I hate when people get the words wrong. Which is why I'm willing to wage war on those who would call a lectern a podium. You can put a diaper on your head, but that don't make it a hat.
And seriously? One of the best parts of the stabilization of a franchise is not having to think every day about every stray free agent you've ever heard of. I'm old enough to remember when this fanbase was fascinated with TJ Houshmandzadeh, to the extent I had to learn to spell Houshmandzadeh (and I know how to spell Tshimanga Biakabutuka and Iheanyi Uwaezuoke by heart).
And that's true even when there aren't extenuating circumstances, which there are plenty of in his case. Pass.
The cornerback thing, I'll entertain. They're continuing to look, and worked out a bunch of guys Tuesday before signing NFL vet Marco Wilson to the practice squad. He has 37 starts in the league, so that's something. They've worked hard to make the depth better, but when you lose a Jaycee Horn and a Mike Jackson, there's only so much you can do.
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Hi Darin, Thailand Tony here again. It's been a while since writing, but here goes. First, it was kinda nice to wait til I got up on Monday morning to watch the game instead of getting up in the middle of the night. Watching all of the prognosticators and various podcasters (even the "homers") you wouldn't have thought our Panthers were going to score a point or keep anyone out of the end zone. The previous week, you would've thought they were "world beaters". And now once again, they are the most serious contenders! I cannot believe how that pendulum swings back and forth to such extremes every week. Our division predictions from before week one, by experts, were the opposite of where we stand four weeks into the season. How is it that the so-called experts can be so consistently wrong!? By the way, I just cannot watch my alma mater, the Wolfpack, the rest of this season after such a bonehead play against Vandy. But I will continue to get up in the middle of the night to watch the Panthers, win, lose, or draw! Hope y'all are enjoying some good BBQ back home. I have to contend with all of the Brit expats here who think BBQ is a verb and football is a round ball with black pentagons on it! — Tony, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Keep fighting the good fight, Tony. Maybe the Rams will one day play the first game in Thailand, and take the red-eye on the day of the game. I admire the dedication of people who watch this at weird hours, because I can barely stay awake for the end of a 4:25 p.m. start.
People who predict football games are so often wrong because football is so unpredictable.
Building that into prediction models is hard.
But one of the old football clichés that I have accepted to be true is that it really is "a week-to-week league." What holds in Week 3 can be turned on its head in Week 4, and it won't be the same in Week 5. When so much time is spent on a product, whether it's football or entertainment, it can be frustrating to acknowledge that randomness is a huge factor. "The ball's pointy on the ends; sometimes it bounces funny" isn't a satisfying explanation, but sometimes it's the only true one.
That's why I stay out of the prediction game, other than when it comes to NC State. You can always bet on them doing some oddball stuff. (Not that I would wager on any non-animal sports, because gambling's illegal at Bushwood, and I never slice.)
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Wow, great game for the Panthers! Young, Hubbard, and McMillan were obviously the stars of the show, but shout-out to all the backups who helped us win. When Corey Bullock was pushed across the state line for the sack of Young early, I thought we were in for a long, painful night, but he and the offensive line as a whole bounced back very well, and the defense came up with some big stops when it mattered most.
As I'm sure you're hearing a lot of, this early bye seems quite fortuitous given how banged up the team already is. When teams have a bye this early in the season, do they do things differently than when it comes later? Week 5 is obviously way earlier than last year's Week 14 bye, so just wondering if they still give the guys the same kind of downtime that they usually get, or if there is a bit more focus on preparing for a lot more football ahead of them. — John, Charlotte
I'll say it again, it's not Week 5 of 18 as much as it is Week 11 of 24. Playing in the Hall of Fame Game and starting a week earlier than usual takes more than seven days out of you. It's hard to explain, but it does. Everyone's a little more weary than usual, and that's why this week is such a blessing.
But as we mentioned last week, there are a lot of people whose job is more accurately described as exercise scientists than strength coaches, and cumulative workloads are measured intentionally. And you'll see them occasionally adjust schedules accordingly, like when Canales turned last Wednesday's practice into a walk-through, so he could get five or six guys involved who might not have been.
Players were effectively off beginning Monday night until next Monday. The weight room is open, and guys can work out and rehab at the stadium, but mostly it's a break. And you have to rest when you can.
It's a long season anyway, but adding a week to the front end makes it even longer, so getting the rest when you can is essential. An extra bye week would be amazing; I'll add it to my platform when I become the commissioner, which will never happen for the obvious reasons.
But remember this next August when somebody starts yelling about the starters playing in the preseason.
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Top o' the mornin' to you Darin! Sunday night's game was absolutely, positively so much FUN! Without a doubt, it's the most fun I've had with my clothes on in a long, long time! (And…shameless plug here, a part of that clothing was my beautiful blue ATOG/FOTM t-shirt!) I was so proud of Bryce for coming out from the get-go and taking control of our offense. He looked so much in command and so comfortable with what the offense was doing. And a big shout-out to OC and playcaller Brad Idzik! He and Bryce looked to be on the same page all night. T-Mac was over-the-top incredible all night as well. And I can't do this without huge props to my favorite Panther, Chuba "That CAT can ball!" Hubbard! It truly was a wonderful and exciting ballgame on a Sunday night at the Bank!
OK, now my question. Please don't think I'm being a Debbie Downer, but how long - how many times - can the Panthers keep Jonathon Brooks on the roster given all of his injuries? Don't get me wrong, I believe that he absolutely has the talent to play at an extremely high level in this league. But he has to be healthy and on the field to contribute. Around the building, what are the important people saying about his future with the team? Darin, thanks for all you do for us, the people! #KeepPounding — Jeff, Concord, NC
For starters, seeing all the human beings in the building supporting Brooks has been impressive. He's done everything you can ask, and sometimes it's just bad luck. As with the previous discussion of randomness, I know it's an unsatisfying answer, but it's the reality sometimes.
The draft pick and the money are spent, and there are no refunds. If there were, GM Dan Morgan might retroactively ask for one for the 2001 first-round pick they used on player Dan Morgan, who only played in 59 games over seven seasons. That's how it goes sometimes. If there was the current kind of internet when he was playing, I'm sure there would have been the same kinds of reactions.
Brooks is a special talent, so you try to get him healthy and see what happens. That's all you can do at this point.
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Gotta love being the Home Team Underdogs.
I've always admired a coaching staff that can do more with less. I know you like to go further back, but I always think of 2015. Kelvin Benjamin went down, and everyone counted us out. The receiving corps had very few well-known names, and we didn't have a flashy RB. I'd take being the worst undefeated team any day.
If we were even remotely close to healthy in our usual line-ups, I wouldn't be writing this, but we're pretty far from the truth. Even so, our defense still held a potent scoring offense mostly in check. Also, everyone knew where TMac was on the field; did it matter? To me, that's impressive.
Can you ask Brad and Bryce to make it look a little tougher than it did last night? If not, I fear we will lose Brad to a head coaching job. — Jonathan, Whittier, NC
In an ideal world, your program is so successful that you do lose assistants to promotions.
That's why Canales is so intentional about developing coaches to move up through the pipeline, and he continues to give younger ones opportunities to present to the group and adds things to their plates. You let guys call plays in the preseason in case they have to do it in the future, so they know where the buttons on the headset are.
If you think of a staff as a static group of people who are never leaving, you would only worry about that group of individuals. But think about Ron Rivera's staff back in the day. They were able to withstand losing a Sean McDermott because they had a Steve Wilks. At a certain point, the attrition becomes unsustainable. But just as in games, the deeper your bench, the better your chances of winning when things get weird.
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What a difference a week makes. Optimism has returned as the sunrise seems to be a tad brighter this morning. I keep saying it takes four or five games at the start of the season to get a handle on a team. With the Panthers, it may take a tad longer.
When you consider the state of the NFC South and hopefully the return of a few injured players in the near future, there remains a strong hope of playing meaningful games as November/December rolls around.
Curiosity question: With the trend of going for it on fourth downs all across the NFL and colleges, what is Canales's philosophy; i.e., is his decision based more on analytics or a gut feeling depending on the flow of the game? Keep Pounding. — Tom, Trent Woods, NC
It takes a lot longer than four or five. Just as you can't assume the low points are forever, you can't bank on the good stuff continuing for months at a time. But yes, things have normalized here to the point that expecting them to be in the mix in this division is a reasonable position.
As for the fourth-down question, I found it interesting enough that I asked Canales in his Monday press conference, "How much is data and how much is vibes?"
His response was lengthy, because this is something they've put a lot of thought into.
"I would say it starts off with the obvious ones based on field position," he began. "Do you really want this short punt? Is this a little too far to try this field goal? When you're in that plus territory area, we love being in that area to know I can give Brad, hey, if it's fourth and this much or less, you're going; we've got four downs. It helps the play caller plan out third down.
"So it's partly that, but then the other part of it is, once you get out of like the 70-80 percent, yeah, we're going, once you get into the more 50/50 zone, to me, that's where it matters what happened the play before. It matters the rhythm that we're in, it matters how the opponent is doing on offense. Are they having successful long drives? We can't really sit here and let them burn another six to eight minutes. Let's go steal another possession right now on fourth down; keep ourselves on the field so we don't have to wait.
"I think we only had four possessions in the first half. Whenever it starts to play out like that, then I get a little bit more aggressive with our group for fourth down, knowing we can't punt this ball and just wait for the next time we're going to get the ball. So, there's all those.
"And then there's a specific: who are we counting on for this next down? There was a play in Cleveland. And I knew from the menu that we had that Jalen Coker was going to be one of our featured guys on the fourth down while he had just run down the field on a shot play, 30, 40 yards down the field. You got to jog that guy all the way back, and now this is one of the most critical plays, and I know the next play up for this area is designed for him. That's where the play caller and myself, we have to say it might not be in our best interest to take one of those 50-50 opportunities that way. So a lot of those things come into play. And there's a feel. But you've also got to trust what's the best thing that gives you the best chance to win."
That's a long way of saying it depends on the situation, but you lean toward going by the book on either end of the bell curve, allowing you to go vibes in the middle.
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It's only the Tuesday after the game against the Browns, and I just finished reading the ATOG. Some of the questions made me wonder:
We were missing two starting wideouts, and they ask why we can't run the ball better. The defensive coordinator for the Browns realized he didn't have to back his linebackers out to help defend our replacements, so he keeps them closer to the LOS to help stop Hubbard.
Cleveland has at least three excellent receivers in Concepion, Boston, and Fannin. We are without Lloyd, who normally covers the tight end in passing situations, and Mike Jackson goes down early, making several defenders have to play in places they don't normally play. Nick Scott, who makes the calls in the secondary, hasn't played in two weeks, yet Evero is somehow a bad coach. And now Canales is a bad coach! If these guys held themselves to the standard they hold the Panthers and their coaches, none of them would have a job.
Sorry for the rant, but the expectations are ridiculous. If we can get some of our guys back after the bye, we have a number of 50-50 games immediately after. Which guys appear to be returning after the bye? — Bob, Aurora, CO
Bob, if you keep talking that way, I'm going to let you write the Mailbag one week. You want to talk about applying a high standard to someone, ...
(Wakes up from daydream.)
Where were we? Oh, guys coming back from injury.
Canales said Monday that Trevor Etienne was good to go, and Taylor Moton and Tershawn Wharton were close. The latter two have a different set of medical checks to clear, since coming off blood thinners because of clots and neck surgery are way different than a high ankle sprain.
But the fact he's talking about them is a good sign that they're nearing a return.
Moton will likely need some time to get himself in football shape after not footballing for the last three months, but he's also one of the most adult human beings I've ever met, meticulous in his preparation, so I imagine he'll be ready sooner than others in the same situation might be. And Wharton has been grinding, so he looks close as long as he's structurally sound.
The Panthers are a piece or two short on both lines, so their returns are just in time, but they just have to make sure that the medical process is the priority (which they do).
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So I know you probably have a ton of injury-related questions, but I am not sure if you have been asked this one. It only popped into my head because I saw Turk Wharton on the sideline during Sunday Night Football and that amazing win over the Lions.
My question is, though, are many if not all of our injured players hanging around for the games? I know they are rehabbing in the facility, but what is their presence on game days? — John, Waxhaw, NC
Mostly, it's based on personal safety, for themselves and others.
You can't have a guy on crutches on the sidelines because, if the action comes his way, he might not be able to get out of harm's way, and those metal sticks could become dangerous projectiles. And you don't want to risk months of rehab, or create future months of rehab for others, for guys to be bystanders. And if they can't be on the sidelines, they're usually either at home or in a suite.
When they're well enough, they're usually down there. But when you put an entire roster plus coaches plus support staff in that box, it can get a little crowded, so guys need to be ambulatory.
But that's a workplace safety thing more than a morale thing, for both the injured player and the rest of them.
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Long-time fan of ATOG and longer-time fan of the Panthers. (Inaugural season ticket holder…back when they played Y.M.C.A. At the end of the games…no idea why!) Anyway, I just watched the game against the Lions and loved it. I knew the team had heart, but I wasn't sure it was enough to overcome the injuries. Good on them! It was nice to sing Sweet Caroline! Looks like we're back to the win-every-other-week mode, a sign of a team still building. Since next week is a bye week, that means we will win the following week against the Eagles, right? I sure hope so, since I live outside of Philly and have to listen to them a little more than I'd like! Thanks, and keep up the good work! -John, Pottstown, PA
At first I was going to make a Bugs Bunny joke, and call you a Maroon because there's nothing I love more than the Looney Tunes and defunct 1920s NFL teams. But then I looked it up and realized Pottstown and Pottsville were two different places, though they're only an hour apart. (Also, FOTM David Fleming wrote a cool book about the Pottsville Maroons that you should all order from an independent bookstore and read because you should read everything David Fleming writes.) I'm sorry, where were we?
I like the way you're thinking, but you know what's even better? Not being a slave to past patterns.
Maybe they're charting their own path.
Also, even though the Eagles are having their own problems right now, one thing I know for sure is that this is a week-to-week league, and thinking their problems will be fatal is like expecting that no team playing the Lions without Horn and Jackson has a chance.
Good luck with the neighbors, though. I can at least make you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag and send you a cool-looking T-shirt so you can flaunt your good fortune at being from here even though you had to move north for reasons I can't begin to imagine.
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Hi, Darin. As keeper of the faith and the all-knowing arbiter of the truth, I can't find the answer to an apparently not-simple question.
Cam Gill has returned to the practice squad after previously being released from that unit. During the prior stay, he was given a standard game-day elevation onto the roster for one game. PS players are eligible for three such elevations during a season.
Since Gill was released from the PS and later resigned, is he now eligible for two more game-day rosters, or, since he was released, is he treated like a new member of the PS and eligible for three such promotions? — Randall, Branchville, SC
Oh, you're so close, Randall, but you're thinking Jeremiah Moon. He was the outside linebacker elevated from the practice squad the first two weeks, so he had one left at the time of his release Tuesday. And if he comes back later in the year, he'll still just have one. Cam Gill plays the same position, but he's a different person, with his own identity and hopes and dreams. He hasn't been elevated from the practice squad this season, but it's early yet.
Teams get bonus elevations from the practice squad in the playoffs, but during the regular season, it's just three, whether they're up or down or employed or unemployed. For instance, wide receiver David Moore was elevated once, then signed to the active roster. If he's ever released and signed back to the practice squad, he'd still have just two.
I'll give a pass on the rule, but don't conflate Jeremiah and Cam again. They deserve that respect as unique human beings.
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We have several weeks before this team settles into who they are, but it feels like it's heading in the right direction. If only the injury bug doesn't derail us before we can really get going.
My question is, with just about every team dealing with injuries and the weekly practice squad/FA signing shuffle to fill out a roster, why doesn't the NFL approve of a larger game-day roster or a larger practice squad roster? It seems like it is unnecessarily restricting teams from keeping positions stocked with players who know the coaching, scheme, playbook, and are ready to competently step in.
It seems like players/teams/games would be more competitive if they had a larger pool of prepared players ready to go. Instead, teams are looking at signing guys off the street who haven't been with the team through any practices, training camps, etc.
I'm sure the answer is money, but last I checked, the NFL isn't bouncing any checks. Do you have any insight for us simple fans? — Justin, Bryant, AR
The answer is money.
And in my experience, it's easiest to spend it when it's not yours (or when you're in the middle of a renovation and you just want it to be over). But there are 70 players here including the active roster and practice squad, which is a lot. Maybe allowing for more elevations would help, but there are already a lot of dudes here.
But any expansions of rosters or practice squads would have to be collectively bargained between the league and the players' union, and any time one side gets something it wants, the other side wants something too.
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Hi DG, so I was hard on Evero last week and rightly so. But now I am going to give credit because, honestly, considering the injury situation with both Horn and Jackson being out, against a very good offense, holding the Lions to just 26 points was a very impressive performance overall. I felt like the defense did two to three good plays, then they would give up a bad, frustrating play. Also, I was at the game; I'm someone who also attended the Rams playoff game. I honestly felt like the energy inside the stadium topped the atmosphere at the Rams playoff game. Honestly, the halftime show last night was the best halftime show in Panthers' history. Now I truly felt like the ref had bias against the Panthers last night so many times the referee kept mentioning add extra time to the clock unbeknown to no one the roughing passer penalty against the Panthers was a bad call because the player was pushed into Jared Goff knee. And the refs ignored so many times that Bryce was hit after throwing the ball; no flag was thrown against the Lions. And from my vantage point from section 545, Sam Martin was definitely roughed and not simply run into. Now, honestly, Panthers Nation jinxed Ryan Fitzmagic. We all yelled MVP while he kicked the XP; I bet he was confused why fans were cheering for him as MVP while he kicked. Let's enjoy this by week, get guys back from injuries, and let's make a reservation for the Carolina Panthers to be playing on Valentine's Day in Los Angeles. — Shaked, Charlotte
I thought about redacting the middle of this email again this week so Shaked would lose it, but I know he uses my friends at WFNZ as an outlet, and no one deserves that.
There was still a lot in that submission, so to sum up my reaction: Yeah, the vibes were good, Trevis Gipson got jammed on that call because he was clearly blocked into Goff, Bryce was old enough to get that call the week before, Sam Martin walks with the strength of 100 men because he was raised on the mountain, and of all the people on the roster who would never suspect the MVP chants are for them, Ryan Fitzgerald's near the top of the list.
As for the Valentine's Day reservations, I'll leave that for you, T-Bone, and Mac to hash out. It's never too soon to reserve a table at Applebee's.
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Greetings! I'm currently writing this sitting outside on a bench just outside of my political science classroom. I am joining club triathlon and hopefully the school newspaper as well.
My question for this week is about breaking into an already somewhat established group. It's early on in college here, and many people, including myself somewhat, have somewhat settled in with groups of friends that we hang out with and whatnot. These groups are mostly centered around who is in your dorm. However, as someone who likes to meet a lot of different people and check out all my options before joining a group, this can be quite frustrating sometimes. I want to meet the people in other dorms! And there are 26 of them here! I am not closed-minded to meeting new people and inviting people to lunch, watch football, etc., but it feels like quite a few people here are. Right now, I'm being patient, being myself, and just inviting people to do stuff, to mixed success. Any advice? — Zach, Evanston, IL
Have you considered accessorizing your FOTM shirt with a top hat and a monocle? That would create the impression that you are both noble and wise and also a real estate tycoon, and ought to make you the most popular man on campus. Otherwise, I think if you continue to be yourself with all that entails (curious, outgoing, thinks of others), you will be just fine. Don't sweat the first few months of college; it's a big world, full of people waiting to tell you to GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
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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.
HI "OLD MAN", I don't have a question for you, but more of a "shout out". I just wanted to say, I've been hiding in the shadows reading your mailbags for years now, being entertained by fellow fans, haters, and your responses to them. I've read when fans were happy and wanted the best for the coaches and players one day, to wanting them fired or traded the next day. I've read that Zach graduated, to a fan from BRAZIL celebrate. I saw a reference to my hometown of ROXBORO mentioned last week and i just had to come out of the shadows and say, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, and great PANTHERS BANTER. I hope you have a good day, and tell Zack aka ZEEK, to get back to class. — DC, Oxford, NC
Done and done. This is the community we have built; we're worldwide, and we look after each other. Thanks, DC; we do it for the people.
Hey Darin. Absolutely no worries if you can't get by, but we're in (redacted). ... Will be there with wife and two friends. — Jimmy, Wilmington, NC
I ducked down before kickoff to visit with Jimmy and his lovely wife and friends before the game Sunday night. It's great to meet the FOTM family in person. I edited out his seat location so he won't be overwhelmed by paparazzi in the future. I mean, it would be the lovely wife more than him, but the point stands.
Hi Darin, Had a super good feeling about the growth and improvement of the team at the start of the season; I still believe there has been improvement in the offense even with the injuries, putting more points on the board. I know Dave is a run-the-ball mentality, but three consecutive runs up the middle resulting in third-and-long, and a three-and-punt is becoming more evident. I have also seen an improvement in the defense; however, even without the injuries, we continue to be consistent with beating ourselves with unnecessary penalties and allowing yardage over the top for first downs when we had the opponent third and long. Are the coaches beginning to see that this is becoming a consistency, and are they looking at resolving this? There are still a lot of games remaining, and I still have hopes we can retain first place in the division and win a playoff berth. One thing that I can state for sure: the Panthers remain consistent in earning their nickname, "CARDIAC CATS." Go Panthers Keep on Pounding and Pouncing! — Kenneth, Stuttgart, Germany
An old friend likes to say there are two true responses to most questions: "I'm aware," and "Great to hear."
They're aware.
Is there any potential for the Panthers to sign Jimmy Horn Jr. back from the Browns practice squad with all of the injuries at wide receiver? — Jordan Elizabethtown, KY
Could it happen? Sure. But Jimmy decided to go to Cleveland when he had a chance to stay here, so that may have become a personal rather than professional choice at that point.
FOTM here with a shoutout to Jim from Timberlake. I grew up in Roxboro and moved to Burgaw where, if the team lost a home game, their mammas would beat up the visitor's mammas. Not the sort of #KeepPounding we care to encourage. But down here in Bucs country, where the coach thinks it's funny that they're 0-3 but only one game off the lead, man, is the energy different than it is for Panthers fans. We have so much great football ahead of us, and Bucs fans are deflated worse than Tom Brady's football. No question, though. Maybe this is better suited to lightning round. Or the delete key. Your call, OG. — Michael, Wesley Chapel, FL
Do you know how impertinent, long-winded, or rude you have to be to get redacted or deleted? Even Shaked got a full hearing this week. Maybe I'm just feeling benevolent since I'm staring into a long weekend off.
Speaking of which, that's on the verge of beginning. We have some stuff cooked up to tide you over until next week, because that's how we do. But it's about to be a bye week for everyone. Adjust your wardrobes accordingly.
