CHARLOTTE — A lot of life is how you look at it.
And sure, the Panthers are 0-2 and just put 40 percent of maybe the best part of the roster on injured reserve. Not great, obviously. On the other hand, a couple of last year's biggest issues seemed to take a step in the right direction last week. So it's a matter of perspective.
Considering the second half of last week's loss to the Cardinals, the fact that the offense wheeled off three unanswered touchdowns at least stands as some degree of positive movement (though it's easier when you're down 27-3).
But addressing the run defense against a team that can run it was more impressive. The way the Panthers gave up rushing yards last year was terminal; you're just not going to sustainably win when you're giving up 200 a game on the ground, which they did seven straight, including the Jaguars game last week. So holding James Conner and Kyler Murray to 82 was monumental, especially considering 30 of that came on one Murray scramble in which Christian Rozeboom had a handful of jersey at one point.
It seems reasonable to suggest that if Conner doesn't get hurt last December (when Derrick Brown was on IR), the Cardinals might have run for 300 and the Panthers don't win in overtime to create some hope. Conner had 15 carries for 117 yards (a grotesque 7.8 per carry) and a touchdown when he left injured in the third quarter. So holding him to 11 carries for 34 yards on Sunday (a perfectly acceptable 3.1 per carry) was an achievement. And Brown had three tackles, a quarterback hit, and batted down two passes, underscoring what he can do for a defense when he's on the field.
Plus, they played normal special teams and even recovered an onside kick. That's a thing that doesn't happen often (around 6 percent of the time, according to JJ Jansen, and he was right).
If the Panthers can play stable run defense and Brown does Brown things, and they are acceptable in the kicking game, it's fair to think they're going to have a chance a lot of weeks. Last week, they did. Building on that against the Falcons would be huge. Dave Canales talks about complementary football a lot because it's important. And last year, the offense had to carry all the weight. If they can progress on defense and special teams this year, it allows time for the offense to find its feet, which seems fair considering the latest news.
Some people seem to get that. Some do not. So welcome to a real Rorschach test of a Mailbag.
------------------------------------------------------
That was a great game! It was so fun to watch. Yes, I know we lost and that there is a lot to clean up, but I was so impressed with the fight in this team. These guys are only going to get better as the season progresses. I don't have a question. I just wanted to say how inspired I was by this young team. — LeeAnee, Lincolnton, NC
See, that is definitely one way to look at it.
LeeAnne seems like a good hang. I bet she's nice. Be the LeeAnne in somebody's life today.
It's fair to be encouraged by the good stuff, while also being disappointed by the bad. Life's all about balance.
------------------------------------------------------
Darin, I cannot contain my anger and frustration any longer. What the heck is wrong with this team - players AND coaches? If you can play the way the Panthers played in the last 10 minutes or so, you can play that way from the very beginning of the game! No excuses, you should have just as much a sense of urgency on the first drive as you do fighting for your lives coming down the stretch. Playing up to their "potential" is simply not good enough for this team! They have to play above and beyond their "potential" - even "way over their heads" if they have any hope of winning most ballgames. Coach those expectations hard and put a boot in anyone's backside that doesn't play up to them! This team is nowhere near good enough to jack around until the fourth quarter and hope to pull the game out. They are so far from being THAT good that they must play absolutely lights out for the entire game, or they're bringing home an "L". Every time! Come on, guys, coaches AND players. Look hard in the mirror tonight and see who's staring back at you. It's dang sure NOT the 2026 Super Bowl Champions, I promise you!! New hashtag, ... #STARTpounding — Jeff, Concord, NC
See, that is definitely one way to look at it.
Jeff seems like a good hang most days. I bet he's nice. Since I know from previous mail that this is not always Jeff's tone, I feel OK about saying you should be the Jeff in somebody's life today, because he's still a good dude. Just temporarily grouchy.
But his frustration is also earned. Dave Canales talks about "finish" a lot, and they're in a position where "start" might need to enter the lexicon. Canales has mentioned in every interview since the Cardinals game, that turnovers and early holes aren't things they can continue to experience.
The reality is, two turnovers in the first eight minutes of the game and a 10-0 deficit probably means you're going to lose in the NFL. All the stuff in the middle 50 minutes of that game was good, but the first eight and the last two were less good.
------------------------------------------------------
I am a consistent reader, but this is my first time submitting a question to the Mailbag. I appreciate that the team fought back yesterday, but I have a question about the play calling. It seems like a large majority of the run plays are directly up the middle. I know the team has invested in the interior OL, but runs outside the tackles can help stretch the defense and create space. Falling behind early doesn't help the rush offense, but if the run calls were less predictable, it could help sustain drives and help Bryce Young by opening up the play action. Getting Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle in space could be a good way to create chunk plays. Is there any way to find the data on how often run calls are run inside vs. outside of the tackles, and how the Panthers stack up against the rest of the league? — Dustin, Albemarle, NC
There is data, but probably not enough of it to draw any meaningful conclusions compared to other teams, since the Panthers haven't run the way they want to yet.
Your hunch is correct; the majority of their runs have been between the tackles. Via Next Gen Stats, 69 percent of Hubbard's runs have been inside, along with 77 percent of Dowdle's. The bigger problem is that there haven't been enough of them, not that there are too many.
Chuba Hubbard has 26 carries in two games. That's not enough carries in two games. Rico Dowdle has nine carries in two games. That's not enough carries in two games. Honestly, that would be a good game's worth of attempts, in an ideal world.
They definitely have outside runs in the playbook; they exist, we've seen them. And Canales wants to use them as part of the normal game plan, and not just changeups. They just haven't had as many opportunities as they'd prefer, based on scores.
Once some game situations normalize, my suspicion is that you'll see a bit more balance in that area. And because you came to light a candle rather than curse the darkness, I'll go ahead and make you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag, and get the appropriate honorarium on the way.
------------------------------------------------------
Apologies for violating the true spirit of the Mailbag last week. Brad Idzik has been preaching "brevity of communication," and I took it to heart. Besides, when it looks like it looked in Week 1, what can a fan say?
I'll try to keep it brief today as well: Prayers for the injured (especially Robert Hunt, Austin Corbett, and the entire Cardinals defense). Props to the team as a whole for finding some grit late and battling back to make things interesting. You'd love to see the franchise-record comeback completed, but just playing feisty is all I am asking for at this stage of the rebuild. Speaking of asking (and comebacks), do you think our almost-comeback down 27-3 will cause the Falcons to trauma-forfeit, or do we still get to shred them on Sunday? — Jake, Candler, NC
No question, I heard they were going to get the team bus as far as Gaffney, stop to genuflect at the Peachoid, and then just turn around and go home.
The injuries obviously stink. The Panthers had two big ones, but the Cardinals' athletic training staff was working in volume. But for Corbett, it's particularly brutal, coming off a string of issues going back to the 2022 finale. If there's any silver lining, it's that both he and Rob Hunt have the perspective and general sense of humor to get through this with an intact psyche. Hunt breaking up practice fights by jumping between would-be combatants and dancing remains one of my favorite OTA memories. They understand that this game is too hard to not have some fun while you're doing it.
Sometimes all you can do is laugh to keep from crying, so here's a picture of Corbett and Hunt being goofballs for a moment during training camp. I think they were posing for their album cover or something.
------------------------------------------------------
With the issues related to not getting the plays in quickly in the first game, I'm surprised that none of the press has asked Dave Canales about the fact that he had the assistants calling in the plays for the majority of the preseason. Looks like an example of being developmentally minded that backfired when we played a game that counted. Thoughts? — Steve, Landrum, SC
Maybe I'm wrong. But I'm past the point where I think preseason games mean much of anything, unless you're an undrafted rookie trying to make a roster or the equivalent.
I think people have given preseason snaps power they do not intrinsically have, because a lot of folks think another series in the third preseason game for the starters would have magically fixed everything that's wrong with a team.
And again, perhaps because I'm old, I tend to take the long view of things.
Letting assistants call games in August gives them consequence-free learning opportunities, and that's the kind of thing that will pay off eventually — which is the way most worthwhile things pay off.
------------------------------------------------------
While I know he was a healthy inactive the first two weeks, does it look like there's any plan to start to get Jimmy Horn Jr. involved in the offense? I mean, between Jalen Coker on the IR and Adam Thielen back on the Vikings, plus the early struggles of Xavier Legette, does that open up a path for Horn to see the field sooner, rather than later? — Eric, Brick Township, NJ
Speaking of eventual, I think that's Horn's timeline as well. He needs to learn how offense works in the NFL.
He's got potential and has made splash plays in the past at a different level. It's harder for smaller players to translate to the NFL because here, the bigger people are often just as quick as you are.
As for Legette, put me with Canales on this one. I'm going to need to see more than two games to make any big declarations on anyone. He's put in the work this offseason, so he's earned a little more runway than some people want to give him.
------------------------------------------------------
Always enjoy your insight. Thanks. I thought the preseason was to prepare for the season. Need insight. Now, the important question. Was there a memo that all adjectives have been replaced by the word "super"? Players and coaches with college degrees spout it out with glee over and over again. As a fellow old guy, does it bother you? — Don, Trinity, NC
Thanks Don, and you can thank Bryce for that one around here.
"Super" has become his modifier of choice, and he says it a lot. As verbal devices go, I've heard a lot worse.
People tend to pick up on the speech patterns of people around them, and when you're as visible and audible as an NFL quarterback, that gets amplified. I had never heard "this, that, and the third" until I heard Cam Newton say it, and then a lot of people around here picked up the habit.
But it doesn't bother me. I'm one of those weirdos about free speech. Say whatever you want, as long as you use the words correctly. For instance, don't come into a press conference setting and call a lectern a podium. Those things are different. You stand on a podium. You stand behind a lectern, like Bryce is doing here. Words matter. Accuracy matters.
------------------------------------------------------
Hi Darin, what a week this week has been. I'm hoping I'm correct in my sentiments here, but I truly hate the beginning of the regular season for this whole reason right here. We're not exactly fans if we're willing to throw it all away over one game (that, if anyone actually watched, wasn't played that badly), and we can't expect good things to happen if we're not willing to wait and watch things change. Also still waiting on that Mailbag honorarium, the wife has been watching our mailbox like a hawk, and she scares me — Max, Sandpoint, ID
Apologies for being a little behind on the mail. It tends to stack up on me once training camp starts. I also need a new shipment of shirts, because I ran out of sizes and I know a couple of people are waiting for a medium.
It's hard, I get it. People invest a lot of time and energy into this thing, and they want their passion to be rewarded. And that's just the players and coaches. But it's the same for fans.
The things the Panthers are trying to do here are the steps you take to create something sustainable. That doesn't always happen in a hurry.
------------------------------------------------------
Although I think I know the answer to this, I'll ask anyway. Is there any way the players could be fined for sub-par play by the coaches? The players should perform much better than they do, and if they had an incentive to actually show up for every game and do what they are paid to do, maybe the team would win more often.
Some examples, all of which are cumulative as opposed to per game: Drop a pass - fined $5K the first time, $10K the second time, etc. Fumble the ball - fined $5K the first time, $10K the second time, etc. Miss a block that results in a sack - fined $10K the first time, $15K the second time, $20K the third, etc. Miss a tackle - fined $5K the first time, $10K the second time, etc. Miss a PAT - fined $10K the first time, $20K the second time, $30K the third, etc. Miss a field goal within 30 yards - same as missing a PAT. Unsportsmanlike conduct - $50K the first time, $100K the second. Suspension for a game plus $150K the third time. If there's a fourth time, instantly cut from the team, and anything in the contract is null and void. (No payment.) I know this is unlikely, if not impossible, to do, but for what these players get paid, it's a crime that they show up and play so poorly. — John, Charlotte
John, your phone's ringing. It's the NFL Players Association. They said no.
These guys are professionals, but as the noted Eastern philosopher John Fox liked to say, "the other team practices too."
Also, if you started cutting guys for penalties, would you have ever enjoyed Steve Smith? In fairness to 89, he was only called for unsportsmanlike conduct once, and ejected once (in Dallas in 2005, for grabbing a ref). Now, unnecessary roughness? He had seven of those. Why did I pick Steve? Totally random, I don't know. Just the first name to pop into my head.
------------------------------------------------------
Hello Darin! I won't go into too many details, but I noticed an "overreaction" comment in response to someone's "Young must go" input. While I won't comment on your response, I will say that I am another fan that adopted the Panthers the day they were awarded a franchise. Historically, I don't know how we manage to create such abysmal all-time and seasonal disappointments - Particularly going to two Super Bowls, being the first team in our division to win it three times in a row, yet NEVER HAVING CONSECUTIVE WINNING SEASONS! You just can't make that stuff up! We almost never obtain any highly impactful free agents, bar a very few, and honestly, particularly with our less-than-stellar franchise, there is no way in the world I would have taken Bryce over Stroud. Young's short stature and high-ball throwing requirements alone were enough for me to not want him. He ain't Drew Brees, that's for sure. — Tony, Boise, ID
Drew Brees is likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer. So not many people are Drew Brees. And while you might not have taken Young first overall, everyone in that year's draft would have, including the Texans. That's been reported years ago, by trustworthy sources (specifically, longtime Houston newspaper legend John McClain). It's settled case law.
Also, back-to-back winning seasons would be great, but I don't discredit the run of three straight division titles from 2013-15 just because the team in the middle overcame a 3-8-1 start to finish 7-8-1 and win the NFC South. At that point, you're gerrymandering to turn that into a bad thing.
Speaking of the NFC South, you know how long it took our friends the Falcons to record back-to-back winning seasons? The answer is 43 years, from their 1966 founding until Mike Smith and Matt Ryan led them to an 11-5 record in 2008 and a 9-7 record in 2009.
So the Panthers still have a decade-plus to catch them.
------------------------------------------------------
Home opener this weekend - a chance to put our struggles over the past two weeks behind us and start over! Hopefully, it will rejuvenate everyone's spirits!
My question for this week: What is actually going on with Bryce in the pocket? When he rolls out, he actually looks pretty good. Is Bryce just too small to stand in the pocket? Can he not see over the O-line? If so, will the team use him as a dual-threat QB who can run? He has some speed.
Speaking of running, I have a cross country meet this weekend. I am trying to break the 5K world record of 12:35. I only need to run 12 minutes faster than what I ran last Tuesday! Easy work! Are you a big runner? — Zach, Charlotte
Well, I am big. And I sometimes run. That counts. I like to run slow, stupid miles in the dark before work, no headphones, just the noise between my ears (which is plenty). If it's raining, all the better, because it feels more virtuous and brings out my inner Steve Prefontaine.
Perhaps my greatest athletic achievement was almost outrunning a former NFL cornerback in an 8K. At the 2017 South Park Turkey Trot, when I was between wives, working out a lot, and at my all-time physical peak, I came within 30 seconds of chasing down Jason Sehorn. He had no idea this was a competition, and I didn't either until I looked at the age group results later and realized that my 45:11 chip time was not that far from the former Rams and Giants cornerback's 44:40, especially when you winnowed it down to the old dudes 45-49 category. Now, was he pushing a stroller with a couple of kids in it? Pulling a hay wagon? Did he stop for a smoke? No idea. But being that close to a known fast guy (although not as fast as Steve Smith in the 2003 playoffs) was enough to make my dreams of being an athlete seem obtainable. I've never approached that pace again, after a broken ankle the following spring and the inevitability of aging (like 100 seconds slower the next year). On the other hand, maybe you can carve 50 percent off your personal best, you're still young. Crazier things have happened. Good luck.
By the same token, Young might grow. Canales admitted yesterday that being short in the pocket limits a few options, but he also coached Russell Wilson when he was good on a routine basis, so it can work.
"It certainly affects shorter quarterbacks," Canales said Monday. "Sometimes you can't see, sometimes you move for vision. There are ways that you learn how to play football, and I've been around a couple of guys who are at or around or just under 6 feet, and so those do present challenges, but I thought Bryce did a good job playing rhythmic football yesterday."
He's capable of running, but he's not going to be a runner, not in the way we're used to seeing around here. It's a value-add rather than a feature, but it could be helpful. Mostly, what he's good at is spreading it around and finding open receivers. And he's done that at this height for a long time. Helping him be able to do that would be the best bet, in my opinion. And even though you should be training, it's still time to GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH. (Also, Other Darren says to say hello.)
------------------------------------------------------
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 is Brady Christensen? Also, I was selected as FOTM a while back. I've never received my shirt. It's cool, I still read every week. — Deric, Gastonia, NC
As of Tuesday morning, here in the stadium working. He's an important part because he can fill in everywhere, and start at all five positions if need be. But Cade Mays and Chandler Zavala are going to start at center and right guard this week.
Also, the reason you haven't gotten a T-shirt yet is when I emailed you to ask your size and address, you never responded. Dang, Deric, that hurt my feeling.
My question is simple: Who misses Jake Delhomme? — Thomas, Newport News, VA
We all do, that's why his being on the Panthers Radio Network is perfect. (Especially last week when he was paired with Jordan Gross.) Oh, you meant as a player? I don't think he could still do it at 50, he's no Vinny Testaverde.
How can I stay off social media when "Fans" disrespect an extra week and our last preseason game with all the starters playing? Now we get to a 16-week season. I predict 10-7, with growing pains, but it all comes together in the end. PLAYOFFS — Chris, Inman, SC
There should be a cooling-off period for social media before creating or consuming hysterical reactions. I propose six weeks. Also, a 17-game regular season still messes with me, because I'm used to multiplying years times 16 to know how many games people have played. How do you think JJ Jansen feels?
Has anyone asked Dave Canales to evaluate his play calling, and if so, what grade did he give himself? Also, should he be ejected from a game, who would be next in line to take on that challenge? — Randall, Branchville, SC
He's flat-out said there are things he'd do differently after watching that last game three times through. You never have to worry about him checking himself. And if he ever got ejected (which would be a huge surprise), Harold Goodwin is the assistant head coach/run game coordinator. Goody could command a room, I have no doubt about that. And there are other people who have called plays, since, ... checks notes, ... other people have called plays in the preseason. It's like it was on purpose.
No one wants to admit it. And team leaders never talk about it. But we are in the middle of a rebuilding process. My question is, as fans, when can we begin to see the necessary growth and victories? — Fred, Sherrills Ford, NC
Sorry, Fred, I was out back in my fall garden, yelling at the seeds for their lack of apparent effort. I've heard that helps.
I think everyone's been clear that they were in the process of building a roster for a couple of years now. People just disagree about the timelines. But it's more than two weeks.
