CHARLOTTE — The difference in the Panthers now compared to times in the recent past is kind of like the difference between weather and climate. A win can be fool's gold, and a couple or even three wins can mask serious structural defects (if you remember what 2021's 3-0 turned into). But after beating the Cowboys in impressive fashion the week after the record-tying comeback win against the Dolphins, it feels like a corner is in the process of being turned by this 3-3 football team.
Nature is healing, friends.
That's not to say the Carolina Panthers are fixed. Derrick Brown stood in the locker room on Monday and cautioned anyone who might get ahead of themselves that they're not so far removed from being the team other teams overlooked, which means they can't overlook anyone, especially a Jets team with a defense led by a very familiar face (longtime Panthers assistant and former interim coach Steve Wilks).
"We've been in the same situation," Brown said. "We'd be fools to sit here and think they're just going to lay down."
Of course not, that's not how the NFL works. This league is built in a way that makes it possible for any team to beat any other one in a given week. But this isn't about a given week. This is a team in the process of becoming more stable than the week-to-week.
The running game works, no matter who is doing the running. The offensive line has used five combinations in six weeks as a result of putting three starters on injured reserve already, including one of the five or six best players on the entire roster, and they're still top 10 in the league in rushing offense and sacks allowed per pass play. The quarterback has shown the ability to overcome the kind of adversity he never experienced in college, or maybe ever. The defense has gone from setting all the wrong kind of records last year to a top-10 unit this year, and they've played No. 1 and No. 2 in total offense and beaten both of them (the Cowboys and Falcons). They've got a rookie kicker, and he's out here hitting pressure kicks.
The Panthers now have to conquer the harder challenges, like becoming consistent from one week to the next, and taking their good football on the road. Those things take time. But the Panthers have taken significant steps already this season.
And it appears the fans have noticed, too, based on all the singing the last couple of weeks.
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Hey Grand Titan! (Grand Titan is an anagram of Darin Gantt.)
Rico Dowdle had more yards against the Cowboys than Chuba Hubbard has all season, so there is no way the Panthers are just going to stop using him when Chuba gets back to full strength. So what happens now? Who starts? Or does not it actually not matter who starts?
If the Panthers beat the Jets this weekend by 31+ points, will you change your Twitter username to "Grand Titan" the following Monday? It's better than changing it to "Darting Ant" or "A Grand Tint!" — Chaz, Charlotte
I knew this was coming this week.
In the spirit of Chaz here, I would present as evidence the case of Ajar Net Whatnots and Salmonella Widgie. Or Dishpan Steve, UFOs Adherents, and Cog Sinking, I suppose.
The Panthers have been here before, whether it's Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, or Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster (and Nick Goings). Multiple running backs aren't a problem to be solved, they're a luxury to be enjoyed.
Take for instance the 2009 season, when Stewart and Williams ran for 1,133 and 1,117 yards, respectively. They also had 221 and 216 attempts, respectively. But it's not like they had a 50-50 split the whole time. Williams missed three games that season, and Stewart had 26, 28, and 16 carries in those games. Stewart also had five games with single digit carries, often because of game situations rather than injury.
In the earlier 2000s, Davis and Foster were the backbeat of an entire offense that also included Steve Smith. The following year, they played exactly one game together. (That was the year the unassuming Nick Goings wheeled off five 100-yard games in a six-week span). In 2005, Davis and Foster were back until they weren't, and when Goings suffered a concussion early in the NFC Championship Game, it ended their chances to go to two Super Bowls in three years. As the slogan in the end zone says, "It takes all of us."
Nothing against Dowdle, who is a very good back on a historic two-week run, but something makes me suspect he won't continue to average 236.5 yards per game for the rest of the season (which would, I think, be a record). He's had to leave both games late with cramps — at which point Trevor Etienne stepped in successfully — and the physical demands of the position make attrition a factor you have to plan for.
As with many such false dilemmas, an honest answer can be "Why not both?"
Hubbard's part of the foundation of this team, and we saw last year what happens when he gets to work behind a good line. It might not have looked the same earlier this year, but a lot of other things were out of sync in September, so it's not as simple as one player leaving the lineup and another one going in. Get him healthy again, and let them both run.
Running the ball and stopping the run might not be the most fashionable way to football, but as we've seen over the last few weeks (and for the last 100 or so years), it sure does work.
That's a long way of saying it doesn't matter who starts, there's enough season for both of them, which leads me to this — GET BACK TO CLASS, CHAZ (If that is, in fact, your real name, which I suspect that it is not).
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First, props to the team and coaches for being really well prepared for this game; they didn't back down an inch in the face of a lot of DAL fans in the stands, or for that matter, the top offense in the league - and wow, it has never felt so good to be average in terms of our record!
Question - with some context - Tetairoa McMillan had one of the biggest (but low-key) plays of the game when he did the dirty work on a block that sprung Rico Dowdle for some extra yards during the game. Tommy Tremble also had some really good blocks that led to some extra yards. To me, this is as important as the air yards and TDs that the fantasy peeps and casual fans eat up. So here is (finally!) my question - who is the best blocker (or blockers if you want to break it down among the positions) among the team's skill players in your opinion? Dowdle can count here, too (he is a good blocker as well - check his tape from his DAL days!). KEEP POUNDING! — Benjamin, Alpharetta, GA
This is a good question, and one you can get people lathered up talking about. There are a number of candidates, because they've built a large and physical team here, but a quick poll of players and coaches yielded two common top answers. The first seems apparent.
"Tommy's a psychopath, he really is," one of his offensive teammates said. That was a compliment, by the way.
And there are a lot of versions of this, because Tremble plays football a certain way. He's always got some kind of viking berserker action going, like trying to hurdle people whether he needs to or not, or slamming his body into people at full speed just because it's fun for him. And that's a good thing for a football team to have.
But as good as he is at that, a quick and unscientific poll had a number of people singling out wide receiver Brycen Tremayne. He earned a roster spot here for his special teams talent and stood out through camp with his ability to make plays on offense by using his size to create space.
And like Tremble, he's got a little edge about him.
"Obviously, he's an offensive player, so you don't always expect that from an offensive player, but he's getting down there, he's getting dirty, he's making plays, and just his athleticism," special teams linebacker Claudin Cherelus said of Tremayne earlier this year in reference to his work on the kickoff coverage team. "I'm looking on the other side like, damn, he'd be tough to cover. He doesn't play like a wide receiver on teams. It threw me off the first week. I was like, oh s---. I'm happy for his success, though."
And they all are.
The Panthers built a receivers room that looks different than most, and guys like McMillan and Xavier Legette have the physical platform to block well. But it's also about willingness, and they are, with Legette springing a couple of the big Dowdle runs the last couple of weeks as well. (And look how big Tremayne is next to the 6-3, 227 Legette).
And since Benjamin is a man who enjoys a good downfield block from a wide receiver, I'm prepared to declare him my kind of people, and make him this week's Friend Of The Mailbag, and will get the appropriate honorarium on the way to him soon.
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Wow! I would like to give a big shoutout to the offensive line. They have had two great games in a row. Speaking of, ... three wins in the last four games. Is this a winning streak? I have to ask because it's been a minute. A Foxism, it is what it is. It's been a while, and I am enjoying it. Tampa with Baker Mayfield is lighting it up in the division. If we can get a road game win next week, my imagination will run wild. Rico is an unexpected joy. The young guys are starting to contribute. You might actually think the GM and coach planned this. I think they have found their identity. Now if they can just get a road win. Keep Pounding! — JP, Yadkinville, NC
You know, JP, it does sort of seem like it was on purpose, now that you mention it. And the fact you mentioned John Fox and the way he built a team seems like something other than a coincidence. General manager Dan Morgan was on that team, as it happens.
That team inherited a pretty solid offensive line, and added a Jordan Gross to it. There were some good defensive pieces in place, and they drafted a Julius Peppers and a Kris Jenkins. Sounds familiar.
So when Morgan gets control of the roster, he spends his first offseason signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to a line with good tackles. He spent his second one building the defensive line around Derrick Brown by adding Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III.
When you spell it out like that, it does seem rather intentional.
That's also why it feels more sustainable than in the past.
Building depth on the offensive line allows you to survive putting three guys on injured reserve in the first month of the season and not collapse in a heap, as they did in 2023, when starters got hurt and they were signing cats off the street and starting them.
Also, Damien Lewis is on one right now. That is all. Just find the place he's running and go there might be the best play in the book at the moment.
All those other conversations, about the division or things that exist in the future, let them stay in the future. Enjoy the feeling of being on a more stable footing for a moment, with the knowledge that's the smartest way to build. And enjoy this picture of Damien Lewis coming out of the smoke like some kind of primordial beast.
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The Panthers are 3-0 at home for a 3-3 record, and our next game is up in Jersey against the 0-6 Jets. I agree with everything DB said today, that we have been on the other side of these situations many times in the past. Hopefully, the guys don't get pulled into a "trap game" and we can return home 4-3 to take on the Bills.
My question this week is actually not to you, Darin, but to the rest of the fan base (if you'll allow it): Can we please stop trying to sell off our players right now? I get it, Rico is on an absolute rampage. That doesn't mean we need to give away Chuba! I know it's been a decade since Double Trouble, but c'mon people, how about we let both of those guys cut through defenses while staying fresh? Same with Austin Corbett. Yeah, Cade Mays is playing great, but maybe cutting depth that has proven it can start is a terrible idea? Have we already forgotten how quickly we went from "This WR room is deep and strong" to "Oh my god, where are all of our receivers?"
Idk, I just feel like everyone is so quick to cut or trade our long-term investments for a little bit of short-term satisfaction. Everything is starting to work, and I was always taught to not fix that which ain't broke. — Nate, Charlotte, NC
Nate, I bow to your Buddha nature. Now go spread the word.
I don't know if fantasy football or social media is more to blame for a lot of these knee-jerk reactions, but that's exactly what they are. Stop jerking your knees, people. It's bad for you.
"Which running back should the Panthers trade?" might be good fodder for sports talk radio, but it's not the way football actually works. At least if you're a normal team, which they're beginning to show signs of. So don't stop now.
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First timer. Before the Miami game, listening to the NFL Network afternoon crew, who both agreed and commented that the Panthers were saying all the "have to" things about Bryce Young, and that he simply was too small to be our long-term answer to the QB spot, and that we would be looking soon. I can't make up my mind but feel Bryce is neither fast/quick nor strong enough to be our long-term ace. So, I tend to agree! Thoughts? — Walter, Gastonia, NC
Hmmm, what happened since the time before the Miami game that might make one reconsider one's hot take?
Bryce being the size Bryce is was never a deterrent to success at Alabama. Or in high school, when he was a top recruit and wore out McMillan's team. But because his size is an outlier, it's the easiest thing for people to latch onto.
But we're not about easy around here. This Mailbag is all about doing hard things on purpose. In fact, that's one of my life mottoes, alongside "it doesn't have to be that hard." Which may seem contradictory, but it's not. It's about being intentional about learning or growing, but not overcomplicating life. At any rate, back to how this applies to football.
Bryce is the size he is. And they're building a platform upon which he can be successful. That started in the spring of 2024 by creating an offensive line that might not allow 65 sacks like the Panthers did in 2023. And then keeping rushing options aplenty. And having targets of the size that make it easy to spot for any quarterback.
And now, suddenly, Bryce looks taller in the pocket, or something.
The touchdown to Legette against the Dolphins was impressive, not just because Legette was still running in the opposite direction of where the ball landed when Young released it. That kind of anticipation and accuracy is where he wins. And while the early turnovers are something they have to get rid of, he's shown the ability to come back, and resilience is a good thing.
Six times in his last 16 games, and eight times in his career, he's led game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. To put that in context, CJ Stroud (who was drafted one spot behind him) has done that five times, and so has Jordan Love (who was drafted two years earlier).
Again, social media seems to have turned every moment into a referendum on forever, and every quarterback a topic for debate. Quarterbacks are part of greater wholes, believe it or not. A lot of teams have won titles by building entire teams and having the right quarterback work with that team. That's harder to do than just drafting one person and hoping he fixes everything by himself.
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Howdy, Darin, been a while, but Mama taught me that when I had nothing good to say, then shut up! [She did say it a bit more diplomatically.] Wow, two in a row! A good chance to beat the Jets next week, too. I'm hoping that we just might see the beginning of another "two-headed monster" like the days of old. That brings the question: What does the chance of signing Rico to a longer deal than one year look like? From the little I see/hear out here in the wilderness, he seems happy in Carolina.
The Cowboys game was great! FINALLY got to see the Cats on the toob, they are never an option out here unless playing the 'boys or maybe KC. I do like the radio crew, but the TV is always the better option, unless it is the other team's broadcast, like they do in preseason. Oh, well, I knew it would be tough to watch the Cats and the Pack out here in OK.
Also, hard to believe that in two months it will be egg nog time again, OK — Clay, Kingfisher, OK
My standard answer to free agency questions in October is usually some version of "there's a lot of season left, and because he's a free agent, Rico gets a say in this too." He's playing in a way that will make many people interested. But again, it's a long season. Let's see what the landscape looks like in January before we fast-forward to March.
And no, the television broadcast is not always better than the radio. It most certainly is not. And I will engage in spirited debate with you on that point. (This remains a peace-loving Mailbag.)
I enjoy a good Greg Olsen commentary as much as the next guy (and I suspect we'll see more of Greg in the future if they keep playing this way), but not every broadcast crew includes a Greg Olsen. And the joys of listening to Luke Kuechly and Jake Delhomme (and sometimes Jordan Gross) and the rest of the crew on the Panthers Radio Network far outstrips a television crew that parachutes in occasionally. It's just a different level of insight for people with a more discerning palate.
And Clay, since you're a man of wisdom and good taste, you obviously know that a good glass of nog knows no season. Once one attains egg nog, it's hard to confine it to one part of the year. Nog is not a slave of the calendar, it's a state of mind. And I don't mind if I do.
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Good afternoon, Darin! The game is not even over yet. There's 9:20 left on the clock, and we're all tied up at 27. But at this point, with the way we've played today against the 'Boys, I WANT a Panthers' win but I don't REQUIRE one. They've won me over today. Are they perfect? Nope. Have they won every week? Not even close. But I've searched deep inside me, and they've won me over. I'm with the Panthers, win, lose, or draw from here on out. I think the entire team effort has impressed me enough to nail down my endorsement, . . . finally.
And what can you say about Rico Dowdle? Over 200 total yards, rushing and through the air. What we have here is a man, a REAL MAN - and one more Cat that can ball with the best of them. Today, as goes No. 5, so goes the Panthers. When it's all said and done, win or lose, I see the makings of a good football team down the road. I think we Panther fans are in for a lot of fun and good football as time creeps forward. Now, down to my one question - you know I am "unabashedly, unquestioningly, shout it to the stars, wear it on my sleeve, a HUGE Chuba Hubbard fan"! I've now laid out my deep admiration for Rico as well. When Chuba is ready, who do you think will be getting the carries as RB1? Kind of a nice problem to have if you're Dave Canales, huh? Thanks for your patience with me over the past few weeks. Maybe I'm finally settling into my season groove for this year, and it's feeling pretty dang good! #KeepPounding Great game, guys - win or lose today. — Jeff, Concord, NC
Now this, friends, this is what faith looks like. Many people allow their moods to swing with temporal results. But not Jeff. Our guy here clearly has transcended to the plane where process matters more than results, because results flow from process, not the other way around.
Also, there are only so many ways to say it. I don't view this running back situation as one or the other. It doesn't need to be. It shouldn't be.
Having multiple qualified options at positions is where you want to be as you build an entire football team. And since Jeff here proclaimed his eternal fealty to this particular team before that game was over, regardless of the final score, he understands that at his core. Even if he keeps sending questions before the end of the game that he sometimes has to take back, like last week.
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Once again, that was fun. I enjoy that the team continues to vary the run looks and plays. The defense is stopping the run, and the offense is running full steam ahead. Bryce had a very nice, efficient day. Coach Canales going for it on fourth down on the last drive, and the willingness to go take a win is the confidence this team needs. I consider myself a realistic fan, and as such, I was hoping for anywhere from 7-9 wins this season; obviously, more would be great. But, to me, yesterday's game showed exactly who both teams are. Carolina is improving, but the lack of a consistent pass rush was the biggest help to the Cowboys. The times when pressure got in the Dak's face, it looked very different. The Cowboys rush defense reminds me of our team last season. Dowdle is playing at a high level but it was pretty obvious at times that he needed a break. Do you think when Chuba comes back, Dowdle should start, and Chuba should come back to a reduced workload until he is 100 percent? Maybe a 60-40 split to help both guys.
P.S. I'm still keeping a lookout for the FOTM email from Week 2. Thank you for your responses each week, no matter how emotional we as fans may be right after a game! — Dustin, Albemarle, NC
Emotional is fine. I'd rather you care than not. And apologies to all who wait for their appropriate honorarium, like Dustin. I'm a little behind on mail, and I'm also out of shirts at the moment unless you happen to be a S or a 4X. But fear not, FsOTM of all sizes in between, a new shipment has been ordered, and I'll do my best to get them out as soon as they arrive. All the cool kids are wearing them, and they have been proclaimed to be good luck, so I wouldn't want to stop that train.
Dustin also realizes the greater point while asking his question. Dowdle needing treatment for cramps late in two games running is probably a sign that you should have more than one back at your disposal.
And he also knows that fun is the point. Sources close to me tell me that Bank of America Stadium was quite the scene Sunday afternoon. The weather held, the vibes were good, and a lot of locals enjoyed the result they prefer (but don't require).
But I knew that was coming after reading my fortune cookie Saturday night. Never doubt the wisdom of the Ho Ho Cherry House on 7th.
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Panthers? .500? Never thought I would see this again in my lifetime. Watching this game, the main thing I thought, besides Rico Dowdle being a beast, was that the defense needs to step up against the pass. I have nothing but good things to say about our run-stopping ability, but Mike Jackson and that pass defense need to step up. How do you think we can stiffen up this pass defense? — Mason, Spartanburg, SC
Things are different, Mason, and that begins with their ability to run and stop the run. Those two things lead directly to your third point.
The Panthers aren't getting a ton of pressure on quarterbacks, and yet they're still 10th in the league in total defense. That's not a sentence I thought I was going to be writing at this point in this season.
I'm not all that worried about Mike Jack. Being the Not-Jaycee Horn cornerback on any team will get you more attention, and sometimes guys get got. And George Pickens is good at his job, too. But Mike is a pro, and played well all last year opposite Horn, and had 17 pass breakups to Horn's 13 (they combined for a league-high 30 as a tandem).
If the pass rush begins to get home, that will help everything behind it. But the Panthers had enough holes on defense that they weren't going to fill them all in one offseason, and the leap from 32nd to ninth in the league in run defense was a first step they needed to take.
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Hi Darin, this is my first question to "Ask The Old Guy" and it has to do with the name of your column. I am 71 years old and, in a pinch, I can pass myself off as an old guy. Based on your picture and what I can gather about you, I really think you need to consider renaming your column. I mean, come on, man, are you really old? How about something like "Ask the Past His Prime Guy" or something like that. I don't think you are old enough to be "old," but I may be wrong. My lifelong research on this matter has me believing that "old" can be defined as anyone who is 15 or more years older than the person who is making that judgment. Perhaps most of your readers are only in their 20s? In any event, Old Guy just does not sound kosher to me. By the way, if there are typing errors in this message, it is because I am currently recovering from cataract surgery. Signed, the Real Old Guy. — Steve, Lancaster, SC
Don't get it twisted, Steve. I'm still in my prime. Just old. That picture of me up there at the top was taken in 1998 or something. It's totally not your eyes.
Although I did feel old the other day when I was talking to DeeJay Dallas, and he said he admired old school safeties, who liked to hit people. When I asked him who he considered old school, he replied: "You know, like Sean Taylor and Bob Sanders." I couldn't even get a Ronnie Lott out of this man.
Every now and then, I'll ask a current player if he remembers Panthers legend Reggie White (he's that guy the young kid in the sunglasses is talking to). The number of blank stares I get is disconcerting.
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Hi Darin! I just saw the mic'd up video of Bryce during the Dolphins game (on the Panthers' YouTube channel). I thought he looked very confident at all times during the game. Which is interesting because down 17-0 after his two turnovers, it's fair to say a lot of fans were questioning his continuity as the Panthers' starting/future QB. Before seeing the video, I was thinking maybe he was lacking confidence or feeling pressure to do too much with his play, and wondering if maybe it would be because of the scheme (Bryce might need a more spread offense to feel comfortable and thrive) or lack of pass-catching options (Jalen Coker and Ja'Tavion Sanders injured, XL lacking confidence and two rookies). But after seeing the video, I think he's so confident in his play, which makes sense as he won at every level that he played until now, and he'll make those mistakes because of it - he always thinks he'll be able to escape pressure or make the throw. I'd like to know your opinion on that and, if you agree, if he'd improve by taking a more careful approach until the whole team grows in confidence, get some more wins, and then can recover better from those mistakes (the playmaking ability is part of his game). Thanks! — Fernando, São Paulo, Brazil
As we touched on above, Young has displayed a resilience beyond the amount of adversity he has met with prior to coming here.
And other guys on the team have picked up on it. One of the things I'll remember about this year is the look on Derrick Brown's face as he described the moment when Young came off the field after the second turnover against the Dolphins.
"Everybody wants him to just fail at this, in those situations," Brown said. "But I mean, the dude comes off straight to me on the sidelines, and says, 'Go get it back for me and we'll go.'"
This is a thing that his teammates have come to know and accept. That's why when they get asked about him, or what he needs to do, they usually just shrug and say some version of "just be Bryce."
He's a confident guy. The mic'd up videos unveil what his teammates see on a regular basis and have grown to trust.
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Hi Darin. I hope you are doing well. I have an early Halloween story to tell. It was 1978, a few weeks before Super Bowl XII, when the Cowboys would be going up against the Broncos. My cousin brought an Ouija board to my grandmother's house. After several questions with answers that terrified my 11-year-old self, Cousin Linda asked it who was going to win the Super Bowl. The Ouija board said the Broncos. Right then, I decided that the Cowboys were my team. The Cowboys won, and I was a diehard Cowboys fan until we got the Panthers. I'm very sentimental, so I am always glad when the Cowboys do well, except when they play us. My heart was singing on Sunday. In my eyes, that game was a thing of beauty. My questions for you are, who was your team before there was a Panthers franchise, and do you still root for them when they aren't playing us? Thank you. — LeeAnne, Lincolnton, NC
I will abide no witchcraft here, LeeAnne. This is a God-fearing Mailbag, and I don't need her on my case any more than she already is.
Growing up in this area, I was fed a regular dose of Washington and Dallas on Channel 3, and that appealed to a lot of my friends. As you may have noticed, as a longtime FOTM, I have issues with authority. So I switched it to Channel 36 and watched the Raiders a lot instead.
For a young man with authority issues in the '70s and '80s, the Raiders were right up my alley. Lester Hayes, Ken Stabler or Jim Plunkett, throw-it-long, and Just Win Baby. Ted Hendricks once showed up to practice on Halloween wearing a pumpkin for a helmet. Gene Upshaw and Art Shell were what I grew up thinking football was supposed to look like. When Bo Jackson played there, that was ball as God intended. It may have rubbed off on me.
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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.
Another fantastic team win and a great performance by Young and the offense. However, I'm starting to question some of the defensive matchups and our lack of adjustments throughout the game. George Pickens was having his way with Mike Jackson all game in man coverage. Why doesn't our defense adjust to have Jaycee Horn cover the best receiver if Jackson starts to struggle? Jackson is a great player, but he's not the kind of guy who can man up with premier No. 1 wide receivers like George Pickens all game. What is our defense gaining from not adjusting the cornerback matchups, and do you think we should be adjusting them? — Grant, Columbus, OH
To me, that's a little like "why not make the whole plane out of black box?" If you've got a Hall of Famer like Darrelle Revis, or it's 1975, or a team's been together forever, it's easier to give one guy to your best guy and let the other 10 have fun. But this defense is complicated and also still in the early stages of putting a lot of moving parts together, and I'm not sure adding a lot of new moving parts is the best way to make the whole thing more stable. Which it has become in just six weeks, 10th in the league in total defense, after playing the top two teams in total offense (Dallas and Atlanta).
Hi. What jersey color will we be wearing for the 49ers game? — Tonia, Eastover, SC
White jerseys in San Francisco. Stay tuned for more information on britches. That's a classic look, and when I started covering this team in the '90s, seeing Sam Mills in the white, and Steve Young and Jerry Rice in the red just seemed like what football was supposed to look like.
Here is the older guy again Darin, got to clean the egg off my face after my disappointing remarks I entered last week. After reading the remarks after our comeback win over the Dolphins, I felt guilty for letting my disappointments get the best of me after Bryce's fumble and Interception in the first two possessions. We are still in a rebuild mode, and it takes time. I have seen much improvement overall, and one thing I must say has remained consistent: we are still the "CARDIAC KATS", so GO Panthers, Keep on Pounding. — Kenneth, Stuttgart, Germany
They do show signs of having that late-game vibe. You'd like to not always need it, but as the man liked to say: "It beats the alternative."
Basking in the glow of yet another come-from-behind victory here at the bank. Rico, dang. Nalo, Dang. Bryce with the game-deciding (season-changing?) drive. Dang. Big stop by the defense. Dang. Great game plan and game calls from both play callers. Dang. I'm fired up. Dang, I reckon my question is did you ever think 3-3 could feel this good??? Woooooooo! Thank you, sir. — Deric, Gastonia, NC
I've been inclined to believe they never would. But now I look at the night, and it don't seem so lonely. We fill it up with only two. And when I hurt, hurting runs off my shoulders. How can I hurt when holding you? Warm, touching warm, reaching out; touching me, touching you.
Wait, where was I? My wife reads this Mailbag. Honey, I swear, it's not what it looks like. Me and Deric were just singing the song.
