CHARLOTTE — A game like Sunday's is a coach's best case scenario. There's plenty of stuff to fix, but without all the negative vibes that come with losing.
In another 10 weeks, this one might fade from memory, but in the moment, it's exactly what the Panthers needed.
Did they play particularly well? Not really. They gave up a pile of yards, and there were all kinds of things to fix on offense (including a delay of game penalty on a two-point conversion).
But those things are easier to stomach when there's a valuable life lesson to be learned. And the Panthers did fight back, they did make plays when they had to (on both sides of the ball), and they did Dave Canales' favorite thing of all. They finished.
Now they had a day to enjoy, before a crazy week, which includes the trade deadline and a trip to Germany (one of which will likely include more drama). It also includes me being out of the office because tomorrow's Election Day and I'll be doing my civic duty as a poll worker because it's one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.
[PSA: Go vote, no matter who you're voting for. Being engaged is the best way to find a solution you can live with. But not so engaged that it becomes your entire personality.]
So anyway, this Mailbag's coming to you earlier than normal, and Kassidy Hill and the rest of the staff are on call all day Tuesday for the latest or non-latest. Onto the mail:
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Hey Darin, old buddy. I just wanted to take a minute to say goodbye. I've been dealing with terminal prostate and colon cancer for the last year, and I'm about to start transitioning. I've so enjoyed our conversations over the years. You're a great man, absolutely know your stuff, and I thank you for letting me be a part of your world. I figure I have until the end of the year, and I just had to acknowledge it. Take care of yourself DG. Love ya, mean it!! — Alan, Mt. Pleasant, NC
I don't even know where to begin. I have no words for this, and as Alan and everyone who reads this space or knows me knows, that never happens.
When I started writing this Mailbag, the goal was to educate, inform, and entertain. Football mostly, and making stupid jokes on the internet. And somewhere along the way, real life interrupts, and I'm sitting here opening emails, and then all the breath leaves my body in an instant.
Alan's a person I've never met in real life. We've bounced some emails back and forth. Sent him a T-shirt one time. He's submitted enough questions to become one of the regulars in this Mailbag. He loves music, he loves the Panthers. That's the extent of the information about him I started with.
And to me, that's the real-life takeaway from the fact that we're all fortunate enough to watch, read, and write about professional football, which puts us among the most fortunate 1 percent of all the people who have ever lived.
As we watch, and read, and write about football, it's not always good news. But the strength of what happens in places like this is that a connection forms. A few weeks ago, we had people sending in notes, offering up prayers and support for another one of the regulars who was going through their own cancer diagnosis. People shared their stories. People encouraged others. People who, even if they are known to me in this tangential way, aren't known to each other except that they have chosen to join this community. And no matter what you do or what you pursue, that sense of community is the most powerful force on Earth. We're not in this alone, or at least we don't have to be. And we can do more together than we can ever do individually.
In the next 24 to 72 hours, you're going to hear a lot of talk about identity, people choosing sides, and sometimes getting angry about it. And identity is powerful. How we label and define ourselves is an important part of our story and how it gets told.
But the people we surround ourselves with are more important. Not everybody who walks into a voting booth agrees about all or any of the other stuff, but when they walk into a football stadium, they find common cause (and maybe learn that we're all more alike than different).
The bond you build within a community has the kind of power to lift up individuals, or families, or cities, and maybe even more. And when you choose that community, go willingly into it, and offer yourself to others, you create a force with power beyond measure. If you're reading this, the chances are you mostly love but occasionally hate the football team attached to it. Those emotions are stand-ins for and distractions from the real-life stuff we all have to deal with each day. Alan, with whatever time he has left, opted to say thanks.
You hear about Keep Pounding a lot in this place, and the story of Sam Mills is central to the experience of the Carolina Panthers. And because of the place that story came from, it hits people in a way you can't fully explain. It's not a thing you can measure, but it's a feeling that's real.
I wish there was more I could do, more I could say, anything really that might make a difference. In correspondence with Alan, he grudgingly offered up a GoFundMe, which was set up to cover his medical expenses. If you have the means or the inclination and want to help, great.
But if you do anything else this week, just think about the power of connection. Think about the power of community. Think about how what you do impacts someone else, even if you don't know them. And walk out into the world with the same passion that you walk into a ball game with, and create those kinds of bonds that can have a meaning beyond anything you imagine.
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OK, there's no smooth way to transition from that to our usual Mailbag hilarity, hijinks, and monkeyshines.
So here's a picture of the Peachoid in Gaffney.
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Great win yesterday! That was fun! Football should be fun! I loved seeing all the young guys (like Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Trevin Wallace, etc.) playing well. But the most exciting thing to me was how well Bryce Young played. Question: After the game, Dave Canales said that he would have to look at the film before deciding who he would start as quarterback for next week's game. One "Old Guy" to another, why do you think Canales is so hesitant to commit to Bryce Young as his QB? — Ted, Charleston, SC
First off, yes, fun is good. We are pro-fun here at the Mailbag.
I don't know that it's hesitant to commit. A lot of it is not needing to right now.
The Panthers have found out this season that the best-laid plans don't often work out the way you figured.
The guy they drafted first overall started the season poorly. The guy they replaced him with got hit by a car on a Tuesday. Life comes at you fast.
And even if it seems silly from the outside, there's a non-zero difference between Young and Andy Dalton, so the Giants would ostensibly prepare differently. Any moment they spend on the one who's not playing is a moment they're not spending on the one who is. And since Tuesday's the big game-planning day for NFL coaches, going into Tuesday with any uncertainty is a complicating factor.
Young played better in the last two weeks than he did in the first two. In a perfect world, he'd continue to improve. As we've found out, the world isn't always perfect.
(But yes, all these young kids running around, hurdling people, riding imaginary horses, and exceeding expectations is definitely fun.)
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I see the team traded Diontae Johnson for a future fifth-round pick. I hate to see him go since he was leading the team in receptions, although I realize he was on a one-year deal. If they had held onto him through the end of the year and he had signed elsewhere, wouldn't the team have received a higher comp pick? — Deirdre, Tega Cay, SC
We get this question a good bit, and that makes sense to me, actually. Compensatory picks are an arcane bit of NFL minutiae, and if you know exactly how they work, you either work in the NFL or are a real nerd. And people who read this Mailbag are good and decent humans whose lives are full because they help others, have stimulating hobbies and fulfilling interpersonal relationships.
But the short version is you only get more comp picks if you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign. And that doesn't figure to be the Panthers for a minute for a couple of reasons. One, teams rarely line up to sign free agents from teams at the bottom of the standings. Two, the Panthers are in a position salary cap-wise to address some needs in free agency next year, and it's a reasonable expectation that they will.
So if the Panthers were a team like the Ravens that routinely gets picked over by other teams because they draft well, then comp picks have to be a part of your thought process. And if things work the way they hope, someday, things like that will have to become a factor in their decision-making. But they're not there yet, so even if they kept Johnson, all they would have gotten was another nine weeks of labor since he didn't appear to want to put down roots here.
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I'd like to start by saying, as always, I appreciate you, Darin. A'ight. I have a request more than a question. Perhaps I'm mistaken, being a nonprofessional. Would you, could you please expound on the terrific job Dan Morgan is doing? I'm tired as a three-legged dog in a sled race of hearing how he got "fleeced" in the Dionte trade. He got something from nothing. We can easily go 1-7 without Johnson, and for the love of JJ Jansen, please explain to the casuals how they aren't getting any compensatory picks anytime soon. So much, uh, misinformation flying around. Thank you, sir; I know you're the one to clear this up. — Deric, Gastonia, NC
I knew you were going to ask that, so I answered Deirdre's version first. Ben McAdoo let me borrow the crystal ball (but not his pants), but only if I promised to use it for good.
It's not like Dan was offered a first-rounder and turned it down. The market spoke, and that was what was available. So he took it.
As to Morgan's early work on the whole, the signs certainly appear to be positive.
Without even seeing Jonathon Brooks yet, the draft class is contributing, as are a few undrafted guys, such as Demani Richardson and Coker.
Time will tell how it impacts the winning in the future, but right now, it looks like a good class. (Morgan was part of one of, if not the best draft class in franchise history, coming here in 2001 alongside Kris Jenkins, Steve Smith, Chris Weinke, Jarrod Cooper, Dee Brown, Lou Williams, and Mike Roberg — though 2002 and 2007 were also quite good).
What he needs to do is stack another one like it and add to the inventory. At the moment, they have nine picks in next year's draft and seven in the first five rounds. You can see the full list here.
There's more work to do. They didn't get in this spot overnight, and they're not going to fix it overnight. But it's pointing in the right direction.
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Darin, perspective is everything. I'm a Panthers fan who lives in Colorado. I have pulled for them since 1995 and understand that the franchise has had more downs than ups. I moved to Denver seven years ago and have tried to pull for the Broncos. The Panthers aren't the only team that can break your heart. Finally, the Broncos appear competitive again. I wanted the Broncos to win because the Panthers need high draft picks as much as they need wins right now. I think the Panthers finally have a plan despite the injuries that scuttled their hopes of being competitive this year. Their O-line is in the top half of the league and even has some depth. Hopefully, Chuba Hubbard and Jonathan Brooks give us hope for the running back position. When Derrick Brown gets back the D-line will be much improved. Though they are losing, their secondary is developing some competent players. Ejiro Evero is a really good defensive coordinator. Help at OLB would make that unit competitive next year. When the Broncos were terrible, Evero was a bright spot. The defense was good, but the Broncos couldn't score.
I say all that to say keep the faith. With regard to the "trying to run up the score" accusations, the Broncos play the Ravens and the Chiefs in the next two weeks. When I saw the fake field goal and the double pass, I thought Payton was trying to put something on tape for the Ravens and Chiefs to have to spend time on in practice. I understand the backlash from the Panthers players, but I thought he was trying to put it on tape to distract the upcoming appointments.
Now for a question. Do you see the Panthers acquiring through the draft or free agency at least two receivers, two outside linebackers, and an inside linebacker for next year? Don't look for your crystal ball (I know it's in Ben McAdoo's other pants); just share your opinion. — Bob, Aurora, CO
That's an interesting point about the Broncos trying to spook future opponents with weirdness. Hadn't thought of that. But I'm a big Occam's razor guy, and it may just be an old and petty NFC South grudge. Sean Payton's never minded tweaking people for slights real or perceived. A lot of people who are great at their jobs are magnificent grudge-holders, and are willing to invent one if it's not naturally occurring (I'm looking at you, Steve Smith).
As for the upcoming shopping list, the first thing on it has to be people who chase quarterbacks around. As it turns out, Jadeveon Clowney was a lot more productive on a Ravens defense full of cats who could ball, and the cupboard isn't as full here. Without a healthy D.J. Wonnum, thus far, they've gotten what they can out of a unique group of pass-rushers. (And this is a good place to point out Charles Harris is working a shift here, ladies and gentlemen. At 29, he has 3.0 sacks, which isn't going to get him on the Pro Bowl team, but it is a team-high. He's smart, gives good effort, and is productive. That deserves recognition.)
But yes, more dudes on defense, at practically every position (although they're sneaky deep at corner right now, you still need to invest there).
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I'm conflicted. Last week, I thought I knew the exact person to blame for the last season and a half for the Panthers. People blame the coaches, a player or two, or the owner, but I knew the truth. It was my sister. She gave me a pair of Panthers socks for Christmas right before Bryce Young was drafted. I wore them on draft night. I have worn them to watch every game since then, believing them capable of bringing victories to my team. After last Sunday's loss to the Broncos, I was prepared to ship these socks back to my sister and tell her to read the Amazon description better and only buy ones with a 5-star rating for luck.
But I like these socks, and living in Canada prompts one to wear socks often. So I wore them yesterday. We beat a division rival. We had some fun plays, including human hurdles. Bryce looked more confident and comfortable and was smiling as big as he was on draft night. So Darin, what do I do? Do I keep wearing them each week, hoping for another win, or do I face the reality that my socks now have a .182 winning percentage and give up on them? Could there be other factors to the .182 that I'm missing? — Dustin, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I'm anti-sock. I don't wear them with dress shoes, and only occasionally with Birkenstocks. If I lived in Alberta, I suppose I'd feel differently.
But I'm also pro-superstition, as long as it works for you and doesn't harm other people. And I'm definitely pro-family, and pro-Canada (if I could vote for Joey Votto, I would). So I'm hereby declaring your sister off the hook.
Maybe you should try coming off with some of those dusty Canadian loonies and buy yourself some new socks, and then you could alternate and keep the ones she bought you from feeling so much pressure to be lucky all the time. Did you ever think it was your fault, Dustin? No, you didn't. I thought you people were considerate.
In the meantime, I can make you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag and send you a T-shirt. It's confirmed lucky, and you'll at least look cool, whether you're wearing socks or not.
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Sometimes, as fans, all we need to see is the joy in the player's faces after a hard-fought win. The over and under reactions keep us human but just happy for the team morale. Recently, we have witnessed the father/son (James) duo playing together in the NBA, not-so-recent MLB father/son duos (Griffeys, Raines), and the ancient NHL father/sons trio (Howes). What is the possibility that we may ever see a father/son duo playing together in the NFL? Positions that make sense based on career longevity would be kicker/punters and QBs. Wouldn't it be cool to have JJ Jansen and son on Cart Talk or a kicker/punter with a son snapping or holding? What other positions would make sense? — Kevin, Middletown, DE
Since the average career span in the NFL is under four years, this is extremely unlikely.
Yes, kickers, punters, and long snappers have a chance, but the rules require a player to be three years out of high school to be eligible. So you're talking at least a 20-year NFL career.
That being said, JJ could ostensibly snap to one of his kids one day — even if that kid hasn't been born yet.
Also, people who yell about LeBron's kid playing for the Lakers don't actually care about the 12th spot on LA's roster. They're just trying to stoke outrage and get a reaction for attention and profit. Anybody who votes against a father having quality time with his kid is a bad-faith actor, and you should start ignoring them immediately.
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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.
WOW! The smell of victory is great! Still, I know Ejiro Evero is not considered an aggressive DC, but letting Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara run and catch at will (I believe all of Kamara's 100-yard games this year have been against us) seems a bit too much. I've watched every game this year, and our tackling has been deplorable - lots of arm tackles and almost no willingness for the second person to tackle below the numbers. Our defenders are being carried en masse by ball carriers with ease. We've lost a lot of good players to injury this year. Are our coaches trying to avoid further injuries, or is there some common plan to avoid good tackling techniques? Every team is limited in padded practices during the season, but how does a team get back to training for basics like good tackling skills? — Thomas, Garner, NC
Oklahoma drills, starting Wednesday. You get Robert Hunt.
You actually answered some of your own questions. The people doing the tackling matter.
I hate to be that guy, but who are we currently targeting come April? — Miles, Chicago, IL
Fair enough. I did say I would not entertain draft questions until after Halloween, so the seal has been broken.
They're looking at all of them, especially if they play defense. Happy now?
Are you expecting a busy Tuesday? — Will, Rock Hill, SC
Well, early voting numbers were good, but hoping turnout remains high. Oh, you probably meant the trade deadline. There was early voting there too. If it's busy, I trust Kassidy and the gang to handle it and inform us quickly. But I'm taking the day off with clear conscience. Read into that what you will.
Just a quick thought, probably worth little. Any of your readers remember the George Seifert era? His last year was 1-15. Anything looks up from that year. — Larry, Cornelius, NC
I remember George. George was (and I assume still is) smart and funny. George is also one of nine coach finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he deserves to be. He has five Super Bowl rings (two as a head coach) and a higher winning percentage than any of the other finalists. If Seifert had just retired after the 2000 season, he'd have a .706 winning percentage (which would trail just John Madden, Vince Lombardi, and George Allen among coaches with at least 10 seasons) and two Super Bowls. Even with 2001, he's nearly 100 percentage points ahead of Mike Shanahan, who also has two rings.
Also, going 1-15 in 2001 led directly to Julius Peppers coming here. So it wasn't all bad, and if you remember it as such, that's on you. You can't control events, only your reaction to them.
We've all got choices to make in life. Choose wisely.
