CHARLOTTE — As it turns out, bye weeks are good.
People are relaxed, the team has won two in a row, and the vibes are high in and out of the building. And they've got everybody in a reflective, not reflexive mood.
Usually, when this 'Bag comes in right after a game, people are freaking out about an individual event that just happened a couple of days earlier. And if you've read this for more than a week or two, you know that I believe individual events are really lousy ways to determine the overall trajectory.
So here we are, a week after we all took a breath, with a seven-week sprint to the finish of the 2024 season. What does it look like? The macro is more important than the micro, so the results of these games are less important than the weekly building that appears to be happening. It's also pertinent that the combined record of the next seven opponents is 40-31 (.563), while the record of the first 10 is 46-60 (.434). That's different. So it gets harder in terms of the individual games.
But coming off a bye week, it's not about individual games, is it? The Panthers have stacked some results, but also learned some things that will be useful to them in the future. That's the key.
Onto the mail.
------------------------------------------------------
Darin! We're in the backend of the bye and about where I was thinking we'd be, but is it crazy to think that we might overtake my preseason prediction of 4-13? It sounds like something a crazy person would say because all of the national TV Talking Heads still use us as the go-to, low-hanging punching bag, but there are a couple reasons I think that we're no longer the worst team in the league:
- Bryce Young is looking better each week, and certainly better than the stat sheet might lead one to believe.
- We have good players who are getting healthy and coming back into the lineup. D.J. Wonnum looked great in Germany for his first game in the Process Blue. Jonathon Brooks is not only active but has a clear path to show us what he's made of with Miles Sanders' injury. Adam Thielen is looking ready to go, adding a veteran presence to our sneaky-good rookie pass-catching corps. I mean, heck, our injury report only had five names on it compared to almost 20 a few weeks ago, and two of those names were Brooks and Thielen!
- Our O-Line is continuing to be one of the best, or at least most consistent, in the league, despite a few hiccups in the lineup.
Look, I'm not saying that we're going to beat the Chiefs. I think we're getting them at an, ... interesting time, with them coming off a loss to Buffalo, which came a week after they almost lost to the Broncos, but they are still the Chiefs. They still have Big Red calling the plays and Mahomes under center. I'm realistic enough to know that we maybe aren't "quite" at the level of beating a Super Bowl contender, but the rest of the season? I'm not only hopeful of our chances to finish pretty solid but excited about how we are set up in the offices down at 800 S. Mint for the ensuing offseason. — Nate, Charlotte
No, they aren't "quite" at the Chiefs level; you nailed that. But things certainly look different than they looked a month ago.
Expectations are always tricky because what you think of a team in November is still colored by what you were thinking about them in August. People are resistant to change or to admit they were wrong, so it takes months, if not years, to shake perceived labels.
And of all of Nate's points, most of which are true and valid to varying degrees, the biggest is the fact that this offensive line is now stable and the kind of thing it looks like a team can build around for years to come.
Of course, that's kind of the plan when you spend $150 million on a pair of free-agent guards in Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.
But the most encouraging sign is that even when Lewis missed a game, even when Ikem Ekwonu missed a couple of games, even when Taylor Moton missed a couple of games, even when the center spot became a revolving door, others stepped in, and the level stayed high.
That's important when injuries happen — and injuries happen — as they did en masse last year and to a lesser degree this year. But it's also essential when you're trying to build something year over year. That's the point of what's happening here at the moment, and why it's instructive that even after going to their third center, Cade Mays stepped in and performed well, after they got good starts out of Chandler Zavala, Yosh Nijman, and Brady Christensen.
And while there could be a few faces changing here and there, the backbone of this line is here and likely will be here a year from now. It's been a minute since they've felt this good about something that you can see hanging around for a bit, like the Gross-Kalil-Wharton days or the Norwell-Kalil-Turner era. You can make minor adjustments, but the core being stable makes a huge difference in everything.
------------------------------------------------------
Family notwithstanding, the world's biggest (figuratively) Brady Christensen fan is here. I hope the fans and the team (guessing they are already on top of this) understand and appreciate the job he has done overall, much less the last couple of games playing left tackle. A true stud. He is a footballer's footballer. If you could expound upon this theme, I'd be appreciative.
My question is, will he be the center moving forward, or do they view him as too valuable in his adaptive reserve capacity to be a starter? Will the latter view hinder them from re-signing him? I wish to invest in a No. 70 jersey. Is it a safe investment? Your opinion is revered and much sought after. Thank you, sir. — Deric, Gastonia, NC
You do not want investment advice from me, I promise, unless you want to convert your 401K into heavy rocks that won't blow away in the wind, or canned goods and water filtration for the coming apocalypse.
But here's what I can tell you for sure. Brady has proven this year that he's going to have a long NFL career.
Being able to play every position on the line has a value that keeps you around and in demand. He's proven that his arms are sufficiently long to play tackle. He's played a full season of guard at a high level. Having never played center before, he stepped in and played it capably this year.
The funny thing about Christensen is that when you pigeonhole him as any one particular position, people will always poke holes in his game.
He doesn't have the ideal length to play tackle, because if you have 36-inch arms, you can get away with sloppy technique. He's not a massive road-grader at guard, the way Lewis and Hunt are because they're just built differently. He's more athletic than powerful at center, which is fine. Ryan Kalil had a long and distinguished career that way (he's not Kalil, few people are, but Christensen can do a job in there).
What sets Christensen apart is his ability to play any of those spots well. He can be a starter anywhere on the line, and you feel good about it because he's smart and dependable. Will that work against him in the free agent market? Remains to be seen. But a guy who can play everywhere will always have value.
I know there are a few old-school fans with Geoff Hangartner jerseys out there in the world, and Christensen's a little like him, except he can play tackle and likely has better table manners (they called the man Piggy).
------------------------------------------------------
Hi Darin! I hope there is a mailbag post-bye (and well-earned rest for you all) edition. No questions about the starter QB "drama" (can't we think we have a capable offense with either of them now? And if the actual starter - now Bryce - plays even better, great! If not, we can go back to the backup and see if he plays better. It doesn't have to be an indictment on either one, right?).
Anyway, it's interesting to see the team also have positional coaches on the OL (like the center, specifically) besides the OL coach. Also, we're seeing the rookies get better weekly. Obviously, the players have a lot of merit on that, but compared to other staffs that you saw in your long career, does this actual one really mean business when they talk about "developing players"? I mean, is there a real emphasis on that, or was it more of a situational thing (opportunity/good players taking that)? Thanks!
Ps. If the Panthers ever come to play in Brazil (at least in São Paulo, where the Packers and Eagles played), don't worry about the coffee. You can find any type anywhere nowadays - and good ones. — Fernando, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The 'Bag is always here for you, Fernando. I would happily accept the invitation to find out about Brazilian coffee (or caipirinhas) for myself, as I have already volunteered myself as tribute for any and all future international games. There's nothing about the idea of going to see football in another country that I don't love — as long as I get to come home to my place and my people when it's over. I would also happily accept more bye weeks in my life.
It's funny that you mention the quarterback because people here keep talking about having that position be one of 11 on that side of the ball. And when you make that an institutional belief, it allows you to build an entire team. If the Panthers have made mistakes, it's in constantly chasing quarterbacks. Because along with those annual changes, you're changing parts around them to accommodate and spending significant resources to acquire new things too often. Even if you don't have an MVP-level quarterback like Cam Newton, there's a certain stability you can create if you have a Jake Delhomme for seven or eight years at a time. And that's not to say any of the individual moves were bad, but the collective churn wasn't necessarily helpful. So, allowing that position to be part of a greater whole has doubtless helped the progress you've seen in recent weeks, and is part of the reason Young looks like he's settling in a bit.
As for the offensive line, as important as the investment in the players this offseason, having a full house of coaches working with that line in Harold Goodwin, Joe Gilbert, Keli'i Kekuewa, and Dean Petzing has given them the ability to drill down and really turn it into a group rather than a lineup.
That's how you create the kind of cohesion that allows you to survive temporary injuries because you're creating a set of bedrock principles that everyone learns and learns how to execute.
------------------------------------------------------
Love Chuba Hubbard, looks like we have another CMC.
Question: I realize the NFL is a business, but we seem to lose a lot of great players who we see on other teams, like Chinn, Luvu, Burns, Diontae Johnson, and others. Does it always come down to the money? Your thoughts please? — Brian, Myrtle Beach, SC
My thought is nearly all of those situations were completely different. Some free agents leave for situations, and some leave for cash. And some guys get traded for lots of reasons.
And it's OK to love Chuba without comparing him to anyone. They do; that's why they gave him a contract extension before they went to Germany, knowing that Brooks was waiting in the wings. But there's no need to compare him to Christian McCaffrey; let him be his own thing because that thing is fourth in the league in rushing and a large part of the personality they're trying to create here.
And now that he's here for a minute, a new generation of players can come in and watch how he works and how he handles himself, and they'll know exactly what it's supposed to look like.
------------------------------------------------------
Hi Darin, long-time reader but first-time questioner from the UK. I started watching the Panthers back in the early '00s. On English TV the only games we got back then were late night prime time games, which were on when I should have been sleeping for school the next day. The all-black uniforms under the lights and a guy named Steve Smith kept me up late and made me a Panthers fan, and I've built up to watching pretty much every game over the past five years.
As luck would have it my best pal has moved to Fuquay-Varina (I don't think he knows Jeff) after a few years in Tampa, who are now his team. A few months ago, me and a few pals booked a trip over to see him and the Panthers vs. Bucs in a couple of weeks.
After two wins and a brilliant trip to Munich (where me and a Giants-supporting pal were lucky enough to get tickets), I'm a lot more excited about the game (my second visit to the Bank) and our prospects than I was after we got blown out by Marcus Mariota, and as I've learned from reading the Mailbag, positive vibes always help any outlook.
Anyway, I'll get to the point, apologies for the essay. My question isn't about the football; I think we are heading in the right direction, thanks in part to a good off-season fixing the O-Line and contributing rookies. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season to see if Bryce can prove he's the guy.
My question is about pre and postgame, any recommendations on where to go in and around Uptown and the stadium for five English blokes who love good food and good beer? Anywhere or anything we have to try whilst visiting? Thanks for your insights on the team and snippets of Southern culture. Here's to hoping for a few more wins over the rest of the season. — Alex, Macclesfield, England
Brilliant letter, includes layers.
The best thing I can tell you about downtown Charlotte is that you have choices, and that wasn't always the case. When this city was much younger, we had to create temporary storefront bars and restaurants (you'd call them pop-ups now) when we hosted the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament. If you remember the Street of Champions, you may not recognize the place now. You're also old.
We can make a fuller list for you, but my two go-to recommendations for out-of-towners looking for the authentic Charlotte experience are easy. Depending on when you arrive, you should get yourself to Brooks' Sandwich House on Brevard, a quick train from the center city. They're only open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and they're cash only (the ATM is next to the window in case you forget). But if you get here in time, you can order a cheeseburger all the way (chili, mustard, onions, and add slaw if you want the full Carolinas experience) or some hot dogs and stand under the shade tree at the communal picnic table with all the other Charlotteans. The thing I love about the place is that table can be full of bankers, lawyers, construction workers, kids, cops, tattooed freaks, and old hippies, and they're all the same in that space. It is my favorite parable for what this city can be.
(We also have other fine restaurants, many with chairs, if you're into that kind of thing.)
And I wouldn't be a proper host if I didn't tell five lads from England to get a pint at The Thirsty Beaver. Except instead of a pint it's probably a cold can of Miller High Life, and access to one of the best jukeboxes known to man, and a fight-the-power-stick-it-to-the-man aesthetic that appeals to me in a visceral way. Developers tried to buy them out. They said no, and kept on trucking as they built apartments on three sides of them.
Besides, it was good enough for Mick Jagger; it's good enough for Alex and his mates. I'll even make him this week's Friend Of The Mailbag and get him a T-shirt. If Mick wants one, I'll send him one too.
Hey Darin! This weekend I went to Charlottesville, Virginia for a Model UN conference at the University of Virginia. It is so beautiful up there during the fall! While pondering about the ACC on the bus ride home (where I saw the Royal Farms Chicken Inflatable on Highway 29 in Altavista and enjoyed riding through the beautiful fields, mountains, and "incorporated communities" in the Commonwealth of Virginia), I wondered if any Panthers' players played at any ACC schools. Why do the Panthers have quite a few players from Virginia Tech? (Nothing against the Hokies, just curious)
And also, what is an unincorporated community? Is Furquay-Varina one? Do you think any readers of the Mailbag live in one? — Nonplussed State Highway Archeologist Zach, Charlotte
It's his curiosity and ability to find joy in Roadside Amaericana I find most charming. It really is. Even the fact he's now trying to slide into other Mailbags with other Darrens, I can't stay mad at Zach, I just can't.
The Panthers have three Hokies at the moment (including Raheem Blackshear, Yosh Nijman, and Amaré Barno, who started practicing this week) and many more in the past (who can forget James Anderson and Jeff King?), in part because Virginia Tech has been pretty good at football for a long time. Sometimes, these things are just coincidences, though, like the large number of South Carolina players and never a draft pick from Clemson.
Unincorporated communities are small places outside larger ones with people but not stuff (like city halls or stoplights ). Near where I grew up in Suburban Hickory, we had a place called Catfish, which was down by the river between Suburban Taylorsville and Suburban Claremont. There was a volunteer fire department there, and the kind of people you can make bad decisions and good stories with.
Try to avoid those places for a few years; your young mind is too impressionable, which is why I'm telling you to GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
------------------------------------------------------
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.
By my math, the Panthers are 6-3 after the bye in the last nine seasons. Obviously, the Chiefs are an exceptional opponent to have to face after this year's bye. But is there anything to that trend for Carolina? It transcends coaching staffs, losing seasons, and different quarterbacks.
Sometimes, teams seem to come out flat after a bye, while others come out with a great game plan and are a bit more healthy. Where does this year's Panthers fall on that spectrum? — Cliff, Cornelius, NC
I was told there would be no math. I used to have a stat guy to help me with that. The other day, I was trying to help Kassidy with a percentage question, and I never felt older or more out of place.
This might be one of those statistical anomalies that don't mean a single thing, considering the scarcity of common variables in the last nine seasons here. If you can find one, you're a better mathematician than me. (The vibes seem good, though, and they've played their best two games the last two times they played, and they're as healthy as they've been in a minute. Still, the Chiefs.)
Not really a question per se but more of an observation. There is something different about this team the last few weeks. It feels like we are starting to build something. It is somewhat reminiscent of the early Ron Rivera teams which really got going at seasons end. Tough stretch of schedule left, but I'm excited to see how we perform against good competition. Thanks as always! P.S. I will be in attendance for the Chiefs game and have only witnessed one Panthers loss live. Prepare yourself, Kansas City — Nick, Charlotte
You're not the only one who has noticed it, Nick. There are some early Rivera vibes, as well as some late-stage Steve Wilks and 2002 John Fox happening here. These guys are beginning to find themselves and what they want to be, and if you build on it the right way, that can make a long-term difference.
How is the training for the Metallica concert coming along? What is your routine to prepare (besides listening to T-Swift palate cleansers)? — Cheeto, Charlotte
It's going great. I'm concentrating on neck-strengthening exercises and refusing to cut my hair, despite my mom's protests. One of these days, I'll have to cut it, but I'm still in my Kill' Em All/Ride The Lightning phase, and I fear if I do give in, I'll start making crappy albums.
Also, thank you for making a Taylor Swift reference this week without turning it into a click-baity plea for attention. You are, as always, better than that.
What'll you do when we win on Sunday? — Imma, Duck, NC
Write many stories. Delight the people. Maintain a sense of context and perspective. Same as every week.
