CHARLOTTE — Hearing the words out of cornerback Jaycee Horn's mouth Sunday night brought it home.
The guys on defense realize what's happening here is 180 degrees from what they had come to expect in recent years, and it's unclear how they can flip their half of the script. Horn's like the rest of us; he sees what Chuba Hubbard, Andy Dalton, and Diontae Johnson have been doing lately and, at the same time, understands what has become obvious the last few weeks on his side of the ball.
"I feel like we owe it to them guys," Horn said Sunday night. "Chuba's been running the ball great. Andy's been dealing. Diontae's been balling. And as a defense, we haven't quite put it together yet. And I think that's the most frustrating part because it's been, every year it's been, the defense has been good, and the offense has been struggling, and now it's like flipped on its head."
Of course, looking at the lineup he was out there with Sunday, and it's not hard to understand why it was that way.
Seven of the players they anticipated starting on defense this year were not on the field against the Falcons, making it significantly easier for Kirk Cousins to put 38 on the board. And that includes the entire linebacker corps, knocking the entire middle four out of their 3-4 defense (with the big one of the three up front out for the year). And then one of the backup linebackers (Claudin Cherelus) left the game with a hamstring injury and didn't return. These are the times that try men's souls.
Sometimes, it helps to make a list to understand the context of what they're working with.
- DT Derrick Brown (on IR after season-ending knee injury in Week 1)
- LB Shaq Thompson (on IR after season-ending Achilles tear in Week 4)
- LB Josey Jewell (inactive with hamstring and groin injuries)
- OLB Jadeveon Clowney (inactive with a shoulder injury)
- OLB D.J. Wonnum (still on the physically unable to perform list after complications from offseason surgery)
- S Jordan Fuller (on IR with a hamstring injury)
- CB Dane Jackson (practicing again as he returns from IR with a hamstring injury)
With that kind of personnel shortage, it's reasonable to expect a bit of a struggle, and it has been one. The Panthers are last in the league in scoring defense, setting the stage for the kinds of games they're going to be in for a bit. But they were also 29th in points allowed last year, so describing last year's defense by their fourth-ranked yardage allowed number may have been misleading anyway. As we often discuss, expectations can mess with your head.
The good news is some guys are about to rejoin the fray, as Clowney was a game-time decision last week, and some others are about to come back as well. But the defense will continue to look for the stability the offense has found in recent weeks while working through the inevitable growing pains of an offseason of change, which might have been necessary anyway.
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Why are we continuing the Andy Dalton experiment? The season is lost, and the man turns 37 before Halloween. What exactly is the point of continuing to sit Bryce Young? Just have the cajones to admit that it will go down as one of the worst football moves in history and move on. Canales was brought in as a "QB Whisperer." So embarrassing he won't take to the task at all. — Brian, Stony Point, NY
For one thing, there are 11 more weeks. That's a lot of ball. Also, Dave Canales has a reputation for quarterbacks, but he was brought in to coach an entire team. He has to coach the defensive ends and the running backs and the centers and the safeties and the punters and long snappers, too.
And that's what he chose to do when making the quarterback decision.
Since then, the offense has looked better as a whole, and you can see the concepts he wants to build on starting to emerge. It's not just the difference in scoring points (6.5 per game in the first two, 22.2 in the last four); it's the way the entire system is working. It's unfair to make it about one guy, and that's true in multiple respects.
Maybe it's fantasy football, or maybe it's the modern media landscape that puts outsized importance on that one position in particular, but we may spend too much time obsessing over quarterbacks and disregarding what's happening around them.
It's clear that the Panthers have built a solid offensive line, and seeing it maintain its level with two backups on Sunday was a positive sign. They're also running it really well, which is admirable for a team that's giving up a lot of points on the other side (which can create situations in which they're trailing late and can't run as often). They've made incredible strides in the passing game; as to Horn's point, Diontae is, in fact, balling. It was harder to see all of those other things the first two weeks.
It's far too soon to give up on Young, and they're not. However, Canales has a responsibility to coach an entire roster as well, and the level has clearly risen since the change.
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Just saw on ESPN that Chuba might be a valuable trade asset this November. Hope that doesn't happen because I just bought my Hubbard jersey, but if he does get traded, what position are we looking to build at? — Miles, Chicago, IL
I bet he would be valuable. I mean, he's third in the league in rushing yards and about three or four carries away from four straight 100-yard games (he's gone for 114, 104, 97, and 92 in the last four weeks).
Of course, there's also no indication that the Panthers are considering moving their most productive offensive player, because why would they? But that doesn't stop some people from making things up just to feed the content machine.
Miles, when you hear unsubstantiated rumors about trades over the next three weeks, ask yourself a few questions:
1) How would this benefit/harm the Panthers?
2) Does this seem particularly likely?
3) Does the person sharing this have a good track record for accuracy, or are they engagement farmers who understand how algorithms and data work and are willing to exchange credibility for attention?
Once you answer those questions, you might rest easier, and you might also streamline some of your leisure reading choices.
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What is plaguing the Panthers? Coaching, playing, managing, owning, scouting, drafting, watching as a fan, or curse of the city? Or all of the above? — Mouli, Charlotte
It's your fault, obviously. Whatever it is you're doing is not correct, and you should change it, like that shirt you insist on wearing to every game.
The Panthers are early in a building phase right now. That was true coming into the year when the roster was healthy, and the quarterback was younger, and circumstances have accelerated a few things.
When it was 100 percent well, the defense wasn't necessarily expected to be the 1985 Bears. But it could have been solid. Taking Brown and Thompson out of the middle obviously compromised the run defense, and as long as teams can dictate pace and stay in favorable third-down situations, it's going to be harder for them to get off the field.
And yes, the depth issues would have been helped with some better draft picks in the past. None of that can be changed now.
The reality is that they're finding out about a lot of young players now, like Xavier Legette and Trevin Wallace and Ja'Tavion Sanders (and will learn more about Jonathon Brooks in the coming weeks as well). That makes this valuable time, for now, and the future.
So, as soon as you wash your (un)lucky shirt, all of this will change. No, that's not right. It's going to take time and a series of good decisions. But that shirt of yours is starting to walk around on its own, so maybe I'll make you this week's Friend Of The Mailbag and send you a new one.
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Where does Xavier Legette's riding of Dolla Bill rank among the best Panthers end-zone celebrations? And what would your signature TD celebration be? — Cliff, Cornelius, NC
I stan for Dolla Bill, as the kids say. Actually, I'm not really sure kids say that anymore or what that means, but I heard a millennial say it once, and context clues suggest it's a good thing and an indication of support.
That said, it's not the only equine celebration in Panthers franchise history. You don't even need to be that old to remember Josh Norman and Delta. I am also here for a Dolla Bill/Delta collab (another thing kids say that I'm not sure exactly what it means).
But there have been some beauties around here.
I'm not sure Wesley Walls' duck-hunting celebrations from back in the day would fly in the modern context (if bow-and-arrow celebrations are penalized, firearms even in the sporting sense likely would as well). The DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart tandems were cool. Taylor Moton's spikes are underrated, and him picking Christian McCaffrey up like a scene from Dirty Dancing sure was something.
To me, the standard remains Agent 89.
He was on a heater in 2005, both on the field and in the end zones.
That was the year he won the Triple Crown, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns (for a team that ran more than it passed, 487 attempts to 449). So he had plenty to celebrate.
So he rode his own horse. He did a little sword-fighting routine against the Bucs. He leaped onto the goalpost in Chicago and slid down it like a fire pole. He wiped the football like a baby, changed its diaper, and burped it against the Falcons.
But the best, in terms of creativity and sheer pettiness (I am definitely here for the petty), was against the Vikings. When his longtime foil Fred Smoot and some Minnesota friends found themselves in trouble for their "Love Boat" excursion (look it up, but not on a work computer), Smith knew what to do.
Upon finding the end zone past a flailing Smoot, he plopped down on the ground and began rowing his boat furiously as if trying to escape law enforcement. A man in a boat, turning an end zone into Lake Minnetonka. Of course.
No offense to Dolla Bill, but that was next-level celebrating. Steve was, and remains, one of a kind. And I only dance at weddings, in an amount and style commensurate with the hosts' open bar policy.
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Hey Darin! I know that this submission may annoy some people, but I feel like it needs to be said because of the amount of negativity on Twitter and Reddit. This team isn't good, It. Is. IMPROVING.
Andy Dalton is showing every week that Dave Canales and Brad Idzik's offense can and does work. The players that we brought in this past summer have almost all worked out, even (especially?) the rookies. The atmosphere at the home games has been getting better and more enjoyable with each game. I get it; moral victories don't get teams into the playoffs. But improving every week, guys getting healthier and stepping into the lineup, players getting more and more settled into their roles, all of those things that people call "moral victories" that they are "tired of hearing?" Those are how you build a team that actually stacks some hashes in the W column. You can't skip to the good parts of life, and even if you could, they wouldn't mean as much without the bad parts to give them meaning. Maybe it is me being "hopelessly optimistic" again, but when I look forward in this tunnel that we've been in the last six years, I'm finally seeing an exit, not yet another train. — Nate, Charlotte
That's certainly a POV. And it's one that other people share.
But it's also not hard to see the improvement in specific areas. That doesn't change the results of the games, but it's also forward progress, and it beats the alternative. Are they winning games right now? They are not, and they are giving up way too many points. Are they moving the ball? Yes. People like points. Points help while you're in the process.
Also, I was out in the crowd a bit pre-game Sunday, and people were generally choosing to be optimistic. Maybe it was the fact the sun was shining and the conditions were sublime, and people realized how fortunate they were to gather with friends and family in the garden spot that is Charlotte, N.C. on a perfect fall afternoon. OG FOTM Fernando was here with his family from Brazil, and they were having a time.
There are actually folks looking for a reason to be happy out there in the real world. You're not going to get that on the social media sites, so don't bother looking (especially for the next three weeks, and I don't mean the Washington, Denver, and New Orleans games). I've spent less and less time there as I've gotten older, and I've gotten happier. I choose to see the connection between those two data points.
If you're the kind of person who wakes up looking for a reason to get angry, sure, wallow around in the comment section. You're not going to find me there. That's not me sticking my head in the sand; it's choosing not to stick it in a bee's nest. The bees are smarter than you think.
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Just read your story about Brentson Buckner's battle with cancer. It was honest, surprising, and impressive. Eight years ago, the week before Christmas, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to my liver and lymph nodes. After four surgeries, a year of chemo, and some radiation, like Buckner, I'm cancer-free, seven years now. He spoke of his father, who passed away with the same cancer Brentson had, but shared how important early detection was in his life. Thanks for sharing that, especially how Sam Mills' "Keep Pounding" speech left an imprint on Buckner as he heard it in person on the practice field. Inspiring! — Omer, Wilkesboro, NC
Wow. Thanks, Omer, for sharing that.
See, this is the good stuff in life. You can be angry about what you don't have or grateful for what you do. (Also, I am grateful that I get to interact with fans like Omer, a proud bearer of the Friend Of The Mailbag merchandise from way back).
I'm also extremely grateful for Buckner sharing his story — and his father's — with us for Crucial Catch week.
Buck has never been shy about talking — he's the man who once said, among other things, "Pressure will make a monkey eat a hot pepper," and then had a five-minute explanation that made it make sense.
But his message last week was even more meaningful. Thanks to early testing and treatment, he's got a clean bill of health and was able to avoid a "family curse." So now, he's advocating to others and enjoying seeing his own beautiful family grow up and have successful and happy lives.
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If Jaycee Horn is supposed to be a "shutdown corner," why don't we put him on the best receiver each week and give help to others on the defense? — Lee, Mount Holly, N.C.
I understand the temptation; I do.
But what Canales and Ejiro Evero are choosing to do right now is build something normal and lasting.
You can tart up a defense and blitz like crazy or shadow one particular player with another particular player, but while you're doing that, you're not working on your fundamentals. You're doing a lot of things, but not the really basic ones well. You're playing plays, not seasons.
And then when you get in a game that depends on the fundamentals being right, you have less of a base of experience from which to draw. This may not be a perfect analogy, but it's like, would you rather have a new car every two years or a fully funded 401k? Sometimes, you can do things for temporary gratification, but that doesn't make them sustainable or wise in the big picture. You can chase one play or one game, or you can build a solid product for the long-term.
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Hello there, Sparky, I hope you are well. Did you read Lewis Grizzard? "MY DADDY WAS A PISTOL AND I AM A SON OF A GUN" was a classic title! The title that applies today is..." THEY TORE OUT MY HEART AND STOMPED THAT SUCKER FLAT". I would pay a nickel or two to watch a halftime extravaganza between you, Jim Celania, and the acerbic-witted Tom Sorensen throw two-dollar adjectives around to describe the NIGHTMARE on MINT STREET. Trick or treat is upon us. Perhaps the Panthers can sneak up on the Commanders next week and give them a scare!!! — Westray, Kershaw, S.C.
Westray's out here invoking the names of all the legends this week.
A halftime show with Celania and Sorensen would be amazing because I wouldn't have to say a word. For a long time, I thought Jim was a fictional character, but he is very real and he is spectacular. And Sorensen is the best kind of role model for a boy reporter because he knows it's not about him.
One of my fondest memories as a journalist was jumping in Tom's convertible and driving to Alabama in 2011 for some kid named Cam Newton's pro day at Auburn.
We were passing through Atlanta and were in need of sustenance. But we couldn't decide if we wanted ribs or Chinese food. So we stopped for dinner at Abdullah the Butcher's House of Ribs and Chinese Food.
And what do you know? Abdullah the Butcher was sitting there, having some ribs and Chinese food, and also possibly a glass of wine and a grape soda. They called him the Madman from the Sudan back when he liked to stick forks in people's heads, but his name is Larry and he's actually from Toronto, and he was a lovely host. We'd have probably never stopped at Larry's House of Ribs and Canadian Food, and our lives would have been poorer for it.
So we hung out, listened to some old wrestling stories, got a few pictures, thanked him for his hospitality, and got on down the road to see the future of the Carolina Panthers change the next day.
And in honor of Westray giving me a good excuse, here's a picture of Tom and Abdullah the Butcher because it makes me happy.
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I have a fill-in-the-blank musical question. Sorry for the length. The Panthers have been dealt a tough hand. Injuries to key players and their back-ups; Draft picks not performing as hoped; Turnovers in coaching , management, as well as on the field. What is one to do? Call on the Red Rifle and a note of optimism. One of the great things about the Carolinas is that you see the sun virtually every day. Dalton's red hair brings to mind the musical Annie. Apologies to Andrea McArdle.
The sun will come out tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow they will win
Just thinkin' about tomorrow
Clears away the sadness
And the sorrow till there's none
When I'm stuck with a team
That's poor and losing
I just stick out my chin
And grin and say, oh
The team will be better tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
Till tomorrow, come what may
Tomorrow, tomorrow
We'll be better tomorrow
It's only a ___ away. — Norm, Greenville, SC
An unspecified amount of time? Sorry, I don't even know how to respond to that. I have no words.
That was amazing. If Norm wasn't already a FOTM, he definitely would be now.
I am in awe.
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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.
No question (I love your even keel), I just wanted to mention that Salisbury, NC, and Salisbury, England, are sister cities. We were named for them, and it became official in the 1970s, I believe. Appreciate your tempered responses. — Rick, Salisbury, NC
I would commit performative hysteria for attention more often, but those jobs appear to be taken. That's cool about the multiple Salisburys, plus they have the best steaks. Do they have Cheerwine in England? I do enjoy a responsible amount of Cheerwine.
When do we promote Jack Plummer to the active roster and see what he can do? It couldn't hurt at this point to get him some live reps. — Chuck, Ocean Isle Beach, NC
I'm not sure I'm ready for the Weekly Jack Plummer question. As I mentioned previously, he showed remarkable improvement during the offseason through the preseason. But of all the buttons they need to push, not sure that's one.
Also, whenever someone says "couldn't hurt," too often it does.
Two things:
1) Whatever happened to the black home jerseys? We never wear them anymore.
2) What is a tiller? Where can I rent one from? Should I rent one for my dog? — Zach, Charlotte
A millennial I may or may not be related to asked me what a tiller was this weekend, and after a brief explanation, she replied: "Oh, like an Earth-blender." Yes, an Earth-blender, something like that. And always rent them, because that way you're expected to give them back. Leave your dog alone. He (or she) is a good dog and doesn't need to be bothered with manual labor.
As for black jerseys at home, the next three times they play at Bank of America Stadium, they'll be wearing them. (You can see the full schedule here.) I know some people get tired of the white, but you don't willingly sign up to wear black in the summer in the South. Especially now that because of human-created shifts in climate, summer lasts a lot longer than it used to.
You know what else lasts too long? That lightning-round answer. (Somebody, seriously, check on Jeff, who scolded me for long lightning round answers, which is why this segment bears his name.) All that said, it's time for you to GET BACK TO CLASS ZACH.
