CHARLOTTE — Some weeks, this 'Bag is about a ball game. Some weeks, it's about a ball player.
This week, it's about perspective. Specifically, the need for many people to acquire and possess some.
Last week was a lot, for a lot of reasons. But as the week went on, the silliness gained its own momentum. We hit ludicrous speed somewhere around the time Nick Saban went on TV and said the problem with Bryce Young being benched was that the Panthers never invested in an offensive line or weapons for him. Now, when he was coaching a ball team, if a reporter came to him with a question based on year-old intelligence, that reporter would have had his Little Debbie cakes eaten right in front of God and everybody at a press conference. I get that he was defending one of his guys, but that was the kind of ill-informed take that takes root when someone believed to be serious says it.
Not everyone involved in the national discourse is a serious person, however. The guys who wear red noses and floppy shoes predictably went on TV and said increasingly inflammatory things because the market seemed to be begging for it. Looks like it'll be Jacksonville's turn in the barrel this week.
It doesn't have to be that way. It's possible to think about our football differently and demand a baseline level of intellectual honesty and consideration. The Panthers were an easy mark last week because of the struggles of recent years, and that's earned. But to declare that playing Andy Dalton was a sign of dysfunction, or coaching malpractice, or whatever hot take was going around was just pandering to the base for attention. Sadly, it works because a lot of people make money doing it.
The other way of looking at it was something along the lines of "What they were doing wasn't working, so they did a different thing for the good of the group rather than an individual. Let's see if it works." That's never going to go viral, though, but if you're old enough, you remember that going viral meant you needed a shot of penicillin and maybe some better decision-making.
Anyway, that's enough soapbox (for now, at least), so let's get to the mail.
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Long time/first time. Shout out to MVPs Caroline and Susan of last week's Mailbag, whose positivity and support apparently found their way into every pore of the locker room. As a result, we're only one game away from the division lead with 14 weeks to make it up. We've got the steepest upward trajectory in the league, and our starting QB has a QBR that's a whisker away from leading the league. I'd say it's clearly time to... just calm down a bit and enjoy the rare moment of fun football viewing without getting ahead of ourselves! It's just one game, people.
What I am absolutely here for, though, are big-time celebrations of little moments of triumph — especially those that might not make headlines. I thought there was a visceral joy coming out of Xavier Legette as he was running with the ball on that long catch and run, and I hope we get to see more of it. Do you have a favorite moment or two from the game that might be getting less talk from the masses but meant the world to the hard-working player involved? P.S. I really appreciate the column and all of your writing. Might not be a surprise, since I'm a Panther-loving, 55-year-old native of Hickory, N.C. who went to school in-state and now resides here. Also an Old Guy, but no one asks me about anything! Which, as it turns out, is just fine by me. Much better to leave that to the professionals. — Steve, Chapel Hill, NC
Clearly, Caroline and Susan deserve all the credit. I will never apologize for giving space to people putting positive energy into the universe. But then I feared Steve got away from himself before reeling it in. See, this is what I mean. There's a place for a measured response, and it can become a movement if we make it one.
The response to last week's win would have justified an over-the-top party. I mean, if Dalton had turned up shirtless and chain-wearing on the plane ride home, it might have seemed appropriate. "Nah, Kirk's already done that," former Vikings wideout Adam Thielen said in the aftermath.
They were surprisingly normal about the whole thing, which may be a good thing. You'd love to see them believe a game like that could become repeatable, and that's the way they treated it. They were relieved after a long week, which Dave Canales described as "heavy" because it was. That may be why it was a little subdued after the game; it was almost businesslike. But you kind of want it to be that way.
If there's an example, it might have been Young on the sidelines, continuing to encourage, staying engaged, still hitting guys with his signature low-fives. (Since he walked in the door, he's been going with a below-the-waist greeting for teammates coming off the field). It's understated, that's who he is by nature. But he was just as involved Sunday as ever, when it would have been fair to expect him mope or withdraw from the group. But he was there for the coin toss because he's a captain and he was the first one congratulating Dalton after the game (as you can see in the above photograph). He was part of a locker room that was celebratory at first before settling into a long ride home. He was all-in in a moment he needed to be a part of.
It was a fairly collective thing, which is what they all needed. But maybe especially Young.
So, thanks to Steve for the considered response. We'll go ahead and make him this week's Friend Of The Mailbag for his wisdom and rational reaction (and not just because I'm from Suburban Hickory). And even if no one asks him a question, though they probably should, they'll at least ask him where he got the cool T-shirt.
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IT'S VICTORY MONDAY DARIN!!!! Lukka, Maya, and myself were rocking FotM and (MB)FotM gear while the fiancée quietly chuckled at us for acting like we won the Super Bowl as early as that first drive. It is such a good feeling to see good, complementary, POSITIVE Panthers football again.
The only thing that would make this better would be if we could see some repercussions for the Rex Ryans of the world, who have been burying the entire organization since the Young benching was announced a week ago. Which brings me to my question for the week:
Why is it that when the Packers draft a QB in the first round and say that he's going to ride the bench and learn behind a veteran, they get a pass, but when we do the exact same thing, everyone says we're lying and that we're obviously going to trade Bryce for a piece of bubblegum and a red paper clip? I understand that it's kind of apples and oranges (two consecutive HoFers followed by a better-than-average QB vs [please check my math] 12 different starters since 2018). Still, it is so annoying to hear a vast majority of the analysts on TV, Radio, and Print say that we need to trade Bryce away.
Happy Victory Monday, Darin, and as Coach Belichick once said "We're on to Cincinnati." — Nate, Charlotte
The difference is the skins on the wall. The Packers get the benefit of the doubt because they've won stuff and been stable. But when there's blood in the water, sharks know it's time to go eat.
Singling out one member of what JJ Jansen referred to as the "piling on our entire organization from the national media" isn't fair. It was a lot of them, doing what they do.
The other problem we have when we talk about football now is that we make every instant a referendum on forever. Why do we have to have a conversation about a hypothetical that's probably ridiculous and certainly premature? To trade a player at a low point in value goes against all the rules of supply and demand, so why would you do that anyway? There's nothing wrong with hanging tight, continuing to develop a player (and not subjecting him to continued negative reinforcement is another way to develop someone), and seeing what happens in the future.
But that requires patience. Also, it's OK for you and the dogs to enjoy the moment, but keep in mind it's a moment. Don't go too far in the other direction, or you're doing the same thing the pilers-on are doing. At least yours is positive, which I guess is better. But let's be normal for five minutes and see if we like it.
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Looking towards the future of the Panthers, what areas do you think need the most improvement? Do you need more weapons for the offence or the defence, or is it the case that the team just needs more time to get better cohesion? Look forward to hearing your thoughts. — Niall, Bridgend, Wales
I'll forgive Niall the European spellings, in part because I'm pretty sure he's our first-ever Welsh correspondent to the Mailbag. Maybe one day, he and I can sit down and talk about Gareth Bale or Rarebit or something. Seems like a fine young man. Also, Welsh fascinates me, maybe it's all the extra letters in evyyyyry wyyyrrrd.
But yeah, for the near future, the answer is probably defense (or defence as he says it, which makes a better stadium sign anyway [Get marketing on the phone, this could really take off]).
The things that were true about this team prior to Sunday's result remain true, so they could obviously use more in the way of pass-rushers. Jadeveon Clowney played well but he could use some help. They made do by doing a lot of different things, but if you were ever in a position where you had two guys who could rush from either edge, the whole defense would work better.
They're older on that side of the ball, too, so if you saw them invest heavily on that side in the draft in the near future, it would make sense. I think as they get Trevin Wallace more involved, you'll see a hint of the future in him, but he's still a rookie, so they're bringing him along slowly on a veteran-led side.
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Why do people call Young a bust already? They must have forgotten about how bad most QBs are before they get good. This is my question: how come the Panthers have not built up the O-Line? I see they spent a lot of money this year, but no results yet. When does the money they spend start working for them? — Anthony, San Diego, CA
Because people are mean sometimes, and the culture tends to reward meanness with attention. Also, this offensive line is actually playing quite well right now, and Dave Canales agrees.
If anything, this current moment could turn out to be an inflection point in the way we think about quarterbacks in general.
Monday night, a pair of former No. 1 overall pick QBs lost, and Trevor Lawrence, in particular, is now struggling. The Jags are 0-3, and they've scored 23 points in their last 10 quarters. Since halftime of the opener (per ESPN's Mike DiRocco), Lawrence has completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes for just 432 yards. It was also his eighth straight loss as a starter. Life comes at you fast.
Joe Burrow is playing better, but his team is also 0-3.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Dalton is the only quarterback in the league to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a game this year. Roll that around in your head for a second.
Maybe the real lesson is it takes time, and as the game gets more complicated, it demands more time devoted to mastery of the craft. Perish the thought.
We rush young quarterbacks into moments, and even if they have some success at first, the learning curve is ruthless. Except for a very few special ones, the league always catches up.
So maybe the answer is to think differently about the position, maybe let it be 1/11th of a team instead of the focal point. I don't want to take anything away from Dalton because he played a great game of football on Sunday. But the stuff he was doing wasn't exactly revolutionary, either. He just executed those things at a high level, and when the existing base of functioning parts got that boost, it all looked better. In Panthers history, older quarterbacks have fared better than younger ones (they're 73-79 all-time now, and Dalton is the fourth to win a game after his 35th birthday, joining Rodney Peete, Steve Beuerlein, and Vinny Testaverde).
Sure, if you can find one on his rookie contract, that conveys benefits to the entire roster. But if that's not working, it's better to build a whole team around a good quarterback so you can lift the level for a point when you're ready to insulate a young one properly.
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Hi Darin. I hope you are having a great week. Well, Sunday was fun. Andy Dalton did a fabulous job. The rest of the team looked great. I know it is just one game, but it felt almost like winning the Super Bowl. Sports can be a powerful thing. For the past year and a half, I've been taking care of my mother, who has been battling cancer. There have been a lot of ups and downs and I've been left feeling stressed most of the time. In the grand scheme of things, one football game doesn't seem like much, but to me, it meant a few hours of feeling carefree and just plain happy. I appreciate that coach Canales made the tough decision to make the quarterback change, and I can see how that affects the offense, but it seems wild to me that the defense was so much better. Was this just a fluke? — LeeAnne, Lincolnton, NC
First off, all the best and positive energy to your family. Lift her up, people. That's what the Mailbag family does. Real life, way more important than ball games, etc. But as LeeAnne notes, this stuff matters to people too. The collective experience can bring people joy, especially when the collective memories are good ones.
So yes, it was nice for fans to be able to breathe and enjoy one for a moment. The team certainly did.
As for the defense, it's a cyclical thing. When the offense converts third downs and spends more time on the field, they don't have to defend all day. That matters. So going from an offense that played 48 snaps against the Chargers to 74 against the Raiders means the defense can take a breath.
Again, they're not overburdened with pass-rushers, and it's hard to sustain a side of the ball missing its best player (i.e., Derrick Brown). But there are things the offense can do to make their life easier, and on Sunday, that happened.
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When do we get to see Jonathon Brooks play now that we have a quarterback who can manage the squad? — Tony, Fort Myers, FL
Brooks' status isn't dependent on anything other than his health.
As we discussed last week, they knew that coming off an ACL tear, they wanted to give him time. He's running well, and you can see from his workouts that he's reaching speeds. Now he just needs to stack work at speed to build back to the endurance you need to play.
Midseason always seemed like a reasonable expectation after his November injury. The longer you give that injury to heal, the stronger it becomes.
And with Chuba Hubbard running as well as he has, there's no rush.
Also, back-to-back Brooks questions in the 'Bag make me think we're entering the territory of a certain former backup quarterback, who begat the Weekly Matt Corral Question back in the day. (We also wish Matt nothing but the best; he is a good kid, and we like him a lot.)
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Dave Canales has said that he doesn't want to trade Young, but does Dalton's performance change that at all? What kind of trade offer would a team have to make that is seen as too good to turn down? — Matt, Frome, Somerset, England
Why should it?
Dalton's turning 37 this year, and is in the final year of his contract. Trading away his backup for a reduced rate now doesn't make all that much sense.
Realistically, they might need Bryce later this year. If Dalton playing well does anything, it gives Young time to get out of the rain and prepare for his next chance. It seems inevitable that it will come.
How many times do you need to see Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield recover from early setbacks with the Jets and Browns to play well to know that patience is, in fact, a virtue?
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As a dislocated fan living on the far side of the country, rooting for my Panthers from afar has become more expensive, both financially and emotionally, every year. I still tune in on Sundays, hoping to see good football. I still draft Panthers in Fantasy. I still believe they will be competitive again. I have faith that the Daves and Dans will get this figured out.
My question is, and I know you'll get a ton of these type, so I apologize for adding to the pile, do you think there's any chance the Daves and Dan have had a conversation where it was suggested that they get what they can for Bryce, trade down in the upcoming draft to accumulate picks, maybe draft someone exciting who isn't a QB like Travis Hunter (and plan to play him both ways!), and build the team through the next draft and free agency, with an eye toward the following QB class (and maybe someone like Arch Manning?)?
It seems like we are already about two years from being competitive. I like Shadeur Sanders, but I don't know if I believe he's a true NFL-caliber player, and the other QBs in this class look good but not generational (except maybe Sewers after that game in Michigan). Thanks for all you do for the team! I enjoy reading your Mailbag weekly. — Daniel, Bend, OR
Nope.
That's not in reference to Dan's question; it's my general response to all draft questions in Week 4.
It's my Mailbag, so I get to make the rules. And the new 'Bag Rule No. 1 is this — no draft talk until after Halloween. Zero. November is still too early for draft talk and I probably won't then, but I'm definitely not engaging it until at least then. Consider this a Mel Kiper-free zone.
There's plenty of internet out there to indulge the impulse; I'm just not participating.
(And it's nothing personal, Dan; you were, in fact, one of many. I just can't honestly talk draft picks yet because I don't see very much college football, but even the scouts who do this for a living don't have a full body of work to judge yet. Come back soon, please. You ask good questions. I promise I'll be nicer.)
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Whatever happened to the practice of having the newly drafted QB sit for a year or two before you throw them into the fire? I know there are high expectations for No. 1 picks, but just cause the grapes are expensive, it still takes time to make the wine. Seems like Bryce Young could benefit from sitting, watching, and learning for a while. Talk of getting rid of him is ridiculous. He won the Heisman and championships because he has talent. — Norman, Greenville, SC
All hail Norman the Normal. See, people, you don't have to be a reactionary freak just to sports correctly.
The answer is, nobody wants to take the time to make grits when the instant ones are right there. Mmmmmmm, grits. (As long as you don't put sugar in them. Grits are supposed to be salty, with a side of breakfast meat, fried fish, or really just about anything.)
Again, the Packers are the model for this. It's OK to wait; it really is. Time is the great leveler, giving us all a chance to compile more evidence before making big decisions. We can all use that.
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Before I begin, thank you for the T-shirt; it has made an exceptional addition to my wardrobe. I am of the understanding that Eddy Piñeiro is currently our only kicker, so if he gets hurt or something else is to happen to him, what would be the team's game plan? Going for two-point conversations would not necessarily be our best bet; as the amazing Brian Burns would say, "Would it behoove of the team to add an extra kicker?" — Atticus, Allen, TX
You're welcome. Wear it in good health, Atticus. Which also applies to kickers.
It would behoove, except nobody wants to behoove of the roster spot. Until they expand them, nobody is going to keep a second kicker on the 53, and most teams only want an extra on the practice squad if they're aware of a pre-existing condition with their first one.
In a pinch, Johnny Hekker can kick. He hit a field goal (a 20-yarder) and an extra point in 2018, so he can do it. But it's worth noting that he's accounted for more points as a passer than a kicker (he threw a touchdown pass in 2012), so it's not anyone's preference.
It's not an ideal answer, but for any pregame or in-game injury, the best bet probably is to go for two. Anyone who saw the hastily arranged Buffalo pregame tryout in 2021 knows that most guys who say they can kick can't actually. Poor PJ Walker missed the net trying an extra point in warmups, and it was immediately obvious that Frankie Luvu wasn't an option. Brandon Zylstra became a legend that day by kicking off, but I'm convinced Zylstra could do anything. Like, if I walked into the locker room and he was juggling or painting with his feet, it wouldn't have surprised me.
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Darin. You wrote an article about the Long Term. I cannot find the article on the website. It was excellent. You covered so many good points. It is a blueprint for creating a successful team. Would you leave it on the website so we can all read it from time to time? Morgan and Canales are the right guys for the long term. I'm talking about Andy Reid in Kansas City and Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh long term. Morgan and Canales are football-smart, but they are rookies. Like all rookies, they learn and get smarter and better. We had a 40 percent turnover on the roster. Morgan will churn the roster until he gets the right players. He will build a scouting department to find the best players who fit the culture and the scheme. It takes time to change the culture, but Canales will do it. Canales is a proven Quarterback Whisperer, having done it before. He will get the best of Young, Dalton or whomever. As head coach, Canales will build the coaching staff. Find and develop position coaches and assistant coaches. Talented coordinators will interview for head coaching jobs and won't be here long, so we need depth in the coaching ranks to get the best out of the players and move up when needed. This all takes time, and why it is important to be in it for the long term. I think those were the main points of your article. I may have embellished a bit. Keep Pounding that keyboard. — Matt, Waxhaw, NC
If you get on the News page of Panthers.com, you can keep clicking that More button and go way back, but I have a few thoughts on what you mean.
GM Dan Morgan has been talking about taking the long view since he walked in the door, and he talked about it in March after free agency and again during training camp.
It's the correct approach to take if you want to build something lasting, and they do. Morgan once interviewed for the GM job with the Steelers, and they're known for operating that way, too.
If you're stable, then even in the years when you don't get breaks, you're still competitive. And in the years when you do get breaks, special things can happen.
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Who stood out to you as the most vocal leader this week in practice and during the game? I am asking this because I think their message got through!
Conversely, my message of leadership was unsuccessful this week during the trivia event of our school's Homecoming Games. My team lost by a lot. The only questions I got right were about the livers (who likes eating livers?), and a teacher at my school who loves cemeteries (FYI: it was NOT JOHN from last week's mailbag). I must get back to writing a paper about Hamilton and federalism now- maybe I should- Wait For It- Take A Break. — Zach, Charlotte
Liver is great, in all its forms. Beef liver with onions. Fried chicken livers. You can't beat a good organ meat. It goobed me out when I was a kid, but it's the kind of thing I look for and can't find now. If anybody has a good liver spot in this town, let me know (unless you're a dermatologist; I make the dad jokes around here).
This team has a pretty solid bank of leadership, starting with one Shaq Thompson. Also, being vocal and being a leader aren't the same.
Shaq is fascinating because some people still think of him in the context of the team he was drafted onto, where he played alongside Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. But he's evolved over the years.
He's had old-head energy for a while (check out our video below from last season; I think he was born old, also maybe we should bring this feature back). But he's really grown into this role. Guys listen to him, and he does the kinds of subtle things that most people would never notice (or talk about) that show what he means to this place. He has the ability to quietly and, without drawing notice to himself, get a younger player in the place he needs to be to help him succeed.
He's always been a good player, but he only suffers from the comparisons to the rich linebacker history of this team. When you have a line of guys that goes from Sam Mills to Micheal Barrow to Jon Beason to Dan Morgan to Kuechly, if you're merely very good and not an all-timer or in the Hall of Fame, some people consider that a disappointment. There's a word for people like that — spoiled.
But you're not like that, are you? Of course not. You're just stalling. And no matter what, I know You'll Be Back. That said, it's time to GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
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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.
We finally have momentum and our coaches don't challenge a blatant bad call by the refs. What's up? — CC, Burnsville, NC
Without knowing specifically what you mean (there were a couple of borderline ones), the thing I can say is that Canales is usually on the horn with the coaches upstairs and also consulting with refs on the field. Sometimes, either one can tell a coach there's a reason not to.
Dear Diary, I haven't felt like this since Christmas Eve 2022. Seeing my Panthers dominate like ... Oh wait, this is the Mailbag! Well, heck yeah, Darin, that is what I'm talking about. The vibes were finally high, and I'm even thinking about watching Dalton slice up his former Bengals this upcoming Sunday. Let me throw some water on this fire though, why am I not getting a lot of Ja'Tavion Sanders in this passing game? After Thielen went down I figured we would see some more 12 personnel and 0 getting his catches? — John, Matthews, NC
In addition to my quest for decency and perspective in the national media, I'm also doing my best to reduce the amount of silly football jargon both here and abroad. I know what "12 personnel" means (one back, two tight ends), but it's more than a little precious unless you wear a whistle around your neck, and there are some people who just like to show how smart they are by saying football words to football people. You're better than that, John. Others might not be, but you are, so I'll forgive you. I'm feeling magnanimous today.
Some of it has to do with Tommy Tremble being back, and having more of a handle on the game. Sanders is an intriguing prospect, but he's still young and sometimes goes to places he's not supposed to. He'll learn, and he's good. But it's early yet.
Mr. Gantt, did I just see what I just saw? Efficient offensive football? YES YES YES — Westray, Kershaw, SC
Yeah you did. Westray is so smart he answers his own questions. Maybe he should send me a T-shirt.
Thanks for your excellent work. Now might be a good time to hit them up for a raise, Darin. What a glorious game. I haven't enjoyed a game like that since the 2015 NFC championship game.
A question about punt returning. Teams used to have rules regarding not catching the ball inside the 10-yard line, but I've noticed that in the last couple of years, the returners catch the ball even inside the 5. Are teams that much more confident in their returners today? — Don, Trinity, NC
The short answer is that coaches can send guys out there with guidelines, but they don't always listen. Dudes are always going to think they can break a play. Sometimes, they're right. If they're wrong often enough, they become former returners.
And what would I need with more money? I've been blessed beyond measure with health, a loving family, a wonderful home in a city I adore, causes to support, readers like you, and occasional perspective. On the other hand, if I had more money I could buy myself a monkey. That would be cool. Let me get the boss on the phone.
