Vashti Hurt Puts Seahawks Loss Into Perspective

Vashti Hurt of Carolina Blitz joins the show, as she talks about the loss to the Seahawks, and puts it into perspective ahead of Saturday's showdown with Bucs, she talks about the future of the Dave Canales/Bryce Young marriage as play caller/QB, & more 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We bring in Vash tire her to talk about the
Panthers all things Carolina with us. She is the Carolina
Blitzen and also on Twitter at Keith Blitzen, joining us
on sports ratting. On Steven w f Z, Vash, I
hope you had a good holiday and happy New Year
to you. However, everything's good.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Yeah, I know, I mean, listen meanings full football in December,
slast January, So all things are good over here.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
I know that that we sit here outside the room
and we just have to lobby there and again as
he goes into that room. But but your thoughts on
on Luke making it to the final fifteen of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists, You know.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's not shocking.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
He did make it, right he is. He's in the
He's in the final fifteen.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yes, yeah, I think I'm not surprised. I think that
although he had a short career, he had an outstanding career.
I don't think that he'll make it in unfortunately, I thought.
I think I think that last year's class might have
been one of the worst classes that we've seen. But
you know, it's not surprised. This is the time that
he's made it to this round.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
I know that Smitty didn't make it to the last fifteen.
The wide receivers that made it Reggie, Wayne, Tory, Holt,
Larry Fitzgerald. I have no problem including those three over
him at this point.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah. No, And Smitty will get in eventually. I know
that he would. He would like to consider himself amongst
those guys. He just he just doesn't have that those
their resumes, so he's gonna have to wait a little longer,
which is going to mean all that's going to mean
is that his Hall of Fame speech is going to
be even more spike.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Very much so. To the more pertinent matter at hand,
how do you juxtapose knowing what's ahead of Carolina versus
what we saw on Sunday, particularly with the offense, knowing
that this is still a very inconsistent football team, what
still has control of their own destiny, and also some

(01:55):
of the destiny could also fall their way without any
of their sword basically taking a part of it.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, it's crazy. It seems like everybody in the NFC
South is trying to give the Panthers a the division
and a playoff berth. Listen, this team has been up
and down all season par for the course, I said,
setting into this final stretch coming out of the by
I was not sold on Tampa and and everybody assuming

(02:21):
that they would run away with the NFC South and
see that they are struggling mightily. And and the Panthers,
this is what they do. They win a big game,
they went to bed, and then they come back and
they look like a team that took make a make
a playoff run. And I expect the same thing. This
is the difference between, you know, a team that is

(02:43):
still getting there and a team that is there. The
Panthers are still getting there because they haven't found the
consistency that they need to put out these outputs. Fifty
what Bryce had fifty four yards passing abysmal like that
is that is egregious. I think the longest pass play
was eight yards. Longest played from scrimmage this past week
was eleven. I think that was a run. So you

(03:07):
just can't have offensive outputs like that and expect to
make the playoffs. But good news for the Panthers, they will.
They will. They have responded to four outings with with
jaw dropping performances and I and I anticipate that they'll
do the same thing this week when they head to Tampa.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
Is it a situation where we are more confident in
Tampa being that dead on a rival team, or more
confident in the Panthers resilience.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
It's the Panthers resilience for me. I won't sleep on
Tampa even though they are obviously in the downward spiral.
You know, you still have guys like Mike Evans on
that team. You still have some some veteran guys on
that squat who have been in this situation and who
have won those games. So don't can't count Tampa house.
I don't think it'll be a blow by any means,

(04:02):
But the Panthers have shown to be one of those
squads that just are able to bounce back. They take
a list and they come back and they keep fighting,
and so I'm more confident in their resilience than than Tampa's.
Tampa's downward spiral talk.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
With vashtire Hurt Carolina Blitz joining us here on Sports
Rida on ninety two to seven WFNZ. It seemed yesterday
that Dave Canalis was more prone to leave it at
the feet of Bryce for the inconsistencies in the passing game,
noting that at least that I would note that it
did seem like the offensive line had a rough day
on Sunday. It also felt like there wasn't a lot

(04:41):
of separation being there inside the stadium. And also, you know,
you have to discredit Bryce and the opportunities. He did
have the football with the clean pocket and receivers open.
He did not make the throws. But I do think
that the blame should probably be more shared than at
Bryce's feet solely.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
How do you feel, Yeah, you know, I don't know
if if I had and even the sentiments that I've
seen online and looking at Canalysis press conference, he took
some ownership. He said a few opportunities were there to
get the ball downfield, but because of the way Seattle
was playing defense, you know, if that window was was there,

(05:19):
it probably closed really quickly and Bryce wasn't able to
capitalize on those moments. It is definitely shared as far
as the you know, the offensive output on Saturday, even
if Bryce was going to his checkdowns. You know, as
a head coach, as a signal caller, as a as
the offensive coordinator, you kind of lead that charge. As

(05:42):
far as the aggression and you set the tone, and
I think they set a pretty conservative tone. I think
they wanted to kind of muck it up and they
got what they wanted in the first half. The problem
is in the second half, the turnovers is what were
what killed them. And then of course that at face
mask penalty on JC because even at that point they

(06:03):
were still in it. But as far as who's to
blame for the offensive output, I think it's shared, and honestly,
I think it would probably be a little bit more
on Canalist because he's a guy who sets its own
as a head coach and as the offensive coordinator.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
How would you discern the discussion that surrounds Bryce, because
we've had a couple of them today on the air,
and fans definitely are in their feelings about it. There
are people who are dug in and think that Bryce
is not a solution or an answer the long term
quarterback issues. There are others who feel like, look at
the wins and losses. He has won more this year
and has been a big part of why they've won.

(06:40):
Look at the game winning drives. I know that the
numbers on the raw sets aren't where you see a
lot of elite, upper echelon quarterbacks would see. But they
are at least winning in spite of them. How do
you look at the future of the Panthers with Bryce
Young as the signal caller.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
I think that you have to you have to roll
with him. I think you know at this point, what
are you gonna do. Are you gonna try to rehabilitate
a veteran who might not have done well at previous stops.
Are you going to try to draft, which really is
a crap shoot. You never know what you're gonna get.
They gave up a lot of capital on Bryce for Bryce,

(07:19):
and he's shown flashes of what he can be. This
is just your two in the system. Was he and
Dave Panalysis still getting to know each other. I don't
think you. I don't think you pull the plug on
a guy that has that has performed and and and shown.
If Bryce didn't have these plays, these draw dropping plays
that make you go okay, now this is why he

(07:41):
was drafted number one, then I understand the reservations. But
he has made the plays. He is shown to have
a clutch gene, which a lot of guys do not have.
That's in the nate property that you just have to
have we're in clutch moments, you are able to perform
and come up big. So he has all the all
the that you want in a franchise quarterback. It's just

(08:03):
sometimes it's a slow burn and sometimes it might not
pop immediately, and sometimes it pops look in Miami, and
then it fizzles. So I'm of the of the opinion
that a gradual progression is probably the best and we're
seeing that with Bryce. And you know, I just don't
think the rolling the dice on a veteran or a

(08:28):
or a rookie quarterback would be would be beneficial for
the Panthers.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Fash I heard editor in chief Carolina Blitz on Twitter
at Keith Blitzen also MZ Carolina Blitz as well on
that same platform. X. We have also been asking a
question about whether or not you feel Dave Canalis should
be the play caller moving forward after this season, and
I think we all can agree they were not in

(08:53):
a position to make that kind of change mid season
because of the options in the house, not necessarily being
better than Canalis doing it on his lonesome. But do
you feel that is something that he and Dan Morgan
take a look at this offseason.

Speaker 2 (09:06):
I don't. I don't think so, I don't think so. Listen,
the trend is for these younger, you know, head coaches
to the head coaches as well as offensive coordinators. That way,
you kind of don't have to worry about an offensive
coordinator getting a job elsewhere, happening to install a completely
new office, which you've seen in Tampa Bay, you know,

(09:28):
two years in a row. So I don't. I don't
think that Dan Kanalis gives that up, not willingly. And
I don't know if Dan Morgan is ready to to
relinquish those responsibilities. Dave is still a young coach, He's
in year two. I'm not. I'm not. I would give

(09:48):
him another year at the helm at head coach and
as well as offensive coordinator to to kind of to
kind of find his own group, kind of find his
own pace managing both. But you know, I don't, I
don't think they're ready to pull the plug. And I
don't think that that's something that that Dave will give
up willingly.

Speaker 1 (10:08):
Panthers find themselves with control of their own destiny. A
win Saturday over Tampa Bay puts them in the playoffs.
A win by Atlanta over New Orleans also puts them
in the doomsday scenario. Part of this is fascinating Vashti
because while I think there might be a little bit
of a lack of honor in going in the back door,

(10:29):
I think a lot of Panther fans would not mind
it happening that way, just based on the fact that, hey,
it's been eight years, you find any way into the
tournament that you can.

Speaker 2 (10:37):
Right, there's no shame in going in it through the
back door because they earn that as well. They earned
that by sweeping the Falcons. They earn that by beating
Tampa Bay once. So even if they get in by
by what some may deem as default, because the Falcons
went out who cared, Like the records are the same,

(10:59):
they ended up in the head that hand matchups, they
were more successful, So they would have earned that playoff
spot just as much as they would have if they
go on Tampa Bay and handle business at Tampa playoffs.
Side of playoffs and and keeping the season alive is
keeping the season alive. It shouldn't matter really how they
get in. Getting in that really matters.

Speaker 1 (11:20):
So there are a lot of people who feel like,
you know you've gotten to eight wins. Progression from two
to five to eight is an incredible season. Do you
look at this season with an air of disappointment if
they don't get in or do you look at it
as it's another step forward? You know, we're happy we
got this far. It's not a big deal if they

(11:42):
don't make the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yeah, I'm not If they don't make the playoffs, will
it will it be? Will it be disappointing for fans
and people around the building. Absolutely, because the Panthers had
ample opportunity to lock up that playoff spot. That being said,
I would that being the season of failure if they
didn't make the playoffs. Progression is there, Like this time

(12:07):
last year, Panthers fans were knee deep in mock draft
and now they're preparing to go to Tampa for a
playoff week zero type situation. And that's what you want it.
You know, it's been a long time since Carolina has
been in this position, and so yeah, you want to
see progress. You want to see steady growth. So playoffs

(12:29):
are not The season is not a failure. It could
be a disappointment with how it ended potentially, but definitely
not a failure because of the progress that has.

Speaker 1 (12:38):
Been made meaningful football in January in this economy. Incredible stuff,
Fashed I heard, Carolina Blitz. We'll look forward to it.
Look forward as well to your coverage as the Panthers
get ready to go to Tampa. Thank you so much
for the time, and hopefully we're talking some playoff football
next week.

Speaker 2 (12:54):
That's right. Thanks for having me.