December 16, 2024 • 41 mins
This week on Panther Talk, Anish, Jim and Eugene speaks with Dave Canales, Kurt Coleman and Field Yates about Bryce Young, the Panthers week 15 loss to the Cowboys, the NFL Draft and so much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The following is an exclusive presentation of the Carolina Panthers
and the National Football League's Tough.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
And thirt all and They't All and They're toll.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is Panther Talk, presented by Bosh power Tools on
the Carolina Panthers Network.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Story of the games the ball, you know, ten points
off of turnovers, just giving their offense opportunities, and then
the first half, you know, giving up some big plays
in the pass game, and then in the second half,
you know, with the lead, they went right to the
run game and we weren't able to get them off
the field. That way, you're playing from behind. We played
their strengths and they have a good pass rush unit,
and they got after us. But that's not the brand
(00:40):
of football we want to play. We got to take
care of the ball so we can be balanced, so
we can continue to mix our runs and passes in
offensively and then defensive to get them into more pass situations.
So a really challenging day for us.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
And now, along with Jim Zoki and Eugene Robinson, here's
a Niche Shroff with Panther Talk live from the Panthers
broadcast facility at Bank of America stadium.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
That was Dave Canalis's assessment of the game Sunday Panthers
going down against Dallas, and you heard it from coach.
The four turnover is really the difference in that game.
And without further ado, we bring in the head coach
for the Carolina Panthers, Dave Canalis, as we always do
on Monday. Coach, appreciate you coming on. Sometimes games like these,
(01:26):
especially with the way the team had been playing the
previous five games, you sometimes find out more about your
team as you kind of have to go through the
adversity again. What did the tape reveal anything that spoke
some kind of truth to you when you looked at
the film.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, it was the football. It was blocking and tackling,
It was fall security, things that we had been making
strides and improving on over the last couple of weeks.
And when you turn the ball over, you know, and
with the challenges that we've had to find our identity
and play our style of football, it really makes a different.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Coach when you're going through a rough patch. As you
guys are going through a rough patch, who do you
turn to or who do you look to to go
ahead and help you get through these rough.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Patches each other, the coaches, you know, spending time talking
through the issues, leaning on each other, trying to find
solutions together, and they're off internally that way for us,
and then going to the players and just you know,
if we can make this about football and go to
them so we can give them something to improve upon,
something to work at throughout the week.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
And I know you guys are constantly evaluating your teaching
and so forth, but the grind of the regular season
only leaves so much time each week to get ready
for the next opponent with Arizona coming up, So how
do you balance that when you're trying to correct things
but also just you know, expecting them to do the
plays the way they're drying to designed to go and
get ready for the next opponent.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Absolutely, And you know the I mean the challenge of
this part is there's closure, and this game's over. We
looked at the film, we talked through it with the players,
and we're moving on to get rifinals, you know, so
it gives us a chance to kind of hit the
reset button and see if we can return some good
football coach.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Every time we watch Jalen Cocher, it seems like he
peels back another layer and makes you go, wow, fifteen games,
fifteen weeks into the season, when you kind of look
at Jalen Cocher now from when you did in the preseason,
what kind of player can he ultimately be?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think guy's a limit for Jalen, you know. I
think that he makes the most of his opportunities when
he's targeted. Gown that to be consistent, and I think
it's from this point it's about, you know, owning the details,
owning all the different possible situations you could be in
from blocking in the run game and screen game to
be just be in the past game. All the things
(03:51):
that take time and growth, you know, but at the baseline,
you feel really really good about the player just being
able to make the most of his opportunity.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
And coach on that on that play where he scored
the test sound, I know, you guys were in empty backfield.
What was the defense that the uh that they were
playing to go ahead and accounting you to allow him
to get so free and so open.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
You know, I just felt like the outsideors in that
case kind of misplayed how we switched released on the
three receiver side, and they were kind of both, you know,
locked in on a lower target. You had Xavier inside
at the number three spot, so that might have grabbed
a little bit of They left Jalen running.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Down the field.
Speaker 6 (04:32):
As you said, you kind of closed the book on
that one. You get ready for Arizona this week, but
you always wanted to carry the lessons forward from what
happened in the past game. How do you kind of
pull that out for the players this week as far
as wanted to learn a start of that balance of
you know, learning for what just happened, but also it
was kind of an outlier of what's happened over the
last six weeks, not the typical Panthers' effort and getting
back to that reset you were talking about and being
(04:53):
positive moving into the Arizona game.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
With the mentality that every week presents its challenges. In
the car Cardinals are going to present their own They
got some fantastic players on the offense and defense. Defensively,
their scheme presents its own issues and it's kind of
unique in the way they use their safeties and their
nickel kind of interchangeably to throw you off balance.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Yeah, I'm thinking about that. If they're using their safeties
and the nickel kind of like interchangeably, there may be
some room to go ahead and have some matchups that
you can take advantage of, Coach.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Absolutely, and you know when you play face the defense
that does multiple things, there are things that take advantage
of in the past game certainly run game. They got
to know where to fit. So if they're bringing different
people into the box, then hopefully you can take advantage
of that as well, Coach.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
I know it's only been a couple of games where
we've seen Jaden crummedy, but early returns on kind of
the last guy in this rookie class to see the field.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yeah, big athletic. He had some really come out the stack,
you know, stacked monster plays on some screens, shows an
ability to get off the blocks, and we decided to
see him and what he can do this week as well.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Coach, appreciate it. As always. We'll let you go a
little early here on this Monday and then catch up
with you after the game on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Thank you, coach, all right, thanks guys, thank you all right.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Dave Canalis, head coach of the Carolina Panthers thirty to
fourteen Cowboys over the Panthers on Sunday yesterday, and Jim,
I think we're going to be able to pin this
game in its proper plot point three weeks from now,
(06:38):
given what we saw the previous five weeks, we want
to say it's an outlier. I think the reality is
is if we were in the position where the Kansas
City Chiefs were, and you have a game like this,
you chalk it up and you say bad game, They're
still a little bit of having to earn that benefit
of the doubt.
Speaker 6 (06:54):
No, no doubt. I think the evaluation continues for a
lot of players on this team, quarterback all the way
through a lot of other positions, not not everywhere, not
Chubahabbert's pretty set, but I think there's his positions that
are still being evaluated with three weeks ago. And you, Gene,
you've been there too. It's you want to see how
guys finished the season. May at three and eleven. You're
mathematically eliminated from the playoffs at this point, so you
(07:15):
want to see who's going to stick around and fight
for these next three weeks and the kind of culture
you're trying to build for next year. And you know,
we've talked a Niche as well about you know, two
thousand and two moving into two thousand and three, the
way that team finished in a year where they knew
they weren't going to go anywhere is like, you know,
they carried that momentum into the offseason and then built
in the two thousand and three the team that would
go to a super Bowl that year. So even though
(07:35):
you look at twenty twenty four and go the record's
not much different than it was last year, we seen
a lot of signs of encouragement. You know, what are
these building blocks that can take you into the off
season with a little bit momentum heading into next year too.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
And one of the things that I saw that I
thought was maybe a little alarming. I think that you
got to go ahead and get it under control. Uh
the Dallas Cowboys when Michael Parson got into a wide nine.
I know he's a beast, but he was able to
be icky on the out a couple of times easily.
And either your quarterback is stepping up in the pocket
or he's getting back regardless, you got Michael Parsons in
(08:08):
your face. And so I think from an offensive line standpoint,
I saw an offensive line uncharacteristically get pushed around in
the passing game, and that didn't sit well, and I
thought that they had You got to shore that up
because every team moving forward is going to go like this. Hey,
look what market Parce was in. He was in a
wide nine. Let's go get in the white nighte suf.
(08:29):
We get one our speed guys off the edge. See
if they get to the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Tough day for the offensive line, and that unit, to
be fair, has been quite good most of the season.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Happened.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I'll counter with Michael Parsons is also one of one.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
Me.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
He's a Hall of Fame player in the making, and.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
He's going to do that, I think against a lot
of very good offensive linemen. It seemed that when the
margin started to widen and now you get into calls
where you're forced to throw the ball because you got
to come back into the game with what they have
on defense and number eleven, that that kind of plays
(09:06):
into their personnel. It you know what you're up against
at that point.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Yeah, what you do And I'm talking from two different standpoints,
One their offensive line able to push our defensive line
around and then our offense line not being able to
stop them, because what I thought was gonna happen in
that second half is like, look, they end up getting
six sacks. I'm like, dude, you gotta get that ball
out very very quickly, or hit the running game if
(09:33):
they want to go ahead and get somebody into Y nine,
because then the hy nine now they can't go ahead
and get up on that tackle. Get icky out there,
let them smash them in the mouth, let him punch
right them off and run run run two. But that way.
So I was looking for that little counter mismatch and
to get actually back to that run because I thought
one of the weak points, and I understand because we
gotta get back in the game was the fact that
(09:54):
we had to throw the ball and it didn't help
after you get that eighty three yard touchdown. It didn't
help after we get the ball back and a half
that we got sacked, and there you have it.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
And then you had a fumble and seventeen run by
Dallas And now that was kind of the game.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
The other way a second half started was just so
you're down, you get back in ten to seven with
that late touchdown the second quarter, and then give the
ball up early and just like just set up a
bad scenario after that, but it was, but it was
widespread stup. I think it begins with the turnovers. That's
the biggest thing to put your defense in a bad spot.
Some short fields there too, but the ongoing thing that's
been there all year, and we just have never been
(10:31):
able to fill that gaping a hole left by Derek
Brown not being there. Teams have just been able to run.
And I found most disturbing about yesterday was Rico Dawdell
had a career day one hundred and forty nine, the
most he's ever had. His biggest run was twelve. He
averaged six. You'd almost wish there was a seventy five
yard are in there because what that says and indicates,
and what we saw with our eyeballs was a lot
of six and seven and eight yard once and that
(10:52):
will kill you more than anything. They get through and
get one big place, like okay, one guy can miss
a tackle, he could go seventy yards. It's when you're
every down, get up six, seven, eight yards, That's what
I'll just kill you.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
And Saquon did that. Saquon really didn't have the big
run when we were in Philadelphia, Bucky Irving seemed to
do that, and you know, we've kind of said this.
We can try to come up with our own schematic solution.
I'm sure coach Everro wants one too. The reality is
there is no one on one replacement for ninety five. Now,
(11:26):
Dave Canalis isn't gonna make the excuse. He's not going
to say that, hasn't said that all season, to his credit,
But that's just the reality. You bring Derek Brown back
next year, the run defense is going to be better again.
With what they have right now, and trying to accommodate
for his loss, you just don't have anything close to
a one to one replacement, and it's going to be
(11:47):
an issue. And I think that's where complimentary football comes
into play. If you're the Panthers and you can start
playing from ahead, and it seemed they were on the
verge of doing that that first drive they get in
the red zone, turn it over. You can play from
ahead if you can build a two score lead in
the game. Now you take other teams away from the run,
and this pass rush the last three four games has
(12:07):
been much improved.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
You know what, we we've gotten spoiled from having a
guy like Luke Kickley in the middle linebacker, and I
know we got having Thomas Davis because what they're able
to do. Now, we'll see what Rico was doing yesterday,
all that little cutback stuff that he has been doing,
but had been shut down, it would have been absolutely
shut down because they played their leverage extremely well. And
(12:31):
what I'm seeing is that mistackles and I'm seeing that
little gaps and that lever is not being so tightened
up that a lot of those runs that happen.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
I think we learned another thing too, how much we
maybe miss Trevin Wallace.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
At the top of the shack Tompson being gun all year. Yeah,
use a veteran guy that is savvy and can help
players around and be better, and then you lose, like
you said, a very agile, quick sideline the sideline guy
and Trevin Wallace there stuff that stuffs.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Up watching Josie's kind of doing everything, extra extra stuff
and then getting out of position because you're trying to
do extra extra stuff. And so you're right, I think
that while it's not being there, that it makes a
big difference. You got to have your backers, and your
backers are so good at what they do. They're nasty.
They mean they run side to side and they're able
(13:19):
to keep things in check and not let things be
explosive and get to the secondary.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
All right. When we come back here on Panther Talk,
I want you to pay close attention to what Jake
Dilom said after the game yesterday when we were talking
to Jalen Cocher, the Panthers rookie at one hundred yard
game plus Jim with Kurt Coleman and Field Yates offers
up some insight on the twenty twenty five NFL draft.
(13:46):
Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools is on the
Carolina Panthers Radio network.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
This is Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Jalen, this is Jake Billong.
Speaker 7 (14:00):
My question is this, and I asked our director of
college scouting this at halftime. You're six foot three, you're
two hundred and thirteen pounds. You broke every single record
at your college for receptions. You catch the ball with
your hands, not with your body. You can jump out
of a gym.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
How in the hell did you not get drafted?
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Yeah, you know, I'm really not sure.
Speaker 7 (14:22):
But yeah I'm not either, So like I played fifteen
years in the National Football League.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
I watch receivers.
Speaker 7 (14:27):
You're an undrafted rookie free agent from a small school,
you run routes better than ten year veterans, you know how,
you're a quarterback friendly and you catch the ball with
your hands. It just blows my mind.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
Yeah, you know, I feel like it's just it's just
gonna make the story a little bit better. That's what
I love to hear.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
That was Jake Delome after the game with Jalen Coker,
the Panthers undrafted rookie wide receiver, and I wanted to
begin there because, oh, Jim, we've talked on the air
about Jalen Coker and how he's come on as a rookie.
To hear Jake say it that way kind of opens
your eyes because so many times we think of guys
in terms of the pedigree and the spot and the
(15:04):
round in which they were drafted. Taping a podcast earlier,
I brought up CJ. Henderson, Right, you're waiting for it
to be there. You're waiting for it to be there
because he's a former top ten pick, first round pick.
That's in your mind, the undrafted rookie, does it Okay?
We got to see him do it again. We got
to see him do it again. We got to see
him do it again. To here, Jake say that if
you're redrafting this class, there's a good chance Kocher's probably
(15:27):
a second round pick.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Oh, no doubt. Yeah, no, he And he's a humble kid.
I mean he works hard, and he's battled through an injury,
he's had adversity he's had to deal with and he
comes right back out of that injury and he's playing
the best ball that he's played this whole season. And again,
the odds are long when you come into this league. Yeah,
it's always open for a competition when you get to
spring football and training camp and all that. But the
(15:50):
fact is you're beginning where it's unspoken, but you're beginning
at the bottom below the draft picks and some veteran guys.
And as we know, as far as final roster goes
like five receivers usually unless you're doing special teams, sometimes
a hybrid where you're six. And that that kid is he,
I mean that he if he's starting their Eugene, what's
(16:10):
his potential look like down the road?
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Well, look, I think he's a beast already, and there's
nobody's gonna convince me otherwise that he can't be a
top receiver because he's that good. And his other thing
is like, I'm a free agent, so I understand what that's.
That's like. There were guys when I played back in
Seattle earlier and they were high draft picks, and I
was like, this, man, you you were a high draft
(16:35):
pick because I can't believe that how terrible they were.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And those are the guys to get second, third, fourth chance, actly.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
And so the free agent you don't get a chance.
You get one chance to go to make your shot,
and you better make your shot. And I remember when
Chuck Nats came to me and told me, he said, look,
I get any slap guy to go run down there
and kick on a on a punt or or or
or punt returns. He said, if you can't do the job,
he said, guess what, I'll get guy hit a mar
to do it works the wise. Then he said words
(17:03):
the wise, he said, I'll cut you. And I did.
All you have to say to me. I was working
my butt off every single time. I can't have a
bad day. There is no practice squad. So I like
this young man right here, because I know he's he's
under the radar, but he won't be on the radar
because he's gonna be one of your top receivers you watch.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And if you look at this rookie class, and we
have heaped a lot of praise on what Dan Morgan
did despite going into the draft without a first round pick,
there's probably close to a half dozen starters from this
rookie class going forward. I think it's safe to say
Jalen Cocher to me, is the best of the bunch.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
And then at the dimension, we talked about it when
it happened during the game, went over the middle, knowing
he's going to take a shot, and now on he
took the shot, completed the catch. Yes, and we've not
seen that from everybody this year. We see veterans do
alligator arms things like that. We're talking about our team,
other teams. For an undrafted rookie out there, put his
body on the line. And he's not just a speed guy.
He's not a finesse guy. There's not a ton that
(18:00):
will go over the middle, especially moment, especially when it's new,
because you're not used to He played at Holy Cross
He's not used to seeing that at Holy Cross. For
him to take that kind of a shot and know
that it's coming that that was another I think level
of Wow, this guy is gonna be something.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
So you know what he's thinking in his head. He's
thinking like this. He probably won't say it is like
this man, that guy is ahead of me, and that
guy was ahead of me. Watch, i'mbout to smoke these guys.
He's he's probably thinking.
Speaker 4 (18:24):
Six to three incredible catch radius. You look at his
receptions to targets. He's catching about two thirds of the
balls thrown to him, and we've seen them. A lot
of them are contested, fifty to fifty balls, he goes up,
he can make the catch. He's only played in eight games.
Remember he started the year on the practice squad. After
the Deontay Johnson trade, an opportunity opened up. He missed
(18:46):
three with a quad injury. You extrapolate his numbers over
a full season, he's looking at about eight hundred yards
receiving as a rookie over seventeen games. His numbers over
a full season would compare favorably to let's say a
DJ Moore's rookie season.
Speaker 6 (19:02):
No that's a good point. DJ Moore was fantastic run
after the catch. I think Coker can be that too.
So yeah, it's it's great when you can get something
that's not expending a draft pick and you're not spending
money in a free agency situation. I'd like to see
more Jatavian Sanders too. I think he's got the ability
to be a player that with his athleticism. Eugene, Again,
(19:25):
guys develop at different rate. Some guys get it.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
We saw CJ.
Speaker 6 (19:28):
Stroud blow out of the gate last year and now
you know Bryce this year. We're looking like he's catching
up a little bit until the game yesterday anyway, But again,
you know, telling about big picture wise, your Jatavian Sanders.
It might be next year before it clicks with him.
But man, the little glimpses we stopped it before he
got hurt. There's there's something there too. I think if
he can kind of keep it going consistently, it's probably
the thing they just didn't couldn't get involved in the
(19:49):
offense yesterday.
Speaker 5 (19:49):
Here's a great thing about these young rookies. They got
a taste of it, and they're hungry and they want
to eat more.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
You can tell that, yeah, and you think about it
when you trade it away Deontay Johnson. Now a lot
of the these guys are getting the number one corner.
So let's say if the Panthers either go get a
McMillan from Arizona or Travis Hunter from Colorado in the draft,
or if they go and sign a wide receiver and
free agency, maybe at t Higgins who knows, right, all
(20:15):
of a sudden, now you're getting the number two corner,
maybe the number three corner. You've played against guys who
are at this point a level above you. That will
go a long way. And I think with Sanders too,
Jim does it feel he had that scary neck injury.
I don't know if he's been hesitant, but just hasn't
been the same in the two games back now.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
And that's understandable because that was a scary thing you're
taking off the field like that. But we saw some
glimpses prior to that injury of some really athletic abilities
at the tight end position. You gotta be a good
blocker of that position too, So there's things to work
on on his game overall. But I think, you know,
maybe another offseason into next year that could be something.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
And keep eye out of Richison Man as a safety.
Keep eye out of him. I'm telling you there's something
about that young man's got like a motor and you
know he's in the right place, and you can I
can teach you how to tack. I could teach you
all that stuff, but I can't teach you to be
in the right spot. He's in the right spot.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
He had the reputation of being a ballhawk in camp
and saw more snaps the last couple of weeks. We'll
be back here on Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Here on the Carolina Panthers Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
This is Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Former Panthers safety Kurt Coleman spent three seasons with Carolina,
the first of which was part of that outstanding Super
Bowl fifty team. Proud product of Ohio State University, he
works at charlottett In High School these days, in addition
to the work you hear him do with us on
the Carolina Panthers Radio Network broadcasting games. Looking forward to
a great conversation with Kurt Coleman.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Thirty seasons of Panther football, A celebration of the players, coaches,
and other key figures who've contributed to the organizational success.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
Kurt Coleman, I love him not just because he's an
Ohio State guy, but one of our favorite Panthers of
all times. And anytime he's on a broadcast with us,
it makes a better experience as well, and great to
get to spend some time learning about Kurt, how he
got to where he is and his young life to
this point so far, and so glad he's part of
this Charlotte community to this day. Kurt, how you doing, Oh,
(22:19):
I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Thank you for having me today. You know, I always
enjoy the booth. I learned so much from you guys,
and so the pleasures all mine, and thank you for
having me on today.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
Well, you're a natural. I'll tell you one thing before
we get into you know, kind of going through your
life a little bit. Here is just your preparation. I mean,
it's just evident. You show up ready to roll, and
you don't know this, but there are some players on
other teams in college broadcasting or whatever, and they'll kind
of show up and they'll get the depth chart and
they'll just look in and react to what they see,
and you do all of that, you react to what
(22:50):
you see and explain it to us so well. But
I mean, really, preparation that's kind of part of just
your game, no matter what you do, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Yeah, I mean I believe you know, if you fail
to prepare, you're preparing to fail. And I think in
order to articulate and and really I think communicate your
thoughts as best as possible to anyone, you need to
know what you're talking about. And I know the game
of x's and o's, but you don't necessarily always know
the players, especially I would say, especially when we call
(23:20):
the preseason games, but in general, I mean, there's so
many moving parts in the NFL, and in order to
best talk about who they are and there's a reason why,
there's a reason why the GM made a move, or
the coaches are playing this guy, or why a player
is playing a certain technique, and in order to know that,
you better know what you're talking about. And so, yeah,
(23:41):
I learned a lot just from the game of football
of preparing, because there was a time where I had
to learn the hard way. But then you know, when
you're around a guy like Mick Mixon, he doesn't let
the little things slip by the wayside, and and how
he could just describe certain scenes. I actually, you know,
(24:01):
said oh, I need to do a lot better. So
he taught me just from watching him. I'm like, oh,
I can bring a little more to my game.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
And you know that preparation too. It's it's football as
a player. And then we talk about as a broadcaster.
But tell folks what you're doing. And you've been at
Charlott Lattin High School in the last six seven years
year role there and and what that means to you
and what the job is like for you.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah, it's been It's been a rewarding one one where
I went to school to become a teacher, and then
when I graduated, obviously I went into the career that
has really elevated a lot of opportunities for me. It's
given me a great platform to do a lot of
great and wonderful things around the communities that I've been
able to live in. And then now since I've been
in Charlotte, I started prepping for this position a few
(24:45):
years actually before my career ended in the NFL, and
as we started talking about what and how and where
I can make the most impact. I really did feel
like I needed to have almost an administrative role to
be able to help oversee a lot of things through
the whole school, so at Charlot lattin this position had
not been created before as the stewardship and scholarship administrator,
(25:06):
to be able to help create new practices and policies
and really help oversee a lot of our financial aid
families and really making sure that the really the policies
that we had in place were working. But if they weren't,
how do we change it, and how do we help
create some new ones and so creating bridges into our
underserved communities. I think is I absolutely love it and
(25:29):
being able to see students and families and see them
walk across the line at graduation and get their diploma,
I mean, and to see where they're going. And now
I have some students that have they're about to graduate
from college. I mean, it's just so cool to see
that this is not only changing their life, but generations
(25:50):
beyond that. And I always feel like it's so much
easier in this world will be a better place when
we lift other people up instead of trying to drag
people down and being in the position that I am
and at a school that it is high academics, but
also it's whatever you want to do. If you want
to be in the arts, if you want to be
in the athletics, if you want to be an engineer,
and if you just want to be just an all around,
(26:12):
just well rounded person, there is a place here for that,
and I want to help see that through. So it's
been a great thing. But I learned it from my
dad and my mom the career paths that they chose,
And this obviously is something that I'm able to help
carry on hopefully to my kids.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
And you and I've talked before. I know your dad
was involved in schools as an administrator, I think assistant
principle and some other jobs. Are you saying your mom
was also? Were they both in education?
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Not necessarily. My mom was a speech pathologist and she
worked with a veterans, so being able to see veterans
and again helped see and serve them after they'd come back,
and they would deal with different types of issues, whether
they had a stroke or whatever the case may be.
In there, learning how to really swallow and then from
swallowing it's too talking and doing all those little things.
(27:02):
Just the acts of service is something that my parents
both showed me. My dad had coached well before I
was even born, and he would tell me funny stories
about Butch and Chris Carter and Ken Griffy Junior and
all these things about these guys that I even Hugh
Douglas at Central State, I mean, all these guys that
(27:24):
he had an opportunity to see coach or be around.
And it's like wow, and you know, I was only
hoping that I could be in that position when I
got older, and so yeah, it's serving and really just
being able to help see other people be successful in
their own right.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Subscribed to thirty seasons of Panther Football on the iHeartRadio app,
Panthers dot com, and Team Apple, Apple podcast or Spotify.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
This is Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
This is Panther Talk. She sent it by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
Back here on after Talk. We're joined by ESPN NFL
analyst insider Field Gates. Field recently put out a mock
draft predicting all thirty two first round picks. Now, this
was put out a few days ago before the games
from Week fifteen, but bell Field, one of the interesting
things that you had. You've got quarterbacks going one two.
(28:21):
Does that seem to be the consensus, especially if it's
the Giants and Raiders picking at the top of the draft.
Speaker 8 (28:28):
Well, I'd say to this is there a lot of
football left to determine how things shake out the rest
of this season, and of course we have things like
free agency and the possibility of trades prior to the draft.
But aniche, I do feel like right now, if I
were to place the odds on the most likely players
to go at the very top of the twenty twenty
five NFL Draft, I do believe that two quarterbacks and
whatever order you want to choose them to door standers
(28:49):
and camp board. Campboard and door standers are pretty solid
bets to go one two overall. And that is I
think in this case, maybe more about how many teams
the quarterbacks and how important that position is in the NFL,
and as things stand right now, in the end, there's
a lot that can happened. There have been notable quarterbacks
(29:09):
that have opted to declare to go back to school
for twenty twenty five. On top of that, as always,
the quarterback free agent market looks pretty flimsy right now.
At best, teams are not usually motivated to let their
top tier quarterbacks reach the open market. So I do
think those two quarterbacks should feel fairly comfortable as much
as you can in December, the year prior to.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
The draft, you're plugged into these front offices. So when
you look at Shador Sanders and cam Ward, how do
they compare with the top three qbs who came out
last year, Caleb Williams, Jaden Daniels and Drake May.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
It is much different class. I think it's state just
standing at twenty twenty four and twenty twenty five are
going to be very very different in a lot of ways.
And you know, I felt like last year we had
three quarterbacks at the top of the draft that we
can do as much homework on them as she wanted.
But it at some point you reached the level where
it was very clear that you have three guys who
in a lot of years are going to go in
(30:06):
the first three to five picks in a draft. That's
how strong last year's quarterback class was the kind of
guy that basically just turn in the note card and
you begin your preparation in terms of how to make
those players excellent at the NFL level as well. Just
for some context, I had all three of those guys
in my top five last year my overall big board
as things stand right now to door Standers and cam
(30:27):
Ward outside my top ten for top prospects in this
year's class. So not saying they won't go early. I
do believe these players will end up going in the
very very beginning portion of the twenty twenty five NFL draft,
But there's a bit of an incongruence in terms of
where I have them rated overall and where I expect
them to land in the mack.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
Yeah, and again that's what we see with quarterbacks historically,
right do you have a quarterback team's reach for a quarterback.
But it brings me to my point about Travis Hunter,
Heisman winner. You have him going third in your mock draft,
which again was before the week fifteen games. Let's say
the Giants and Raiders go quarterback quarterback and they're picking
one two, and now the team that has that third
(31:07):
pick is in line to go get Travis Hunter should
they opt to trade that pick. How valuable does that
third pick and the prospect of drafting a Travis Hunter
become Does that kind of become the domino pick in
the draft.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
Yeah, it's really interesting. I think that the way that
it does is if the Giants and the Raiders end
up with picks one and two. And the reason I
say that is they of course have the most obvious
im pressing quarterback need. If somebody else is ahead of them,
I mean, there's a possibility there are several teams who's
just three wins so far this season, and the Raiders
(31:44):
not only played with then a football Week fifteen, but
also play a Jaguars team in Week sixteen that you
think would be one they could probably have a competitive
game against at the very least. But if somebody else
picks in the top two picks, then the inflection point
becomes whoever has that pick, because you know, if you're
the Patriots or if you're the Panthers, teams that you know,
certainly in the case of the Patriots, I think in
(32:05):
the case of the Panthers right now, you know feel
pretty committed to their young quarterback going into next season,
or feel fully committed to that young quarterback going into
next season, then you have to measure this, Hey, we
have a player who fills maybe two needs right, because
Harvis Hunter, of course is this unbelievable two way dynamic player.
But if you could get some sort of freight to
(32:27):
move down because you have a team like the Giants
or the Raiders that wants to move up, then all
of a sudden you could be tantalized by a package
that would include, of course multiple picks. But I don't
know if the third pick will necessarily be up for
auction if it is the Giants and the Raiders that
have the first two selections. Okay, draft harmas Hunter is exceptional,
(32:50):
he is rare. He is the Heisman Trophy winner as
of this past Saturday night. But simply because we don't
when we see trade ups in the top of the
NFL draft, especially before the NFL Draft, we know they're
almost always motivated by quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
So yeah, true, ruling.
Speaker 8 (33:08):
It out, but it is rather uncommon relative to what
we see at that signal color position.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
What we're talking with ESPN's NFL insider Field Yates Field.
I'll end on this with the Panthers probably picking in
the top ten when all is said and done, maybe
top five. We still have three games here to figure
that out. Obviously, a lot of needs on the defensive
side of the ball. Probably could use another playmaker on
offense too. But what makes sense for Carolina? Is it
(33:38):
keeping the pick, is it trading down best player available?
What makes sense for the Panthers, Well.
Speaker 8 (33:44):
I'll tell you what makes sense is the way the
board lines up right now for teams like Carolina. So
as again, let's just assume there is no quarterback investment here.
You know, Bryce has played better. You know there's Yesterday
was sort of a you know, come back down to
earth moment for the entire team. But I think Rice
has much more representative of what the Panthers thought they
were getting when they drafted up number one overall of
(34:05):
late and I credited him, I credit the coaching staff,
I credit the entire organization for that. But to your point,
they want to draft an edg rusher, got a couple
of those. You want to draft a defensive tackle, you
got one in Mason Graham from Michigan, who's fantastic. You
want to draft a wide receiver, you have one in
Tenoreroe McMillan, who is excellent as well. This is all
somewhere in that range of what's called three to ten
(34:26):
or so you know, obviously f Travis Hunter, the board aligned.
I believe with what Carolina probably is most motivated to
add this offseason. I think trading down. I just don't
see it this year. Aniche as of right now is
as obvious is where things were last year. Because you
think about some of the teams that we were discussing
last year as potential or likely trade down teams, and
(34:48):
it was, hey, we have these these quarterbacks that are
going to motivate teams to move up. What a team
like Arizona moved down from pick number four, they ended
up not doing it. I think this here, we're much
more likely to have some of those conversations during the
draft as opposed to leading up to the draft. With
in the case for.
Speaker 4 (35:07):
Much of last likely he is field Y. It's ESPN's
NFL Insider. Follow him for all things NFL. He's got
the lowdown fantasy football. If you want to know who
you should start sit playoffs coming up, Field's got all
your answers. Field appreciate you as always. Coming on, Thank you.
Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools. You're listening to
(35:28):
the Carolina Panthers Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
This is Panther Talk. Please end it by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
And a shrof Chibzokie Eugene Robinson hereon Panther Talk. Carolina
home for Arizona this weekend. It is the final regular
season home game than road trips to Tampa and Atlanta
and Eugene. What these three games will reveal is what
the Panthers could take into the offseason, because all three
(35:58):
teams are playing for their playoff lives. Arizona right in
to think of it, in the NFC West, Tampa leading
the South, with Atlanta right on their heels.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
This is this is really a good chance for the
Carolina Panthers to find out what they're really made of.
We saw, you know, with the exception of this Dallas game,
which I really believe is outlier. They've been playing some
really good ball as some really consistent ball, and I'm
expecting them to get back to that. I think this
was an anomalous thing that happened with Dallas for whatever reason.
(36:30):
Just throw it away. I think, as you're moving forward
right now, you got a chance to prove yourself as
being an up and coming team, and I want you
to get on that road right now because if you
beat any of these teams right here, you're gonna be
in that conversation.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Now, what is the locker room effect, Eugene, of ending
the season on a wind streak or playing your best
football going into next season?
Speaker 5 (36:54):
Is that?
Speaker 4 (36:55):
Is that a real tangible thing in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (36:57):
It's a real tangible thing. One because we're all professors too,
because you want your job and you want to be
back with the Carolina Panthers, and three because you want
to win and when you can. When you can just
end on a really good note, it leaves a good
taste in your mouth. If you end on a bad note,
what you're thinking about is I think they might cut me, dude,
(37:18):
I think they might get rid of me. That's what
you're thinking. But you end in a high note.
Speaker 6 (37:21):
Totally different, different situation than we've had the last couple
of years too, where the coach is carrying over. So
to your point, you know, you got to impress the
coach that is here with what you're going to put
out in these final a couple of games to show
that you'll be part of the future too. Whereas you
can see players check out because they're thinking this coach
is leaving. I'm leaving, doesn't matter. I'm gonna be here
(37:43):
three games. I'll be living somewhere else next year. That's
not the case here. This is the coach is in place,
and you got a lot of these core players that
are in place, and there's competition going on right.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
Now, and coach Canalis is not going to have the
tolerance for what happened even this year to bring that
forward next year. He's not gonna have the tolerance. So
his uh, you know, he's gonna have a short lease, like, Hey,
you either producing or you're not producing, because what he's
trying to build. If you're not meeting the specification he's
trying to build, you won't be here.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
I think about it. Right, You've got another draft class
incoming in the spring, You've got free agency, so you're
gonna sign at least a handful of free agents as well.
So if you're on the fringes of the roster and
those guys, Eugene, I'm sure know who they are. If
you're one of those guys, that is a roster spot
here or an audition for the other thirty one.
Speaker 5 (38:32):
And that's what another thing we need to talk about.
You're auditioning right now for another team, because you make
the team that you have right now will not be
the same team moving forward in twenty twenty five, So
you're really auditioning for another team. You gotta end up strong.
You know, we just saw with the with the San
Francisco forty nine ers, a guy quit during this during
(38:53):
the game. Do you think you want them on your team? No,
so you want to end extremely well.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
There's also young guys where you know these last three games,
Bryce Young is in that category. You want to see
Bryce finish strong. But there's other guys on the team.
We talked earlier about Cocher. We'll see if exavierly get
returns this season. He's got a groin. But I think
there's some of those fringe guys who are gonna get
some opportunities, like a Jaden Crummedy, for example, might see
(39:21):
more of him. Maybe it's Demani Richardson, maybe Shaw Smith Wade.
Speaker 5 (39:25):
I hope, I hope, I hope Richardson gets more. I
just like this kid. I like the way he moves.
I think he I think what we're seeing with the safeties,
I think you can find himself in a nice role
of being one of the starting safeties there.
Speaker 6 (39:37):
And you know, for for all those players you name,
those are good players. I think they're part of the future.
But there's also gonna be a handful of players that
will tell you the opposite. They'll their their play will
show you that they're not good enough. Because you have
to make that decision too. You know which ones are
good that you want to carry over, but also which
ones are like, Okay, we've got that, or we we
we can find another version of that, and and not
(39:57):
here not a good fit, whatever the case is, because
you have to make those uster evaluations too about what
you're keeping and what you're not going to bring back.
Speaker 5 (40:03):
Is Brady Christen Is he up? He'll be a free
agent due you got to keep him. Now. He's a
Swiss army knife that you can't afford to lose. I
don't think. I don't think you can afford to lose.
I got he's that good.
Speaker 4 (40:16):
Yeah, that is going to be one of the many
questions that the front office faces when the season ends.
The task at hand. Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals come to
Charlotte and Bank of America Stadium. It is the regular
season home finale, Cardinals can run the football, gonna have
to stop the run on Sunday and then on the
(40:37):
road to play spoiler against Tampa Bay and Atlanta to
close the season. We only have a few episodes and
a few weeks left here Panther Talk. Enjoy it while
he can.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
This talk plea.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
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to help. Bank of America Official Bank of the Carolina Panthers.
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(41:14):
Antherton Panther Tall, Panther Tall. This is the Carolina Panthers
Radio Network.
The following is an exclusive presentation of the Carolina Panthers
and the National Football League's Tough.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
And thirt all and They't All and They're toll.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is Panther Talk, presented by Bosh power Tools on
the Carolina Panthers Network.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Story of the games the ball, you know, ten points
off of turnovers, just giving their offense opportunities, and then
the first half, you know, giving up some big plays
in the pass game, and then in the second half,
you know, with the lead, they went right to the
run game and we weren't able to get them off
the field. That way, you're playing from behind. We played
their strengths and they have a good pass rush unit,
and they got after us. But that's not the brand
(00:40):
of football we want to play. We got to take
care of the ball so we can be balanced, so
we can continue to mix our runs and passes in
offensively and then defensive to get them into more pass situations.
So a really challenging day for us.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
And now, along with Jim Zoki and Eugene Robinson, here's
a Niche Shroff with Panther Talk live from the Panthers
broadcast facility at Bank of America stadium.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
That was Dave Canalis's assessment of the game Sunday Panthers
going down against Dallas, and you heard it from coach.
The four turnover is really the difference in that game.
And without further ado, we bring in the head coach
for the Carolina Panthers, Dave Canalis, as we always do
on Monday. Coach, appreciate you coming on. Sometimes games like these,
(01:26):
especially with the way the team had been playing the
previous five games, you sometimes find out more about your
team as you kind of have to go through the
adversity again. What did the tape reveal anything that spoke
some kind of truth to you when you looked at
the film.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, it was the football. It was blocking and tackling,
It was fall security, things that we had been making
strides and improving on over the last couple of weeks.
And when you turn the ball over, you know, and
with the challenges that we've had to find our identity
and play our style of football, it really makes a different.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Coach when you're going through a rough patch. As you
guys are going through a rough patch, who do you
turn to or who do you look to to go
ahead and help you get through these rough.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Patches each other, the coaches, you know, spending time talking
through the issues, leaning on each other, trying to find
solutions together, and they're off internally that way for us,
and then going to the players and just you know,
if we can make this about football and go to
them so we can give them something to improve upon,
something to work at throughout the week.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
And I know you guys are constantly evaluating your teaching
and so forth, but the grind of the regular season
only leaves so much time each week to get ready
for the next opponent with Arizona coming up, So how
do you balance that when you're trying to correct things
but also just you know, expecting them to do the
plays the way they're drying to designed to go and
get ready for the next opponent.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Absolutely, And you know the I mean the challenge of
this part is there's closure, and this game's over. We
looked at the film, we talked through it with the players,
and we're moving on to get rifinals, you know, so
it gives us a chance to kind of hit the
reset button and see if we can return some good
football coach.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Every time we watch Jalen Cocher, it seems like he
peels back another layer and makes you go, wow, fifteen games,
fifteen weeks into the season, when you kind of look
at Jalen Cocher now from when you did in the preseason,
what kind of player can he ultimately be?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think guy's a limit for Jalen, you know. I
think that he makes the most of his opportunities when
he's targeted. Gown that to be consistent, and I think
it's from this point it's about, you know, owning the details,
owning all the different possible situations you could be in
from blocking in the run game and screen game to
be just be in the past game. All the things
(03:51):
that take time and growth, you know, but at the baseline,
you feel really really good about the player just being
able to make the most of his opportunity.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
And coach on that on that play where he scored
the test sound, I know, you guys were in empty backfield.
What was the defense that the uh that they were
playing to go ahead and accounting you to allow him
to get so free and so open.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
You know, I just felt like the outsideors in that
case kind of misplayed how we switched released on the
three receiver side, and they were kind of both, you know,
locked in on a lower target. You had Xavier inside
at the number three spot, so that might have grabbed
a little bit of They left Jalen running.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Down the field.
Speaker 6 (04:32):
As you said, you kind of closed the book on
that one. You get ready for Arizona this week, but
you always wanted to carry the lessons forward from what
happened in the past game. How do you kind of
pull that out for the players this week as far
as wanted to learn a start of that balance of
you know, learning for what just happened, but also it
was kind of an outlier of what's happened over the
last six weeks, not the typical Panthers' effort and getting
back to that reset you were talking about and being
(04:53):
positive moving into the Arizona game.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
With the mentality that every week presents its challenges. In
the car Cardinals are going to present their own They
got some fantastic players on the offense and defense. Defensively,
their scheme presents its own issues and it's kind of
unique in the way they use their safeties and their
nickel kind of interchangeably to throw you off balance.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Yeah, I'm thinking about that. If they're using their safeties
and the nickel kind of like interchangeably, there may be
some room to go ahead and have some matchups that
you can take advantage of, Coach.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Absolutely, and you know when you play face the defense
that does multiple things, there are things that take advantage
of in the past game certainly run game. They got
to know where to fit. So if they're bringing different
people into the box, then hopefully you can take advantage
of that as well, Coach.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
I know it's only been a couple of games where
we've seen Jaden crummedy, but early returns on kind of
the last guy in this rookie class to see the field.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yeah, big athletic. He had some really come out the stack,
you know, stacked monster plays on some screens, shows an
ability to get off the blocks, and we decided to
see him and what he can do this week as well.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Coach, appreciate it. As always. We'll let you go a
little early here on this Monday and then catch up
with you after the game on Sunday.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Thank you, coach, all right, thanks guys, thank you all right.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Dave Canalis, head coach of the Carolina Panthers thirty to
fourteen Cowboys over the Panthers on Sunday yesterday, and Jim,
I think we're going to be able to pin this
game in its proper plot point three weeks from now,
(06:38):
given what we saw the previous five weeks, we want
to say it's an outlier. I think the reality is
is if we were in the position where the Kansas
City Chiefs were, and you have a game like this,
you chalk it up and you say bad game, They're
still a little bit of having to earn that benefit
of the doubt.
Speaker 6 (06:54):
No, no doubt. I think the evaluation continues for a
lot of players on this team, quarterback all the way
through a lot of other positions, not not everywhere, not
Chubahabbert's pretty set, but I think there's his positions that
are still being evaluated with three weeks ago. And you, Gene,
you've been there too. It's you want to see how
guys finished the season. May at three and eleven. You're
mathematically eliminated from the playoffs at this point, so you
(07:15):
want to see who's going to stick around and fight
for these next three weeks and the kind of culture
you're trying to build for next year. And you know,
we've talked a Niche as well about you know, two
thousand and two moving into two thousand and three, the
way that team finished in a year where they knew
they weren't going to go anywhere is like, you know,
they carried that momentum into the offseason and then built
in the two thousand and three the team that would
go to a super Bowl that year. So even though
(07:35):
you look at twenty twenty four and go the record's
not much different than it was last year, we seen
a lot of signs of encouragement. You know, what are
these building blocks that can take you into the off
season with a little bit momentum heading into next year too.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
And one of the things that I saw that I
thought was maybe a little alarming. I think that you
got to go ahead and get it under control. Uh
the Dallas Cowboys when Michael Parson got into a wide nine.
I know he's a beast, but he was able to
be icky on the out a couple of times easily.
And either your quarterback is stepping up in the pocket
or he's getting back regardless, you got Michael Parsons in
(08:08):
your face. And so I think from an offensive line standpoint,
I saw an offensive line uncharacteristically get pushed around in
the passing game, and that didn't sit well, and I
thought that they had You got to shore that up
because every team moving forward is going to go like this. Hey,
look what market Parce was in. He was in a
wide nine. Let's go get in the white nighte suf.
(08:29):
We get one our speed guys off the edge. See
if they get to the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Tough day for the offensive line, and that unit, to
be fair, has been quite good most of the season.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Happened.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I'll counter with Michael Parsons is also one of one.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
Me.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
He's a Hall of Fame player in the making, and.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
He's going to do that, I think against a lot
of very good offensive linemen. It seemed that when the
margin started to widen and now you get into calls
where you're forced to throw the ball because you got
to come back into the game with what they have
on defense and number eleven, that that kind of plays
(09:06):
into their personnel. It you know what you're up against
at that point.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Yeah, what you do And I'm talking from two different standpoints,
One their offensive line able to push our defensive line
around and then our offense line not being able to
stop them, because what I thought was gonna happen in
that second half is like, look, they end up getting
six sacks. I'm like, dude, you gotta get that ball
out very very quickly, or hit the running game if
(09:33):
they want to go ahead and get somebody into Y nine,
because then the hy nine now they can't go ahead
and get up on that tackle. Get icky out there,
let them smash them in the mouth, let him punch
right them off and run run run two. But that way.
So I was looking for that little counter mismatch and
to get actually back to that run because I thought
one of the weak points, and I understand because we
gotta get back in the game was the fact that
(09:54):
we had to throw the ball and it didn't help
after you get that eighty three yard touchdown. It didn't
help after we get the ball back and a half
that we got sacked, and there you have it.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
And then you had a fumble and seventeen run by
Dallas And now that was kind of the game.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
The other way a second half started was just so
you're down, you get back in ten to seven with
that late touchdown the second quarter, and then give the
ball up early and just like just set up a
bad scenario after that, but it was, but it was
widespread stup. I think it begins with the turnovers. That's
the biggest thing to put your defense in a bad spot.
Some short fields there too, but the ongoing thing that's
been there all year, and we just have never been
(10:31):
able to fill that gaping a hole left by Derek
Brown not being there. Teams have just been able to run.
And I found most disturbing about yesterday was Rico Dawdell
had a career day one hundred and forty nine, the
most he's ever had. His biggest run was twelve. He
averaged six. You'd almost wish there was a seventy five
yard are in there because what that says and indicates,
and what we saw with our eyeballs was a lot
of six and seven and eight yard once and that
(10:52):
will kill you more than anything. They get through and
get one big place, like okay, one guy can miss
a tackle, he could go seventy yards. It's when you're
every down, get up six, seven, eight yards, That's what
I'll just kill you.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
And Saquon did that. Saquon really didn't have the big
run when we were in Philadelphia, Bucky Irving seemed to
do that, and you know, we've kind of said this.
We can try to come up with our own schematic solution.
I'm sure coach Everro wants one too. The reality is
there is no one on one replacement for ninety five. Now,
(11:26):
Dave Canalis isn't gonna make the excuse. He's not going
to say that, hasn't said that all season, to his credit,
But that's just the reality. You bring Derek Brown back
next year, the run defense is going to be better again.
With what they have right now, and trying to accommodate
for his loss, you just don't have anything close to
a one to one replacement, and it's going to be
(11:47):
an issue. And I think that's where complimentary football comes
into play. If you're the Panthers and you can start
playing from ahead, and it seemed they were on the
verge of doing that that first drive they get in
the red zone, turn it over. You can play from
ahead if you can build a two score lead in
the game. Now you take other teams away from the run,
and this pass rush the last three four games has
(12:07):
been much improved.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
You know what, we we've gotten spoiled from having a
guy like Luke Kickley in the middle linebacker, and I
know we got having Thomas Davis because what they're able
to do. Now, we'll see what Rico was doing yesterday,
all that little cutback stuff that he has been doing,
but had been shut down, it would have been absolutely
shut down because they played their leverage extremely well. And
(12:31):
what I'm seeing is that mistackles and I'm seeing that
little gaps and that lever is not being so tightened
up that a lot of those runs that happen.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
I think we learned another thing too, how much we
maybe miss Trevin Wallace.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
At the top of the shack Tompson being gun all year. Yeah,
use a veteran guy that is savvy and can help
players around and be better, and then you lose, like
you said, a very agile, quick sideline the sideline guy
and Trevin Wallace there stuff that stuffs.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Up watching Josie's kind of doing everything, extra extra stuff
and then getting out of position because you're trying to
do extra extra stuff. And so you're right, I think
that while it's not being there, that it makes a
big difference. You got to have your backers, and your
backers are so good at what they do. They're nasty.
They mean they run side to side and they're able
(13:19):
to keep things in check and not let things be
explosive and get to the secondary.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
All right. When we come back here on Panther Talk,
I want you to pay close attention to what Jake
Dilom said after the game yesterday when we were talking
to Jalen Cocher, the Panthers rookie at one hundred yard
game plus Jim with Kurt Coleman and Field Yates offers
up some insight on the twenty twenty five NFL draft.
(13:46):
Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools is on the
Carolina Panthers Radio network.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
This is Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Jalen, this is Jake Billong.
Speaker 7 (14:00):
My question is this, and I asked our director of
college scouting this at halftime. You're six foot three, you're
two hundred and thirteen pounds. You broke every single record
at your college for receptions. You catch the ball with
your hands, not with your body. You can jump out
of a gym.
Speaker 6 (14:15):
How in the hell did you not get drafted?
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Yeah, you know, I'm really not sure.
Speaker 7 (14:22):
But yeah I'm not either, So like I played fifteen
years in the National Football League.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
I watch receivers.
Speaker 7 (14:27):
You're an undrafted rookie free agent from a small school,
you run routes better than ten year veterans, you know how,
you're a quarterback friendly and you catch the ball with
your hands. It just blows my mind.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
Yeah, you know, I feel like it's just it's just
gonna make the story a little bit better. That's what
I love to hear.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
That was Jake Delome after the game with Jalen Coker,
the Panthers undrafted rookie wide receiver, and I wanted to
begin there because, oh, Jim, we've talked on the air
about Jalen Coker and how he's come on as a rookie.
To hear Jake say it that way kind of opens
your eyes because so many times we think of guys
in terms of the pedigree and the spot and the
(15:04):
round in which they were drafted. Taping a podcast earlier,
I brought up CJ. Henderson, Right, you're waiting for it
to be there. You're waiting for it to be there
because he's a former top ten pick, first round pick.
That's in your mind, the undrafted rookie, does it Okay?
We got to see him do it again. We got
to see him do it again. We got to see
him do it again. To here, Jake say that if
you're redrafting this class, there's a good chance Kocher's probably
(15:27):
a second round pick.
Speaker 6 (15:28):
Oh, no doubt. Yeah, no, he And he's a humble kid.
I mean he works hard, and he's battled through an injury,
he's had adversity he's had to deal with and he
comes right back out of that injury and he's playing
the best ball that he's played this whole season. And again,
the odds are long when you come into this league. Yeah,
it's always open for a competition when you get to
spring football and training camp and all that. But the
(15:50):
fact is you're beginning where it's unspoken, but you're beginning
at the bottom below the draft picks and some veteran guys.
And as we know, as far as final roster goes
like five receivers usually unless you're doing special teams, sometimes
a hybrid where you're six. And that that kid is he,
I mean that he if he's starting their Eugene, what's
(16:10):
his potential look like down the road?
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Well, look, I think he's a beast already, and there's
nobody's gonna convince me otherwise that he can't be a
top receiver because he's that good. And his other thing
is like, I'm a free agent, so I understand what that's.
That's like. There were guys when I played back in
Seattle earlier and they were high draft picks, and I
was like, this, man, you you were a high draft
(16:35):
pick because I can't believe that how terrible they were.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And those are the guys to get second, third, fourth chance, actly.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
And so the free agent you don't get a chance.
You get one chance to go to make your shot,
and you better make your shot. And I remember when
Chuck Nats came to me and told me, he said, look,
I get any slap guy to go run down there
and kick on a on a punt or or or
or punt returns. He said, if you can't do the job,
he said, guess what, I'll get guy hit a mar
to do it works the wise. Then he said words
(17:03):
the wise, he said, I'll cut you. And I did.
All you have to say to me. I was working
my butt off every single time. I can't have a
bad day. There is no practice squad. So I like
this young man right here, because I know he's he's
under the radar, but he won't be on the radar
because he's gonna be one of your top receivers you watch.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And if you look at this rookie class, and we
have heaped a lot of praise on what Dan Morgan
did despite going into the draft without a first round pick,
there's probably close to a half dozen starters from this
rookie class going forward. I think it's safe to say
Jalen Cocher to me, is the best of the bunch.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
And then at the dimension, we talked about it when
it happened during the game, went over the middle, knowing
he's going to take a shot, and now on he
took the shot, completed the catch. Yes, and we've not
seen that from everybody this year. We see veterans do
alligator arms things like that. We're talking about our team,
other teams. For an undrafted rookie out there, put his
body on the line. And he's not just a speed guy.
He's not a finesse guy. There's not a ton that
(18:00):
will go over the middle, especially moment, especially when it's new,
because you're not used to He played at Holy Cross
He's not used to seeing that at Holy Cross. For
him to take that kind of a shot and know
that it's coming that that was another I think level
of Wow, this guy is gonna be something.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
So you know what he's thinking in his head. He's
thinking like this. He probably won't say it is like
this man, that guy is ahead of me, and that
guy was ahead of me. Watch, i'mbout to smoke these guys.
He's he's probably thinking.
Speaker 4 (18:24):
Six to three incredible catch radius. You look at his
receptions to targets. He's catching about two thirds of the
balls thrown to him, and we've seen them. A lot
of them are contested, fifty to fifty balls, he goes up,
he can make the catch. He's only played in eight games.
Remember he started the year on the practice squad. After
the Deontay Johnson trade, an opportunity opened up. He missed
(18:46):
three with a quad injury. You extrapolate his numbers over
a full season, he's looking at about eight hundred yards
receiving as a rookie over seventeen games. His numbers over
a full season would compare favorably to let's say a
DJ Moore's rookie season.
Speaker 6 (19:02):
No that's a good point. DJ Moore was fantastic run
after the catch. I think Coker can be that too.
So yeah, it's it's great when you can get something
that's not expending a draft pick and you're not spending
money in a free agency situation. I'd like to see
more Jatavian Sanders too. I think he's got the ability
to be a player that with his athleticism. Eugene, Again,
(19:25):
guys develop at different rate. Some guys get it.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
We saw CJ.
Speaker 6 (19:28):
Stroud blow out of the gate last year and now
you know Bryce this year. We're looking like he's catching
up a little bit until the game yesterday anyway, But again,
you know, telling about big picture wise, your Jatavian Sanders.
It might be next year before it clicks with him.
But man, the little glimpses we stopped it before he
got hurt. There's there's something there too. I think if
he can kind of keep it going consistently, it's probably
the thing they just didn't couldn't get involved in the
(19:49):
offense yesterday.
Speaker 5 (19:49):
Here's a great thing about these young rookies. They got
a taste of it, and they're hungry and they want
to eat more.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
You can tell that, yeah, and you think about it
when you trade it away Deontay Johnson. Now a lot
of the these guys are getting the number one corner.
So let's say if the Panthers either go get a
McMillan from Arizona or Travis Hunter from Colorado in the draft,
or if they go and sign a wide receiver and
free agency, maybe at t Higgins who knows, right, all
(20:15):
of a sudden, now you're getting the number two corner,
maybe the number three corner. You've played against guys who
are at this point a level above you. That will
go a long way. And I think with Sanders too,
Jim does it feel he had that scary neck injury.
I don't know if he's been hesitant, but just hasn't
been the same in the two games back now.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
And that's understandable because that was a scary thing you're
taking off the field like that. But we saw some
glimpses prior to that injury of some really athletic abilities
at the tight end position. You gotta be a good
blocker of that position too, So there's things to work
on on his game overall. But I think, you know,
maybe another offseason into next year that could be something.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
And keep eye out of Richison Man as a safety.
Keep eye out of him. I'm telling you there's something
about that young man's got like a motor and you
know he's in the right place, and you can I
can teach you how to tack. I could teach you
all that stuff, but I can't teach you to be
in the right spot. He's in the right spot.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
He had the reputation of being a ballhawk in camp
and saw more snaps the last couple of weeks. We'll
be back here on Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Here on the Carolina Panthers Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
This is Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Former Panthers safety Kurt Coleman spent three seasons with Carolina,
the first of which was part of that outstanding Super
Bowl fifty team. Proud product of Ohio State University, he
works at charlottett In High School these days, in addition
to the work you hear him do with us on
the Carolina Panthers Radio Network broadcasting games. Looking forward to
a great conversation with Kurt Coleman.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Thirty seasons of Panther football, A celebration of the players, coaches,
and other key figures who've contributed to the organizational success.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
Kurt Coleman, I love him not just because he's an
Ohio State guy, but one of our favorite Panthers of
all times. And anytime he's on a broadcast with us,
it makes a better experience as well, and great to
get to spend some time learning about Kurt, how he
got to where he is and his young life to
this point so far, and so glad he's part of
this Charlotte community to this day. Kurt, how you doing, Oh,
(22:19):
I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Thank you for having me today. You know, I always
enjoy the booth. I learned so much from you guys,
and so the pleasures all mine, and thank you for
having me on today.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
Well, you're a natural. I'll tell you one thing before
we get into you know, kind of going through your
life a little bit. Here is just your preparation. I mean,
it's just evident. You show up ready to roll, and
you don't know this, but there are some players on
other teams in college broadcasting or whatever, and they'll kind
of show up and they'll get the depth chart and
they'll just look in and react to what they see,
and you do all of that, you react to what
(22:50):
you see and explain it to us so well. But
I mean, really, preparation that's kind of part of just
your game, no matter what you do, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Yeah, I mean I believe you know, if you fail
to prepare, you're preparing to fail. And I think in
order to articulate and and really I think communicate your
thoughts as best as possible to anyone, you need to
know what you're talking about. And I know the game
of x's and o's, but you don't necessarily always know
the players, especially I would say, especially when we call
(23:20):
the preseason games, but in general, I mean, there's so
many moving parts in the NFL, and in order to
best talk about who they are and there's a reason why,
there's a reason why the GM made a move, or
the coaches are playing this guy, or why a player
is playing a certain technique, and in order to know that,
you better know what you're talking about. And so, yeah,
(23:41):
I learned a lot just from the game of football
of preparing, because there was a time where I had
to learn the hard way. But then you know, when
you're around a guy like Mick Mixon, he doesn't let
the little things slip by the wayside, and and how
he could just describe certain scenes. I actually, you know,
(24:01):
said oh, I need to do a lot better. So
he taught me just from watching him. I'm like, oh,
I can bring a little more to my game.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
And you know that preparation too. It's it's football as
a player. And then we talk about as a broadcaster.
But tell folks what you're doing. And you've been at
Charlott Lattin High School in the last six seven years
year role there and and what that means to you
and what the job is like for you.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah, it's been It's been a rewarding one one where
I went to school to become a teacher, and then
when I graduated, obviously I went into the career that
has really elevated a lot of opportunities for me. It's
given me a great platform to do a lot of
great and wonderful things around the communities that I've been
able to live in. And then now since I've been
in Charlotte, I started prepping for this position a few
(24:45):
years actually before my career ended in the NFL, and
as we started talking about what and how and where
I can make the most impact. I really did feel
like I needed to have almost an administrative role to
be able to help oversee a lot of things through
the whole school, so at Charlot lattin this position had
not been created before as the stewardship and scholarship administrator,
(25:06):
to be able to help create new practices and policies
and really help oversee a lot of our financial aid
families and really making sure that the really the policies
that we had in place were working. But if they weren't,
how do we change it, and how do we help
create some new ones and so creating bridges into our
underserved communities. I think is I absolutely love it and
(25:29):
being able to see students and families and see them
walk across the line at graduation and get their diploma,
I mean, and to see where they're going. And now
I have some students that have they're about to graduate
from college. I mean, it's just so cool to see
that this is not only changing their life, but generations
(25:50):
beyond that. And I always feel like it's so much
easier in this world will be a better place when
we lift other people up instead of trying to drag
people down and being in the position that I am
and at a school that it is high academics, but
also it's whatever you want to do. If you want
to be in the arts, if you want to be
in the athletics, if you want to be an engineer,
and if you just want to be just an all around,
(26:12):
just well rounded person, there is a place here for that,
and I want to help see that through. So it's
been a great thing. But I learned it from my
dad and my mom the career paths that they chose,
And this obviously is something that I'm able to help
carry on hopefully to my kids.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
And you and I've talked before. I know your dad
was involved in schools as an administrator, I think assistant
principle and some other jobs. Are you saying your mom
was also? Were they both in education?
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Not necessarily. My mom was a speech pathologist and she
worked with a veterans, so being able to see veterans
and again helped see and serve them after they'd come back,
and they would deal with different types of issues, whether
they had a stroke or whatever the case may be.
In there, learning how to really swallow and then from
swallowing it's too talking and doing all those little things.
(27:02):
Just the acts of service is something that my parents
both showed me. My dad had coached well before I
was even born, and he would tell me funny stories
about Butch and Chris Carter and Ken Griffy Junior and
all these things about these guys that I even Hugh
Douglas at Central State, I mean, all these guys that
(27:24):
he had an opportunity to see coach or be around.
And it's like wow, and you know, I was only
hoping that I could be in that position when I
got older, and so yeah, it's serving and really just
being able to help see other people be successful in
their own right.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Subscribed to thirty seasons of Panther Football on the iHeartRadio app,
Panthers dot com, and Team Apple, Apple podcast or Spotify.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
This is Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
This is Panther Talk. She sent it by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
Back here on after Talk. We're joined by ESPN NFL
analyst insider Field Gates. Field recently put out a mock
draft predicting all thirty two first round picks. Now, this
was put out a few days ago before the games
from Week fifteen, but bell Field, one of the interesting
things that you had. You've got quarterbacks going one two.
(28:21):
Does that seem to be the consensus, especially if it's
the Giants and Raiders picking at the top of the draft.
Speaker 8 (28:28):
Well, I'd say to this is there a lot of
football left to determine how things shake out the rest
of this season, and of course we have things like
free agency and the possibility of trades prior to the draft.
But aniche, I do feel like right now, if I
were to place the odds on the most likely players
to go at the very top of the twenty twenty
five NFL Draft, I do believe that two quarterbacks and
whatever order you want to choose them to door standers
(28:49):
and camp board. Campboard and door standers are pretty solid
bets to go one two overall. And that is I
think in this case, maybe more about how many teams
the quarterbacks and how important that position is in the NFL,
and as things stand right now, in the end, there's
a lot that can happened. There have been notable quarterbacks
(29:09):
that have opted to declare to go back to school
for twenty twenty five. On top of that, as always,
the quarterback free agent market looks pretty flimsy right now.
At best, teams are not usually motivated to let their
top tier quarterbacks reach the open market. So I do
think those two quarterbacks should feel fairly comfortable as much
as you can in December, the year prior to.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
The draft, you're plugged into these front offices. So when
you look at Shador Sanders and cam Ward, how do
they compare with the top three qbs who came out
last year, Caleb Williams, Jaden Daniels and Drake May.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
It is much different class. I think it's state just
standing at twenty twenty four and twenty twenty five are
going to be very very different in a lot of ways.
And you know, I felt like last year we had
three quarterbacks at the top of the draft that we
can do as much homework on them as she wanted.
But it at some point you reached the level where
it was very clear that you have three guys who
in a lot of years are going to go in
(30:06):
the first three to five picks in a draft. That's
how strong last year's quarterback class was the kind of
guy that basically just turn in the note card and
you begin your preparation in terms of how to make
those players excellent at the NFL level as well. Just
for some context, I had all three of those guys
in my top five last year my overall big board
as things stand right now to door Standers and cam
(30:27):
Ward outside my top ten for top prospects in this
year's class. So not saying they won't go early. I
do believe these players will end up going in the
very very beginning portion of the twenty twenty five NFL draft,
But there's a bit of an incongruence in terms of
where I have them rated overall and where I expect
them to land in the mack.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
Yeah, and again that's what we see with quarterbacks historically,
right do you have a quarterback team's reach for a quarterback.
But it brings me to my point about Travis Hunter,
Heisman winner. You have him going third in your mock draft,
which again was before the week fifteen games. Let's say
the Giants and Raiders go quarterback quarterback and they're picking
one two, and now the team that has that third
(31:07):
pick is in line to go get Travis Hunter should
they opt to trade that pick. How valuable does that
third pick and the prospect of drafting a Travis Hunter
become Does that kind of become the domino pick in
the draft.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
Yeah, it's really interesting. I think that the way that
it does is if the Giants and the Raiders end
up with picks one and two. And the reason I
say that is they of course have the most obvious
im pressing quarterback need. If somebody else is ahead of them,
I mean, there's a possibility there are several teams who's
just three wins so far this season, and the Raiders
(31:44):
not only played with then a football Week fifteen, but
also play a Jaguars team in Week sixteen that you
think would be one they could probably have a competitive
game against at the very least. But if somebody else
picks in the top two picks, then the inflection point
becomes whoever has that pick, because you know, if you're
the Patriots or if you're the Panthers, teams that you know,
certainly in the case of the Patriots, I think in
(32:05):
the case of the Panthers right now, you know feel
pretty committed to their young quarterback going into next season,
or feel fully committed to that young quarterback going into
next season, then you have to measure this, Hey, we
have a player who fills maybe two needs right, because
Harvis Hunter, of course is this unbelievable two way dynamic player.
But if you could get some sort of freight to
(32:27):
move down because you have a team like the Giants
or the Raiders that wants to move up, then all
of a sudden you could be tantalized by a package
that would include, of course multiple picks. But I don't
know if the third pick will necessarily be up for
auction if it is the Giants and the Raiders that
have the first two selections. Okay, draft harmas Hunter is exceptional,
(32:50):
he is rare. He is the Heisman Trophy winner as
of this past Saturday night. But simply because we don't
when we see trade ups in the top of the
NFL draft, especially before the NFL Draft, we know they're
almost always motivated by quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
So yeah, true, ruling.
Speaker 8 (33:08):
It out, but it is rather uncommon relative to what
we see at that signal color position.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
What we're talking with ESPN's NFL insider Field Yates Field.
I'll end on this with the Panthers probably picking in
the top ten when all is said and done, maybe
top five. We still have three games here to figure
that out. Obviously, a lot of needs on the defensive
side of the ball. Probably could use another playmaker on
offense too. But what makes sense for Carolina? Is it
(33:38):
keeping the pick, is it trading down best player available?
What makes sense for the Panthers, Well.
Speaker 8 (33:44):
I'll tell you what makes sense is the way the
board lines up right now for teams like Carolina. So
as again, let's just assume there is no quarterback investment here.
You know, Bryce has played better. You know there's Yesterday
was sort of a you know, come back down to
earth moment for the entire team. But I think Rice
has much more representative of what the Panthers thought they
were getting when they drafted up number one overall of
(34:05):
late and I credited him, I credit the coaching staff,
I credit the entire organization for that. But to your point,
they want to draft an edg rusher, got a couple
of those. You want to draft a defensive tackle, you
got one in Mason Graham from Michigan, who's fantastic. You
want to draft a wide receiver, you have one in
Tenoreroe McMillan, who is excellent as well. This is all
somewhere in that range of what's called three to ten
(34:26):
or so you know, obviously f Travis Hunter, the board aligned.
I believe with what Carolina probably is most motivated to
add this offseason. I think trading down. I just don't
see it this year. Aniche as of right now is
as obvious is where things were last year. Because you
think about some of the teams that we were discussing
last year as potential or likely trade down teams, and
(34:48):
it was, hey, we have these these quarterbacks that are
going to motivate teams to move up. What a team
like Arizona moved down from pick number four, they ended
up not doing it. I think this here, we're much
more likely to have some of those conversations during the
draft as opposed to leading up to the draft. With
in the case for.
Speaker 4 (35:07):
Much of last likely he is field Y. It's ESPN's
NFL Insider. Follow him for all things NFL. He's got
the lowdown fantasy football. If you want to know who
you should start sit playoffs coming up, Field's got all
your answers. Field appreciate you as always. Coming on, Thank you.
Panther Talk presented by Bosh power Tools. You're listening to
(35:28):
the Carolina Panthers Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
This is Panther Talk. Please end it by Bosh power Tools.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
And a shrof Chibzokie Eugene Robinson hereon Panther Talk. Carolina
home for Arizona this weekend. It is the final regular
season home game than road trips to Tampa and Atlanta
and Eugene. What these three games will reveal is what
the Panthers could take into the offseason, because all three
(35:58):
teams are playing for their playoff lives. Arizona right in
to think of it, in the NFC West, Tampa leading
the South, with Atlanta right on their heels.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
This is this is really a good chance for the
Carolina Panthers to find out what they're really made of.
We saw, you know, with the exception of this Dallas game,
which I really believe is outlier. They've been playing some
really good ball as some really consistent ball, and I'm
expecting them to get back to that. I think this
was an anomalous thing that happened with Dallas for whatever reason.
(36:30):
Just throw it away. I think, as you're moving forward
right now, you got a chance to prove yourself as
being an up and coming team, and I want you
to get on that road right now because if you
beat any of these teams right here, you're gonna be
in that conversation.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Now, what is the locker room effect, Eugene, of ending
the season on a wind streak or playing your best
football going into next season?
Speaker 5 (36:54):
Is that?
Speaker 4 (36:55):
Is that a real tangible thing in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (36:57):
It's a real tangible thing. One because we're all professors too,
because you want your job and you want to be
back with the Carolina Panthers, and three because you want
to win and when you can. When you can just
end on a really good note, it leaves a good
taste in your mouth. If you end on a bad note,
what you're thinking about is I think they might cut me, dude,
(37:18):
I think they might get rid of me. That's what
you're thinking. But you end in a high note.
Speaker 6 (37:21):
Totally different, different situation than we've had the last couple
of years too, where the coach is carrying over. So
to your point, you know, you got to impress the
coach that is here with what you're going to put
out in these final a couple of games to show
that you'll be part of the future too. Whereas you
can see players check out because they're thinking this coach
is leaving. I'm leaving, doesn't matter. I'm gonna be here
(37:43):
three games. I'll be living somewhere else next year. That's
not the case here. This is the coach is in place,
and you got a lot of these core players that
are in place, and there's competition going on right.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
Now, and coach Canalis is not going to have the
tolerance for what happened even this year to bring that
forward next year. He's not gonna have the tolerance. So
his uh, you know, he's gonna have a short lease, like, Hey,
you either producing or you're not producing, because what he's
trying to build. If you're not meeting the specification he's
trying to build, you won't be here.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
I think about it. Right, You've got another draft class
incoming in the spring, You've got free agency, so you're
gonna sign at least a handful of free agents as well.
So if you're on the fringes of the roster and
those guys, Eugene, I'm sure know who they are. If
you're one of those guys, that is a roster spot
here or an audition for the other thirty one.
Speaker 5 (38:32):
And that's what another thing we need to talk about.
You're auditioning right now for another team, because you make
the team that you have right now will not be
the same team moving forward in twenty twenty five, So
you're really auditioning for another team. You gotta end up strong.
You know, we just saw with the with the San
Francisco forty nine ers, a guy quit during this during
(38:53):
the game. Do you think you want them on your team? No,
so you want to end extremely well.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
There's also young guys where you know these last three games,
Bryce Young is in that category. You want to see
Bryce finish strong. But there's other guys on the team.
We talked earlier about Cocher. We'll see if exavierly get
returns this season. He's got a groin. But I think
there's some of those fringe guys who are gonna get
some opportunities, like a Jaden Crummedy, for example, might see
(39:21):
more of him. Maybe it's Demani Richardson, maybe Shaw Smith Wade.
Speaker 5 (39:25):
I hope, I hope, I hope Richardson gets more. I
just like this kid. I like the way he moves.
I think he I think what we're seeing with the safeties,
I think you can find himself in a nice role
of being one of the starting safeties there.
Speaker 6 (39:37):
And you know, for for all those players you name,
those are good players. I think they're part of the future.
But there's also gonna be a handful of players that
will tell you the opposite. They'll their their play will
show you that they're not good enough. Because you have
to make that decision too. You know which ones are
good that you want to carry over, but also which
ones are like, Okay, we've got that, or we we
we can find another version of that, and and not
(39:57):
here not a good fit, whatever the case is, because
you have to make those uster evaluations too about what
you're keeping and what you're not going to bring back.
Speaker 5 (40:03):
Is Brady Christen Is he up? He'll be a free
agent due you got to keep him. Now. He's a
Swiss army knife that you can't afford to lose. I
don't think. I don't think you can afford to lose.
I got he's that good.
Speaker 4 (40:16):
Yeah, that is going to be one of the many
questions that the front office faces when the season ends.
The task at hand. Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals come to
Charlotte and Bank of America Stadium. It is the regular
season home finale, Cardinals can run the football, gonna have
to stop the run on Sunday and then on the
(40:37):
road to play spoiler against Tampa Bay and Atlanta to
close the season. We only have a few episodes and
a few weeks left here Panther Talk. Enjoy it while
he can.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
This talk plea.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
Send it by Bosh power Tools on the Caroline of
Panther's Radio network. Brought to you by Atrium Health. Because
you deserve to live your best life and we're here
to help. Bank of America Official Bank of the Carolina Panthers.
Coke tanckled game Day with a great taste of Coke
zero sugar. Isn't the best coke ever try? And this
(41:14):
Antherton Panther Tall, Panther Tall. This is the Carolina Panthers
Radio Network.
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