WEBVTT - Happy Half Hour Episode 81: You Never Know 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.120 This week on the Happy Half Hour. To pull off 0:00:04.160 --> 0:00:07.200 this thing that no one expected, you had to have 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:10.520 hurt guys taping it back up and getting back in there. 0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:12.720 You had to have p J Walker playing a game 0:00:12.760 --> 0:00:16.560 he's never played in his live and all of these 0:00:16.600 --> 0:00:20.759 other things just came together in this incredible package to 0:00:21.000 --> 0:00:26.799 stop run. It's time for the Happy Half Hour with 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:34.879 your friends Kristin Balboni, Augusta Stone and Darren Gannon. That's right, 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:37.480 it's that time of the week. It's the Happy Half Hour, 0:00:37.600 --> 0:00:41.560 presented by Prowling Vineyards Napa Valley. Prowling Vineyards Napa Valley's 0:00:41.600 --> 0:00:44.920 the official wine brand and wine club of the Carolina Panthers. 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:47.960 These premium selections celebrate the great people of the Carolinas 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:50.720 and the panthers hunger to achieve excellence on and off 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:54.560 the field. Each handcrafted wine mirrors the panthers bold attitude 0:00:54.600 --> 0:00:56.800 in the iconic flavors on or the two states we 0:00:56.840 --> 0:00:59.840 are proud to call home. Experience the benefits and lifestyle, 0:01:00.000 --> 0:01:01.680 giving back to the community as a portion of the 0:01:01.680 --> 0:01:05.080 proceeds support the Carolina Panthers charities. Learn more at Prowling 0:01:05.120 --> 0:01:10.040 Vineyards dot com. That was cool what happened to Kristen? 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:14.600 She sounds terrible. I know, right, I'm I'm I'm back back. 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:18.039 I guess who's back? Who's back? I'm like Frank I 0:01:18.160 --> 0:01:21.520 sola um, you know on PT I just subbing in, 0:01:21.600 --> 0:01:25.040 except I'm subbing in for Wilbon because the cranky old 0:01:25.040 --> 0:01:29.759 white guy is still in the room. Wait, you made me. 0:01:31.480 --> 0:01:33.480 It's good to have you back. I knew you wouldn't 0:01:33.480 --> 0:01:36.760 stay away. Actually it was kind of cool. Christen's on 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:40.200 another special assignment, not like the last special assignment, but 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:43.080 taking care of the last special assignment, so it was like, 0:01:43.200 --> 0:01:46.360 will help, And I was like, yeah, I'll be there. 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:48.680 So it's good to have you back. I had my 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:51.960 had my pumpkin spice. I'm I'm spiced up. I'm ready 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:55.160 to go. So I guess I have to run this now? Right? 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:59.280 Is that how this works? Okay, you're sitting if I'm 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:01.960 sitting in there in the Captain's Charity, alright, so you've 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:04.440 got to come up with stats then if I'm running, Okay, Okay, 0:02:04.480 --> 0:02:05.920 I can come up with some stats. I can come 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:07.640 up doing to come up with them, or like look 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:09.800 them up because I can just you have about fifteen 0:02:09.800 --> 0:02:11.600 minutes before we get to that part. We got it. 0:02:11.639 --> 0:02:14.120 The podcast better start reach I go, here, I go. 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:17.960 But I'm going to actually go to you first because 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:23.200 the Panthers are one and oh this week, right, one 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:25.680 and o. According to everything, we're one and oh and 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:27.560 we're going for too and oh in Atlanta, and we're 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:32.400 doing it behind the number one center in the NFL, 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:36.880 according to Pro Football Focus, the one and only Bradley Boseman. Yes, 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:41.800 Bradley Bozeman. Gosh, just a delightful person. It's funny to 0:02:41.880 --> 0:02:43.920 talk with him and then like think about the things 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:45.799 he does on the football field, like it's one of 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:47.560 those things. It's like, how is this human who is 0:02:47.600 --> 0:02:50.000 just so nice and radiates so much joy and kindness 0:02:50.040 --> 0:02:53.639 also a vicious, vicious center. I mean, that's that's what 0:02:53.680 --> 0:02:56.600 we finally were marrying, the two of He's always been 0:02:56.600 --> 0:02:58.640 this incredible story. He's done all the stuff to get 0:02:58.680 --> 0:03:01.040 back to the community. He's and his wife Nikki have 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:04.000 been beloved by Charlotte for all their engagement and it's like, 0:03:04.280 --> 0:03:06.679 oh yeah, and then he put some people on their 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:09.280 butts on the field. That's fun when that happens together. 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:11.200 Exactly got his chance. He got his chance. That's what 0:03:11.240 --> 0:03:13.480 the story I got to write and the published yesterday 0:03:13.480 --> 0:03:15.240 that I'm so proud of. Um. It was kind of 0:03:15.280 --> 0:03:18.320 about you know, I mean, I I appreciated how candid 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:20.000 he was with me. You know, He's like it reached 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:23.080 a frustrating point because he he had suffered that ankle 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:25.720 injury up in New England, took about two weeks to 0:03:25.760 --> 0:03:28.000 get back on the field and then sat behind paddlef 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:30.240 line for six weeks and like paddlef line, you know, 0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:32.680 held serve. When he did, he was and that's you know, 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:34.440 Bradley told him. He was like, I understood why they 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:36.560 didn't make the change. But the day I got the call, 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:39.400 that Tuesday before the Tampa Bay game, telling me, you know, 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:41.600 I mean I just came in and he had Nicky 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.080 crowd on the couch and a story UM from the 0:03:44.160 --> 0:03:47.160 very top of that article. UM that Darren. When he 0:03:47.240 --> 0:03:48.680 read it, he told me he was like, oh, this 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:50.440 is just gold. And I was so proud that I 0:03:50.480 --> 0:03:53.240 was able to to to get this story and be 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:54.960 able to tell it. But it was about a week 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:57.480 before he got the call. Um. He was speaking with 0:03:57.560 --> 0:04:00.440 a group of middle and high school football players, and 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.800 they were, you know, just asking him questions about being 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:06.000 a professional football player. And then one of the kids 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:08.680 just tells them, you know, well, how come you're not starting, 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:12.200 and he he just tells him, He's like, you know, uh, 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:15.280 control what you can control. But like the way when 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:17.800 Nikki told me that story, she was just I could 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:19.560 hear her smile over the phone, you know, and she 0:04:19.640 --> 0:04:21.040 was like it was so cool that not even a 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:22.760 week later, he had no idea at that point when 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:24.120 he was talking to those kids, and then it ended 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:26.800 up being to where, yeah, like you know, I just 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:29.440 control what you can control. I mean, it'll eventually come 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:31.640 if you just stay locked in. And now we saw, 0:04:31.880 --> 0:04:33.720 like you said, number one center. It's it's kind of cool. 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:35.839 It's a great story. And you know, past all the 0:04:36.560 --> 0:04:38.880 you know stuff that he's doing and embedded himself in 0:04:38.880 --> 0:04:41.760 the community, he's just he's just a great guy. And 0:04:41.880 --> 0:04:44.960 I'm thankful that Charlotte has people like the Boseman's for 0:04:45.000 --> 0:04:48.440 sure speaking of people were thankful for and controlling what 0:04:48.480 --> 0:04:51.720 you can control, and boys, this is a surprise. P J. Walker. 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:56.800 Everybody what of course, of course, I mean, and and 0:04:56.839 --> 0:05:00.080 that's the amazing thing about this season. This Carol on 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.320 a Panther season has already been a Russian novel and 0:05:03.400 --> 0:05:06.800 it's week eight. I mean, we have seen regime change, 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:12.320 We've seen big trades, We've seen other trades. We've seen 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:17.040 p J Walker of course light up Tom Brady and 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:20.479 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I mean, it's it's just I 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:22.719 always joke about it with concerts. This is why you 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:24.800 go see the show and always go see the show 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:28.000 because you never know what's going to happen. Not one 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:31.160 person in this room, or really people in this greater 0:05:31.320 --> 0:05:34.640 room that is Bank of America Stadium, expected that thing 0:05:34.680 --> 0:05:37.280 to unfold the way it did on Sunday and p 0:05:37.640 --> 0:05:40.200 especially after the Rams game when they didn't really let 0:05:40.279 --> 0:05:43.920 p J do anything. But at a certain point early 0:05:44.000 --> 0:05:46.279 in that game it was kind of like, I really 0:05:46.320 --> 0:05:48.040 think early in the week, they were like, all right, 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:50.360 if we're gonna do this, you just gotta do it, 0:05:50.839 --> 0:05:53.640 and let him throw down field, let him take some chances, 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:56.440 and and listen. I understand why Steve Wilkes was a 0:05:56.440 --> 0:05:59.560 little hesitant to do that right off the bat, because 0:05:59.600 --> 0:06:01.720 this is deal. P J Walker, who going into the 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:04.760 Bucks game had two career touchdowns and eight career interceptions. 0:06:05.279 --> 0:06:08.039 You know, four picks for every touchdown he Threw's not 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:11.360 the ratio you want to have in somebody who's starting 0:06:11.400 --> 0:06:16.240 against Tom Brady. So I understand why they were hesitant, 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:18.760 But at a certain point, Pj's just cutting a loose 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:20.479 I mean, first play of the game goes over the 0:06:20.520 --> 0:06:24.239 top looking for terrorist, Marshal Tears drops it. But other 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:27.120 than that, he was perfect for the first half and 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:29.280 you're just sitting there looking. I mean, we kind of 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:31.599 joked while we were sitting in the press box, like, 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:34.640 let p J cook, But at a certain point that's 0:06:34.720 --> 0:06:37.640 kind of what they did, and it p J is 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:41.080 probably as good a metaphor for what happened to that 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:44.919 team in general Loan Sunday as anything we've seen, because 0:06:44.960 --> 0:06:47.279 there was no reason to expect it, and there was 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:51.799 no reason. I mean, people just had this weird, unexplainable 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:54.000 belief that p J Walker was going to do it 0:06:54.040 --> 0:06:57.240 in the face of all evidence, and yet he did. 0:06:57.680 --> 0:07:00.960 P J Walker, of course, of course. And I think 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:04.200 as you look forward to this Falcons game and potentially 0:07:04.240 --> 0:07:09.080 looking forward down down into November, what can this staff, 0:07:09.200 --> 0:07:11.840 what can this team do to make that not just 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:15.760 be this adrenale. You know, this adrenaline for sixty minutes, 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:18.360 you know, this thing that just everyone was surprised, no 0:07:18.360 --> 0:07:20.800 one knew what happened, and boom, this happened, and then 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:22.960 you gotta go. And everyone's got a game plan on 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:25.520 p J Walker, looking at all the film of those 0:07:25.560 --> 0:07:29.560 eight interceptions, finding ways to get him uncomfortable, putting pressure 0:07:29.560 --> 0:07:32.120 on him. What are the ways that this team counteracts 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:35.480 that to keep this going. I don't. I don't know, 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.040 is the honest answer. And I mean they got to 0:07:38.080 --> 0:07:41.360 be a nightmare to game plan right now, because in 0:07:41.400 --> 0:07:43.880 the past, if you were playing against the Carolina Panthers, 0:07:43.920 --> 0:07:45.280 you knew they were going to put the ball in 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:49.080 Christie McCaffrey's hands. You knew they were going to look 0:07:49.120 --> 0:07:53.000 for t J. Moore's primary receiving target. You knew, based 0:07:53.000 --> 0:07:55.520 on whoever the quarterback was, that you could do X, 0:07:55.640 --> 0:07:59.040 Y and Z. But I don't know how you prepare 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:01.920 for this care on a Panthers football team, I really don't. 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:05.600 I mean, Deonte Foreman is more of a traditional kind 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:09.120 of power back than anything they've had in in place 0:08:09.160 --> 0:08:11.760 in a long time. I mean even even runs differently 0:08:11.760 --> 0:08:16.280 than Mike Davis. You know, he's just uh more, he's 0:08:16.320 --> 0:08:18.120 more of a rhythm back, and that he's one of 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:21.880 those guys who needs eight ten carries at a chunk 0:08:22.040 --> 0:08:24.280 rather than one play at a time like he was 0:08:24.320 --> 0:08:28.120 getting before Christian uh was sent to San Francisco. So 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:32.319 it is. It's a tough game plan, but they're built 0:08:32.360 --> 0:08:35.320 for power. It's very basic. If there's anything you know, 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:38.400 I think selfishly when I look at a game, Uh, 0:08:38.480 --> 0:08:41.640 what's the one thing I wanted to be fast? Uh? 0:08:41.679 --> 0:08:43.720 And this game could be over in two hours and 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:47.960 thirty forty minutes because the Falcons want to run the ball. 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:51.760 The Panthers, apparently, based on the evidence of one week, 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:55.000 want to run the ball. So we'll see. I mean, 0:08:55.040 --> 0:08:57.240 it could be a quick one on on Sunday. Make 0:08:57.240 --> 0:09:00.000 sure to tune in. Don't don't just try to grab 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:02.160 the fourth quarter because it might be over by the 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:05.720 time you tune in. Uh. This is a preview of 0:09:05.800 --> 0:09:09.600 future stats. But here's my early early half stat The 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:12.520 Carolina Panthers have played the Atlanta Falcons on Week eight 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:16.120 now for the third straight season, third straight on and 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:18.600 on each of the last two meetings, they had their 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:22.960 highest rushing output of the season. So yesterday or last 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.320 week was the most rushing yards since at Atlanta the 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.800 year before. It was the highest rushing average since against 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:32.120 the Falcons back in also in Week Gate. So I mean, 0:09:32.520 --> 0:09:34.160 we know what they're going to lean into and in 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:37.040 the past it's been somewhat successful running the ball down 0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:39.600 there in Atlanta, So I mean they know what's coming. 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:41.960 And you know, we're gonna be watching the injury report 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:43.559 this week. You know there's some some guys in the 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:46.560 back fear the secondary for Atlanta that may be questionable. 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:48.760 I mean, guys to be Hubbard was on the injury 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:51.240 report for Carolina, you know, so we we're watching all 0:09:51.360 --> 0:09:54.400 that this week. But yeah, I mean that's the hold 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:57.920 onto the ball, don't have turnovers and let's let's control 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:00.160 the clock. And of course you remember the ultimate an 0:10:00.160 --> 0:10:03.360 example of that in Atlanta Christmas Eve two thousand six, 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:06.920 the Wildcat. Augusta wasn't ready for that one. She wasn't 0:10:06.920 --> 0:10:09.400 ready for us to kick it back to two thousand six. Hey, 0:10:09.640 --> 0:10:12.000 what were you doing in two thousand six ago? I 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:15.000 was aware of what was going on, probably in second grade, 0:10:15.080 --> 0:10:17.240 But I mean I might have a memory or did 0:10:17.280 --> 0:10:19.600 you did you know that D'Angelo Williams was in the 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:21.960 slot or was in shotgun just running left and right? 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:25.400 I'm sure no, I don't know. It was Angel right, Yeah, 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:27.840 it was two thousand and six. So let's see. When 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:30.680 I was eight, I was really into like, I guess, 0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:34.560 like Barbie Dolls. I don't really know, because that's past 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:37.800 my Barney phase, but not yet to like my pop 0:10:37.920 --> 0:10:40.240 music face. So probably Disney Channel. I think I was 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:42.920 really into Disney Channel. So wasn't han him on Tanna? 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:44.959 Are you saying that d J. Moore is going to 0:10:45.120 --> 0:10:48.439 be motioning into shotgun and then running left and right 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.560 with pitching to Raheem Blacks here? Yeah? Why not? Why not? 0:10:51.760 --> 0:10:54.680 I mean really, I mean we joke about it, But 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:58.000 that oh six game was born out of desperation. They 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.160 were out of quarterbacks who could throw football down field 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:04.880 that we goddenly enough. The one touchdown, the passing touchdown, 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:08.479 was a one yard passed to Jeff King from Chris Winky. 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:10.839 But Winky couldn't throw that week, and Jake was hurt 0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:12.800 and they were down to Brett Basane and god knows 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:15.960 what I mean. Brett was this undrafted rookie from Northwestern, 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:19.520 great kids still in the area, successful businessmen, doing fantastic 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:25.319 um sponsored by Welcare. Yeah, there you go, that's one um. 0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:29.720 But yeah, it was just an incredible confluence of events 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:33.640 because they were out of quarterbacks and John Fox just 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:35.760 kind of decided, we can't do anything else, so we're 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:38.680 just gonna always run. So that's what they did. I 0:11:38.679 --> 0:11:41.400 don't think it's going to be that extreme. Again, You've 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:44.839 got p J. Walker at quarterback, so why not let 0:11:44.880 --> 0:11:48.560 that man cook? But yeah, every time things get weird 0:11:48.600 --> 0:11:51.160 down in Atlanta, they really do well. I was just 0:11:51.200 --> 0:11:54.160 thinking about, like yesterday, I asked Steve Wilks. I was like, so, 0:11:54.320 --> 0:11:57.719 with Cuba's injury, you know, the by committee approach, will 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:00.520 you still be doing that because that's pretty much just 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:02.199 think back to two weeks and you're sitting here and 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:04.280 you're like, man, we're about to see Deonte Foreman and 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:06.640 a bunch of raheine black shar if Cuba is not 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:07.960 ready to go, you know, and he could be, and 0:12:07.960 --> 0:12:09.599 that's fine, but if you're still planning on splitting the 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:11.520 reps like that, you're gonna get that rookie who had 0:12:11.559 --> 0:12:14.040 his first two carries last week back in there and 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:16.040 and everyone's super excited about it. I love talking to 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:17.680 Foreman in the locker room this week, and I asked 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:20.480 him about Raheem and he was he just starts smiling. 0:12:20.480 --> 0:12:23.800 He's like, oh man him. I love him. He's so cerebral. 0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:26.320 He's always looking to ask a bunch of questions and 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:28.800 talking to I just I really like him. I've been 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:31.640 excited for him to see an opportunity perhaps um, but 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:34.840 even just getting his first you know, I mean rookie 0:12:35.720 --> 0:12:39.479 Virginia Tech. I think he was undrafted from the Patriots, 0:12:39.679 --> 0:12:42.920 came over here and like the middle of August or September, 0:12:42.960 --> 0:12:44.560 and and look at him go. It's so funny. Like 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:46.560 just think about like where we are right now, the 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:48.880 unpredictability of everything, and we're sitting here and it's like 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:50.880 if we're taking a by committee approach and Cuba is 0:12:50.880 --> 0:12:52.800 not a hundred percent, that could see a lot more 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:54.840 Raheem black Shar, which I think is exciting because we 0:12:54.840 --> 0:12:57.360 saw his kick returns. Exactly about to say, I want 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.440 to see him be able to return some kicks. He 0:13:00.480 --> 0:13:01.920 can get out there all of a sudden, you got 0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:04.640 the ball in the forty five and between that and 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:09.200 Pinero and Hecker, I mean, this special teams is special. 0:13:09.800 --> 0:13:12.400 Look at you, look at that look I see, I 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:14.840 see what you did there. But yeah, I mean, and 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:18.160 that's the thing. When you're in this situation, all the 0:13:18.200 --> 0:13:20.880 other stuff has to go right. And look and think 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:24.720 about what we've talked about again, it feels like we've 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:29.040 been talking about a two year campaign, a land war 0:13:29.120 --> 0:13:34.000 in Asia, and it's we've seen seven football games land 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:37.200 war in Asia, and I mean it really is winter. 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:40.760 But they've been playing clutch and grab on defense and 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.440 those guys were worn out a couple of times, got 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.640 scored on late. You've got the numbers behind that, and 0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:48.760 you've put them out there all season long. I mean, 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.320 it's been tough in the fourth quarter, but Sunday, when 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:55.200 just a little bit of offense worked, you saw what 0:13:55.280 --> 0:13:57.600 it looked like. And that's what they're hoping for. But 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.880 throughout this thing, it's been leaning on the defense, lean 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.320 on the special teams, and and and they are a 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:05.680 lot better this year, There's no doubt about that. Johnny 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:08.800 Hecker still looks like the all decade punter from the 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:12.640 two thousand tens. And you know. I mean, he's still 0:14:12.640 --> 0:14:16.079 getting it done at a high level. So it's interesting 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:20.200 to see. Eventually we're probably going to say, let Johnny 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:22.960 cook and and let him throw the ball. And there 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:24.760 were a couple of moments where it looked like he 0:14:24.800 --> 0:14:27.600 was going to do that on Sunday, and and that 0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:30.480 one still that one's still in the holster. So we'll see. 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:32.600 Stay tuned. So I want to ask you all about 0:14:32.720 --> 0:14:36.200 you brought out the defense? What can we At some 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:38.240 point over the summer it felt like there was almost 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:41.960 too much depth at cornerback and then and then as 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:45.320 you can tell by the yeah oh yeah Tay Hayes. 0:14:45.880 --> 0:14:49.600 But you look at that group and Dante kept I 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:51.760 looked at the snap counts. I'm thinking he may have played. 0:14:53.400 --> 0:14:57.000 He only missed four snaps and those were very four 0:14:57.080 --> 0:15:00.280 memorable snaps because he's actually hobbling off the few old 0:15:00.280 --> 0:15:03.720 and trying to stand up. What did it take for 0:15:03.800 --> 0:15:07.880 that secondary to do what they did against Brady? Well, 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:10.480 it's so interesting. I talked with Tay about that. Um, 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:13.520 first of all, let take Cook. I'm a stand here. 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:16.400 He's just such a nice guy, rap like love to death. 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:19.640 But I talked with him yesterday and Um he I 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:21.640 was looking at snap counts for an article I wrote 0:15:21.640 --> 0:15:23.880 that should be posting sometime today. Um came in for 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:26.200 three if Dante was out for four. He told me 0:15:26.240 --> 0:15:28.360 he was like, I'm locked into the game. Obviously we 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:30.520 all are. He's like, but I'm watching Dante because I 0:15:30.640 --> 0:15:32.720 He's like, I tell Dante for every game, like the 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.040 last two I've been active. I'm like, Okay, look, if 0:15:35.040 --> 0:15:37.360 you need one play, just tell me. I got you 0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:40.120 one play. And uh. He goes. And I can tell 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:41.960 when he's like pulling out his leg and I'm getting 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:43.680 ready and I'm like, oh, here I go, here, I go, here, 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:46.840 I go, just like aching for opportunity. Um, which I 0:15:46.880 --> 0:15:49.880 mean obviously there's the difference between Dante Jackson and he Hayes. 0:15:49.880 --> 0:15:52.400 I'm not sitting here saying like, oh, yes, he should start. No, 0:15:52.520 --> 0:15:54.960 I'm not saying that. I'm just saying it's it's exciting 0:15:55.040 --> 0:15:56.800 the way they all had to walk in and talking 0:15:56.800 --> 0:15:59.360 with Keith Taylor especially, you know, he talked about how 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:01.240 I mean he even in that reserve role last year 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:02.840 to a lot and then this year he's back in it. 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:04.400 He's like, it's one of those things that I just 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:06.760 expect all the time. He's like, I expect if I 0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:08.480 have to come in, I should be ready. He takes 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:10.720 a lot of extra time watching film by himself and 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:13.680 picking up offensive tendencies. And it's just one of those 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:16.840 things where I think they kind of have seen the 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:19.000 writing on the wall. I think when I wrote my 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:22.160 article where we really saw the injuries kind of manifesting 0:16:22.200 --> 0:16:24.520 come up was in Los Angeles when Keith Taylor played 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:27.120 sixty percent of the snaps and Tay Hayes played nineteen, 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:30.440 which was like his highest thirty since nineteen. The numbers 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:32.920 get all jumbled, but um, let's and lot's the numbers. 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:34.640 I'm not a number guy, like well, but um, it's 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:36.600 one of those things where, um, they're they're just they're 0:16:36.600 --> 0:16:40.200 staying prepared, and uh, there's a lot of attrition there 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:42.760 right now. J C's back to practice, but he told 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:44.360 me the ribs is one of those things it's hard 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:46.080 to rehab. You know, you just got to be patient. 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:48.200 And he's not a patient guy. He's like, you know, 0:16:48.240 --> 0:16:49.960 they're limited me at practice, are telling me how many 0:16:49.960 --> 0:16:52.800 snaps I can go because it's just it's hard, you know, Um, 0:16:52.840 --> 0:16:54.240 on the ribs. It's not one of those things you 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:55.680 can just kind of have to wait it out and 0:16:55.800 --> 0:16:59.400 be gentle. You can't just like do something extremes. So yeah, 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:02.040 and they but to write all summer we talked about 0:17:02.080 --> 0:17:04.520 depth at cornerback, and I mean, Tay Hayes was the 0:17:04.560 --> 0:17:07.560 sixth of five and that's why he was on the 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:10.639 practice squad to beginning of the year. Um Stanley, Thomas 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:14.400 Oliver gets hurt and now everybody's taking turns being hurt 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:17.000 for portions. Jake Anderson was out for a c J 0:17:17.240 --> 0:17:18.720 was in and out of the game, Dante was in 0:17:18.760 --> 0:17:20.560 and out of the game, and Dante. It's kind of 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:24.440 interesting to me the way people react. People react poorly 0:17:24.520 --> 0:17:27.080 to Dante coming out with an injury, but he keeps 0:17:27.119 --> 0:17:29.760 going back in. I mean, and that's the thing that's 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:33.639 kind of impressive about the situation is a lot of 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:36.760 guys will go down and stay down and Dante keeps 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:40.719 getting up and so I don't know, I that's one 0:17:40.760 --> 0:17:43.480 of those fan reactions that always kind of confused me 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:45.640 a little bit. What do you want a guy to do? 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:48.240 I mean, something you've heard me say over and over, 0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:51.560 injuries are luck. A lot of times, and and so 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:53.919 I I don't understand why people get mad at him 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:56.919 for luck, But at the same time, he keeps getting 0:17:57.040 --> 0:17:59.679 up and keeps getting back in the game. And you know, 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:03.399 that's what it took. And and again I've mentioned this 0:18:03.440 --> 0:18:06.719 a number of times over the last five days. No 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:10.000 one expected this. So to pull off this thing that 0:18:10.040 --> 0:18:14.159 no one expected, you had to have hurt guys taping 0:18:14.160 --> 0:18:16.120 it back up and getting back in there. You had 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.600 to have p J Walker playing a game he's never 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:23.960 played in his life against Tom Brady, and all of 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:27.840 these other things just came together in this incredible package. 0:18:28.680 --> 0:18:31.320 So we've talked a little bit about last week, We've 0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:34.000 talked a little about next week. I want to just 0:18:34.080 --> 0:18:35.840 kind of throw this out to you guys, because you know, 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:37.679 I've kind of been out in the world amongst the 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:40.480 Panthers fans, and they're all they're all asking the same question, 0:18:41.000 --> 0:18:43.000 how do we get a top five pick and go 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:46.600 to the playoffs at the same time their own pace there. 0:18:46.840 --> 0:18:49.960 I mean, right now, if the season ended today, the 0:18:50.000 --> 0:18:54.320 Carolina Panthers would pick third overall, which is plenty of 0:18:54.359 --> 0:18:56.840 position to draft a quarterback if that's what you please. 0:18:57.160 --> 0:18:59.680 And they are also one game out of first place 0:18:59.680 --> 0:19:02.320 in the Vision, so get it all over you. I mean, 0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:05.640 that's where are And that's why it's almost I would 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:09.520 think as a fan, it's almost liberating because the burden 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:13.080 of expectation you have been freed from that yoke. I mean, 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:16.399 it's when you fire coach and you're in an interim situation. 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:21.280 It's the ultimate house money deal because anything that happens 0:19:21.400 --> 0:19:24.880 is bondus. You know, you already know this thing went 0:19:24.920 --> 0:19:27.040 off the rails and didn't go how you expected it to. 0:19:27.400 --> 0:19:29.840 That's what happens when you change coaches in mid season. 0:19:30.240 --> 0:19:33.960