Joe Person from The Athletic at Joseph Person on Twitter. Appreciate you on an off day. It's been a week on Main Street, hasn't it?
It's been two weeks, my friend. It has been an eventful October for the Carolina Panthers organization. Really, of course, we entered this season right, thinking, I mean, Matt Rule was, Vegas knows these things and Vegas had him as the most likely coach to get fired first and the odds to go with it. And that's exactly what happened. Look, when you get to handpick three quarterbacks in three successive years and none of them pan out, then you're kind of running on borrowed time and David Tepper did not hesitate.
He saw what was happening. Toxic, toxic situation at Bank of America stadium. And then, uh, Robbie Anderson, also a toxic situation.
So the McCaffrey thing obviously was different. I think it ended up being the best move for, for all involved. And, uh, hey, they gotta win. They got, they gotta win on Sunday against Tom Brady, the first time since Brady joined the NFC South. So at least a step, uh, in the right direction.
There's so many things just off that answer that I want to get to, uh, first of all, I don't know why that you and I hadn't spoken. So I don't know why neglected the Matt Rule thing, but yes, that did happen. Uh, if, if it had gone just moderately better, I get the sense that Rule would have lasted the season. I think David Tepper did the humane thing by putting Matt Rule out of his misery because it was just going to be a miserable existence over the last 12 weeks of the season had, had Rule stayed.
But I am curious about the quarterback direction. How much of that was Rule? How much of that was Tepper? Yeah, well, listen, Rule had control of the 53. And that was an awkward situation when Tepper decided to keep Marty Hurney after hiring Rule.
And, uh, you know, basically had to go hire a GM who's a, in Scott Sitter, who's a smart guy and a good dude, but, you know, had to kind of play nice and, and be cooperative. And I think they had a pretty good relationship, honestly. But, um, but Rule was driving a lot of the quarterback talk. I think Joe Brady was, was the Teddy Bridgewater Whisperer. Uh, Rule signed off on it. Um, you know, I think Fitterer and Rule were kind of both on Sam Darnold. And then, uh, and then finally, I think Rule kind of talked Fitterer into Baker Mayfield is, is kind of my, my impression.
And Fitterer, you know, listen, he, he signed off on it too. It's tough, man. Like, look, you guys, they passed on. I was very curious in that Monday night game last night because, or yeah, Monday.
Sorry. The days are those are two guys in Mack Jones and Justin Fields that the Panthers passed on two years ago in the draft. And the Panthers had Mack Jones at the senior bowl for a week. And, you know, you look at it and the, I know Justin Fields had a pretty decent night, but Mack Jones got benched.
Yeah. And so the point is, uh, if you don't have a franchise quarterback, you're always taking shots and they did take big swings. Let's not forget for Stafford and John Watson and didn't work out. And here we are with PJ Walker, uh, three and one as a starter in his time with the Carolina Panthers wins are not a quarterback stat, but he is three and one. So I appreciate Steve Wilkes by the way. And I am a fan of Steve Wilkes. He just looks like a no nonsense guy. He said that PJ Walker would be his starter.
Even if Baker and Darnold were healthy. See, I believe him to you. Absolutely. And I, listen, I think if he tried to start anyone other than PJ Walker right now, he would risk losing the locker room. And he has, by the way, he has a huge support in the locker room.
This is a guy, not many of these guys, you know, we're even around for his first skin. Like Jack Thompson was maybe one or two others, but he's just like you said, man, he, he knows how to relate to athletes, to professional athletes, maybe in a way that that Matt rule kind of had a hard time doing. And he knows football. He is no nonsense, but he's still, as I said, like I had a story up today where one of the safeties miles Hartsfield is saying that like Wilkes was rapping with them before a practice last week, a guy who was actually a Cleveland Brown when Wilkes was their turn Miami rapper.
And, you know, like that's, it seems like a little thing, but, but at professional athletes, they appreciate that that you're, you can get down to their level and, but, but still treat them as adults. So I think, yeah, I, I, I, Steve Wilkes is going to ride this PJ Walker train as long as, as it's being productive. Those same players, by the way, we're pretty, we're not pleased that they kind of put the reins on PJ Walker against the Rams the week before and just had him doing dink and dunk. And so I think it was an important step that they kind of turned it loose last week a little bit against the buckets. See, and that's where I want to go. Joe person from the athletic is joining us here because I'm trying not to see things I want to see, but I felt as though they did push the ball down the field a little bit more.
And don't you know that it opened up like holes in the running game after a while. I mean, it's like, it's almost like those two things could be related. Wendy's new French toast sticks are so delicious. Some are saying that they're better than their mom's breakfast. Excuse me. Did you just say Wendy's new French toast sticks are better than my breakfast?
Mom, is that you? Answer the question. I said some people are saying that because they're so crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and perfect in every way. Uh-huh.
And what do you think? I think it's time to tell people to choose wisely. Choose Wendy's new sweet and crispy homestyle French toast sticks. That's still not an answer.
And participating U.S. Wendy's during breakfast hours. Yeah, it was a very solid successful game plan by Ben McAdoo. I mean, listen, we kind of beat up on him the previous week and, you know, early in the season. But from the opening, you know, first play of the game, PJ Walker throws at 35 yards down the field to Terrace Marshall and put it on him. Marshall traps it, gets overturned on replay review.
Guess what? PJ Walker hit his next 11 passes in a row. And I just, I think even attempting that first pass downfield sent a good message, yes, to the offensive guy players, but also to guys like Shaq Thompson, who, who kind of Shaq Thompson is a leader on this team.
When he, when he speaks, you kind of pay attention. And, and he made it clear like that, that he wasn't thrilled with the game plan for PJ Walker, uh, against the Rams. And so, you know, it was effective, a good mix of running pass and we'll see what, hey, and I know you know this, they're in the hunt in the NFT South to fight winning, uh, going back to last year, just two of the last 14 games.
They are just, they are just one game out. Facts only here on the program, Joe Pearson from the athletic is joining us here. All right. Uh, the last part, the last couple of minutes of this are going to be about what's coming up November 1st, if there are any other trades.
And here's my curiosity. My position on this, I've made very clear on this show. Um, I think it's malpractice if they don't take two first round picks for Brian Burns. And this is not about Brian Burns and how good he is. Uh, cause he's clearly one of the best, oh, I dunno, uh, five, six, seven edge rushers in the entire sport.
I got no problem with that. Uh, there's a lot of guys it's, it's going to be expensive to keep him, but I just wonder how long it's going to take for them to be legitimately good and what Brian Burns is then and what that draft capital could be. Yeah, it's, it's obviously a fair and appropriate question. I struggle with this because at some point if you start trading away guys who are your best players and widely liked as Brian Burns is and, and Christian McCaffrey, you know, was as well, but Burns is younger. Burns doesn't have the injury history that Christian McCaffrey had. And, uh, I don't know. You just, at some point, I, again, if, and I don't know what the brick, I don't know what the breaking point is. Like if they throw two first in a second, whoever this mystery team is, it's that where Scott Fitter and Dave Tepper say, sorry, Steve Wilkes, this is just too good to pass up.
I like Brian Burns a lot. I hear what you're saying. You know, I think the timing of this is interesting. I think, you know, and I, again, no one, I am not, and no one is suggesting they are super bowl bound, but we got a week for the, a week from today for the trade deadline. They've got a game this weekend in Atlanta and you, we just said that a win and they're tied for first place in the division.
I might see what happens. If you go down there and you get your blows, your, your door's blown off by Marcus Mariota and company, then maybe I got a little different feeling. And there was a one week hiccup against an aging Tom Brady, but I don't know. They are walking a fine line between, you know, and I get it. Like I'm convinced they're gonna, they're gonna draft a quarterback high next year and they might get there by their own volition, but getting extra first round picks is certainly going to help them trade up if they have to, to go get one of those guys. No question about that. Does anybody else get moved? I've seen names like Shaq Thompson, like Cam Irving.
Does anybody else get moved or are they done doing the hockey trade deadline maneuver? Wendy's new French toast sticks are so delicious. Some are saying that they're better than their mom's breakfast. Excuse me. Did you just say Wendy's new French toast sticks are better than my breakfast?
Mom, is that you? Answer the question. I said some people are saying that because they're so crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and perfect in every way. Uh-huh.
And what do you think? I think it's time to tell people to choose wisely. Choose Wendy's new sweet and crispy homestyle French toast sticks. That's still not an answer.
And participating US Wendy's during breakfast hours. Yeah, I think they will. Obviously I don't think it's going to short of Brian Burns. I don't think it's going to be anyone that shocks the send shockwaves around the league like Christian McCaffrey.
The names you mentioned make sense. Uh, but again, Shaq Thompson, you know, you're, you're, are you in this thing this year? Like does Dave Tepper want to, to have a chance to win the NFC South with like an eight and nine record or is he more, you know, in the tank season thing?
Um, he got to be careful. Um, I think Dante Jackson is, is the name to watch. He has, uh, you know, he's a little older than some of these, these other corners, not much. Uh, he's had some injuries.
I think they'll feel calls on him, but, uh, you know, it'll be interesting if they went in Atlanta, it'll be curious if that were to change Tepper and, and companies stance at the trade deadline next Tuesday. Joe Person from the athletic, uh, the North Carolina sports writer of the year at Joseph person on Twitter. I thank you very much, man. I appreciate your time. I know it's an off day. Uh, I value that. So I will talk to you soon. Right back at you brother.
Have a good week. Wendy's new French toast sticks are so delicious. Some are saying that they're better than their mom's breakfast. Excuse me. Did you just say Wendy's new French toast sticks are better than my breakfast?
Mom, is that you? Answer the question. I said some people are saying that because they're so crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and perfect in every way. Uh-huh.
And what do you think? I think it's time to tell people to choose wisely. Choose Wendy's new sweet and crispy homestyle French toast sticks. That's still not an answer. And participating U S Wendy's during breakfast hours.
Whisper: small.en / 2022-11-06 05:37:12 / 2022-11-06 05:40:24 / 3
