Cat Scratch Reader
Bringing you this week’s answers portion of your weekly fan mailbag!
Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! It is the off-season, we only have a few meaningful games left of NFL football before we dive in head first into free agency and the NFL Draft hype. Luckily for the Panthers, there isn’t a ton of turmoil in this offseason’s staff updates, as Dave Canales has retained most of the main coaching pieces from the 2024 season, and Dan Morgan remains as the GM while he turns over the scouting team. In this week’s topic of the week, I asked what coaching blunders or strategies you would like to highlight from the 2024 season. Here’s mine, and comment down below with any late responses.
RUN THE FRICKIN BAWL! I have been consistently frustrated with these teams in the playoffs, playing what could be their last game of the season after several wins got them to this spot, only for the play callers to deviate from what got them here in the first place. The Ravens and Lions are prime suspects here, as the Lions had a RB averaging 7.5 yards per carry to only give him the ball 14 times, compared to Jared Goff’s 40 total passing attempts in a game where he struggled and turned the ball over in backbreaking situations. Same thing with the Ravens, who have a truly great QB in Lamar Jackson, but decided to lean on his arm as the game went on when Derrick Henry was running over defenders all day. Both teams lost in games they likely would have won if they didn’t get cute as the game progressed, and I know, its throwing stones from a glass house from a writer rooting for a 5 win football team in 2024. But Dave Canales also frustratingly got away from the run game many times this season, when supposedly the Panthers identity was to run the ball. Maybe Bill Belichick was a genius, as teams just can’t seem to get behind running the ball when its working. Hopefully the Eagles will show everyone why running the ball matters. #GoBirds!
And with all that out of the way, let’s dive into the questions. To recap, Brian Answers is part two of your weekly Panthers mailbag, where I answer all of your commented questions, and highlight some responses to the topic of the week, from “Brian Asks” earlier in the week. Let’s attack those questions!
DannyLimes: I’m expecting beef on day one of FA, DL on day one like we did with the guards last year. Who have you got?
Here’s the list of available defensive line (edge and interior) that are set to be available during free agency. A lot can and will change between now and March, as defensive line is a premium position and teams are starting to see the shift in running the ball again in this cyclical league. DJ Jones from Denver...
