Carolina Panthers
Rhule: Plan remains the same, Darnold will start at QB vs. Bucs
The Panthers head coach evaluated Darnold's play against the Saints and believes the team must make more of an investment in the offensive line.
I'll jump in here. Hey Matt, good afternoon. Um, wondered, uh, you played cam, the one snapped yesterday and, and then not again, What was the thinking there and as you all moved through that game. Yeah, we, you know, we had, we had different plays, we thought, uh, especially in the red zone that, you know, cam was up for. Um, um, that was a play really, really were half a block away from that being a touchdown. Luckily we scored on the next play. I mean, so we just had some things to take advantage of, you know, cam's skill set. Um, but as we said, kind of going in, we were gonna play SAM and, and, and, and you know, play cam is needed and you know, we, we all, we have a great feel for what cam can do. You know, we know he can impact the game. I had a chance to impact the game on that play just unfortunately missed that block or didn't quite, you know, hold the block and Um, only able to get five yards. That was kind of David Newton followed by chris, Jenkins. Hey man, I want to ask you, what's your been your impressions of brady Christensen at left tackle for the last couple of games is his house. He performed what your expectations. I thought, I thought this game, he took a big step from the previous game. I thought the previous game, he played well and had about five snaps that weren't great. Um, you know, I think you, you saw him, I mean going there to the Superdome, you know, they had a packed house as you know, the crowd was loud crowd noise. Um, you know, I thought, I thought he performed well. You know, he still has to work on some of his anchor, you know, in terms of, uh, you know what guys go to power rush Davenport and those guys are really good. But um, I thought he was good in the run game. He was solid in the protection game. It was a good step. Um, he has an opportunity this week, David to go back and play against the same team he started against two weeks ago, you know, and see, you know, you know, one thing we know about Tampa Bay, they're gonna, they're gonna come to play. So he'll have a chance to see how far he's developed. But I've been pleased with brady. Um, um, I think he's, he's showing good signs. There you go with what he's doing now and they're all season thinking maybe that's your left tackle that still kind of up in here. Yeah. You know, I think, I think, I think where we, where, um, I think, I think he's got a lot of good football ahead of him. Shut it. The team's making where there, um, in the second half, they prevent you guys from putting up points, spent two weeks in a row where you've been blanked in the second half, In this game against the Saints. You guys were actually up by one point. Can you say that again? Chris I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time hearing you, Yeah. What adjustments do you see teams making against you guys in the second half? That's preventing you from putting up points in the second game in a row where guys were lengthen that second half. Yeah, I think people um as the game goes on, you can just get a little bit more aggressive, they pressure us, they blitz us. Um you know, they they think we get a little bit, you know, unfortunately worn down um but you know, more importantly, I just think they, you know, take away easy throws, play, man to man, getting to get aggressive and pressures and we haven't been able to quite burn them the way we'd like to, you know, we had some opportunities in that game, we got down there again in the fourth quarter, you know, we're kicking to take the, we're kicking to take the lead and just, you know, we weren't able to make the kick so um um you know, it's just uh it's just kind of where it's at right now, let's go to Jonathan alexander followed by Sheena quick man after watching film. What did you think about Sam Donald? Um and what do you want to continue to see kind of going forward with the container, we start, you know, I think the thing with Sam there was, there was good, there was bad um You know, just like every position. I thought he did some really good things. I thought he, you know, made some plays on the run, converted some third downs. I think we were 47% on third down, I think that's right. Um you know, um you know, versus a really good defense and versus a really good secondary, you know, I mean, you know, C J C J Gardner, johnson and uh Marshawn Lattimore Lattimore and those guys Malcolm Jenkins, that's a really good secondary. I thought he made some big throws, some big catches. Um Thought he, you know, did some things with his feet to help us. Um and at other times, you know, there were some times where, you know, his first progression is open and he's, you know, kind of hanging on the second progression and sometimes that results in a sack and so I think for him as a young player, just just taking what they give you um can go a long way. So, um I thought that game was was a growth opportunity for him, you know, I mean, I obviously had that last pick at the end of the game when we're kind of in the rest, but for the most part I thought he, you know, he was accurate with the football, you know, we had a couple of drops that really hurt us. Um So you know, I think it was it was a game that he played that that that um, you know, he's growing, um um, and that's pretty much how I saw it, Good afternoon coach just to pick ax. I have two questions. The first to piggyback off of christian question, as far as the adjustments that you guys are seeing teams making the second half, those first two drives for you guys moved the ball well, score on both of those possessions. Um what are some of the areas of opportunity that you feel will be available against the Bucks that may not have been there last week? Um You know, I think, I think we have a chance to go back and look at how the Bucks played us. Um, I think we have to continue as a coaching staff to be aggressive throughout the game and just, you know, just trust, you know, Um, I think when you play the Tampa Bay and you know, obviously with Tom Brady on the other side, you, you play it a little differently than maybe some other teams. Um, you know, we went into this game feeling like our defense would play well that they would hold them, you know, I think they, you know, they held them to 12 points through three quarters, so uh, you know, wanted to get to keep the game close, you know, not, not do anything to hurt the defense. Um Unfortunately we set up, you know, we had the one, a sack fumble that resulted in points for them. Um and I think when you play Tampa Bay Tal, it's different, You have to be more aggressive, you have to push the ball more, you have to do something knowing that they still have just as good of a defense. They have just as good of a front. So uh you know, the battle this week will come down to how we play up front as it will every week. You know, we'll have to play really well um on our offensive front, I will say this, watching the tape last night and then again this morning, I thought it was by far the best game our defensive front has played. I thought Derek Brown was Fantastic. I mean second play of the game, he runs down Camaro on the screen or I shouldn't say it runs him down, but he makes a tackle, you know, 30 yards down the field, um gets a sack dominant, the point of attack. Dequan jones, morgan Fox, I thought played one of his best games e tour gross Matos, I thought was excellent. And then really I thought Frankie Leung who was a difference maker, I don't know for you guys watching it, if you if if you jumped off the tape, but watching the coaches film, I thought Frankie jumped off the tape. So um you know, go back to your question, I think that you know, we have to be willing to be aggressive against Tampa Bay knowing that they have a great offense, They score points pretty much on everyone, you know, with tom brady and their offensive line and skill, make skill players. Um you know, so I think that's that's that's the that can only come if we play really good on our offensive line offensive front, both running the football and protecting the quarterback. And my second question was a follow up regarding the offensive line. Guard, john Miller yesterday said that It's it's the NFL, you know, sacks are going to come. That's 14 sacks that the offensive line has given up over the last two games. What is um I guess the approach of mentality to kind of get rid of that salafi attitude with, you know, it happens, it happens. What are you, what is what's the conversation like in that offensive line room right now? That's the first I heard john say that I don't I don't, you know, I can tell you this, john Miller goes out there every week, beat up and banged up and fights like crazy to get back out there. You know, um you know, we have one sack on a naked where instead of throwing it away, sam just runs out of bounds. Um you know, we have to, I think joe asked me about yesterday that were off of, you know, the back or the titan and back. So it's not always just the offensive line, but I can tell you our offensive line. Uh they don't uh they don't um they don't take it lightly. There's no se le v they might they might deflect when they have to talk to the media. Um Because this is hard, right? It's hard being in the crosshairs. It's hard, I'm sure for those guys to be criticized because they put so much into it, the care, they they work hard, they try hard. Um So I don't think there's any, I don't think there's any, hey, we don't care. Um It might come across that way, but it's not that way. Thanks for clearing that up. I know that it can be really, really frustrating, especially after a string of losses. And we're getting these guys when passions are still running high right after the game. So thanks for clearing that up, coach. Can you turn up? I can't hear what people are saying. I'm sorry, Gina, I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time hearing. So say that again? No, that's fine. I said thanks for clearing that up because you know, we are getting these guys right after a loss and of course there's frustrations, that was their sixth straight. So thanks for clearing that up for those that may have taken the perspective that they're not taking it as seriously. Yeah, she and I would just say, and again, I'm not a moral victory guy, but I would say in a week where Covid and you know, obviously we're not going to the playoffs and you know, um you know, there's people are out and I think you guys were asking, is there a dissension in the locker room? You know, if there were, you know, you have guys like Shaq Thompson, I mean Shaq's playing his seventh year, like he's got, what incentive does Shaq have to come back early and and and play in that game? What incentive does Burns is a pro bowl? What incentive does Burns have? Um you say, whatever we want, you know, the offense, this, you know, that that was a team yesterday. I hope you guys, I think anyone could see that they played really, really hard and they played as a team and had tremendous energy and they fought like the defense. I mean, we couldn't quite punt the ball across the 50, our punting game, you know, we were kind of backed up, I thought our defense time and time and time again came out there. I thought offensively those guys battled to the end. Um So, you know, I I just I would just want to make sure that, you know, from my perspective, anybody that watched the game would say well they really played hard and a lot of guys laid it on the line. Um you know, so I I don't think there's anything, you know, you get to this point of the season, you know, you have a team that plays that hard there, that means you have a good locker room, you have good guys, We have really good guys and they, they compete at the end. They were heartbroken at the end of that game. I can tell you because they, they felt like they had a chance to win it. They were in it to win it, they battled to win it and at the end, um, you know, we lost it in the fourth quarter and we weren't able to get it done. Um, so I think that's that's the emotion as much as anything. It's just disappointment and frustration. But they, you know, as I told them, they should feel frustrated. We should never accept losing. But I certainly for one appreciated the physicality and the effort. I mean, I I see guys limping to the sidelines and then going right back out there. I mean, this is a tough collection of guys. Thanks coach. Let's go to scott Fowler, followed by willful logic. Thanks matt. The quarterback plan this this week. Will it be the same? Yeah, I think, I think it'll be the same. I mean, we'll talk about it, you know, um, in terms of what cam's role is. But um, as I sit here right now, I have no reason, no thoughts of changing. You know, like I said, we've, we've seen camps, see what he can do. You see all the good things that he can do a chance for us to see where Sam's at. You know, played one started one game, love to see his growth into the next game? Uh See see some of the things I talked about how he'll attack those. Um but always have both guys ready. And I just wanted to ask you quickly about, you mentioned the drops, do you think that's an issue with DJ moore right now? Uh No, I mean obviously the one on the sideline, you know, I mean, I think DJs made a lot of big plays for us. I thought the one on the sideline was a big one was a crucial one. Um You know, it also makes a lot of really tough contested catches, catches a lot of slants across the middle. So um you know, obviously I d J be the first to tell you he liked to eliminate that one. Um uh but um you know, I just globally overall, I think it's, you know, I'm always trying to push, you know, push the agenda that it takes everybody for an offense to be successful. Um But, you know, DJs DJ is a really, really good player, He's, you know, coming into his own. Um I think those plays, those crucial gotta have it plays, he made some of them in the game and um you know, he just has to continue to make more of them. Thank you matt in terms of the offensive line, you've mentioned, you know, we've been talking about them all year, Is it something where you've got to go back and reevaluate what you're looking for? Or is it a teaching issue? I guess my question is is it more nature versus nurture in terms of the struggles at that position? Um you know, I think, I think first of all will I think anytime you have a, you know, 11 different lineups, that's not good, right, no matter where you're at with it, um you know, I think, uh I think as we get to the end of this year, I think we, you know, we'll we'll obviously evaluate everything in the offseason right now, we're just focused on this week, you know, um where we are right now, you know, I think when you look at offensive linemen you're always looking for, you know, kind of homegrown offensive lineman that you raise up in your system and they develop. So looking at brady right now, looking at Deontay, you know, obviously timo was drafted and has been here. So um, you know, we'll, we'll, we'll just have to look at everything in the offseason, you know, in terms of, hey, um, how do we get better at it? But I also think you have to make a true investment in the position and I'm not saying we haven't, I'm just saying that, you know, obviously we all sit here and see we've made a lot of improvement on defense, we've made a lot of improvement. I feel like in some of our special teams areas, some of them. Um, Uh, you know, we have good skill players. Uh, we just have to continue to invest in the offensive line. Um, because when you have, when you have an offensive line that can run the ball and protect the quarterback, everything else just kind of eases up and I don't want to throw that whole game on one position. You know, we had lots of opportunities. We, you know, we dropped an interception, we gave up a 3rd and 13 lots of things that could have changed the game. Um, we didn't punt the ball well enough. Um, but you know, I think when we get this offseason, we'll look at everything. Do you feel like you should have invested more sooner in that position? I can't look backwards. You know, I mean, I can only look forward. Thank you. Thanks. Let's go to christian or dessert followed by Mike's alert coach. Given the situation over the past week. Has there been any new covid cases and is Hassan player protocol yet? Yeah, the song is not back yet. Um, um, I think I saw Tech sam Tech Lindbergh was back today. Um, uh, Darryl johnson thinks back today, but other than that, everyone else is still out and um, I have nothing new to report Covid case wise yet and real quick follow up given the situation with the offensive line Trooper, Hubbard had a little bit more emotion talking to us yesterday after the game. You know, it's kind of basically just piste off saying, hey man, we all got a job to do. This is, you know, loosening sucks. What have you seen from him since he's taken over from christian mccaffrey? That kind of stood out to you? Well, I think, I think chuba, um, I think cuba's got a physical presence to him. I think chuba really cares, you know, um, he is emotional, you know, he is fired up. He does want to win. Um, at the same time, you know, he takes responsibility of the first sack last week. You know, he missed the protection and um, you know, cam is about to rip of Cymbalta Tommy and um, you know, he's the first guy to take responsibility for it. I think he prepares at a high level, You know, I'm in here Wednesday night, it must have been nine or 10 o'clock, he's walking back in the building to get in the cold tubs and take care of his body, you know, worked all day, went home, came back. So, um, he's really, he's a good young player that has been good on special teams. I was glad to see him. Uh, christian finally, you know, break a run, you know, for a touchdown, You know, um, uh, you know, I think that's the thing that he's needed, you know, to show that, Hey, I can, I can take one, the distance, obviously it wasn't 70 but it was, you know, from 2025 yards where he, you know, he's able to make the safety miss. So I think he's, um, I think he's got a lot of potential, but I do like his and I don't know what he said after the game so I can't comment on that. But I do like his Fire. Um, you know, it's a good one. Guys have passion, but at the same time take true accountability for the things that they do appreciate it. Hey man, how you doing? I'm, well thank you. Uh, you talked earlier about the guys, you know, limping off the field and then going back in there and how the, how you feel that the room is, is unified and is a good room. The results obviously not where you want it, but is in terms of what we've talked about with you in the past and the long range plan and, and the process is, this, is this a normal thing in what you've seen in your other rebuilds where even though the results may not be there, it's kind of the start of where things are started, things going in the direction you want them to, you know, be honestly mike, I'm hesitant to say that because you know, as you said, the results aren't there And uh, this is a results. Business people want results, I want results, the guys want results. So, um, you know, I think, I think when you're on the inside, you always see all the good things and the bad things that, you know, it's funny me and camera talking last week and you can, you know, cam's got such perspective, you know, and he said to me, he said, it's one thing when you don't know what's broken and, or, or, and you don't know how to fix it. Like when you kind of know, hey, we gotta fix this and this and you have a plan for it. You know, then then it's easy to make make steps. So, um, I feel like we've made some progress, but we don't, we don't have the results right now to talk about anything other than just um, I, I just wanna make sure um, sometimes when you lose all different sort of things, get out agendas get out and I just don't want there to be anything other than, in my opinion. Those guys went out there and laid it on the line yesterday. And that, that, that to me is just as a football fan meant a great deal. You know, you see a lot of teams that are coming down the stretch, they talk about making business decisions, they lay down, I thought our guys went out there this past game and they played hard and they played physical and a lot of times we played really well, some areas where we struggle, we continue to struggle. Um, you know, I get out, you know, I think if you go back and look throughout the course of your, I've been asked about the same couple things over and over and I don't, you know, sometimes you just can't fix it. Uh, and you need, you need, you need time to fix it. So, um, um, but I don't want to sit here and talk about, hey, I feel good about where we're at because you know, we haven't made the progress in terms of the on field results that I want, um, that anybody wants. And that's why I understand why people are frustrated. I understand all of those things that guys in this locker room are frustrated, but they're not quitters, They are winners and they, you know, they, they keep, they truly keep pounding. They come out here every week and I just want to make sure that that's, that's what said because they might speak out of frustration after the game because that was emotional for them yesterday. And you know what mike, they have to, they have to get up off the mat this week and go out there and play again and they have to go on the road and play against, you know, one of the top teams, the National Football League and the greatest quarterback of all time. And so, um, you know, we'll find out a lot about them. We'll find out a lot about me and my ability to get them ready to play. Um, we'll find out a lot about this whole organization. Um, as I told the guys, you find out a lot about each other when, you know, you go through situations like this and I, you know, it wasn't good enough yesterday, so that, that's the final word, you know, you are what your record says you are, but I did like, and I did appreciate their character and their football toughness. And I think the thing I'll say is when you're looking out there and you see like keith taylor, who's a rookie or you see heat or who's a second year player, you see these guys and you're like, man, just wait until they grow up, you know, wait till jeremy Kitchen and Kenny Robinson and those guys and what I mean, grow up, I'm I'm talking about like now, you know, uh, Chin at halftime was great. And so I say all that to say, um, you know, we're we're trying to build something great. Um, it's it's not built yet. So I understand why everyone's saying, what the heck, why is it not built yet? But we're trying to build something great. Yesterday wasn't good enough, we'll try to do it again this week. I think from from the aspect of the, the, the the line I was going with the, not necessarily with the results, but with the attitudes and and, and that sort of thing, you know, I appreciate your question. No, you get you definitely get, you see what I'm saying? I'm just saying I don't, sometimes you get to this point in the year, it's just sort of like, you know, I, you know, I understand that people want us to win, but I am I am really pleased with a lot of positions development. I saw the way I do when I turned the tape on mike and saw the way our D line play, I was like, okay, that's that's what it's supposed to look like. And when I saw the way, you know, some young guys in the secondary play and I said, okay. And I saw the way we covered kicks yesterday versus probably, you know, Harris has been out for four games, but three games when I saw the way that we kicked under duress and I saw Zylstra and S. T. O. And uh Sam franklin, those guys play on special teams. I said, okay, that's the way it looks. You know, so there's a lot of things that I'm like, man, they've gotten so much better. Um, you know, we didn't have Steph Gilmore out there yesterday, we didn't have Dante Jackson, we don't have christian mccaffrey Matt Paradis, we didn't have those guys, the Hassan Reddick and the guys that went out there though, I thought they played well enough to have a chance to win. And so that's the progress that I'm looking at? That's the process. Um is is you know what like, like are you proud of the way the team played yesterday now? Are you mad that I haven't done a good job of this? You know, this, this, this guy that I get, but from where we started to where we are now, there's a lot of, a lot of good things happening. Just the results, not where it needs to be. And that's that's what people should be frustrated at. But I believe it's coming. Thanks man. And we have time for one more. Let's wrap it up with joe person. Matt, you mentioned Gilmore. Is there a chance that is he done for the year? And then also you also mentioned Deontay Brown. Any chance we might see him a little more of this food? Yeah. I think Deontay is something we, you know, we have to talk about, you know, just seeing, trying to get him, um, even even even in a special teams role or something, you know, Deontay has been practicing well. So, you know, that's something I'd like to talk about with Pat. Um, and that, that's not taking away anyone else. Just, you know, as you as you know, it's time to see something, a guy like that. And then, um, Stefan, I just haven't talked to Stefan. You know, I texted with Stefan the night before the game, um, you know, I think when a guy of his, his stature and age and experience says, hey, just give me a chance to see if I can play in that game especially, you know, there's really been no reason to put him on ir because of all the covid cases and spots. Um, so we'll, we'll see this week, I think, you know, by thursday you'll, you know, we'll know if he, if he hasn't practiced Wednesday or thursday, he's probably out. But um, I'm kind of taking his lead because, you know, there's, there's, there's no one that he would just say this, he's such a good person for young players to learn from. Uh, you know, we played the falcons in Atlanta, we beat them, we come back, he's right in the building, he's taking care of his body while everyone else's home. I've told that story before. Uh, you know, we had to walk through the sunday before the Tampa game and uh, you know, he asked, hey, can I, can I skip it? I, I get in the building at eight o'clock in the morning and I start my, my process for a one o'clock game. Um, you know, a lot of young players want to go home and, you know, get dressed up and show up and, you know, all the stuff that comes with the game and you got Stephon Gilmore, NFL defensive player of the year and he's here at eight o'clock in the morning preparing. So, um, when he says to me like, hey, give me a shot, you know, we'll see, so I don't have an answer for you, joe. Other than, um, I'm sure if he can go, he will try to go because he's a competitor.