The Group Chat Episode 12: Southern Mama

cool games against Jacksonville over the years. We have that and so much more, including a special guest you do not want to miss. You've been added to the group chat with your friends. Caroline can, Max Sensen, and Will Brian guys were here. We didn't forget about the group chat. We just wanted you to wait. You know, great things are worth waiting for. And we're one day late with a group chat. And one person noticed, I didn't think you're going to reveal that it was just one. It

was just one. But we all start somewhere and we're going to celebrate that one person that was asking, yeah, shout out to you, so thank you. You're actually the president of the group he's now. Congratulations for recognizing that we are a day late on this. But sometimes life just gets a little headtick around here, and we've been running around. So it's like my dad when I'm late on the snap counts. He calls and leaves the messages when the snap counts art up because he wants to

know what the snap counts are. My dad wanted to know where the vlog had been. This was weeks ago. He called. My dad's a big Texter and he always sends emojis with those text messages. But he called and said, you know, I've I've missed your videos. Where's the vlog? Said? I know, Dad, but we got him one. If you haven't seen the blog yet, there's my shameless plug to go watch. The can came from Houston, but Houston. That was fun and started out a little rocky, but thankfully

it ended like it did in Arizona. Your Panthers are two and two, and we have to follow up something from last week. We nominated a homecoming court, so now we must crown our homecoming king, the biggest honor that anyone on this football roster could possibly get. Here we go aside from a thumbs up your We did start a lot of words. Yeah, yeah, I'm just hey, I'm just trying to give give some shout out, give some awards.

We did start a new segment sidebar, We started a new segment called the Weekly because it comes out weekly. It's pretty creative. But Bill and I are back with our daily esque type video and we hand out these amazingly cheap thumbs up trophies. If you haven't seen it, go to Twitter, my Twitter or Bill's panther. Bill Uh, just I think it's you know, you know where those

trophies came from a couple of years ago. Our department for like morale after some games would give we would like give it to somebody who had a really good game day, like in the digital department. So it was like Melissa got like these amazing photos and it was like, Melissa, you've you've earned the thumbs up trophy for this week. And so it used to be something we would pass around Max. How many did you win? I didn't win very many, Yeah, because Max would just always every week

it would deliver. Max always delivered. So it was like it would mainly veer towards social We're kind of like, you're kind of like Russell Wilson, like you just expected to know exactly, Yeah, okay, the Russell Wilson of the of the Digital crew, But I do I do remember that was that was kind of fun. Everybody had them on their desk. Will was really excited when he got one.

Well because then I almost was like the everyone's like, well, all Will is never going to get one because I don't do anything on social so Amy just kind of gave me a pity one. I got pretty excited about it. Participation pretty much. The only one that I've seen around the office is Bill Bill Still. Yeah, so that's where I got the idea from. I saw that sitting on his desk, and I was like, wait, that would be a very funny thing. And can you imagine. Greg Van

wrote in like holding that trophy. You just need to go watch it because you'll see how cheap they are at the very end of the video. We just got these in earlier this week, and let's just say we already down one for the count because they're just so well made. But that is the weekly Go check that out. But let's get back to the homecoming Court. Another award second to the thumbs up obviously, but let's go. I don't know who wants to go first. Who's on here?

You can go first, Max, Okay, I am going to give mine to Ross Cockrell, who had to step in for Dante Jackson and the starting lineup. And when we revealed that via the Aactive story, the reaction was pretty dire from Panther Nation and we got the KK short, the really tough news about KK that he's going on season ending I rum but before that, he was questionable to that game. So when people saw that both those guys were down, as Caroline's mentioning, everybody was just like, well,

I don't need to watch this anymore. This this is an automatic ill um but not so. The D line has a lot of depth, and Ross Cockrell's a guy they really trust and are counting on. So he stepped in there and I thought played extremely well against that Houston offense and obviously had the big play right, It was that interception when the Texans are trying to run that trick play, the wide receiver pass. You know, I think people forget they were down at Caroline's eighteen yard

line for that play. I mean they were in position to add points, if not a touchdown. They tried to get cute Ross Cockrell knew exactly what was coming. It was very similar to what the Giants had tried to run against Carolina last year. It was something around Vera mentioned during the week of prep. The Texans had shown that on tape last year. I think DeAndre Hopkins tried the same thing, so they were kind of on high

alert for that. And you just gotta give Ross a ton of credit for not getting fooled, not getting dirty eyes as they say, and vacating his own He was right there. Hopkins threw it right to him. That was the most notable thing DeAndre Hopkins did in that game was throwing understand, So some credits a James Bradberry as well for locking him down. But a huge play in the game. And anytime we're gonna talk about Ross, we're gonna talk about his horrific injury last year. That's just

part of his story now. But what a what a special moment for a guy who's come back from a lot emotionally and physically to have that kind of game when he gets plugged into the starting lineup and make that kind of play. It was very cool to see. When I think the homecoming King is always a popularity contest, and I have not seen this team celebrate the way that they did after he got that interception. So he was kind of a dark horse for this homecoming King.

I'm not gonna lie. He wasn't in my top. I didn't think he made the court. Oh do we need to go review out of the stands. He was a write in. He was so popular that people just wrote him in there. All right, I'll go next to I'm going to give mine to a guy that was nominated, Mario Addison. He has five and a half sacks on this season. That's more than I believe, like some teams have as a total. And this will all come in two games, right half half a sack in that second game.

Mario Addison is just a little bit of a dark horse name on this defensive line. We've talked about, you know, McCoy and Irvin and Brian Burns and all of these guys that have been added. But then Mario is just like, man, I'm just gonna sit over here, my job a little bit. And so he got what the Dion Sanders called him. If you ball, you get the call, like he's getting the attention now, and I love it because he deserves it.

So he is my homecoming king, doing exactly what you need to do to just stay in the running and then all of a sudden you break out with really these past two games, getting after very shifty quarterbacks. I think that's it too, And maybe that's why he's able to break through, because he is this guy that maybe not everyone's talking about, so he's not getting a lot of the attention, but because of his teammates around him, he's able to get through there and get the quarterback.

So congratulations, Mario Addison, You're my homecoming king. Good stuff. I'm going with the goat of goats. Yeah all right, we haven't mentioned somebody out of goats. He leads the NFL and rushing leads the NFL and scrimmage yards has literally erased Angela Williams from all of the media. Guide you love bringing to Angelo back because it always right.

Christian McCaffrey, I mean, dude, dude was the entire offense, both receiving and rushing and blocking and doing everything of the snaps nearly a hundred yards, rushing nearly a hundred yards, receiving ten receptions, joined Jim Brown in any number of more records of things he's done in the first four games. Dude's a beast, and because it's a popularity contest, he wins, right because literally all of all of the videos that we have of the sideline are just of them watching

him talking about Christian McCaffrey. Yeah, how great was that from the mic up. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. Brian Burns had the wire on and he and Kyle Love just like the league. Not to mention Kyle Love requesting burgers if you have not seen this wire uniqu to go that the defensive line showed up on this and gave us so much. Whoever's on the other side of this, bring us some choose burgers. Yeah.

Christian McCaffrey, he is a beast and like even I think it's like first run or second run or something. He drugged DJ Reader like five yards. This was not like a momentum. Oh, I'm still going DJ is just going to slow me down. No, all three hundred and thirty pounds of DJ Reader was just sliding across the turf as Christian McCaffrey work just worked him over and got like so more yards. I had to go google how much he waged because I'm like, there's no way he just did a sled pole here and this is

what the second or third play of the game. And then he keeps doing it and he said after the game, this is the best part. In the locker room. He's just run his butt off the entire game and he's sitting there complaining. He's like, this is the worst part of the game, taking off his show pass. He's yelling in the locker room, this is the worst part of the day. Like having to take him off. He has like two or three people in buckling him, like pulling

the tight jersey off of him. Yeah, he's such a beast. But Max question about this though, thirty seven total touches, seven carries, The snaps like, don't you think I think I think we have to talk about too much for him. Yeah, I think what we have with the most impressive thing about Christians performance Sunday wasn't It wasn't type performance where he's running for big plays fifty yard run, thirty yard catch, and he had to work for every single yard he

got against the Texans. I mean, he was pretty banged up, bruised, up after that game. It was a physically demanding war inside. It's what Greg Van Ruin called it. So I thought that was one of the most impressive things about Christian was that he had he had to fight for every yard he got against that Texans defense. There was a lot of carnage between the tackles. But to your point, Will, I think everyone is very impressed with the production, the

fact that he carried the offense. They literally hitched their wagon to twenty two against the Texans. But the other part of this conversation is are they putting too much on Christian? Are there concerns long term about having your workhorse have to work that hard? Thirty seven touches with the most he's ever had in his career. As we said, that was a physically demanding game for your star running back. So that's another part of this conversation that's that's being

had right now. Mama says, my mama said, Mama said, my mama said, Mama said, listen, what just happened. I don't I don't care if you think my boys running too much. Listen, I've been training him for this his whole life. I do not understand why you think Christian hadn't been like he can handle this thirty seven, Hell, given forty five, given forty five carries a game. Southern Mama has arrived. I don't want to hear it. I've been seeing too much trash on this Twitter thing. T eater.

I can't. I can't. So Southern Mama, you you, you don't. You don't buy into all this this concerned people have about Christian being overused. No, listen, we used to have these cookouts every weekend. We when Christian was growing up. And I'm run him back and forth from the fridge about fifty times a day trying to get me different things. I needed the mayonnaise and and the cheese and all this stuff. My boy's been carrying the rock for his

whole life. Didn't Christian grew up in Colorado? Yeah? I think he did. They got red Listen, they got red necks out there. They got they got red necks out there in Colorado too. It's just different cons We're just different. So Southern Mama, you don't feel like maybe some of the other running backs should get in there for a few carries here and there. Jordan's Scarlett. They used to draft pick on this year and you think just keep

it should be Christian Christian Christians. I mean, we appreciate them boys sitting in the running backs room with him and keeping him company throughout this season. But if you take my boy off the field, you go lose. And I will say that real quick. I think he needs to be out there because why, I mean why not? You think he needs a rest? You want to take him off? Why don't you take him off? Coach? That's one's really dragging him out the field. Don't you take

him off? How many? How many touches is too much for Christian? Do you think in one game that does not exist? I think that that math saying that goes the limit does not exist. That that's exactly calculus to the adity. But the best part about this whole thing is Christian's mother is so sweet, real mother, not not southern mama that just hopped out of her wagon to come in here. No, yeah, she's such a sweet lady that I can't do that with a straight face. You

actually did it pretty good? Did I started thinking about the sweet woman that is truly Christian McCaffrey's mother. God, that's not it. That's not a true representation of Lisa is Southern Mama. Does she have her passport ready? Yeah? I think I might go. They've asked, have the Southern Mambre gone to London before? Do I look like I've gone? Do I say, I'm like I've been a press that pond. Do I know Southern Mama ha never been over there? But they don't asked. I've seen them busses before, that

Mayor Kate Nashley movie. I've seen it on their Southern Mama is going to take, we might, we might take. She's got to she has to come with us. Southern Mama needs in names. If you're listening out there, I've thrown around just like like big Mama, but that's actually truly what we called my grandmother and now my mom who was a grandmother, we call her that. My mom sounds nothing like this everyone out there. But so I can't buy into the big Mamma thing, but I've I've

used that around. So if you're listening and you want her to come back, which is would be astounding. I don't think everyone gets to choose. I think something just comes. But and she wants to come. Yeah, like there's like she wasn't invited today, she just showed she just comes when she feels like someone needs to be defended, she gonna come out her trade. She gonna talk about or when when someone needs to be you know, whipped. Yeah, yeah,

that's it, that's it. Yeah, but that is nothing at Leasta McCaffrey is a wonderful woman and sounds nothing like that. So sorry, if you listen, If Leasta McCaffrey listen and she's on the twitter, right, we'll get a kick out. He's on that on that tweter, she's on the tweeters on the tweter. He would love this at hersh Maybe you should will because you actually know her and how you know her is the best story of all differ.

We're gonna tease that up. But to really talk about this Christian McCaffrey, is he being overworked just you can't take him off the field. I think a conversation that we've talked about was in that second half when when the Panthers are trying to control the clock and run it down and do all those things. Yeah, maybe that's when you think, well, where are these other running backs?

Can we put them in? But what Christian McCaffrey does on the field, even if he's not getting the ball, which he gets the ball a lot, but if he's not getting the ball, he's pulling attention, allowing other playmakers. And I think when you look back at, you know, the first game that Kyle Island started, the second one, now going into the third, you need all of those distractions out there, and Christian has to be out there.

But I do agree it is a little alarming when you just look at the longevity of his career of what he can do. But then you look at you know, if we're gonna say that Christian McAffrey, is this the best running back and he's just this anomaly. Frank Gore is like thirty four years old and is still just get being the ball all the time. I saw him one time he was with the Colts. It was the Buffalo snow game. He carried the ball like close to forty times. We had a short week going into the

next one. He immediately carried the ball like thirty times, like there was nothing there. So I think there is this debate to be had of are they flirting with the line of playing him too much? But Christian is stronger. I think something better. Some guys are built for this. I think, like Gore you mentioned, is one of those special guys who just could handle it. I think Christian

has prepared himself really since high school. I mean, the guy has been on an NFL style training regimen, growing up in an NFL family, So I mean, I think I think he's built for it. But kind of to what you were saying, Caroline, a lot of times people are upset because he's playing a percent of the snaps, but it's a situation where he's not getting the ball all the time. This was a situation where he got

the ball all the time. This was a career high thirty seven touches, And I think that's where people are getting a little just antsy about, and it's coming from a good place. I think everybody wants to see Christian play well for a long time. You know, like this is this is a guy that's clearly a superstar in this league. You want to see him, you know, continue

to play at this level at this pace. Um, I don't think that we're going to see thirty seven touches every week, but in the in the NFL, when you're in a situation like the Panthers were in at one and two, desperately needing to get to two into They were struggling a bit on offense. Kyle Allen had three strip sacks. The receivers weren't able to get very involved. Obviously that the defensive line for Houston was getting after it.

They had to lean on Christian and they did. And if they felt like that was how they were gonna win that game and in the week to week season, that is the NFL. That's what it came down to for North turn or that offense. It was. It was twenty two and it was just gonna be a heavy dose to that. I don't think it's gonna be like that every week. I do understand people feeling like, hey, I'm gonna get a little worried about all this, this this usage for Christian. But I mean, this guy's a

young guy and they're going to continue. I've always said this, even when the offseason that we're talking about, hey, or maybe trying to find a compliment this or that. I'll believe it when I see it, and we have yet to see it. It's it's the Christian show and it's going to be that way for a while. And Christian doesn't I feel like he doesn't take hit hits Sunday Sunday that, Yeah, that was different. It was a different kind of game, and I think that's why Sunday was more.

They will right, you know, but you're right. I think typically the most part, he was pretty just pretty good job of managing himself throughout the course of the game. Right. I do think the game plane is important in this one, just because of the past rush that Houston had. I mean, this was how the Panthers had to play this game if they were going to give Kyle Allen a chance. I mean, they ran the ball as much as they did,

and there were three strip sacks in the game. Like imagine they were just allowing Kyle to sit back there. It would have been it would have been more than that because of who was coming after him. I think it's like if you look at what the Steelers are doing with Udolph right now at quarterback, there were more wildcats in that game than we've seen in any NFL game. I feel like, So it's just the game playing week

by week. Looking at this Jacksonville team, you don't have the past rush that Houston had, but there's some different nuances that they're going to have to prepare for Jacksonville. I would be shocked if again he gets the ball that many times. Like you're saying, yeah, so would I. I mean Southern MoMA, my house. Something to say about that of defending Christian then in that one, Yeah, Greg Olsen said after the Houston win, the first words out

of his mouth where that was ugly. And now everybody in this locker room is gonna take an ugly win. But they know they need to play better on offense. Uh, They're coming back home. They've dropped their first two of the season at home after two road wins. They got that change of scenery that grega talked about it might be good for this team. That happened. They got two important road wins and now coming back on their home field, that offensive especially has to has to start clicking again.

It was great in Arizona, obviously they had a tough time in Houston. Got to protect the football. As we've said, Kyle Allen will be the first to tell you he was disappointed with the fact that you put the ball on the ground that many times. He's got five lost fumbles already, if I'm right, four or five fumbles lost four I just it's just too much. You're not gonna put yourself in a position to win if you're giving the ball away. Um. And then and they look as

great as Christian is. This offense is at its best when they spread the ball around, when guys like d J. Warren, Curtis Samuel are getting involved. Greg. All of that coming together makes them much more difficult to defend. This Jacksonville team is pretty good, you know, and they've they're riding their own high a little bit right now. With their

backup quarterback. They're gonna come in here with some confidence. Um. But the Panthers on their home field have to sort of dictate the terms of this and and start getting getting everybody involved offensively, because I think we all know now that this defense is going to come to play. I mean I think they they've found something. I mean, fourteen sacks in two games. If I'm Gardner, Menshew, I was saying, I better be looking both ways. This is a big game too. I mean back at home, they

got that change of scenery. You get two road wins, but this cant of Panthers team is not one at home yet in a long long time. Uh Tampa Bay, Yeah, November of last and it's been a while, so it's been a long time coming, you know, that's in the back of their minds. So this is a very very big week, but it's it's a new month. So can we just say that it's October now, so maybe October football is when we really start getting it. Is it Pumpkin spice football? Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is. Knox has

no reaction. I react like, oh yeah, well, mainly because is it gonna be like degrees or something. It's supposed to go down to it? Yeah, for Sunday, for Sunday, today, today, seven today, this is Wednesday when we're taking this seven degree. I walked out of my apartment this morning and like, lookes and I was like, I'm sorry, does that say ven degrees? I'm staying inside all day? But yes, it is. At least fall is coming, and this weekend should be

pretty special. There's a lot that it really you know, and even when you're playing Jacksonville, there's something that's kind of There's been a lot of cool games against Jacksonville over the years. But yeah, especially for guys like Jake, Jordan Wesley and of course Steve Smith. What's your favorite moment against Jacksonville. I mean it's cliche, but like, oh three, yeah, I mean the Jake to Ricky Prowle in the corner of the end zone fourth down, you know, down seven

half time. I mean that that's an all time moment. But to your point, the Monsoon Game eleven round overa and Cam Newton's first, which is obviously very significant. The fifteen Magical season all started down in Jacksonville Josh Norman six. So you're right. They have had some special moments against and and the very very very first time they ever stepped on the field was the preseason game against Jacksonville

in the Hall of Fame game. Yeah. Yeah, These teams have always been tied together since coming in the league together. The two hats right logo, Panther is technically a Jaguar. It's just all black jaguar. That's some information the mean Panthers. That guy coming, it might be that actually needs you to lead. That's your lead stat If not, I'm retweeting it and that's going to be what should be edit the leads. That is this guy. I hope you enjoyed

the group chat this week. Sorry we made you wait a day, but I do hope that it was worth the weight and shout out to the one guy that called us out on it. You were now a president of the group. He's we will talk to you guys next week. Wo