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Speaker 1: Hello.
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Speaker 2: Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ. Good afternoon, Queen City. Good to be back on a football Friday. You know what time it is. Monday headlines today. Your Panthers are going to Cleveland, one of the most boring, nondescript cities in America. I'm sorry, Ohioans. I don't hate you, but I just got no reason to go to Cleveland that I can come up with. I like to bag on Cleveland, and I hope we're bagging on Cleveland Monday because of a Panthers win, though it's not guaranteed. We know Cleveland's going to be tough, I think defensively anyway. So let's go Monday headlines today. Get creative.
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Speaker 3: 704-570-9610.
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Speaker 2: What happens Sunday? What are the headlines Monday? What are our lead conversations Monday morning starting 6 a.m. sharp with the Mac and Bone radio extravaganza? Monday headlines today. We've got a loaded show coming your way. Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 podcast. is back at 325. We will, of course, well, one thing is we'll see if Chip is picking the Tennessee over Texas upset like it seems everybody is in the last 24 to 36 hours. We'll talk about the big games in the ACC as well. Chip Patterson's back. Four o'clock, Captain Munderland, a man who to this day still leads the Carolina Panthers franchise with the most all-time pick sixes, five total in Captain Munderland's career as a Carolina Panther player. He's a former Gamecock All-SEC in 2007. And, of course, he's now the head coach of the Chambers Cougars. They are visiting the Butler Bulldogs tonight for the WCCB Bayhackle Sports High School Football Game of the Week simulcast live right here on WFNZ. Myself, Reggie Walker. Sorry, Reginald Walker Jr., my good man. We'll join you tonight, 7 o'clock, live from Butler High School as the Cougars take on the Bulldogs at 7 o'clock for the game of the week. So Captain Munderland's back at 4. Marty Snyder, everybody's favorite NASCAR man and PSL owner, he'll join us at 4. 25, 5 o'clock, we got Daniel Oyafusi stopping by. ESPN Cleveland Browns reporter. We will get the latest. We'll get his perspective behind enemy lines on what happens between the Panthers and the Browns on Sunday. And then finally, it's Friday. A lot of friends stopping by. Jeff Taylor, WCCB Bayhackle Sports Sports Director, will pop in for the final segment to talk a little bit about the games tonight. We'll, of course, get his thoughts on Carolina and Cleveland as well. Good afternoon, Smoke Ludwig. What's going on, buddy? How are you?
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Speaker 1: Well, it's beautiful outside into Queen City. Got football, basketball is right around the corner. And I think a very interesting weekend for both the NFL and college football. And so much for us trying to ride off the Falcons for the time being.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: Okay. Yeah. Yeah, that caught me off guard last night. I don't think Falcons fans even expected anything remotely resembling that, even with Pennix back on the field. But wow, I told you, full honesty, full disclosure. Like, I do what I do. We do what we do. Because we love sports, right? We watch them. We talk about them. We cover them. We broadcast them. We love sports, right? But every once in a while, you know, the missus will come to me and she's like, hey, babe, we haven't spent a lot of quality time together this week. You work a lot. Can we, you know, can we have a little quality time tonight? No, that's not where this is going. She wanted to binge watch a show last night. You know, we haven't had a time recently to, you know, sit down and binge watch a show.
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Speaker 4: Mobland.
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Speaker 2: Is back on Paramount with your guy, Tom Hardy, our guy, Tom Hardy, which I love Pierce Brosnan, too. And so she's like, babe, it's back. Season two of Mobland is back. Can we watch it? Is there a game you have to watch tonight? And I'm like, well, I kind of want to watch Green Bay Pulverize Atlanta, but it's not that important. So, you know, let me check it real quick and then we'll turn it on. I turn the game on just in time to see Michael Penix Jr., uh, throw his, his interception, a bad one at that. And I'm like, yeah, babe, we can watch the, we can watch mob land tonight. Uh, I got some prep to do for high school football tomorrow night. So I had my laptop on my lap last night. We're watching the first episode of season two of mob land. And, uh, you know, I'm just doing, doing my thing. I'm building spotting boards for the game tonight. I'm pulling rosters. I'm doing prep kits. And like 30 minutes later, I check ESPN and I'm like, what the hell do you mean? It's 17 to seven Atlanta's on top. What's going on here? And, you know, again, full disclosure, I continue to watch the show because I'm not going to pull the plug on the misses like that and say, babe, Green Bay and Atlanta is a dogfight. Now we got it. We got to go back to the game. Sorry, I got to stop this show. So I end up watching everything after the fact, you know, SportsCenter highlights, reactions, all that stuff. Buddy, I that's this might be the softest Green Bay Packers team I've seen in a really long time. I'm trying to think of the worst Green Bay Packers teams of my lifetime. And I don't know if this one's going to be that yet. But what are they good at right now? I mean, to let Atlanta come into your house and punk you like that. It's one thing to lose the game, but to get punked like that by a quarterback who's making his first start in Michael Penix of the year. We haven't seen him since last year. Green Bay's at home in primetime. It's a short week for everybody. And I mean, Green Bay just looks soft up front. They look completely out of whack. Also, it seemed like they could have used Rasheed Walker last night. So thank you for that. They got their offensive lines a mess. Well, they have three, four starters out last night. And there are all these questions today about Jordan Love. How good is he? Is he that guy? Is that wasted money they spent on him? I just think their whole operation looks horrendous right now. And this may be, could be, based on the way they've looked to start the season, one of the worst Green Bay Packers teams of my lifetime.
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Speaker 5: Uh, yeah.
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Speaker 1: Well, look, well, the thing is for you, you were born in 1985. So you miss most of the worst, uh, years of green Bay. And by the time you were a kid, Brett Favre was taken over in 1992. So yeah, you, you didn't really, you've never experienced bad Packers football consistently. Like even in the early eighties, late, late eighties, when you were like four or five, you still had Don magic, uh, Mikowski magic, Mike Mikowski as quarterback who had a couple of good years. So, like, I'm thinking about it in my lifetime because I was born later than you. I've only had, like, one or two bad years. And it was 2005. 2005 was the year.
00:06:24
Speaker 2: That was the one. They went four and 12.
00:06:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know what one of the main problems was? They had, like, four or five offensive linemen hurt.
00:06:30
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:06:30
Speaker 1: Like, when they came here to Monday Night Football, they had one of the dumbest sack fumbles that they gave up in franchise history that I can remember. And Carolina luckily didn't blow the lead, but they won that game.
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Speaker 5: But that team was rough. And this team, I don't think it's as bad yet, but it's looking rough. You barely beat the Jets on the road.
00:06:49
Speaker 1: You gave up how many unanswered points to the Minnesota Vikings with Carson Wentz as your starting quarterback?
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Speaker 2: Well, they finished with 39 that day, Minnesota did, I think.
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Speaker 1: And look, I'm not poo-pooing on them giving up so many rushing yards to be John Robinson because that dude's the truth. But still, giving up that many yards to be John Robinson, not having any rushing yards. I didn't think the Josh Jacobs situation was going to put him did that much. They can't run the Marshawn.
00:07:14
Speaker 5: Lloyd can't do anything. No, no. I mean, it is just from top down awful.
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Speaker 1: And Kyle, I remember doing loser radio last year after the Packers game, which was a lot of fun. Those people were sick and tired of Matt LaFleur. Then that was before they choked twice against the Chicago bears. And now they're starting off like this. It's absolutely horrendous, and it's DEFCON 1 situation for Matt LaFleur to the point where it feels like he's in the same exact situation that Mike Sherman was in in 2005.
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Speaker 2: They were terrible last night. Now, a texter here, a few people, but Jim Gillen, the most recent, to say, I think if the Falcons played like this against us, we could have lost, dot, dot, dot. Well, yeah, of course. Listen, they played Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. Now, I could also say they beat Michael Pennix and the Falcons 30-0 last year. Now that game was a little bit fluky, but at the same time, and I, by that, I mean just the, the non-traditional unorthodox stuff that happened in that game.
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Speaker 1: And look, they ran the ball pretty well against Carolina on Sunday, but they didn't run it against them like that.
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Speaker 2: No, that's the other thing too. Like they were, and we have to point out, they were a bit more one-dimensional, but like Carolina largely helped Bijan Robinson in check coming off a week where they gave 59 points to the bears. So everything in context for sure. but having Penix back there gave them some additional balance. I never thought they were as bad as they looked on Sunday. Again, as nice as it is to beat the snot out of Atlanta and to humiliate Atlanta, anybody who believed they were that bad overall as a team, you wanted to believe that because it's not true. Now, are they really that good because they did what they did in Green Bay last night? Hell, I mean, the Panthers went to Green Bay and won.
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Speaker 5: Right.
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Speaker 2: So that wasn't a great team either. It wasn't this year, of course. But the point being, the Falcons are probably better than they looked on Sunday. And we'll see where it goes from here when they start to face better competition. But I think it's fair to look at last night and think to yourself, maybe Carolina didn't beat a terrible Falcons team Sunday. Maybe Carolina administered a 34 to three beating to a talented roster that was severely limited at quarterback. And, you know, maybe Atlanta's not dead in this race. So, and also I was kind of watching that thinking maybe the NFC South is just a little better than people have given it credit for. I don't know. I mean, you're making your shocked face over there. They can't see that on radio smoke, but like maybe just maybe this division is a little better than people are giving it credit for.
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Speaker 1: Look, we're not saying the division's amazing, but the pieces are there for multiple teams to be good at the same time. We've kind of seen this happen in other divisions in the past. I mean, look at the AFC South. We thought for the longest time they were the crappiest division. I know the Texans are 0-2 right now, but they look like they have two teams that can make the playoffs year in and year out now in that division. So things change. Things are cyclical. Things don't always stay the same in the NFL, and that's just the way that the NFL works.
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Speaker 5: Wants it to be.
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Speaker 2: Again, the NFC South just became more interesting. Atlanta's now one and two. Carolina's one and one. If they don't take care of business, the Falcons will pull even with them in the standings this weekend. Of course, Carolina currently owns the tiebreaker. Don't get me wrong. I haven't forgotten about that. But boy, what happens with Minnesota and Tampa on Sunday is going to be fascinating. Saints as well so this division is is just heating up and we'll see where it goes 704-570-9610 hit us up on the WFNZ text line Monday headlines today Panthers Browns edition what are you predicting what are you thinking about Sunday's game what will the headlines be We had a bunch of these come in right off the top of the show. Fan guy Dave, shorthanded Panthers defense makes the dog pound boo to Sean Watson off the field, and BY9 continues his MVP level of play. Let's stop right there, because in case you're just tuning in, you've been busy at work like an adult today, and you haven't been able to check all the news, Devin Lloyd will not play Sunday. against the Cleveland Browns. This one has me concerned, right? And before Nacho Mama and others start to bail because they think we're being negative Nancys again, I think you have to be concerned about this one because you've got multiple newcomers at that position now that are going on the road together in what's going to be a loud and hostile environment. Bobby O'Kerrick is a veteran, but he's now got the green dot and he's new here and he wasn't around for most of training camp. Tyrell Dodson hadn't been here very long, hadn't really practiced that much even either.
00:11:34
Speaker 5: I don't even know if he has an apartment yet.
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Speaker 2: I'm not sure. Like, he could be in an Airbnb. I have no idea. But you got Dodson and you got Okereke at the linebacker positions on Sunday. Okereke's going to take the green dot with Devin Lloyd out. And both of these guys are pretty good football players. You know, I think Okereke, for a while, was a very good football player. But he's new. You know, and it's just week three. And now he's calling the defense, getting everybody set, working with Dodson for the first time in live game action and on the road at that. So that's the one that's got me. I'll give you my optimism in a second, Smoke, but that's the one that's got me concerned right now.
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Speaker 1: Well, Datton, you know, even though Bobby Okereke, we know he at times has been a very good player in his career, I do think part of the reason why he didn't do as well in New York last year was because he was playing out of place with a green dot. And he's one of those guys that's better without the green dot as the secondary piece. I don't know how he'll do as the main piece. And it really has me concerned because I know we were all, I don't know, fear-mongering is the right word about the potential of Colston Loveland to have a massive day against the Bears. And then he ends up not having a day at all, only two targets. But it really makes me concerned not to have a guy like Devin Lloyd win. Deshaun Watson has not been pushing the ball down the field like he used to. They've not had really any deep shots intentionally. It's been a lot of dinking and dunking and what's one of the strongest receiving targets. They have Harold Fannin jr. Who's a tight end.
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Speaker 5: I'm nervous.
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Speaker 1: This is one of the things that has me nervous is the linebackers matching up against the tight end, specifically Harold Fannin without Devin Lloyd in all pro linebacker.
00:13:08
Speaker 5: That does have me concerned.
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Speaker 1: Even if, even if Hokariki and Dotson can get the job done, it still has me a little bit worried. But then again, I'll point to Mac and bones case. It's like, even with these two guys that are still trying to take the playbook with like a dog trying to get water from a fire hose. they're still better than their options you had last year.
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Speaker 2: Without a doubt. Without a doubt. I mean, you still feel better about starting Okereke and Dodson, I think, than you do starting Trevin Wallace and Claude and Chairless, right? For sure. There's no doubt about that.
00:13:36
Speaker 5: Well, and Bozeman.
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Speaker 2: And Roseboom, too. Not Bozeman. Roseboom. 704-570-9610. Hit us up on the WFNZ text line. Now, here's the other part, right? I am, obviously, Devin Lloyd not playing, which, by the way, I think is smart. Because this is a calf strain, okay? Calf strains can often turn into ruptured Achilles.
00:13:54
Speaker 5: I mean, we've seen that a lot in the basketball world over the last two years.
00:13:57
Speaker 2: Well, it's one of the biggest problems in the NBA from a health standpoint right now. Guys with calf strains and it turns into busted Achilles and they're out for 13 to 16 months. So I actually think sitting out Devin Lloyd is a smart move because you need that guy available for the rest of this season. Obviously, you paid him a whole bunch of money. Here's Dave Canales, by the way, on the reason or rather the rationale behind sitting out Devin Lloyd.
00:14:20
Speaker 6: You know, he just didn't get to a place where we felt confident he can go out there and play four quarters. And that was the decision. You know, could he go out there and do something and we'd have to spell him and play other people potentially. But we just didn't feel like the nature of a calf injury, of course, is a fatigue type of injury. And so picturing a full four quarters it was hard to with Devin he gave it his best shot we got him out there and ran him a little bit even today just to see where he's at but you know the best decision for Devin was to give it a week revisit it next week and see if we can build him back up to that capacity.
00:14:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, again, if this lingers, becomes a real issue, everybody's tone's going to change. But, you know, with this one, you've got to be a little cautious here, right? If you've got to sit him out for a week and you feel, and especially because they're getting both Bobby Brown and Pat Jones back this week on the field. that's huge. Jalen Phillips is good too, right? He's going to play as well. So they're going to be largely healthy up front. And on top of that, Lee Hunter's played well to start the season. So up front, I feel pretty.
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Speaker 4: Good, right?
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Linebacker, eh. It's not about ability. It's about communication and knowing where you're supposed to be and getting the plays in on time on the road in a hostile environment. Secondary, you're good. I like what you got back there. So I think this defense is going to be just fine Sunday when it's all said and done. But I've got some concerns, obviously, as we mentioned. We had a texter here a second ago, Humble Pie, saying he listened to Cleveland Sports Radio today and says they are absolutely certain their run game will dominate. I understand week one wasn't good, and that has skewed the numbers. but dominating Atlanta last week, regardless of quarterback, the defense is being overlooked. They're insisting that they're going to dominate in the running game. They're 31st in rushing going into week three. Why would they be certain they're going to die? Well, by the way, given some of what I've heard on the radio up there, I'm not shocked, but like I also go ahead.
00:16:07
Speaker 1: I was going to say the running backs that Carolina's played the first two weeks, DeAndre Swift, very good running back. B.
00:16:15
Speaker 5: John Robinson, top five running back. Yeah. And they kind of held B. John in check. So let's put that out there too.
00:16:20
Speaker 1: I think the numbers are skewed because of the week one game and how horrendously they went.
00:16:26
Speaker 5: So that's something I've got to put out, too.
00:16:29
Speaker 2: But if you're banking all of your hopes on the fact that Carolina was just bad in week one, if that's the best you got, look at your own rushing attack. Look at your offense line. I mean, listen, who knows? Maybe we end up looking like fools in this one, but I just can't imagine going into a week three game, even as crazy as some of our takes have been, with a 31st ranked rushing attack and be like, yep, it's going to dominate this week. Definitely going to dominate. That's a take, man. 704-570-9610. Monday headlines today. Panthers-Browns edition. We'll keep it rolling, but when we come back, we pay our weekly visit to Chip Patterson of CBSSports.com and the Cover 3 podcast. Sports Radio, 92.7 WFNZ. No tomorrow. Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ. A football Friday has arrived. Another one is somehow we are already into week four of the college football season. Week three of the NFL. We go into week six of the high school football season tonight. Tipping into the halfway point. Conference play begins. Butler and Chambers tonight here on WFNZ. Simulcast the WCCB Bayhackle Sports High School Game of the Week. Chambers, of course, coached by Captain Munderland, former All-SEC defensive back at South Carolina. His son, by the way, his son is a top 10 cornerback recruit in the nation. Captain Munderland Jr., who's playing down in Mobile, Alabama. Somehow Captain Munderland has a son who's a top 10 DB in the country. for the class of 2029. And Captain, of course, like we mentioned earlier, still holds the record for most pick sixes in Carolina Panthers history. Former seventh round pick drafted by the Panthers. Captain will join the show coming up in about 35 minutes. We'll talk Panthers. We'll talk Gamecocks. And we'll talk about tonight's game between the Cougars and the Bulldogs. So stick around. Speaking of the Gamecocks, they got a big one against Alabama this weekend. We got to talk about the ACC. And right now we talk to Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 podcast back with us for his Friday conversation. What's going on, brother?
00:18:41
Speaker 5: How are you?
00:18:42
Speaker 7: I'm doing all right.
00:18:43
Speaker 8: I hope you are.
00:18:44
Speaker 2: Doing well, doing well. Are you like the throng of many the last couple of days, it seems, that is enthusiastically picking Tennessee in an outright upset over Texas tomorrow?
00:18:55
Speaker 3: Oh, I wouldn't say that I'm enthusiastically picking it as much as I'm making sure that we've got our upset alert sirens on.
00:19:03
Speaker 8: If you looked at, you know, any of.
00:19:05
Speaker 3: The Cover 3 podcasts or CBSSports.com expert picks, yes, I am. You know, I like Tennessee plus the four and a half. I think that Texas's offense needs to show in a road environment, you know, they've won games before. We're still, it just hasn't always clicked. It hasn't always been that efficient. And I think that Tennessee, which remember does have, you know, Jim Knowles there as your defensive coordinator, Tennessee might be able to be good enough to make that a game and give their, their rookie.
00:19:32
Speaker 8: Quarterback a chance.
00:19:33
Speaker 3: Now it is a freshman quarterback going up against a Texas defense that has, you know, future NFL players at all three levels. So if he goes out there and he makes a freshman mistake and looks like a freshman against that team, they're going to make him pay in a way that could make all those Texas upset picks look silly, including my own. But like, I just think that we have to call a spade a spade arch Manning, Texas's offense, Steve Sarkeesian, It's just been different when they go into these road environments with a noon Eastern time kick. I'm absolutely entertaining the idea that even though they are the number one team in the country with the best win in the country, they are not impervious to losing in Knoxville on a Saturday.
00:20:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm with you. I really wish this game was under the lights. I realize that not everything can be in prime time and there are some great games across the schedule tomorrow, but Man, this one at Neyland under the lights, I just think that's where it should be. But, hey, a noon kick ought to be a lot of fun, too. It's a hell of a way to start the day. What about tonight, though? Before we even get to Saturday, Clemson going west for a 10-30 kick against Cal tonight. I keep hearing from people that they think that Clemson's in real trouble tonight in this game, and we also thought it was kind of a weird spot for them anyway, going out west on a Friday night, Chip. Coming off a win over Carolina with all those weird conditions, what are you expecting from Clemson tonight?
00:20:51
Speaker 3: Well, it'll be a test of the story that's being told about, you know, that game and the delay and the way that they responded after the.
00:21:00
Speaker 7: Delay, the second half, really, if we're gonna be honest about.
00:21:03
Speaker 3: It, I thought Clemson did a good job of taking some control of the game from North Carolina in the second half before the break. But certainly after the break, I thought that Clemson showed a little bit of better fire to my eyes and the Tar Heels did, and that helped them be able to win that close game.
00:21:17
Speaker 8: So, you know, they, we see athletic.
00:21:20
Speaker 3: Director Graham Neff, who, if you want to say any dabble hot seat conversation, that conversation is going to be brought to Graham Neff's desk.
00:21:27
Speaker 8: And he's taking a picture from the field.
00:21:29
Speaker 3: Like maybe this is the start of something I'm paraphrasing, but you're, you see the enthusiastic message from the administration.
00:21:35
Speaker 8: You hear Dabo Sweeney kind of frame.
00:21:37
Speaker 7: This thing is like, Hey, we might, we can use this as a.
00:21:40
Speaker 8: Way to turn our season around. Well, that is going to be.
00:21:42
Speaker 3: Tested by cross country travel and, and a quarterback in Jaron, Kevin Saga, Politelli that has an NFL arm. But here's the thing, Kyle, the last time I ran through that elaborate pronunciation with you, I think it was before the season. And we had much higher hopes from what we were going to see from the bears offense as a whole, because it turns out you can't make a whole football team out of Jaron, Kevin Saga, Politelli. And so while it is very fun to watch Jaron, Kevin Saga, Politelli play football. And I do think that he delivers a couple of the throws that make you go.
00:22:12
Speaker 7: Wow.
00:22:13
Speaker 3: It's also an offense that has some turnover issues and a lot of efficiency issues. So I almost wish for the story and to try and sell you on staying up late tonight that Cal was in a better state. But they, like the Clemson Tigers, they have fallen short of what I thought they were going to be before the year. And that's what makes this game really funky because neither one of these teams is.
00:22:35
Speaker 8: Quite as good as they were hoping to be on September 25th.
00:22:38
Speaker 2: Look at Chip Patterson showing off, not so subtly. By the way, Clemson is favored by 2.5 points in this game tonight, the total sitting at 51.5. Do with that information as you will. Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 pod with us here on a Friday afternoon. What did that loss do to Carolina? There's so much swirling with Lombardi fired and Belichick resigning and the investigation, and then it looks like they're going to win the game last week, and then the lightning delay happens, and they come out and Clemson takes over, and people are calling for Billy Edwards Jr. 's job this week. So how much did last week, do you think, impact the trajectory or the direction of Carolina's season?
00:23:15
Speaker 3: I think that it'll be a very important lesson for them to take into the off week and to try and maintain sort of through.
00:23:24
Speaker 8: Whatever happens in the Notre Dame game.
00:23:26
Speaker 3: But you just, you can't stop before the job is done. And I think that that was what we saw is 17 points was going to be enough and having the ball inside the 10 yard line with about eight minutes to go.
00:23:39
Speaker 8: That should be, it just, it's going.
00:23:42
Speaker 3: To be, there's not going to be a two and a half hour lightning delay in every single game, but there's going to be a point in games later this season where the North Carolina Tar Heels do have a lead that Bobby.
00:23:50
Speaker 8: Petrino and this running game. And some of the skill players.
00:23:53
Speaker 3: That are able to flash from time to time are able to give the Tar Heels some early points that will happen again in ACC play. They're going to jump out to early leads, but they cannot stop until 60 minutes of play are done. And I just, I think that's the fear that you're worried about.
00:24:09
Speaker 7: Is that this is a team that can, they can jump out.
00:24:11
Speaker 3: On you, but then doesn't always hold onto the rope that tightly.
00:24:15
Speaker 7: Now they can change that.
00:24:16
Speaker 3: They can change that with their performance. I don't, again, I don't know if the Notre Dame game is going to do a lot to reveal, but you know, you'd hate to look back on this season and, and think that the tar heels thought they had accomplished everything they needed to accomplish by winning in Dublin or that the tar heels couldn't hold on to leads. And they kept, you know, letting them slip away late. Like that would be a disappointing end of this story. So that's the thing that I'm watching for, because I think they undeniably know who they are, but not really being able to put the, put the foot on the gas in the second half against the Clemson team. That was really reeling. I think that's a little concerning and, and could end up costing them if they don't get it corrected.
00:24:56
Speaker 2: Chip, how do we think NC State responds against App State tomorrow after the calamity at the end of the Vandy game?
00:25:04
Speaker 3: You know, I'm reminded that they don't have the same experiences.
00:25:09
Speaker 8: That we do.
00:25:10
Speaker 3: C.J.
00:25:11
Speaker 7: Bailey finally meeting.
00:25:12
Speaker 3: With the media later in the week. I heard all the things that you would hope a mental coach would want them to do. He seems to have a good mindset about him. And I can just only hope that's the relentless optimism of a high level college athlete. You know, I, I don't have CJ Bailey's profile pulled up and I guess what about 21 years old, probably, you know, like the, the relentless confidence of a 21.
00:25:37
Speaker 7: Year old is what I think I heard because all.
00:25:39
Speaker 3: Of us jaded adults would be crushed. We wouldn't have been able to show our face at work for a week. And he, he seemed to be okay.
00:25:47
Speaker 8: Now I can't speak to the rest of the locker room.
00:25:50
Speaker 3: I haven't talked to, I haven't checked in on any of that, you know, to see if just the.
00:25:54
Speaker 8: Way it all went down reverberated outside of others.
00:25:57
Speaker 3: But to hear CJ Bailey address it as very, very much patient zero for this current set of NC State dread is, You know, it seems like he's going to.
00:26:08
Speaker 8: Have a good response.
00:26:09
Speaker 3: And I do think that that's one thing I'm looking at in the game against that state is if CJ can get going and get cooking app state can score, but I don't know if they, I think.
00:26:19
Speaker 7: NC state should still have an advantage.
00:26:21
Speaker 3: When their offense is on the field to be able to go out there and make some good plays.
00:26:25
Speaker 7: Just with a little bit better group.
00:26:28
Speaker 3: If CJ's locked in, even if the defense has given up some big plays to Singleton and the Mountaineers' offense, then I think that it keeps the fans engaged and people stay.
00:26:39
Speaker 8: Fired up for it.
00:26:40
Speaker 2: All right, Chip, noon tomorrow, Wake Forest at No.
00:26:44
Speaker 8: 16, Louisville.
00:26:44
Speaker 2: Louisville, of course, the only loss is to Ole Miss thus far in the season opener. Lincoln keen holds has played strong football since the second half of that game, but wakes look good. I mean, they, they lost to Miami, but they covered, they made it a game. This offense has been pretty fun to watch. It's at Louisville though. Do you give wake a chance to push the Cardinals tomorrow?
00:27:03
Speaker 8: Yeah, I think we've.
00:27:04
Speaker 3: Gotten what, like a one status level upgrade for geo Lopez doubtful early in the week. Now up to questionable, if I'm correct, I that's such a, such a big factor in this game.
00:27:14
Speaker 7: He's, he looks good.
00:27:16
Speaker 3: As we've discussed, he looks really comfortable. He's playing good football. And even if he's limited, if he's just out there hobbling around, you've got to think that on some levels that shaves a little bit of what Wake can do in terms of an upset alert. But to me, one way to look at this game is also as a test for a Louisville Cardinals team that two things have happened in the Jeff Brom era. Number one, they've won nine games or more. And number two, they've had some really dumb losses. And almost every season, they've had at least one loss as a favorite, if not a double-digit favorite, kind of like they are against the Demon Deacons on Saturday.
00:27:53
Speaker 8: So it's a little bit of a test of their maturity.
00:27:56
Speaker 3: Because if we're going to talk about Louisville as more than just fodder for the Miami Hurricanes on the first Saturday in December, but as a team that could be the ACC's second team in the college football playoff, then you handle your business.
00:28:08
Speaker 8: Cause you're right.
00:28:09
Speaker 3: Lincoln Keenholz isn't playing great football, his dual threat ability. I mean, I have jokingly called him Lamar Keenholz and I might continue.
00:28:19
Speaker 5: To do it.
00:28:19
Speaker 3: You know, he's, he is given the kind of electric playmaking that we really haven't seen from the Louisville quarterbacks of late. And so, yeah, I think that if the Cardinals handle their business, it tells us something about Louisville But I would not be surprised given that team and that program's ability to really have some letdowns and hangovers and some overlooks from time to time if a good Jake Dicker coach team isn't frisky.
00:28:44
Speaker 2: All right, two quick things will get you out of here. Chip Patterson's hanging out with us here on a Friday. What do you suspect the angst level is inside the football offices in Columbia, South Carolina this week after last week's loss to Mississippi State? And do you give a chance of South Carolina competing with Alabama on the road tomorrow?
00:29:05
Speaker 7: No, no.
00:29:06
Speaker 2: He hated my question. Did we lose Chip?
00:29:08
Speaker 7: Do you hear me?
00:29:08
Speaker 2: Oh, we got you now.
00:29:10
Speaker 5: Go right ahead.
00:29:10
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:29:12
Speaker 3: I give South Carolina chance of competing. I think Alabama has been a slow starting team that could leave the door open early. But the thing that's concerning is, you know, South Carolina jumped out to a good start against Mississippi state and kind of like North Carolina, you know, it was just another example of like, man, that team just, they just weren't able to capitalize on their opportunities. And when things broke, they broke really, really bad. We might look up at the end of the year and losing to Mississippi state is not really a big deal, but having that game be at home, having to be in the nature, it was with the early lead and then ultimately a comfortable Mississippi state win.
00:29:45
Speaker 8: You know, I could see South.
00:29:46
Speaker 3: Carolina being frisky for a little bit, but when Keelan Russell gets going, it is like, I mean, it's a true avalanche snowball going downhill kind of situation. He's just, he, he, it doesn't always click right out of the gates, but when he gets into rhythm with his playmakers, that Alabama offense has a really.
00:30:03
Speaker 8: Really, really high ceiling.
00:30:05
Speaker 3: And so I think that's what might be tough is South Carolina's defense, being able to keep that in check for a full 60 minutes.
00:30:11
Speaker 2: All right, last one. No. 4 Ole Miss going to Gainesville, to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, to see John Summerall and the Florida Gators ranked No.
00:30:19
Speaker 5: 21.
00:30:19
Speaker 2: Summerall's already got this program humming again, for now at least. And the Gators are 3.5-point favorites here. How much does that surprise you, and which direction would you lean?
00:30:30
Speaker 8: I would lean in Ole Miss' direction.
00:30:33
Speaker 3: I think that as I see it, You've got a very, very explosive Florida offense built around an awesome running back in Jaden ball, but defensively, I don't know if I trust the Gators defense to get stops against Trinidad because Trinidad Chambliss is, is showing us sort of like a recycling of when we had our, our Michael Pennix, Bo Nix, it felt like everywhere we looked was a 25 year old quarterback. Like that hasn't happened necessarily as much, but you know, the experience that Chambliss brings to the position, he's got a, he's got awesome arm talent, makes a couple of throws, but he also knows that he can make those throws. I just, I think I trust him in what I think would be a high scoring game to be able to get the wind, but real fascinating toss up for like Ole miss just played their super bowl. Do you really trust them to go on the road into a swamp? Like John Summerall has got that place breathing fire.
00:31:29
Speaker 7: Like, come on.
00:31:30
Speaker 8: Of course they could lose.
00:31:31
Speaker 3: They can lose that game by 10 points, but I lean in the, in the Ole miss manner. And I continue to be impressed with what this Florida offense is doing with Buster Faulkner calling the shot. Love it.
00:31:41
Speaker 2: Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 podcast with us every Friday at 325, except on occasion when he's not. But this week he is, and we appreciate his time. Thank you, brother. Have a great weekend.
00:31:53
Speaker 3: Kyle, thank you, as always, for your flexibility from week to week. And, yeah, always good to be with you at 325 when I can.
00:31:59
Speaker 8: Sounds good.
00:31:59
Speaker 5: Y'all be well.
00:32:00
Speaker 2: There you go. Chip Patterson hanging out with us on a Friday, 704-570-9610. Yeah, it's a big question. Outside, like, I'm an ACC guy. You know, I primarily focus on that conference, but I love the SEC, and that is a game that I will have front and center tomorrow afternoon, you know, to see if Florida's ready for this. You know, John Sumrall's a guy that a lot of Heels fans wanted when they hired Bill Belichick instead. Uh, hell before my guys hired James Franklin, John Summerall was on my radar. Very much. So it's a hell of a coach. And this would be the signature win for John Summerall. If they can knock off number four, Ole Miss tomorrow, three 30 on ABC.
00:32:34
Speaker 1: Well, I also do want to point out a lot of people are looking at Buster Faulkner too, as a potential head coach. I know he's the OC for florida but like i saw south carolina fans say keep an eye on this guy uh you know and look he's done it at two stops now georgia tech and florida early on it's still early yet but it's looking real.
00:32:51
Speaker 2: Good that's a good point 704-570-9610 hit us up on the wfnz text line right now we go to smoke on the headlines who is smoke where is smoke where there's smoke there's fire let's go What you got?
00:33:06
Speaker 5: All right. Do want to give an injury update on Carolina.
00:33:08
Speaker 1: We mentioned that Devin Lloyd's going to be out on Sunday against Cleveland. So is Claude and chairless. So deaf to the linebacker room and special teams. Nick Scott as well, who got hurt early on in the win against the Falcons. Questionable Jalen Coker. Sounds like things are going to be good for him. So that's a big turnaround. And Xavier Lee get is questionable as well. Dave canals called him a true game time decision. Sunday's game against Cleveland.
00:33:33
Speaker 2: Well I really hope he can go but the most important news is that Jalen Coker is going to play the fact that he was out there catching punts today too I thought was interesting I mean I guess you got to keep repping it but I do not think and hope he doesn't return a single punt on Sunday.
00:33:45
Speaker 1: Uh break glass in case of emergency yeah yeah is that it actually do have the brown status uh Tyson Campbell their second corner is questionable Grant Delpit is questionable but Tevin Jenkins their guard is out.
00:33:58
Speaker 2: Oh Let's keep talking Panthers Browns when we come back. Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ.
00:34:10
Speaker 1: I'm going to tell you right now, in my opinion, there is no one in the same zip code with Gucci Mane.
00:34:23
Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you right now, Panthers better beat the Browns on Sunday. At least I hope they do. 704-570-9610. Hit us up on the WFNZ text line. Powered by affordable siding and windows, your hometown home improvement experts. And we are coming to you live from our uptown studios, presented by Harris Cherokee Casino Resort. Harris Casino Resort is WFNZ's official casino and sportsbook partner. Big thanks to Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, for stopping by. What a great weekend of college football ahead. It's going to be another great Saturday. We finally got rid of this hot weather. We're into football weather, football season. Speaking of, Sunday morning, it's going to be crisp and cool, and you can roll out to the Twin Peaks in Fort Mill right next door to Carowinds. The roller coasters, we can watch the pregame shows. You can listen to our pregame show. Just come have fun with me and Mac. I think Hoggard's going.
00:35:16
Speaker 5: To be there.
00:35:17
Speaker 2: Fitty, I think, is in studio on Sunday, I'm pretty sure. But we have some folks already planning to come hang out with us Sunday morning at Twin Peaks down in Fort Mill. So we'd love to see you there. 704-570-9610. Hit us up with your thoughts. Apparently, Panther Sizzle is back on the phone lines, and I'm a little afraid to take it, but I will anyway. Sizzle, happy Friday, man. What's going on?
00:35:39
Speaker 4: Happy Friday, KB.
00:35:40
Speaker 2: What's up, man?
00:35:41
Speaker 4: Hey, look, I'm going to just be straight up honest with you.
00:35:45
Speaker 5: Hand up.
00:35:45
Speaker 4: All right, hand up.
00:35:47
Speaker 5: I'm wrong.
00:35:47
Speaker 4: All right?
00:35:49
Speaker 8: I'm wrong.
00:35:49
Speaker 4: I'm man enough to say it.
00:35:52
Speaker 5: Bryce Young is balling.
00:35:53
Speaker 2: Hey, that's big. That's big of you.
00:35:55
Speaker 5: Bryce Young is balling.
00:35:56
Speaker 4: And some of the– it's not just like the stats, some of the throws. I've seen some of the reads. Elite level play. Now, what I want to say is, like, I do sometimes– Do positivity, KB.
00:36:10
Speaker 3: I really do. I promise.
00:36:11
Speaker 2: Love it.
00:36:13
Speaker 5: I really do.
00:36:13
Speaker 4: I know that sounds crazy. I'm a negative guy most of the time, but real stuff. I want to also say and give a shout-out to one other guy on the offense, and that's Chuba Hubbard. Nobody's been talking about him a lot. He hasn't been absolutely crazy, but, man, he looks more like himself, don't he?
00:36:32
Speaker 5: Yes.
00:36:34
Speaker 4: He's breaking tackles. He's bouncing off of tackles. I think he's longest run of the year is what, 10 yards, something like that? But he's busting out of tackles. He's finding holes. He's getting stuff done. He's making stuff happen. I think he's due for a big week on Sunday. I think we hand the ball off a lot to Chuba, let him do his thing. But, hey, look, respect is earned, and Bryce has earned my respect.
00:36:59
Speaker 3: Hand up.
00:36:59
Speaker 2: Big man. Hey, that's a good phone call. I appreciate you, Sizzle. Have a great weekend. Enjoy the game. Look at that.
00:37:04
Speaker 5: Takes a lot of guts to admit it on air, so I've got to give him his props.
00:37:07
Speaker 2: It's right. It's one thing to send in your text like a few of these haters have and say, well, you know, he's starting to change my mind. He's playing pretty good. Listen, I'm sure, and Sizzle, don't take this personally, but if Bryce goes out and plays a stinker on Sunday, the Bryce skeptics are going to let us hear it. We know that. That is going to happen Monday if Bryce doesn't play well. But I think there's reason to believe this offense will continue to play well. And like you and I talked about yesterday, if what we think we see Sunday is going to happen, and that is an increased amount of man coverage, which Cleveland primarily plays defensively. If we see Cleveland come at this Panthers offense with more man coverage, Panthers have seen a lot of zone the first couple of weeks. I know Bryce has been very effective against zone coverage, but with TMAC and Jalen Coker out there and their ability to separate and make plays, I love those matchups. And let's also not forget that man coverage should leave, in theory anyway, A lot of opportunities for Bryce Young to use his legs, right? We don't want Bryce to be Cam Newton. Bryce will never be Cam Newton, but Bryce is pretty quick and Bryce reads the field well right now. You know, if he gets the ability, if he has opportunities to run and pick up first downs, I expect him and I think he will do plenty of that Sunday if given the opportunity.
00:38:24
Speaker 1: And I got to say, Sizzle went two for two on that call because I was about to say it during this segment. I'm expecting a big game for Chuba Hubbard because, you know, he's been looking good. so far when he's been getting the ball. It hasn't been the big plays, the explosive plays that you want to see, but he's averaging above average yards per carry every time he touches the ball. And it's one of those situations where you're going against a defense that has struggled against a run early. I'm not saying that the Browns' defense sucks, but they have not been good against a run. I look at the situations and the fact that they struggled with so many holding calls this past week, I bet it was a massive point of emphasis on the offense. and Brad Izzik, Dave Canales, and say, hey, guys, this guy's running his butt off. He's doing a good job. He's giving us the big chunk yardage, but we're taking away because of silly, stupid mistakes.
00:39:13
Speaker 5: Stop doing that. Just give him the time.
00:39:15
Speaker 1: Don't hold, and we should be able to get a 100-yard day out of Chuba Hubbard. That's why I'm expecting a big day out of Chuba.
00:39:21
Speaker 2: I think they're ready to go in and win this game ugly if they have to. I also expect Bryce, so long as the protection is there, I expect Bryce and Brad edzik to continue doing what they've been doing and that's stretching the field and taking shots down the field taking vertical shots um it's proven effective through two weeks bryce is leading the nfl in multiple categories of passes 20 plus yards down the field and you know things like that so you know this is what we've talked about the opening up of this offense you've got the weapons to do it now It has to improve or it has to continue this week. But if you can grab a lead in Cleveland, if you can go up there and quiet that crowd, ideally, you can go up there defensively and get some stops early and have them even possibly booing Deshaun Watson again, flip the script, change the vibe inside that stadium. And then you start to run the football. You can go heavier. You can run those multiple tight end sets, get the run game going with Chuba and I think A.J.
00:40:13
Speaker 7: Dillon.
00:40:14
Speaker 2: Could play a real role on Sunday. There's a very clear path to victory. I'm not going to go so far as to be insane like our Cleveland counterparts who are apparently proclaiming that their Cleveland run game is going to dominate the Panthers on Sunday. In fact, I think that's a lot less likely given the return of Bobby Brown and Pat Jones to this defense on Sunday.
00:40:33
Speaker 5: Yeah, Pat Jones' first game in nearly a year.
00:40:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, but I think, again, there are clear paths for this Panthers offense to have real success on Sunday. And like we've talked about, Cleveland's 31st in rushing coming into Week 3. You get Brown, you get Jones back, you're down a linebacker, all right? So I don't love, like I talked about earlier, that Devin Lloyd will not play Sunday, even if I think it's the right thing to do. There's no reason to push him, you know, Week 3 with a calf strain. those things rapidly turn into disaster in the form of ruptured Achilles.
00:41:02
Speaker 5: Especially with a bye just two weeks away. Right.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: There's no reason to rush it. There's no reason to push this. Okereke and Tyrell Dotson are experienced veteran players. They're just new here. They're new to Avero and the system and their teammates. And that communication, which we saw rear its head a bit in week one, well, a lot of it, I'm afraid of that a little bit at the second level Sunday, but I like what this secondary is bringing to the table. I think they're getting better. The Panthers, to me, are favored for a reason on the road. They should be expected to win this game, and I'll make my pick Sunday at 1255 before we go off the air. 704-570-9610. Hit us up on the text line. When we come back, speaking of Panthers, Captain Munderland is a former Gamecock All-SEC defensive back in Columbia in 2007. He's also a Carolina Panthers seventh-round draft pick. and still holds the record for the most picked sixes in Carolina Panthers history. One of the greatest nickel corners in Panthers history, and he is now the head football coach of the Chambers Cougars. They are 5-0, and they're our game of the week tonight as they battle the Butler Bulldogs. Captain Munderland will join me next. Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ.
Speaker 1: Hello.
00:00:12
Speaker 2: Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ. Good afternoon, Queen City. Good to be back on a football Friday. You know what time it is. Monday headlines today. Your Panthers are going to Cleveland, one of the most boring, nondescript cities in America. I'm sorry, Ohioans. I don't hate you, but I just got no reason to go to Cleveland that I can come up with. I like to bag on Cleveland, and I hope we're bagging on Cleveland Monday because of a Panthers win, though it's not guaranteed. We know Cleveland's going to be tough, I think defensively anyway. So let's go Monday headlines today. Get creative.
00:00:45
Speaker 3: 704-570-9610.
00:00:45
Speaker 2: What happens Sunday? What are the headlines Monday? What are our lead conversations Monday morning starting 6 a.m. sharp with the Mac and Bone radio extravaganza? Monday headlines today. We've got a loaded show coming your way. Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 podcast. is back at 325. We will, of course, well, one thing is we'll see if Chip is picking the Tennessee over Texas upset like it seems everybody is in the last 24 to 36 hours. We'll talk about the big games in the ACC as well. Chip Patterson's back. Four o'clock, Captain Munderland, a man who to this day still leads the Carolina Panthers franchise with the most all-time pick sixes, five total in Captain Munderland's career as a Carolina Panther player. He's a former Gamecock All-SEC in 2007. And, of course, he's now the head coach of the Chambers Cougars. They are visiting the Butler Bulldogs tonight for the WCCB Bayhackle Sports High School Football Game of the Week simulcast live right here on WFNZ. Myself, Reggie Walker. Sorry, Reginald Walker Jr., my good man. We'll join you tonight, 7 o'clock, live from Butler High School as the Cougars take on the Bulldogs at 7 o'clock for the game of the week. So Captain Munderland's back at 4. Marty Snyder, everybody's favorite NASCAR man and PSL owner, he'll join us at 4. 25, 5 o'clock, we got Daniel Oyafusi stopping by. ESPN Cleveland Browns reporter. We will get the latest. We'll get his perspective behind enemy lines on what happens between the Panthers and the Browns on Sunday. And then finally, it's Friday. A lot of friends stopping by. Jeff Taylor, WCCB Bayhackle Sports Sports Director, will pop in for the final segment to talk a little bit about the games tonight. We'll, of course, get his thoughts on Carolina and Cleveland as well. Good afternoon, Smoke Ludwig. What's going on, buddy? How are you?
00:02:38
Speaker 1: Well, it's beautiful outside into Queen City. Got football, basketball is right around the corner. And I think a very interesting weekend for both the NFL and college football. And so much for us trying to ride off the Falcons for the time being.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: Okay. Yeah. Yeah, that caught me off guard last night. I don't think Falcons fans even expected anything remotely resembling that, even with Pennix back on the field. But wow, I told you, full honesty, full disclosure. Like, I do what I do. We do what we do. Because we love sports, right? We watch them. We talk about them. We cover them. We broadcast them. We love sports, right? But every once in a while, you know, the missus will come to me and she's like, hey, babe, we haven't spent a lot of quality time together this week. You work a lot. Can we, you know, can we have a little quality time tonight? No, that's not where this is going. She wanted to binge watch a show last night. You know, we haven't had a time recently to, you know, sit down and binge watch a show.
00:03:35
Speaker 4: Mobland.
00:03:37
Speaker 2: Is back on Paramount with your guy, Tom Hardy, our guy, Tom Hardy, which I love Pierce Brosnan, too. And so she's like, babe, it's back. Season two of Mobland is back. Can we watch it? Is there a game you have to watch tonight? And I'm like, well, I kind of want to watch Green Bay Pulverize Atlanta, but it's not that important. So, you know, let me check it real quick and then we'll turn it on. I turn the game on just in time to see Michael Penix Jr., uh, throw his, his interception, a bad one at that. And I'm like, yeah, babe, we can watch the, we can watch mob land tonight. Uh, I got some prep to do for high school football tomorrow night. So I had my laptop on my lap last night. We're watching the first episode of season two of mob land. And, uh, you know, I'm just doing, doing my thing. I'm building spotting boards for the game tonight. I'm pulling rosters. I'm doing prep kits. And like 30 minutes later, I check ESPN and I'm like, what the hell do you mean? It's 17 to seven Atlanta's on top. What's going on here? And, you know, again, full disclosure, I continue to watch the show because I'm not going to pull the plug on the misses like that and say, babe, Green Bay and Atlanta is a dogfight. Now we got it. We got to go back to the game. Sorry, I got to stop this show. So I end up watching everything after the fact, you know, SportsCenter highlights, reactions, all that stuff. Buddy, I that's this might be the softest Green Bay Packers team I've seen in a really long time. I'm trying to think of the worst Green Bay Packers teams of my lifetime. And I don't know if this one's going to be that yet. But what are they good at right now? I mean, to let Atlanta come into your house and punk you like that. It's one thing to lose the game, but to get punked like that by a quarterback who's making his first start in Michael Penix of the year. We haven't seen him since last year. Green Bay's at home in primetime. It's a short week for everybody. And I mean, Green Bay just looks soft up front. They look completely out of whack. Also, it seemed like they could have used Rasheed Walker last night. So thank you for that. They got their offensive lines a mess. Well, they have three, four starters out last night. And there are all these questions today about Jordan Love. How good is he? Is he that guy? Is that wasted money they spent on him? I just think their whole operation looks horrendous right now. And this may be, could be, based on the way they've looked to start the season, one of the worst Green Bay Packers teams of my lifetime.
00:05:45
Speaker 5: Uh, yeah.
00:05:45
Speaker 1: Well, look, well, the thing is for you, you were born in 1985. So you miss most of the worst, uh, years of green Bay. And by the time you were a kid, Brett Favre was taken over in 1992. So yeah, you, you didn't really, you've never experienced bad Packers football consistently. Like even in the early eighties, late, late eighties, when you were like four or five, you still had Don magic, uh, Mikowski magic, Mike Mikowski as quarterback who had a couple of good years. So, like, I'm thinking about it in my lifetime because I was born later than you. I've only had, like, one or two bad years. And it was 2005. 2005 was the year.
00:06:24
Speaker 2: That was the one. They went four and 12.
00:06:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know what one of the main problems was? They had, like, four or five offensive linemen hurt.
00:06:30
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:06:30
Speaker 1: Like, when they came here to Monday Night Football, they had one of the dumbest sack fumbles that they gave up in franchise history that I can remember. And Carolina luckily didn't blow the lead, but they won that game.
00:06:42
Speaker 5: But that team was rough. And this team, I don't think it's as bad yet, but it's looking rough. You barely beat the Jets on the road.
00:06:49
Speaker 1: You gave up how many unanswered points to the Minnesota Vikings with Carson Wentz as your starting quarterback?
00:06:54
Speaker 2: Well, they finished with 39 that day, Minnesota did, I think.
00:06:57
Speaker 1: And look, I'm not poo-pooing on them giving up so many rushing yards to be John Robinson because that dude's the truth. But still, giving up that many yards to be John Robinson, not having any rushing yards. I didn't think the Josh Jacobs situation was going to put him did that much. They can't run the Marshawn.
00:07:14
Speaker 5: Lloyd can't do anything. No, no. I mean, it is just from top down awful.
00:07:19
Speaker 1: And Kyle, I remember doing loser radio last year after the Packers game, which was a lot of fun. Those people were sick and tired of Matt LaFleur. Then that was before they choked twice against the Chicago bears. And now they're starting off like this. It's absolutely horrendous, and it's DEFCON 1 situation for Matt LaFleur to the point where it feels like he's in the same exact situation that Mike Sherman was in in 2005.
00:07:46
Speaker 2: They were terrible last night. Now, a texter here, a few people, but Jim Gillen, the most recent, to say, I think if the Falcons played like this against us, we could have lost, dot, dot, dot. Well, yeah, of course. Listen, they played Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. Now, I could also say they beat Michael Pennix and the Falcons 30-0 last year. Now that game was a little bit fluky, but at the same time, and I, by that, I mean just the, the non-traditional unorthodox stuff that happened in that game.
00:08:10
Speaker 1: And look, they ran the ball pretty well against Carolina on Sunday, but they didn't run it against them like that.
00:08:14
Speaker 2: No, that's the other thing too. Like they were, and we have to point out, they were a bit more one-dimensional, but like Carolina largely helped Bijan Robinson in check coming off a week where they gave 59 points to the bears. So everything in context for sure. but having Penix back there gave them some additional balance. I never thought they were as bad as they looked on Sunday. Again, as nice as it is to beat the snot out of Atlanta and to humiliate Atlanta, anybody who believed they were that bad overall as a team, you wanted to believe that because it's not true. Now, are they really that good because they did what they did in Green Bay last night? Hell, I mean, the Panthers went to Green Bay and won.
00:08:52
Speaker 5: Right.
00:08:52
Speaker 2: So that wasn't a great team either. It wasn't this year, of course. But the point being, the Falcons are probably better than they looked on Sunday. And we'll see where it goes from here when they start to face better competition. But I think it's fair to look at last night and think to yourself, maybe Carolina didn't beat a terrible Falcons team Sunday. Maybe Carolina administered a 34 to three beating to a talented roster that was severely limited at quarterback. And, you know, maybe Atlanta's not dead in this race. So, and also I was kind of watching that thinking maybe the NFC South is just a little better than people have given it credit for. I don't know. I mean, you're making your shocked face over there. They can't see that on radio smoke, but like maybe just maybe this division is a little better than people are giving it credit for.
00:09:33
Speaker 1: Look, we're not saying the division's amazing, but the pieces are there for multiple teams to be good at the same time. We've kind of seen this happen in other divisions in the past. I mean, look at the AFC South. We thought for the longest time they were the crappiest division. I know the Texans are 0-2 right now, but they look like they have two teams that can make the playoffs year in and year out now in that division. So things change. Things are cyclical. Things don't always stay the same in the NFL, and that's just the way that the NFL works.
00:10:00
Speaker 5: Wants it to be.
00:10:01
Speaker 2: Again, the NFC South just became more interesting. Atlanta's now one and two. Carolina's one and one. If they don't take care of business, the Falcons will pull even with them in the standings this weekend. Of course, Carolina currently owns the tiebreaker. Don't get me wrong. I haven't forgotten about that. But boy, what happens with Minnesota and Tampa on Sunday is going to be fascinating. Saints as well so this division is is just heating up and we'll see where it goes 704-570-9610 hit us up on the WFNZ text line Monday headlines today Panthers Browns edition what are you predicting what are you thinking about Sunday's game what will the headlines be We had a bunch of these come in right off the top of the show. Fan guy Dave, shorthanded Panthers defense makes the dog pound boo to Sean Watson off the field, and BY9 continues his MVP level of play. Let's stop right there, because in case you're just tuning in, you've been busy at work like an adult today, and you haven't been able to check all the news, Devin Lloyd will not play Sunday. against the Cleveland Browns. This one has me concerned, right? And before Nacho Mama and others start to bail because they think we're being negative Nancys again, I think you have to be concerned about this one because you've got multiple newcomers at that position now that are going on the road together in what's going to be a loud and hostile environment. Bobby O'Kerrick is a veteran, but he's now got the green dot and he's new here and he wasn't around for most of training camp. Tyrell Dodson hadn't been here very long, hadn't really practiced that much even either.
00:11:34
Speaker 5: I don't even know if he has an apartment yet.
00:11:35
Speaker 2: I'm not sure. Like, he could be in an Airbnb. I have no idea. But you got Dodson and you got Okereke at the linebacker positions on Sunday. Okereke's going to take the green dot with Devin Lloyd out. And both of these guys are pretty good football players. You know, I think Okereke, for a while, was a very good football player. But he's new. You know, and it's just week three. And now he's calling the defense, getting everybody set, working with Dodson for the first time in live game action and on the road at that. So that's the one that's got me. I'll give you my optimism in a second, Smoke, but that's the one that's got me concerned right now.
00:12:06
Speaker 1: Well, Datton, you know, even though Bobby Okereke, we know he at times has been a very good player in his career, I do think part of the reason why he didn't do as well in New York last year was because he was playing out of place with a green dot. And he's one of those guys that's better without the green dot as the secondary piece. I don't know how he'll do as the main piece. And it really has me concerned because I know we were all, I don't know, fear-mongering is the right word about the potential of Colston Loveland to have a massive day against the Bears. And then he ends up not having a day at all, only two targets. But it really makes me concerned not to have a guy like Devin Lloyd win. Deshaun Watson has not been pushing the ball down the field like he used to. They've not had really any deep shots intentionally. It's been a lot of dinking and dunking and what's one of the strongest receiving targets. They have Harold Fannin jr. Who's a tight end.
00:12:59
Speaker 5: I'm nervous.
00:13:00
Speaker 1: This is one of the things that has me nervous is the linebackers matching up against the tight end, specifically Harold Fannin without Devin Lloyd in all pro linebacker.
00:13:08
Speaker 5: That does have me concerned.
00:13:09
Speaker 1: Even if, even if Hokariki and Dotson can get the job done, it still has me a little bit worried. But then again, I'll point to Mac and bones case. It's like, even with these two guys that are still trying to take the playbook with like a dog trying to get water from a fire hose. they're still better than their options you had last year.
00:13:28
Speaker 2: Without a doubt. Without a doubt. I mean, you still feel better about starting Okereke and Dodson, I think, than you do starting Trevin Wallace and Claude and Chairless, right? For sure. There's no doubt about that.
00:13:36
Speaker 5: Well, and Bozeman.
00:13:37
Speaker 2: And Roseboom, too. Not Bozeman. Roseboom. 704-570-9610. Hit us up on the WFNZ text line. Now, here's the other part, right? I am, obviously, Devin Lloyd not playing, which, by the way, I think is smart. Because this is a calf strain, okay? Calf strains can often turn into ruptured Achilles.
00:13:54
Speaker 5: I mean, we've seen that a lot in the basketball world over the last two years.
00:13:57
Speaker 2: Well, it's one of the biggest problems in the NBA from a health standpoint right now. Guys with calf strains and it turns into busted Achilles and they're out for 13 to 16 months. So I actually think sitting out Devin Lloyd is a smart move because you need that guy available for the rest of this season. Obviously, you paid him a whole bunch of money. Here's Dave Canales, by the way, on the reason or rather the rationale behind sitting out Devin Lloyd.
00:14:20
Speaker 6: You know, he just didn't get to a place where we felt confident he can go out there and play four quarters. And that was the decision. You know, could he go out there and do something and we'd have to spell him and play other people potentially. But we just didn't feel like the nature of a calf injury, of course, is a fatigue type of injury. And so picturing a full four quarters it was hard to with Devin he gave it his best shot we got him out there and ran him a little bit even today just to see where he's at but you know the best decision for Devin was to give it a week revisit it next week and see if we can build him back up to that capacity.
00:14:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, again, if this lingers, becomes a real issue, everybody's tone's going to change. But, you know, with this one, you've got to be a little cautious here, right? If you've got to sit him out for a week and you feel, and especially because they're getting both Bobby Brown and Pat Jones back this week on the field. that's huge. Jalen Phillips is good too, right? He's going to play as well. So they're going to be largely healthy up front. And on top of that, Lee Hunter's played well to start the season. So up front, I feel pretty.
00:15:19
Speaker 4: Good, right?
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Linebacker, eh. It's not about ability. It's about communication and knowing where you're supposed to be and getting the plays in on time on the road in a hostile environment. Secondary, you're good. I like what you got back there. So I think this defense is going to be just fine Sunday when it's all said and done. But I've got some concerns, obviously, as we mentioned. We had a texter here a second ago, Humble Pie, saying he listened to Cleveland Sports Radio today and says they are absolutely certain their run game will dominate. I understand week one wasn't good, and that has skewed the numbers. but dominating Atlanta last week, regardless of quarterback, the defense is being overlooked. They're insisting that they're going to dominate in the running game. They're 31st in rushing going into week three. Why would they be certain they're going to die? Well, by the way, given some of what I've heard on the radio up there, I'm not shocked, but like I also go ahead.
00:16:07
Speaker 1: I was going to say the running backs that Carolina's played the first two weeks, DeAndre Swift, very good running back. B.
00:16:15
Speaker 5: John Robinson, top five running back. Yeah. And they kind of held B. John in check. So let's put that out there too.
00:16:20
Speaker 1: I think the numbers are skewed because of the week one game and how horrendously they went.
00:16:26
Speaker 5: So that's something I've got to put out, too.
00:16:29
Speaker 2: But if you're banking all of your hopes on the fact that Carolina was just bad in week one, if that's the best you got, look at your own rushing attack. Look at your offense line. I mean, listen, who knows? Maybe we end up looking like fools in this one, but I just can't imagine going into a week three game, even as crazy as some of our takes have been, with a 31st ranked rushing attack and be like, yep, it's going to dominate this week. Definitely going to dominate. That's a take, man. 704-570-9610. Monday headlines today. Panthers-Browns edition. We'll keep it rolling, but when we come back, we pay our weekly visit to Chip Patterson of CBSSports.com and the Cover 3 podcast. Sports Radio, 92.7 WFNZ. No tomorrow. Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ. A football Friday has arrived. Another one is somehow we are already into week four of the college football season. Week three of the NFL. We go into week six of the high school football season tonight. Tipping into the halfway point. Conference play begins. Butler and Chambers tonight here on WFNZ. Simulcast the WCCB Bayhackle Sports High School Game of the Week. Chambers, of course, coached by Captain Munderland, former All-SEC defensive back at South Carolina. His son, by the way, his son is a top 10 cornerback recruit in the nation. Captain Munderland Jr., who's playing down in Mobile, Alabama. Somehow Captain Munderland has a son who's a top 10 DB in the country. for the class of 2029. And Captain, of course, like we mentioned earlier, still holds the record for most pick sixes in Carolina Panthers history. Former seventh round pick drafted by the Panthers. Captain will join the show coming up in about 35 minutes. We'll talk Panthers. We'll talk Gamecocks. And we'll talk about tonight's game between the Cougars and the Bulldogs. So stick around. Speaking of the Gamecocks, they got a big one against Alabama this weekend. We got to talk about the ACC. And right now we talk to Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 podcast back with us for his Friday conversation. What's going on, brother?
00:18:41
Speaker 5: How are you?
00:18:42
Speaker 7: I'm doing all right.
00:18:43
Speaker 8: I hope you are.
00:18:44
Speaker 2: Doing well, doing well. Are you like the throng of many the last couple of days, it seems, that is enthusiastically picking Tennessee in an outright upset over Texas tomorrow?
00:18:55
Speaker 3: Oh, I wouldn't say that I'm enthusiastically picking it as much as I'm making sure that we've got our upset alert sirens on.
00:19:03
Speaker 8: If you looked at, you know, any of.
00:19:05
Speaker 3: The Cover 3 podcasts or CBSSports.com expert picks, yes, I am. You know, I like Tennessee plus the four and a half. I think that Texas's offense needs to show in a road environment, you know, they've won games before. We're still, it just hasn't always clicked. It hasn't always been that efficient. And I think that Tennessee, which remember does have, you know, Jim Knowles there as your defensive coordinator, Tennessee might be able to be good enough to make that a game and give their, their rookie.
00:19:32
Speaker 8: Quarterback a chance.
00:19:33
Speaker 3: Now it is a freshman quarterback going up against a Texas defense that has, you know, future NFL players at all three levels. So if he goes out there and he makes a freshman mistake and looks like a freshman against that team, they're going to make him pay in a way that could make all those Texas upset picks look silly, including my own. But like, I just think that we have to call a spade a spade arch Manning, Texas's offense, Steve Sarkeesian, It's just been different when they go into these road environments with a noon Eastern time kick. I'm absolutely entertaining the idea that even though they are the number one team in the country with the best win in the country, they are not impervious to losing in Knoxville on a Saturday.
00:20:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm with you. I really wish this game was under the lights. I realize that not everything can be in prime time and there are some great games across the schedule tomorrow, but Man, this one at Neyland under the lights, I just think that's where it should be. But, hey, a noon kick ought to be a lot of fun, too. It's a hell of a way to start the day. What about tonight, though? Before we even get to Saturday, Clemson going west for a 10-30 kick against Cal tonight. I keep hearing from people that they think that Clemson's in real trouble tonight in this game, and we also thought it was kind of a weird spot for them anyway, going out west on a Friday night, Chip. Coming off a win over Carolina with all those weird conditions, what are you expecting from Clemson tonight?
00:20:51
Speaker 3: Well, it'll be a test of the story that's being told about, you know, that game and the delay and the way that they responded after the.
00:21:00
Speaker 7: Delay, the second half, really, if we're gonna be honest about.
00:21:03
Speaker 3: It, I thought Clemson did a good job of taking some control of the game from North Carolina in the second half before the break. But certainly after the break, I thought that Clemson showed a little bit of better fire to my eyes and the Tar Heels did, and that helped them be able to win that close game.
00:21:17
Speaker 8: So, you know, they, we see athletic.
00:21:20
Speaker 3: Director Graham Neff, who, if you want to say any dabble hot seat conversation, that conversation is going to be brought to Graham Neff's desk.
00:21:27
Speaker 8: And he's taking a picture from the field.
00:21:29
Speaker 3: Like maybe this is the start of something I'm paraphrasing, but you're, you see the enthusiastic message from the administration.
00:21:35
Speaker 8: You hear Dabo Sweeney kind of frame.
00:21:37
Speaker 7: This thing is like, Hey, we might, we can use this as a.
00:21:40
Speaker 8: Way to turn our season around. Well, that is going to be.
00:21:42
Speaker 3: Tested by cross country travel and, and a quarterback in Jaron, Kevin Saga, Politelli that has an NFL arm. But here's the thing, Kyle, the last time I ran through that elaborate pronunciation with you, I think it was before the season. And we had much higher hopes from what we were going to see from the bears offense as a whole, because it turns out you can't make a whole football team out of Jaron, Kevin Saga, Politelli. And so while it is very fun to watch Jaron, Kevin Saga, Politelli play football. And I do think that he delivers a couple of the throws that make you go.
00:22:12
Speaker 7: Wow.
00:22:13
Speaker 3: It's also an offense that has some turnover issues and a lot of efficiency issues. So I almost wish for the story and to try and sell you on staying up late tonight that Cal was in a better state. But they, like the Clemson Tigers, they have fallen short of what I thought they were going to be before the year. And that's what makes this game really funky because neither one of these teams is.
00:22:35
Speaker 8: Quite as good as they were hoping to be on September 25th.
00:22:38
Speaker 2: Look at Chip Patterson showing off, not so subtly. By the way, Clemson is favored by 2.5 points in this game tonight, the total sitting at 51.5. Do with that information as you will. Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 pod with us here on a Friday afternoon. What did that loss do to Carolina? There's so much swirling with Lombardi fired and Belichick resigning and the investigation, and then it looks like they're going to win the game last week, and then the lightning delay happens, and they come out and Clemson takes over, and people are calling for Billy Edwards Jr. 's job this week. So how much did last week, do you think, impact the trajectory or the direction of Carolina's season?
00:23:15
Speaker 3: I think that it'll be a very important lesson for them to take into the off week and to try and maintain sort of through.
00:23:24
Speaker 8: Whatever happens in the Notre Dame game.
00:23:26
Speaker 3: But you just, you can't stop before the job is done. And I think that that was what we saw is 17 points was going to be enough and having the ball inside the 10 yard line with about eight minutes to go.
00:23:39
Speaker 8: That should be, it just, it's going.
00:23:42
Speaker 3: To be, there's not going to be a two and a half hour lightning delay in every single game, but there's going to be a point in games later this season where the North Carolina Tar Heels do have a lead that Bobby.
00:23:50
Speaker 8: Petrino and this running game. And some of the skill players.
00:23:53
Speaker 3: That are able to flash from time to time are able to give the Tar Heels some early points that will happen again in ACC play. They're going to jump out to early leads, but they cannot stop until 60 minutes of play are done. And I just, I think that's the fear that you're worried about.
00:24:09
Speaker 7: Is that this is a team that can, they can jump out.
00:24:11
Speaker 3: On you, but then doesn't always hold onto the rope that tightly.
00:24:15
Speaker 7: Now they can change that.
00:24:16
Speaker 3: They can change that with their performance. I don't, again, I don't know if the Notre Dame game is going to do a lot to reveal, but you know, you'd hate to look back on this season and, and think that the tar heels thought they had accomplished everything they needed to accomplish by winning in Dublin or that the tar heels couldn't hold on to leads. And they kept, you know, letting them slip away late. Like that would be a disappointing end of this story. So that's the thing that I'm watching for, because I think they undeniably know who they are, but not really being able to put the, put the foot on the gas in the second half against the Clemson team. That was really reeling. I think that's a little concerning and, and could end up costing them if they don't get it corrected.
00:24:56
Speaker 2: Chip, how do we think NC State responds against App State tomorrow after the calamity at the end of the Vandy game?
00:25:04
Speaker 3: You know, I'm reminded that they don't have the same experiences.
00:25:09
Speaker 8: That we do.
00:25:10
Speaker 3: C.J.
00:25:11
Speaker 7: Bailey finally meeting.
00:25:12
Speaker 3: With the media later in the week. I heard all the things that you would hope a mental coach would want them to do. He seems to have a good mindset about him. And I can just only hope that's the relentless optimism of a high level college athlete. You know, I, I don't have CJ Bailey's profile pulled up and I guess what about 21 years old, probably, you know, like the, the relentless confidence of a 21.
00:25:37
Speaker 7: Year old is what I think I heard because all.
00:25:39
Speaker 3: Of us jaded adults would be crushed. We wouldn't have been able to show our face at work for a week. And he, he seemed to be okay.
00:25:47
Speaker 8: Now I can't speak to the rest of the locker room.
00:25:50
Speaker 3: I haven't talked to, I haven't checked in on any of that, you know, to see if just the.
00:25:54
Speaker 8: Way it all went down reverberated outside of others.
00:25:57
Speaker 3: But to hear CJ Bailey address it as very, very much patient zero for this current set of NC State dread is, You know, it seems like he's going to.
00:26:08
Speaker 8: Have a good response.
00:26:09
Speaker 3: And I do think that that's one thing I'm looking at in the game against that state is if CJ can get going and get cooking app state can score, but I don't know if they, I think.
00:26:19
Speaker 7: NC state should still have an advantage.
00:26:21
Speaker 3: When their offense is on the field to be able to go out there and make some good plays.
00:26:25
Speaker 7: Just with a little bit better group.
00:26:28
Speaker 3: If CJ's locked in, even if the defense has given up some big plays to Singleton and the Mountaineers' offense, then I think that it keeps the fans engaged and people stay.
00:26:39
Speaker 8: Fired up for it.
00:26:40
Speaker 2: All right, Chip, noon tomorrow, Wake Forest at No.
00:26:44
Speaker 8: 16, Louisville.
00:26:44
Speaker 2: Louisville, of course, the only loss is to Ole Miss thus far in the season opener. Lincoln keen holds has played strong football since the second half of that game, but wakes look good. I mean, they, they lost to Miami, but they covered, they made it a game. This offense has been pretty fun to watch. It's at Louisville though. Do you give wake a chance to push the Cardinals tomorrow?
00:27:03
Speaker 8: Yeah, I think we've.
00:27:04
Speaker 3: Gotten what, like a one status level upgrade for geo Lopez doubtful early in the week. Now up to questionable, if I'm correct, I that's such a, such a big factor in this game.
00:27:14
Speaker 7: He's, he looks good.
00:27:16
Speaker 3: As we've discussed, he looks really comfortable. He's playing good football. And even if he's limited, if he's just out there hobbling around, you've got to think that on some levels that shaves a little bit of what Wake can do in terms of an upset alert. But to me, one way to look at this game is also as a test for a Louisville Cardinals team that two things have happened in the Jeff Brom era. Number one, they've won nine games or more. And number two, they've had some really dumb losses. And almost every season, they've had at least one loss as a favorite, if not a double-digit favorite, kind of like they are against the Demon Deacons on Saturday.
00:27:53
Speaker 8: So it's a little bit of a test of their maturity.
00:27:56
Speaker 3: Because if we're going to talk about Louisville as more than just fodder for the Miami Hurricanes on the first Saturday in December, but as a team that could be the ACC's second team in the college football playoff, then you handle your business.
00:28:08
Speaker 8: Cause you're right.
00:28:09
Speaker 3: Lincoln Keenholz isn't playing great football, his dual threat ability. I mean, I have jokingly called him Lamar Keenholz and I might continue.
00:28:19
Speaker 5: To do it.
00:28:19
Speaker 3: You know, he's, he is given the kind of electric playmaking that we really haven't seen from the Louisville quarterbacks of late. And so, yeah, I think that if the Cardinals handle their business, it tells us something about Louisville But I would not be surprised given that team and that program's ability to really have some letdowns and hangovers and some overlooks from time to time if a good Jake Dicker coach team isn't frisky.
00:28:44
Speaker 2: All right, two quick things will get you out of here. Chip Patterson's hanging out with us here on a Friday. What do you suspect the angst level is inside the football offices in Columbia, South Carolina this week after last week's loss to Mississippi State? And do you give a chance of South Carolina competing with Alabama on the road tomorrow?
00:29:05
Speaker 7: No, no.
00:29:06
Speaker 2: He hated my question. Did we lose Chip?
00:29:08
Speaker 7: Do you hear me?
00:29:08
Speaker 2: Oh, we got you now.
00:29:10
Speaker 5: Go right ahead.
00:29:10
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:29:12
Speaker 3: I give South Carolina chance of competing. I think Alabama has been a slow starting team that could leave the door open early. But the thing that's concerning is, you know, South Carolina jumped out to a good start against Mississippi state and kind of like North Carolina, you know, it was just another example of like, man, that team just, they just weren't able to capitalize on their opportunities. And when things broke, they broke really, really bad. We might look up at the end of the year and losing to Mississippi state is not really a big deal, but having that game be at home, having to be in the nature, it was with the early lead and then ultimately a comfortable Mississippi state win.
00:29:45
Speaker 8: You know, I could see South.
00:29:46
Speaker 3: Carolina being frisky for a little bit, but when Keelan Russell gets going, it is like, I mean, it's a true avalanche snowball going downhill kind of situation. He's just, he, he, it doesn't always click right out of the gates, but when he gets into rhythm with his playmakers, that Alabama offense has a really.
00:30:03
Speaker 8: Really, really high ceiling.
00:30:05
Speaker 3: And so I think that's what might be tough is South Carolina's defense, being able to keep that in check for a full 60 minutes.
00:30:11
Speaker 2: All right, last one. No. 4 Ole Miss going to Gainesville, to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, to see John Summerall and the Florida Gators ranked No.
00:30:19
Speaker 5: 21.
00:30:19
Speaker 2: Summerall's already got this program humming again, for now at least. And the Gators are 3.5-point favorites here. How much does that surprise you, and which direction would you lean?
00:30:30
Speaker 8: I would lean in Ole Miss' direction.
00:30:33
Speaker 3: I think that as I see it, You've got a very, very explosive Florida offense built around an awesome running back in Jaden ball, but defensively, I don't know if I trust the Gators defense to get stops against Trinidad because Trinidad Chambliss is, is showing us sort of like a recycling of when we had our, our Michael Pennix, Bo Nix, it felt like everywhere we looked was a 25 year old quarterback. Like that hasn't happened necessarily as much, but you know, the experience that Chambliss brings to the position, he's got a, he's got awesome arm talent, makes a couple of throws, but he also knows that he can make those throws. I just, I think I trust him in what I think would be a high scoring game to be able to get the wind, but real fascinating toss up for like Ole miss just played their super bowl. Do you really trust them to go on the road into a swamp? Like John Summerall has got that place breathing fire.
00:31:29
Speaker 7: Like, come on.
00:31:30
Speaker 8: Of course they could lose.
00:31:31
Speaker 3: They can lose that game by 10 points, but I lean in the, in the Ole miss manner. And I continue to be impressed with what this Florida offense is doing with Buster Faulkner calling the shot. Love it.
00:31:41
Speaker 2: Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Network, and the Cover 3 podcast with us every Friday at 325, except on occasion when he's not. But this week he is, and we appreciate his time. Thank you, brother. Have a great weekend.
00:31:53
Speaker 3: Kyle, thank you, as always, for your flexibility from week to week. And, yeah, always good to be with you at 325 when I can.
00:31:59
Speaker 8: Sounds good.
00:31:59
Speaker 5: Y'all be well.
00:32:00
Speaker 2: There you go. Chip Patterson hanging out with us on a Friday, 704-570-9610. Yeah, it's a big question. Outside, like, I'm an ACC guy. You know, I primarily focus on that conference, but I love the SEC, and that is a game that I will have front and center tomorrow afternoon, you know, to see if Florida's ready for this. You know, John Sumrall's a guy that a lot of Heels fans wanted when they hired Bill Belichick instead. Uh, hell before my guys hired James Franklin, John Summerall was on my radar. Very much. So it's a hell of a coach. And this would be the signature win for John Summerall. If they can knock off number four, Ole Miss tomorrow, three 30 on ABC.
00:32:34
Speaker 1: Well, I also do want to point out a lot of people are looking at Buster Faulkner too, as a potential head coach. I know he's the OC for florida but like i saw south carolina fans say keep an eye on this guy uh you know and look he's done it at two stops now georgia tech and florida early on it's still early yet but it's looking real.
00:32:51
Speaker 2: Good that's a good point 704-570-9610 hit us up on the wfnz text line right now we go to smoke on the headlines who is smoke where is smoke where there's smoke there's fire let's go What you got?
00:33:06
Speaker 5: All right. Do want to give an injury update on Carolina.
00:33:08
Speaker 1: We mentioned that Devin Lloyd's going to be out on Sunday against Cleveland. So is Claude and chairless. So deaf to the linebacker room and special teams. Nick Scott as well, who got hurt early on in the win against the Falcons. Questionable Jalen Coker. Sounds like things are going to be good for him. So that's a big turnaround. And Xavier Lee get is questionable as well. Dave canals called him a true game time decision. Sunday's game against Cleveland.
00:33:33
Speaker 2: Well I really hope he can go but the most important news is that Jalen Coker is going to play the fact that he was out there catching punts today too I thought was interesting I mean I guess you got to keep repping it but I do not think and hope he doesn't return a single punt on Sunday.
00:33:45
Speaker 1: Uh break glass in case of emergency yeah yeah is that it actually do have the brown status uh Tyson Campbell their second corner is questionable Grant Delpit is questionable but Tevin Jenkins their guard is out.
00:33:58
Speaker 2: Oh Let's keep talking Panthers Browns when we come back. Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ.
00:34:10
Speaker 1: I'm going to tell you right now, in my opinion, there is no one in the same zip code with Gucci Mane.
00:34:23
Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you right now, Panthers better beat the Browns on Sunday. At least I hope they do. 704-570-9610. Hit us up on the WFNZ text line. Powered by affordable siding and windows, your hometown home improvement experts. And we are coming to you live from our uptown studios, presented by Harris Cherokee Casino Resort. Harris Casino Resort is WFNZ's official casino and sportsbook partner. Big thanks to Chip Patterson, CBSSports.com, for stopping by. What a great weekend of college football ahead. It's going to be another great Saturday. We finally got rid of this hot weather. We're into football weather, football season. Speaking of, Sunday morning, it's going to be crisp and cool, and you can roll out to the Twin Peaks in Fort Mill right next door to Carowinds. The roller coasters, we can watch the pregame shows. You can listen to our pregame show. Just come have fun with me and Mac. I think Hoggard's going.
00:35:16
Speaker 5: To be there.
00:35:17
Speaker 2: Fitty, I think, is in studio on Sunday, I'm pretty sure. But we have some folks already planning to come hang out with us Sunday morning at Twin Peaks down in Fort Mill. So we'd love to see you there. 704-570-9610. Hit us up with your thoughts. Apparently, Panther Sizzle is back on the phone lines, and I'm a little afraid to take it, but I will anyway. Sizzle, happy Friday, man. What's going on?
00:35:39
Speaker 4: Happy Friday, KB.
00:35:40
Speaker 2: What's up, man?
00:35:41
Speaker 4: Hey, look, I'm going to just be straight up honest with you.
00:35:45
Speaker 5: Hand up.
00:35:45
Speaker 4: All right, hand up.
00:35:47
Speaker 5: I'm wrong.
00:35:47
Speaker 4: All right?
00:35:49
Speaker 8: I'm wrong.
00:35:49
Speaker 4: I'm man enough to say it.
00:35:52
Speaker 5: Bryce Young is balling.
00:35:53
Speaker 2: Hey, that's big. That's big of you.
00:35:55
Speaker 5: Bryce Young is balling.
00:35:56
Speaker 4: And some of the– it's not just like the stats, some of the throws. I've seen some of the reads. Elite level play. Now, what I want to say is, like, I do sometimes– Do positivity, KB.
00:36:10
Speaker 3: I really do. I promise.
00:36:11
Speaker 2: Love it.
00:36:13
Speaker 5: I really do.
00:36:13
Speaker 4: I know that sounds crazy. I'm a negative guy most of the time, but real stuff. I want to also say and give a shout-out to one other guy on the offense, and that's Chuba Hubbard. Nobody's been talking about him a lot. He hasn't been absolutely crazy, but, man, he looks more like himself, don't he?
00:36:32
Speaker 5: Yes.
00:36:34
Speaker 4: He's breaking tackles. He's bouncing off of tackles. I think he's longest run of the year is what, 10 yards, something like that? But he's busting out of tackles. He's finding holes. He's getting stuff done. He's making stuff happen. I think he's due for a big week on Sunday. I think we hand the ball off a lot to Chuba, let him do his thing. But, hey, look, respect is earned, and Bryce has earned my respect.
00:36:59
Speaker 3: Hand up.
00:36:59
Speaker 2: Big man. Hey, that's a good phone call. I appreciate you, Sizzle. Have a great weekend. Enjoy the game. Look at that.
00:37:04
Speaker 5: Takes a lot of guts to admit it on air, so I've got to give him his props.
00:37:07
Speaker 2: It's right. It's one thing to send in your text like a few of these haters have and say, well, you know, he's starting to change my mind. He's playing pretty good. Listen, I'm sure, and Sizzle, don't take this personally, but if Bryce goes out and plays a stinker on Sunday, the Bryce skeptics are going to let us hear it. We know that. That is going to happen Monday if Bryce doesn't play well. But I think there's reason to believe this offense will continue to play well. And like you and I talked about yesterday, if what we think we see Sunday is going to happen, and that is an increased amount of man coverage, which Cleveland primarily plays defensively. If we see Cleveland come at this Panthers offense with more man coverage, Panthers have seen a lot of zone the first couple of weeks. I know Bryce has been very effective against zone coverage, but with TMAC and Jalen Coker out there and their ability to separate and make plays, I love those matchups. And let's also not forget that man coverage should leave, in theory anyway, A lot of opportunities for Bryce Young to use his legs, right? We don't want Bryce to be Cam Newton. Bryce will never be Cam Newton, but Bryce is pretty quick and Bryce reads the field well right now. You know, if he gets the ability, if he has opportunities to run and pick up first downs, I expect him and I think he will do plenty of that Sunday if given the opportunity.
00:38:24
Speaker 1: And I got to say, Sizzle went two for two on that call because I was about to say it during this segment. I'm expecting a big game for Chuba Hubbard because, you know, he's been looking good. so far when he's been getting the ball. It hasn't been the big plays, the explosive plays that you want to see, but he's averaging above average yards per carry every time he touches the ball. And it's one of those situations where you're going against a defense that has struggled against a run early. I'm not saying that the Browns' defense sucks, but they have not been good against a run. I look at the situations and the fact that they struggled with so many holding calls this past week, I bet it was a massive point of emphasis on the offense. and Brad Izzik, Dave Canales, and say, hey, guys, this guy's running his butt off. He's doing a good job. He's giving us the big chunk yardage, but we're taking away because of silly, stupid mistakes.
00:39:13
Speaker 5: Stop doing that. Just give him the time.
00:39:15
Speaker 1: Don't hold, and we should be able to get a 100-yard day out of Chuba Hubbard. That's why I'm expecting a big day out of Chuba.
00:39:21
Speaker 2: I think they're ready to go in and win this game ugly if they have to. I also expect Bryce, so long as the protection is there, I expect Bryce and Brad edzik to continue doing what they've been doing and that's stretching the field and taking shots down the field taking vertical shots um it's proven effective through two weeks bryce is leading the nfl in multiple categories of passes 20 plus yards down the field and you know things like that so you know this is what we've talked about the opening up of this offense you've got the weapons to do it now It has to improve or it has to continue this week. But if you can grab a lead in Cleveland, if you can go up there and quiet that crowd, ideally, you can go up there defensively and get some stops early and have them even possibly booing Deshaun Watson again, flip the script, change the vibe inside that stadium. And then you start to run the football. You can go heavier. You can run those multiple tight end sets, get the run game going with Chuba and I think A.J.
00:40:13
Speaker 7: Dillon.
00:40:14
Speaker 2: Could play a real role on Sunday. There's a very clear path to victory. I'm not going to go so far as to be insane like our Cleveland counterparts who are apparently proclaiming that their Cleveland run game is going to dominate the Panthers on Sunday. In fact, I think that's a lot less likely given the return of Bobby Brown and Pat Jones to this defense on Sunday.
00:40:33
Speaker 5: Yeah, Pat Jones' first game in nearly a year.
00:40:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, but I think, again, there are clear paths for this Panthers offense to have real success on Sunday. And like we've talked about, Cleveland's 31st in rushing coming into Week 3. You get Brown, you get Jones back, you're down a linebacker, all right? So I don't love, like I talked about earlier, that Devin Lloyd will not play Sunday, even if I think it's the right thing to do. There's no reason to push him, you know, Week 3 with a calf strain. those things rapidly turn into disaster in the form of ruptured Achilles.
00:41:02
Speaker 5: Especially with a bye just two weeks away. Right.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: There's no reason to rush it. There's no reason to push this. Okereke and Tyrell Dotson are experienced veteran players. They're just new here. They're new to Avero and the system and their teammates. And that communication, which we saw rear its head a bit in week one, well, a lot of it, I'm afraid of that a little bit at the second level Sunday, but I like what this secondary is bringing to the table. I think they're getting better. The Panthers, to me, are favored for a reason on the road. They should be expected to win this game, and I'll make my pick Sunday at 1255 before we go off the air. 704-570-9610. Hit us up on the text line. When we come back, speaking of Panthers, Captain Munderland is a former Gamecock All-SEC defensive back in Columbia in 2007. He's also a Carolina Panthers seventh-round draft pick. and still holds the record for the most picked sixes in Carolina Panthers history. One of the greatest nickel corners in Panthers history, and he is now the head football coach of the Chambers Cougars. They are 5-0, and they're our game of the week tonight as they battle the Butler Bulldogs. Captain Munderland will join me next. Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ.
