Panthers Live Press Conference
Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] [Music] Here [Music] we go. How are you? Already know what you’re doing. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] I need to know. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] Hey, cow. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Everything. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] [Music] Hey everybody. [Music] Are you [Music] [Music] Hey cow. [Music] Nat. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] All right. Um, unbelievable finish. Uh, and it took all three phases. um just like we imagined, just like we pictured. Um you know, first and foremost, just uh you know, the grit in our guys, in our group, you know, to keep battling uh for a team that was moving the ball well, but the defense to come out one for five in the red zone is is a big deal for us. Um offensively, we had the first early, you know, the interception ball kind of got hung up in the wind. It felt like um it definitely was a factor um in the things the choices that we were uh making, you know, in this stadium. And um but again, the run game came alive. there was some balance and uh you know the critical obviously the critical two-minute drive there at the end um you know really with the mix of run and pass you know to try to get it done there. So, I’m really proud of this group and uh again, there’s stuff to look at. There’s stuff to say, okay, we gave up some big plays, you know, in some different scenarios and offensively, you know, we missed some opportunities as well. Um, so, you know, I think, uh, a lot to learn from, but again, just building in the confidence of this group to believe we could just if we play our style of ball, we keep ourselves in it, we’ll give ourselves a chance to finish the way we want to. Yeah, I got to give a lot of props to uh Tracy Smith. He and I were talking before the game and he was like, “If we if we take the ball, we can set ourselves up to have the ball with the wind to our backs to finish the game to give us an opportunity and it played out just like that.” Um, it was unbelievable, but it took all of us doing right, you know, to make it happen. Um, so it was a little bit of a change from what we normally do. We’d normally defer in that situation, but the wind was a factor in that decision. Dave, I know the wind was a factor, but what the defense did turns just a matter like you said of execution or was this guy just kind of stepping up in the right spot? Yeah, it was execution and and it was putting pressure on the quarterback. Um when he did have time, he hurt us on a couple of balls down the field and uh when we put pressure on him, he let the ball out early. Mike Jack had an opportunity there at the end on that fourth down in the red zone, you know, to to make it a little less interesting. I would have liked to see how far he could go on that one right there. Um but uh it was it was all the guys working together. um you know, attacking our rush plan, all that, and then just coming up with those opportunities. Boom, with the punch out early on. That’s a huge one. You talk about, you know, that that early drive in the game. So, um yeah, just really proud of these guys. Was that a check? Uh absolutely. and he just, you know, I think the best part of it was uh he functioned so well and he anticipated, he operated quickly. Uh this is a group that we really respect defensively speaking with their pass rush and the challenges that we knew they were going to present to us and Bryce did a magnificent job of getting the ball out in rhythm. You get one hitch and that ball better come out. Um but it was good to see him move around, pick up a couple of first downs with his legs as well. And uh you know that’s just a tribute to him being aggressive, knowing when knowing when to hold him, knowing when I got to go. Um and being decisive really really helped us there. You brought up the interception, but there was also penalty game. Yeah. Um the fact that you guys were able to stay the course after those two moments. What does that say about your team? Yeah, that they’re resilient and and we’re learning to trust and have confidence at the same time. We’d like to do better. We got to do better in those situations, especially in a tight game like this. You know, um we put ourselves in a hard spot. There was a thought to try to go for two there. We’d have been somewhere around the 16 or 17 yard line, I think, on the two-point. Um, the odds aren’t great from that spot right there. Um, but we knew we had that headwind on the kick, so I decided to go with the kick and it came up short right there. So, uh, that was a kind of a, you know, split decision I had to make right there. 19. Oh, it was not a check. That was a called play. Um that was a you know it was they were they were loading the box up but they were pretty thinned out in terms of how they rushed. I got to give the O line props for handling the movement. That’s the hardest part. If you’re going to run the ball on third down you have to be ready for the the exotic looks and you know with guys standing up in different spots you know and then after that you know it’s it’s you know Rico just hitting it hard and and finding a little daylight and um and really flipping the field for us right there. What did you see today? Abs from from carry one, you know, it was attitude. Um it was aggression and violence at the end of it. And uh it really does affect the group. It affects the whole sideline when they see that kind of energy um and that kind of violence. You know, it it gives them confidence and it’s who we want to be. And so, um just really loved what he was able to do. How was he able to kind of step in that position? Jake and I were together in Seattle, so he’s got a lot of familiarity with our run game, um, our pass protection, uh, philosophy and how we handle things. He’s a very sharp guy and, uh, he’s got a lot of versatility. I’ve seen him play all but center really, I think, in the time that I’ve been around him. And, uh, to be able to pick him up, you know, from from Arizona’s practice squad, you know, a couple weeks ago was huge for me because it gives us another veteran player that allows us to have the continuity for when things happen, you know, and um, he did a great job going in there and executing with the guys. Do you have an issue on the on the celebration health either with Rico’s celebration or the decision to flag that particular celebration? I didn’t see it. So, I just I heard about it. They’re jogging off the field and they’re happy about the touchdown. We have to do better. We got to put ourselves in position right there uh to make it more challenging. We can’t give the opponent anything, especially a good opponent like this. You know, any margin that you give them uh can come back to hurt you. process. It’s huge because it just comes down to the fundamentals and basics of football. It’s tackling, it’s blocking, it’s executing, and um to get into this type of environment, you know, this is a special place. The fans are unbelievable, and this is a really good team. and we understood all the things and what it was going to take for us to have a chance to win this game was doing right longer and that’s our mentality. Um, and that’s also the things that we have to capture. Can we capture this style of football? You know, it didn’t show up for us last week. It showed up for us today. You know, to get back to our basics and execute and uh, you know, these are the things that you need to know what to expect um, when we get into close games like this. We’ve all we’ve all seen young players kind of have a mishap and just kind of let it linger up. He’s done this multiple times. Can you speak to his resilience? It’s refocus and uh that’s a skill that he’s very comfortable with. He’s very confident in his ability and he knows play gets away from him, he’s just going to go right back to work and he’s got that kind of demeanor and mentality. Um and he knows I’m going to count on you. I’m going to keep calling plays that target you, you know, primarily and um and and he knows that expectation from us to just keep playing ball. The secondary held up very well, especially when Jordan went out of the pocket and had interception. Was there any extra emphasis with the secondary, making sure not to allow those big plays a lot of penalties or any penalties? Absolutely. That’s two weeks now really um of playing quarterbacks who have the ability to extend the play um with a really talented skill group and making sure that we stay connected to guys all the way through the down you know even on the fourth the fourth down you know um I’ve seen that play go the other way you know and Jordan Love kind of rears back throws it across the field you know and Mike Jack had the presence of mind to stay with his guy on that one and um could have come up with a big interception but either way he was in the right spot at the right time and so having the carryover from one week to the next and the emphasis of plaster stay connected to your guys. Um really, you know, prepared us for this. Yeah, he was camped underneath it. You know, it was kind of, you know, I was thinking about, you know, Pes running down that uh fly uh yesterday in the game, you know, and and uh you know, Trey was back there and he he made the play for us and got a nice return out of it, too, which was critical, I thought. extra point earlier to make the game. I just love his confidence to get back out there. Um give us a chance, you know, with the challenge and the wind at his face and all of a sudden you have it at your back. A big moment. Crowd was as loud as it was all day and uh to have the focus to to hit that one. You know, we trusted in him to do it and we got down there. I don’t know if we had much of a choice, but um Ryan just has the same kind of ability. He bounces back. He learns lessons. He stacks and he just continues to improve. Thank you very much. Okay. Thank you. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Happy. [Music] 4. [Music] Here we go. [Music] How are you? Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] All right. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Dale break [Music] down. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] four here. Thank you. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] Hello. That was that was that was very nice of him. Bryce, when the passing game isn’t for most of the game and you have to win drive to have the to make a couple of those clutch throws. Did you feel the momentum kind of as the game kind of concluded? Yeah, I mean, you know, as offense, we always we always want to be ready. We always want to be prepared. Um you know, that’s a a really good team on the other side. So, um our defense, I mean, ball the entire game, but we knew at some point we’re going to have to go win it. Um we at least just want to be prepared for that. So, um you know, confidence never wavered as a group, as a unit. Um those too many opportunities. Again, that’s that’s why you play football. You know, everyone’s in the in the backyard uh when you’re a kid. to wish you’re in historic stadium like this, get a chance to go win the game and uh you know, we get to live out those dreams. So, it’s a blessing. No, not not nerves. Um it’s excitement. Again, it’s opportunity. Stuff like that is, you know, you don’t you don’t get to experience that every every game. Only a select few people really get to go out there and also have confidence in all the guys. Um you know, we all kind of feed off of each other for that. In those moments, we all know what’s um you know what’s expected. We all know what to what to do. We all trust in each other to execute. So, it’s just excitement for those times. Give him the iron balls. No. No. I’m not a big I’m not a big speech guy. There’s a thing said here or there. I try to read the room and make sure that, you know, we’re where we need to be based on how the game goes, everything. But, um with these guys, it’s not a it’s not a two-minute Hollywood speech. Um you know, everyone’s locked in already. Um it’s just, you know, making sure we’re in the in the perfect mindset. And again, I’m grateful to have a group of guys that that want that moment as well. Especially with so many moving pieces on the offensive line. Why was so effective? Um cuz that’s the player he is. Um you know that that’s the guy he is. He he everyone sees Sunday, but how hard he works. Um you know, the intensity he has, the intentionality he has dur during practice. Um he’s you see him be more and more comfortable. He’s been really vocal about the stuff that he’s liked uh you know what what what he wants and uh we have a coaching staff that that receives that well. So, um, and also like you said, uh, there was so much moving up front. There’s been a lot of movement up front all year. And for those guys to step up, um, play great football, for us to, uh, you know, have the game that we had, uh, in an environment like this versus a front like that, I mean, that that speaks to that room and the culture they have. That was huge. Um, again, great job of of of the O line creating a hole. Rico being special like he always is. Um, in a clutch moment like that, you know, we all trusted on each other to execute. Um, and you know, it was it was it was great execution. It was obviously a big part of the game. Bryce, early on, you guys had a couple obviously. Yeah. Um, again, that that talks to his character. Um, someone who um, you know, he he he’s super confident, always doing the right things. Um I have all the confidence in the world in in him as I do the entire receiving court. But um you know he’s always on to the next play. He always wants to do whatever is best for a team. He always wants to um you know be there and step up in moments like this. So having a guy like that and and really across the board we have a bunch of guys that step up for the moment. Uh you know want to be a part of that. You know coach talks about that all the time. You know in the moment you don’t change who you are. You don’t be bigger. You know you result to your training and you you result to you know who can do right longer as coach says. So um grateful to have a lot of guys that do that. left guard for a few guard. Like what does that say about him and the line as a whole? Yeah, that’s not easy at all. Um, one, not like he’s been here uh that long either. You know, someone who’s coming in and trying to learn stuff, trying to get acclimated to the room, acclimated to the calls. Um, you know, last week he he stepped up uh you know, and then this week come in, play left. Um, you know, Doo comes back, come and play right and and play a great game again versus a great front. Um, I mean, that can’t be talked about enough. Um, I think that just really sums up the resilience of that room. Um, you know, I have so much respect for him. I’m super grateful. So, um, that was awesome. Learn nothing. Um, that that’s who, you know, that’s who he is. That’s who we know. We he has ice in his veins. You know, this is not the first time he’s done that. Hit a hit a gamewinning kick. um you know, rookie coming in, not scared scared of the moment, not not afraid of the bright lights. Um that that’s the guy he is. That wasn’t something uh new learned today. Uh for us, you know, we we can only take it week by week in this league. Um you know, it’s right now it’s been 24 hours is great. you know, we’re we’re enjoying it, but after that, you know, we have to come back and and turn our focus on the next week. Um, we can only control what we control. When you look too far ahead, you know, you can it can be harder to focus on what’s in front of us. So, um, again, it’s great right now. When we come back and watch the tape, it’ll be all about next week. I guess we’ll I guess we’ll have to see. Rico’s celebration. I didn’t I missed it. Um, I missed it. Not going to touch on that, but uh we won. So uh uh grateful for that. You go up against this defense every day for that unit to hold the Packers out of the end. Yeah. For almost the entire game until the final two minutes. Uh what impresses you the most about the unit that is now starting to get a lot of potential. Yeah. Um just just the the resilience that they have. Um you know, you see throughout the week how close they are. They really play for each other. They communicate so well. um you know, they they’re not afraid of anything. You know, they’re they’re always bringing juice. They’re always excited from um you know, from training camp, uh really from OTAAS, um and just the the the level of which they have each other’s back. Um I think that’s one of the many things showing up. Um and then they’re doing a great job scheme wise. They’re dialing things up. A lot of timely calls and um the players really owning that defense. Again, we we we go against it um all the time and we know how difficult of a defense it is to go against um to put a performance together like this um in in a big moment. It’s a really good team. Again, not surprising because those are those are the guys they are, but super grateful to have that that defense. Um you know, they were, I mean, huge for us. Yeah. Yeah. It’s, you know, everyone’s playing through something. You know, again, it’s it’s what a week, we’re in, week nine, week 10, some we’re everyone’s, everyone’s banged up, everyone’s going through something, you know, it’s it’s football. So, um, you know, I I’ll watch the film. I I’ll I’ll grow, you know, um, again, we’re we’re excited for this win. We always have a growth mindset, whatever the outcome is. So, um, that’ll be my mindset. That’ll be our mindset. And, um, that that’s all there is. Yeah, the the protection and the run game, O line, tight ends, running backs. Um, you know, firing off the ball, being aggressive. Um, you know, we I I think everyone, you know, kind of took that challenge. Um, again, we we have a ton of respect for them. We knew what they were, but everyone wanted that. You know, everyone was excited about going up against a group like that. And, you know, that’s stuff you you can’t coach, stuff you can’t teach, and I’m grateful to be a part of that. So, I think that really speaks volume to us as a unit. Um, again, it’s it’s NFL football. You know, it’s going to be it’s going to be windy. Um, you know, there’s going to be different temperatures. There’s sometimes it’s raining, sometimes whatever it is, it’s NFL football. Um, both have to play with it. Um, that’s that is what it is. So, you know, it’s what you sign up for. Last one, please. I guess from the standpoint of the run offense, how big you guys and Oh, it’s it’s been huge. Again, uh definitely a tight-knit group. Those guys are um those guys play play for each other. Um are super close and um they have that willingness, you know, they they want to go down and they they want a grimy game. Uh uh Goodie talks about it uh a lot. You know, one in that grimy game, one in grindy, and a lot of times, you know, if you’re a tight end, you know, you may be ah, you know, we’ll see. You know, maybe, but you know, I want to go out. They’re just as excited, if not more excited than everyone. They they want that. They they the intensity they bring, the fire they play with, it’s it’s um it’s great to have that as part of the unit. Appreciate you guys. Thank you. [Music] Mark.
Watch Dave Canales speak to the media.
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