Jordan and Jake.

I go good, I'm excited, ready to go.

The bump stops.

He throws at a crossfield.

Guess who, George Grouse.

Here are your Panther Hall of Honor members, Jordan Gross and Jake Delome.

Jake, good to talk to you, especially with the state of the union that the Panthers are.

I don't know if that's the right thing to stay the state of the Panthers at four and three?

Man, good times right now?

How you doing, my friend, I'm doing great, buddy.

I agree with you.

Man, it's been a uh, I think it's been a long time coming.

You know, we've been waiting for some I guess you could say.

Meaningful relevant times.

But yeah, what uh what a great opportunity and how fun I think you know, you get those three wins at home, and the big thing for me was last week we're going on the road a team that is struggling right oh and six, and then we got to go get a win we're bet at and that's kind of what we did.

We didn't turn it over.

We kind of play keep away from them.

My defense was lights out.

Offensively, we did enough, probably left a few points on the board.

But that's okay.

We didn't put the ball in Horms way.

We got to win, and now we're back.

Home facing a legitimate juggernaut for the last six seven years, whatever it may be.

And what a great opportunity, right, No, I love it.

Did you see the Jets fan video that's been making its way through social media and stuff of that young kid when they go to and they say you got anything to say about the game, and he's like, just dejected Jake and he's like, I hate this team.

I hate him.

He's like, I was born into this.

He's got his debts jersey on, I was born into this.

I'll always be with him, but I hate him, and he's just, oh gosh, I'm gonna just be honest that I loved that that was a fan of another team, and our Panther fans with their jerseys walk by in the background.

I'm like, hey, we're above five hundred for the.

Latest end of the season.

We've been above five hundreds.

It's twenty nineteen, and Jake better then than us.

That's all I have to say.

But outstanding video.

Yeah, I saw it, and you felt for that kid, But you know what, that's life in the NFL, man, and when it's uh, when it's good, it's there's nothing better.

And then when it's bad, it's like when can you turn the page?

And hopefully we're starting to get that page turned.

I feel confident going into the season that page was starting to turn.

But you just you're seeing so many new new guys, old guys, Like it's just it's it's fun to see, man, It's fun to see and watch.

I just love it that is them and not us.

Man, we got to see some.

Andy Dalton in the fourth quarter came in, did well four seven sixty yards, but Bryce, day to day as the week goes on with his ankle, made some moves to kind of insulate that quarterback spot with Hooker was already on practice squad, but did bringing in Mike White as well.

Jake, what's you were a backup old guy for a while.

What's it like being Andy Dalton and just standing there every week preparing, never knowing if you're gonna play or not.

Then you get the call confidence level and then how do you prepare this week?

Knowing?

You know, they know more than we do.

But let's say that Andy doesn't know if Bryce is gonna play or not, like, what's that role like?

Well, I think the mentality for Andy doesn't change at all because he's such a pro.

He started for well over a decade, has numerous wins, and he's been in his offense just as long as everyone else.

And I would venture to say he and Bryce know the offense better than any than everyone else, and they should.

And you saw it when he got in the other day.

It's he runs it a little bit different.

He's very quick to get the ball out of his hands, which Bryce can too.

But Andy, I think just he probably knows what he likes and he can recognize things extremely quick.

Now Houdini in the pocket like Bryce has.

Sometimes I'm not so sure Andy has a.

Check mark in favor of him in that regard.

But listen, he's gonna go out, He's gonna let it fly, maybe more shots down the field.

But I think we've got to hang our hat on the running game.

I mean, that's what we gotta do.

We got to continue to hang our hat on the running game.

Cuba, I think will be even healthier.

Rico's running the ball lights out.

I'm not sure what's gonna happen with Damian Lewis if he's gonna be able to be back in there.

But Buffalo's run defense.

They're getting a couple of guys back off, some injured guys waiting to see what the injury report looks like towards the latter part of the week, but Atlanta had much success running the football against Buffalo.

Well.

Speaking of the offensive line in the last game, Jake, I just was I'm so proud of those guys for all the different combos, it's been great.

We've had the same duds on our O line for a number of years now, so you can kind of start building a pretty big fan base amongst them.

Bit back in there, Jake, When I know it's been a while now, it seems like it was just the other day.

I was certain, I've already said this on his podcast, but I was certain that Corbett was done for the year in that Arizona game.

Now he's back.

He's playing guard now.

Now Mays, you're the center.

Now Corbett, you're the guard.

You know that he's not feeling one hundred percent.

He just got on his return to play window.

But we needed him, so he's in there boating as always.

Christiansen was playing guard just a good job by them one hundred and twenty five yards rushing, and you said, okay, against the.

Bills, we got to run the ball.

So now we got.

Both our backs back, Rico and Cuba, and now there's like managing those guys and having that many people available.

Jake, it's kind of like a problem of bounty, you know what I mean.

Like if you got Cuba in there and you give him the ball and he only gains four yards, You're like, oh, I wonder if Rico would have got six, or vice versa.

So how do we manage that?

Well?

I think Dave said.

It best when he talked about it, like, hey, empty the tank on every run.

And I think Rico had more success on some runs the other day.

Than Shuba.

But then you watch Shoba on the screen, which I thought was one of the funniest things in the world.

I don't know if the offensive lineman couldn't hear the go call, or if he forgot to yell go, go go when he out ran them all and ran down inside the ten yard line or inside the five, But yeah, I just think it's you gotta have two Jordan.

You've been a part of it.

We've been a part of it.

You can't.

It's so hard to go through with one guy.

You gotta have two.

And when they're fresh and you can lean on that run game, it just makes your team that much more dangerous.

And the reason I say continue with the run game because they have a monster on the other side of the field in Buffalo and it's the quarterback Josh Allen, and he's just a different animal.

And the more we can keep him.

On the sidelines and James Cook, who's just in his prime, they're running like that's what we got to do, and hopefully both those running backs are exhausted at.

The end of the game.

I think they're gonna have to extend the pregame countdown because the amount of hugging and smiles that are going to take place when Carolina North comes to town, it's gonna be outstanding.

Jake, all the Bills crossover players.

It's like anytime the Panthers release a player, he goes to the Bills or vice versa.

Jake, we just swapped back and forth.

Dan Morgan was up there under Brandon Bean McDermott obviously coached here for a long time.

Yeah, and I know you're going to be there, Jake.

Are you gonna be able to contain yourself with all the people to talk football with and hug up on before this game?

Well, yeah, I'll be just fine.

I'm probably more worried about my broadcast partner, Luke Keigley, because you know McDermott.

I mean, I would have a feeling there's a picture of Luke in a eight YX ten next to his bed every single night.

Yeah, but no being able to I'm sure I'll be out to see Brandon Bean and so much we expect for all those guys.

I did not play for McDermott, but certainly got to know him.

But yeah, that's and Dan coming from there.

So Dan has this Seattle background and the Buffalo and I think the one thing that Dan wanted to bring back to Carolina was you got to have players that just love the game.

You gotta want to compete and love the game.

And I think Brandon Bean and McDermott have done that in Buffalo.

That's evident a bout how they play.

And I think you're starting to see the fingerprint of Dan and Brandt and Coach Kanalis some of our young guys too.

That's what you're kind of starting to see.

I don't know if you enjoyed the kickoff that we had last week when our rookie Latham Ransom ran down and broke his face off into the Jets player like like.

Things like that, that's real football.

And watching Nick Gordon play, watching Princely, watching atn on some of the returns Mitchell Evans like all our just you seeing the young guys and then you're seeing I don't know, maybe j C.

Horn might be a decent cornerback.

I don't know, its yeah, he's okay.

And Derek Brown really the large man like that running sidelines to sideline, bat and passes, getting sacks.

It's just it's fun to see.

Man, this is a fun time right now.

You're getting me excited that we're moving in the right direction, Jacob.

Is it possible for a Panther fan such as me to see the Bills coming to town close to Halloween here and think we got a legitimate shot at coming away from this thing five and three?

Well, I hope so, and I certainly hope the team feels that way.

I mean, that has to be your mindset week in and week out, and I'm not so sure, our mindset was that, you know, last year or maybe whatever in the past couple of years, but it has to be that there has to be a standard that's set.

There's no victory mondays right, we haven't seen that yet.

No, you back to work.

I mean, this is a grind.

When the schedule came out, first thing that popped into my head first playoff team from twenty twenty four is.

The Buffalo Bills and this will be late October.

We got a chance to get started, and we started out slow, but we're starting to make some progress and so now you get measuring sticks, and this is a measuring stick.

We want to be a team that can kind of start to make some hay.

Well, this is a team you go against, especially them having an extended break getting some health back.

I'm assuming they'll have a new wrinkle or two that they're going to try to put in for us.

But you know, we're a young, hungry team and sometimes you don't know any better.

You just go out and play and you let the chips follow where they may.

All.

Right, Well, some non current Panther news, but you mentioned Luke earlier that he's quite the player, and mcdermot's a big fan.

He Greg Olsen, Steve Smith, and Charles Hent Tillman in his short time as a Caroline Panther.

We're all named fifty of the finalists for the Hall of Fame.

So that's pretty awesome.

You knew Luke and Steve were going to get in there, wasn't sure about Greg, and you know, he not obviously his majority of his career and his fame came when he was a Chicago Bear.

But we've talked about Luke and Steve attum.

But pretty cool for Greg to get in there in that top fifty.

I'd be surprised if he makes it a whole lot further this year.

But I think some of the significance for him is going to come because he's still so such a huge figure in the NFL world with his broadcasting but outstanding career.

Just happy for him, man.

Yeah, you know, and he's calling our game this week, so I don't think when he called it a couple of weeks ago he knew he was going to be back.

But that's a bonus for him to call the game and all all those guys just great football players, man, and just happy for them, and you know, hopefully some of a few of those guys can continue on the selection committee.

Well, I'm this is going to be a fun weekend, Dick.

I'm glad you're there to manage things.

You is Luke working the game with you?

That would be correct, man.

Okay, I'm gonna be very honest, Jordan, I have a I guess I'm asking for advice.

Okay, I mean, do I just kind of keep my.

Mouth shut whenever we're gonna be on offense and let Luke talk about what he thinks McDermott's gonna call or actually give the defensive play calls, because I have a feeling Luke still knows them and can have them readily available and spew them out of his mouth pretty quickly.

Yeah, easy money, man, Just show up and get yourself a cup of coffee.

Just put your microphone on mute, let a niche and Luke do the whole thing.

That's what sounds good to me.

Yeah, I'm wondering how many times I'm going to see Luke kind of just start doing hand gestures.

We need to go pro in the in the booth, hand Gester is knowing exactly what's gonna happen, exactly what defense is going to be and things like that.

I'm still surprised that Luke's not on the coaching staff up there.

That's the one that surprises me a lot, Jake.

But that's how much he likes working with you.

I think he doesn't want to make the move up there.

Maybe he likes Charlotte, don't want to move on.

He might like Charlotte, but he likes his matching polo buddy.

Uh.

Some in house news producer Matt told me that they're less than two weeks away, he and his wife from having their first baby.

It's gonna be a girl.

Okay, what does that?

And you were having some audio issues earlier in this broadcast that we had to just Matt and I talked while you relocated or whatever you did to get your sound better.

Matt and I said, we should just have a segment of the show where we find out what Matt doesn't know yet about being a father.

So let's just do that, Jake.

Okay, So if you're if you're somebody's about to have your first baby, what do you not know that it's coming to smack you straight in the face.

Well, certainly, Jordan, I think you can talk about the sleep and whatnot.

But it's this.

I think it's this.

Feeling of, oh my gosh, I am now not even remotely closed being being the most important person in my life anymore.

This beautiful child is my life's duty.

I mean, I think that's the biggest thing.

That's when it hits you.

That's what I believe.

I remember when we had our first son born uptown Charlotte, CMC Maine, and we were there, you know, you have the baby, and then we stayed like another night or something whatever it was, and you got like the nurses and people are helping you, and then they're like, all right, you're free to go.

And you know, Dana and I were twenty five at the time.

I remember thinking, like, what do you mean I'm free to go?

Like you're just gonna set us loose with this with this human here.

We loaded the car seat, I'm like checking everything one hundred times, driving home, like fifteen under the speed limit, yelling at people for going too fasting.

That's what it hit me.

It's like I knew we were Like I'm not dumb.

I knew we were gonna have a kid.

We got everything ready and all that.

You know, You're like okay, and then this baby shows up and you're like, I'm in charge of this human and then you just you never know what you're doing.

And anybody that says they know exactly what they're doing, they're full of it.

Because every situation's different.

Things come up.

You say, all right, hey, we're gonna go here.

Here's a great idea.

Let's take this baby to a movie.

It'll just sleep the whole time.

It'll be fine.

Next thing you know, you're the one ruining everybody's fifteen dollars movie ticket and you gotta leave.

It's just a giant whirlwind.

I'm excited for Matt.

Yeah, it's one of the great I think it's one of the greatest things in the world.

I think most parents will say that.

And it's, uh, you just you never know.

You learn so much more about yourself as a person after you have that first shell.

Now you're empty nester, you get old like you and just you know, it's all gone in a flash.

Man, it flies by, too.

I think that's that's the thing.

My goodness, It flies by.

Uh you want an update on my high school team, Well, I've been waiting on it.

Eight no, eight, No, we got Senior Night.

Senior Night's a big deal.

You remember those days, Jake Harry, it's down on the track.

Everybody's got their here after high school.

Jake Delone plans to weasel his way into an NFL career and a podcaster when he's old and his kids are all gone.

They say all that kind of stuff.

You know, it's a it's a it's gonna be a fun night.

But yeah, we go nine.

If we win, we go nine, and oh we should be probably the one seed heading into the playoffs.

So exciting times right now.

So is this the final game?

Final regular season game?

We play nine games?

Nine game regular season?

Okay, so yeah, big things are happening it I hope we do.

All right, well, let's do.

Let's get this weekend started off.

Ride.

Let's have a great Senior Night with a.

Great or Night sandwich it in with Carolina North coming down.

Get the win, all right, you're in charge of that.

I'll be in charge of the Friday thing.

You're in charge of the Sunday deal.

All right, you got it.

I'm ready for it.

All right, I'll talk to you next week.

But that fun.

Take care