Welcome to another edition of Wral Triangle and two. I'm Mark Bergen. He's Luis Fernandez on today's episode. We'll discuss the eligibility of North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker, but we start Lewis. The Panthers have struggled a bit in two preseason games. I know it's the preseason, but we've gotten two games of Bryce Young now, three total points. Guess where we start. Like, is it time to panic? I know it's just preseason. Where do you stand on the Panthers offensive struggles through two games thus far in the preseason. So, one of the best I think things I've ever heard about preseason, how to assess preseason football in general, right? Is you look at more and on an individual level instead of a, a team level because, you know, if you look at the final score. Oh, man, they are not scoring touchdowns. Well, you know, half of it's the backups, right? Um I, so I think you look at an individual level and there are, are definitely offensive struggles. Um, I think it's pretty clear that the offensive line has struggled a bit. Um, what's hard is the takeaway of? Ok. Is, is this something where it's like the offensive line is not playing well or is it just, you know, they're not trying to execute their best players because they don't want to give away too much in the preseason. It, it's kind of this combination of all things you're like, ok, what, what is the main takeaway here? Um, I, I think one of the biggest issues is pass blocking. Um, you know, Bryce Young has had a lot of pressure in his face. Um, you know, he's, he's getting hit, but like also part of that is that's what he's going to get hit, right? Like if you have a problem with Bryce Young getting hit, then you shouldn't have drafted a 59 quarterback. Um, but II, I just think all in all, I mean, it's, you're, you're seeing flashes from Bryce Young, um, that kind of creativity that he has, um, in the Giants game. I think you saw a couple of flashes from Jonathan Mingo, which is impressive. Um, they need to shore up the pass blocking and I believe that once you get to the regular season, you're gonna see more scheming specifically to try and counteract, um, pass blocking, uh, deficiencies. But yeah, I don't know, it's not ideal but it's also not like the roofs on fire yet. I'm with you there. Let me preface any of my thoughts about preseason with this Lewis. I always take the analogy of my guy Dave Damask. It's like a war reenactment where it looks like the real thing. It feels like the real thing. It has absolutely zero bearing on the outcome and the result and what will happen during the regular season. So, it's funny though in the first game, like, what I was most looking forward to in a weird way is like, can Bryce Young get hit and get back, back up off the ground after getting hit, which he did? Yes, he's demonstrated the ability to do that. And now it's like, oh man, through two preseason games, I don't want to continue to see this, but I also like the fact that we've seen that he can do that because that was the big knock on him with his lack of size coming out of Alabama. Yeah, I think it's, um, so much with rookies especially, it's about catching up to the speed to the pace of play. Um, so I think that takes time. Um, you're starting to see bits and pieces of, like I said, the flashes, there was one play, um, the Theo Ash on tiktok for anyone who follows really pointed out, um, where he, it, it was a play where I think the ball, there's some pressure on him. He spins, he falls down for a second, he rolls out of the pocket and he nearly throws a dot Down the field to Adam feeling, but it's just just outside of his reach all this stuff where you see like, oh man, that's how he's special. That's why the Panthers went out and got him. So, I agree. I think you, you assess the individual and then you, you worry about the team stuff once the regular season starts. Um, you know, if anything, I think maybe it's just a reminder that everyone should be a little bit patient with this new look Panthers, um, especially with their offense because like, I, I don't know, I just, I think the main takeaway for me with the Panthers as a team this year is you just want to see development. You want to by the end of the year be like, I feel pretty good that Bryce Young is the franchise quarterback, is the guy wins and losses. I think obviously they matter. But in the back of your mind, I think they're a little bit secondary because if the Panthers are getting to the playoffs and having major success this, this season, they're ahead of schedule. So that, that's kind of how I assess it. That's kind of how I view it. Um, offensive line struggles. We, we'll talk about that in just a second. I wanna stay on young for just a one more question for you. Lewis. Would you start young in the final preseason game? I mean, I don't know, I guess the question is, have you seen something from you? Do you still need to see more from him? Are you worried about the rhythm of the offense, the timing in the rapport with the receivers to where and I don't think you can get enough game reps or as close to what will be a regular season speed. And even in a preseason game, that speed, even at a high, high level practice can't just, it just can't be replicated the same way as it is to say, hey, we're playing an actual game, even if it is preseason, I would personally start him. I think he needs the reps. Now. I wouldn't keep him out there for more than two series. I'd only play him for a series or two, but I would play him. That's just my two cents worth though. I, no, I, I get what you're saying from the rhythm perspective because I do think there's this just with preseason football in general, right? You have one side that's like we're gonna play good amount of stuff. You have another side that's like not starters aren't gonna get like any reps, right? And it feels like you have these two. I think it's somewhere in the middle. Um, I guess if, if you were the Panthers, the way you would assess it from a Bryce Young perspective specifically is, do you feel like that rapport has been built or does it need to continue being built? And how are you happy with how much he's been hit so far in the preseason? And do you want to try and curb that, that to me is the main thing that you're gonna assess, but in determining is he going to get that third preseason game or not? II, I don't really feel strongly one way or another. I, I think if they decide to, sure if they just, if they decide not to. Ok, that's fine too. Just really at this point just, you know, three weeks where you get to the regular season, um, and see what he does against the Falcons. The main thing is keeping him healthy for week one. So that's the main thing. Uh I wanna talk about offensive line and specifically Iki Aqua, a player out of NC State, we loved coming out of the draft and he's what we call Lewis a dancing polar bear. And here's what I mean by that to where on screen passes on plays where he has to pull, he's able to get to the 2nd and 3rd level of defenses with size and speed that a man of his stature shouldn't be able to move at. But through two preseason games, it's not a hyperbole to say he struggled and we were also very high on Cavon Thibodeaux out of Oregon and Ed Rusher for the Giants that made Iki Aqua the point blank period foolish like it's to where this impacts Bryce Young because Iwu who by and large had a very good rookie year, but you're protecting the blind side of your number one pick the face of your franchise, the CEO of your franchise in Bryce, Young Iwan, who had a pretty solid rookie year other than the week one matchup against Miles Garrett, but he was overmatched against the Giants and it's something that definitely needs to be shored up again. If this continues on to the regular season, that's when I'm going to say, hey, this is a big deal, but it's something that I noticed on where there were several plays in one, one on one matchups. You, you're not scheming to have a tight end chip or running back chip to help on the, uh on the outside. There aren't stunts. It's Mono Imano, we're gonna line up number five across from you and Thibodeaux got the best of Beano in the preseason game between the Panthers and Giants go back and look at the Tate Lewis and it's just something that really stuck out to me. I want to know if that's a trend come the regular season or if it's, hey, second year player, young player still developing, still trying to figure out what he needs to do to be successful in this league. Hopefully for the next decade plus protecting the br the blind side of Bryce Young. And I think you, what you said there, I think really hits it on the head. Is it's like, is it a trend? I think the preseason, especially with the, the bona fide starters with the players who, you know, are big pieces of your franchise, the preseason asks questions and the regular season gives you answers. Um, and I think, I think that that's what, that, that's something we're gonna have to see. I agree. Icky has been, you know, up and down in the preseason. I mean, you want consistency. Um, yeah, to be fair. I think the Giants defense is also very good. Uh, you know, Cavon Thibodeaux is fantastic. Like, I think he's gonna, I mean, he was, people forget he was hurt for a good chunk of the season last year dealing with some of those injuries. He and the big, the knee injury, I believe he got in the preseason, like, and he was, it was a rookie last, he was a rookie last year too, so he's gonna take some time and I, I think he could see be someone who makes a, takes a major step up as well. Um, but it's, you, you want consistency, you wanna not have to worry, um, about, you know, your team in general. I, I think that offensive line play, um, is something that we have seen. Just not a whole lot of great offensive line play in the NFL preseason this year. Um, and I think some of that is the nature of practices and how they're not as physical as they used to be because, you know, for a lot of times good reasons, right? Um, so you have to assess that. Um, but, but also I think too, I don't know, I just, it's, I have questions about the offensive line and I need answers come the regular season. I, I just think that I credit you Lewis in this regard. You know, there's times where we want to shoot it to our listeners and viewers straight, but with preseason, it'll confirm your confirmation biases if that's what you're looking for. But the word I, I focus on of what you just said is the consistency and you need 456 game sample size during the regular season to say, hey, is what my eyes telling me is, is that the truth or again, is it just a preseason matchup where you're not game planning, you're not scheming. Uh Thibodeau could very well end up taking off and having a pro bowl all pro caliber season for the Giants. That's why he was a top pick a year ago. And so I fully expect him to have a great season. I as well. He again, he was something, they were calling him the Pancake King when he was coming out of NC State. And it's like, ok, who does he want a sponsorship? Whether it's from I hop, Denny's, uh uh you know, name your favorite breakfast restaurant. Lewis. Ok. No, no, no. If, if you're trying to be a Pancake King, Ihop's got to be the only choice, right? Like Dany's would be in my mind. Denny's is more of like, if you are a baseball guy and you're trying to, like, get like, you know, grand slams and things like that, that's where I would go more of that sponsorship. But, um, sorry, I get very passionate about my, my breakfast restaurants. Yeah, I mean, I throw a Cracker Barrel in that mix. I could keep going. Cracker Barrel. Ok. Actually, so I had, I recently, uh, went to a Cracker Barrel because, um, my, my girlfriend's uh aunt sent her like a gift card for Cracker Barrel for like Christmas or something like that. Um And I, I think Cracker Barrel is kind of like improved their game a little bit. Uh They've got like this, this potato casserole thing. That's the side. Very good. Um Like very good would highly recommend. Um But yeah, I don't know. I, sorry, that's, I'm, I am passionate, I'm a big guy. I'm, I am passionate about my um about my stuff. Again, the Pancake King, Iki Kwan will see.