VERY INTERESTING Commentary By JAYCEE HORN On Panthers DEFENSE

As the Panthers continue to settle into the doldrums with two-thirds of the season still to play, Jaycee Horn went "on the record" about the Panthers play and most especially about the Defense. It's a little unusual to hear a player speak honestly about shortcomings, and even more so because it's Jaycee Horn. He doesn't usually have much to say.... about anything. Seldom interviews. When he talks, it's usually down-key. Jaycee does his talking on the field, both literally and figuratively.

Here are the salient points from his recent "tirade". Well, for Horn it was a "tirade". For anyone else it was just a loud commentary....

CHARLOTTE — To put it frankly, Jaycee Horn is frustrated. And also, a little disappointed and definitely fired up, but mostly frustrated.

"The most frustrating part to me," Horn began, his voice calm and collected but definitely raised to be heard, "just being here the last couple of years, is, 'Oh if we had an offense, we could do this, do that.' And now they're doing more than enough every week for us to win, and we haven't went out there and had that dominant performance yet as a defense."

"I feel like we owe it to them guys," Horn said. "Chuba been running the ball great. Andy been dealing. Diontae been balling. And as a defense we haven't quite put it together yet. And I think that's the most frustrating part because it's been, every year it's been, defense has been good, and offense has been struggling and now it's like flipped on its head."

"It's demoralizing, especially when the team (the Falcons) just had their way running the ball," Horn admitted. "Ask any defensive player on any team, that's like the worst thing because you just feel just down when you can't stop the run. I'm not putting it all on the D-line or linebackers. That's just what it is. We got to do a better job."

"They converted a lot of third downs. They had two third-and-longs. I had a PI on one, and then they found Drake (London) on a couple of other third-and-longs. Just got to be better, got to be better."

Being better doesn't revolve around any scheme changes, Horn said.

"It ain't about the scheme, it's about the players," he said. "Players make plays."  (emphasis mine)..

The Panthers finished the 2023 season top four in total yards allowed and top three in passing defense. But between the departures from last offseason, and some early injuries, they're not playing the way Horn anticipated.

Still, it's no excuse, according to Horn.

"Like I ain't, I didn't really see it going like this," Horn admitted.
"I mean, we can't stop anything. That's just, that's just what it is right now. I know we got players down or whatever, but at the end of the day, got to find a way to get off the field and that's when we'll start winning games."

When asked on Sunday though if each glaring issue with the defense could be fixed, Horn answered quickly and confidently.

"Hell yeah, it could be fixed, it can be fixed. I mean, you just got to want to. Guys, we got to bite down on our mouthpiece and go out there and win. Win on first and second down and then we get teams into third-and-long, we got to strap up and do our job on the back end," Horn preached.

"I believe in the players in this locker room, and I know how close we are. It's hard for everybody else to see it because obviously our record. But as a team, I know how close we are, and everybody knows how close we are to just getting the job done. And right now, we just got to rally the troops and figure out a way to get it done."

If you want to read it all: Frustrating Defensive Efforts..

THIS doesn't take a lot of "deep thinking". It's not rocket science. Jaycee Horn put it all out there...... If you ever had any question about "what" or "why", THIS answers those questions. It's NOT about the coaches, the GM, or the scheme.  It's NOT about the turf field. And it's NOT about David Tepper. "It's about the players...Players make plays".

I, for one, am PLEASED to see someone (anyone..) acknowledge the 'truth' about the disfunction. Maybe this thought process will spread and things will start looking up..??  One can only hope....