Luke Kuechly on Jets/49ers, Darnold vs Vikings, Panthers Bouncing Back, Lions Beating Rams, & More

[Applause] that was the first touchdown of the 2024 season got to love it my next gu a five-time All Pro seven time Pro Bowl linebacker the Panthers radio analyst watching that go on when that happened Luke Keeley what were you thinking that was painful I gotta watch it again already I thought I was gonna get a few days without it but it it was a difficult game all around for the Panthers that was the opening drive of our season we we won the toss we deferred they went right down the field I was watching the pocket on that play and we had really good push he throws the all up and then all I see is JC horn trailing behind it looked like a cover three I think we might have blown a coverage it was a difficult way to start the season I felt like they came in and on the offensive side of the ball they were kind of able to do whatever they wanted Clint kubak came in had a great game plan they were stretching us wide in wide Zone when they'd stretch us wide they run downhill power two back stuff right at us they sprinkled in play action that was really efficient Foster Maro had a big game catching play action routes to the sidelines they just they jumped all over us and I think Derek Carr looked way more comfortable this year last year was Heavy dropback with the with the p carmichel scheme a lot of dropback pass versus this year with the Clint kubak everybody's seen it with the McVay and the Mike McDaniels and the Kyle shanahans they're going to run the ball they're going to run it run it run it and once you start to have those linebackers suck up to stop the run game they're going to pull it run boot pass and guys are just wide open so it was a tough way to start the season for us but in one one game one game we're not going to overreact that's what everybody's going to do on a Monday say hey the the sky is falling but I'm the eternal optimist I like our team I like Dave Canal I like his positive energy too hey gotta put our head down and grind grind a week two uh we don't want to overreact are we under reacting I'm looking at you know you're saying he's more comfortable Derek Carr literally when I was with him I could tell he's more settled he's ready to go kubak injecting this like attack that they were sort of trying to keep a secret Allan did his thing last night defensively of course are we under reacting to the Saints potentially because here's what's happening I I I like the Saints I'm say I think it's ridiculous that this team does not not team the fans sometimes don't support their quarterback I'm like great job dare and all I heard was it's the Panthers it's the Panthers it's the Panthers so what would you say to that are we under reacting maybe to how good the Saints informidable they might be in this Division I think that I think they're better than everyone thinks so I I would say yes to your your question on the offensive side of the ball they kind of did whatever they wanted they threw it well they were timely taken shots they ran the ball extremely well they played great defense Cam Jordan Demario Davis Pete Warner Marshon Latimore Tyron Matthew Tyron Matthew still so good Tyron Matthew he's 32 years old forced to Fumble recovered his own fumble active I I think I think that they have an offensive coordinator now that's going to get along really well Derek cark just how they run it that Shanahan McVey style offense is so difficult to compete with and I think the one piece on that offense that really sets him apart is Tamm Hill you look at the success that the ners have had the one guy that always gets talked about as Kyle Hugh cheek he can line up as a fullback he can line up as a running back he can line up as a tight end he can catch the ball he can run the ball he can block and get on the perimeter and block they have that with TM hill now and they can run wildcat with him so when he's in the game is it He's listed as a tight end so is it 12 Personnel is it 13 He lines up in the backfield it looks like 21 so on the offensive side of the ball you've you've just got problems with scheme right and then on the defensive side of the ball they're older their veteran Dennis Allen has been a really good coordinator for a long time and then they blocked a punt yesterday and they returned one to like the 30 yard line on our side of the field so they did everything really well and you can say what you want about maybe we didn't play as well as we could have on on the panther side but they still scored you know they scored a bunch of points they played really well on defense they forced two interceptions they recovered a fumble and we went and we went out on Downs twice so I think I think we didn't play very well but also I think the Saints are a really good football team I love that I mean know the Bucks looked really good too but I look at the Saints and they didn't even have I mean Chris olve was blanked he was two catches for 11 yards so when he gets going and they figure that out they they might I think we might be playing this clip back and saying this is a a team that we should have given more love to in the offseason and more faith into the quarterback and the coaching system let's talk about the Lions this is the last night game you heard what I had to say they pull off the win Matthew Stafford he had some brilliant moments you have faced him a time or two in your career what did you think of Stafford on Sunday Night Football well I think everyone's looking like hey does does Stafford have still have it he's 36 years old but he does he does everything well and when they have one of their best receivers go down he finds a way to make it work you know obviously Cooper cup had you know I think he had 14 catches yesterday puka goes out but when you watch when you watch Stafford he threw really well against pressure he was he knew where his Hots were he still has the big arm he still has the security blanket in Cooper cup and then the one the one thing that he does really well is I don't know how you play defense against him in zone coverage and get a jump on any ball right you know his ability to throw the ball looking in the wrong direction he's going to look front side he's going to throw a backside and going to be pinned on a guy's chest that as a linebacker as a linebacker that played in a lot of cover three with sha mcder and Steve wols and Eric Washington you get set up your timing dictates when you break your timing also dictates where routes are so as the down progresses you know based on Concepts and formations where receivers are supposed to be and that's where you break so as Stafford's looking to his right your clock's ticking you're pushing front side you know where the route concept's going to be and then he slings it across the middle of the field to a guy that like I don't know how he I don't know how he sees those guys I don't know how he finds them but I tell you what when you sit in zone coverage or you're a single whole player in man coverage there's there's a difficult opportunity to jump the ball when he throws it yeah it's got to suck for linebackers when he does those no looks huh that's just kind that's not fun fun for anybody out there the biggest Underdog of week one let's get right to this this is like what gives all teams all across the league Faith it's the Patriots right Gerard Mayo they trade judon who with the receivers they knock off the Bengals a Super Bowl Contender 1610 to kick off the season would we have Joe burough to start right I'm expected them to come out swinging this is my MVP pick Keeley 164 yards passing no touchdowns how worried are you I think you look at what the Bengals have been the past couple years they've struggled to start the last couple years been 0 and2 one and three that's you know what I'm not sure yeah you know T Higgins doesn't play Jamar Chase misses is a majority of training camp they didn't score in the first half of the game they had a couple turnovers they let them they let the Patriots run the ball out at the end of the game they kicked they punted the Patriots get the ball on the plus side of the two-minute warning and then that last first down by R Andre Stevenson he just willed himself to a first down and to and they took a knee but I think you know I grew up in Cincinnati I know what the fans are like in Cincinnati the one positive in Cincinnati is the confidence that Joe burrow has he has confidence in himself he has confidence in confidence in Zack Taylor he has confidence in his guys on the offensive side of the ball so yeah they start they start slow you'd love for them to kind of figure that out but as long as you got him back there you have a chance to win t comes back Jamar gets a little bit more you know in football shape you can say what you want until you go out there and you run and you cut and you have a guys leaning on you it's a different game once the ball gets snapped versus just being in off field off seon shape so I love the Bengals like I said I'm from there as long as have Joe bur the confidence that he has and what he can do in his team and that organization it's a disappointing start at home but I think they're going to be okay they also didn't run the ball that was my big gripe yesterday watching this I watched it very closely I'd like them to win this get get to the Super Bowl uh once more and win it and I'm looking at the numbers they were just under 80% pass on their first five drives that's wild it wasn't until drives handing handing it off to Zach Moss what do they do they go down and score so I mean this offense is always best when it's balanced but I'm going to hang my hat on the you know Chase had food poisoning there's that okay great and then there's the fact that back in 2022 what they started 0 and2 to start the season and still uh you know made it to the AFC Championship game so they started 0 and2 last year and made it back to five and three before burrow got hurt so I'm I'm not that that worried but on the other side I think we're definitely under reacting to the defense of the Patriots and it must feel good to get a fellow linebacker Gerard Mayo who's not celebrating a victory every Monday by the way they're back at work today uh but he got the Gatorade shower you must have loved seeing this absolutely just the excitement that the guys have for him you know he's been there for a long time he came up came up under B was a great player at Tennessee and then a really good player in New England and when guys like that get promoted I think there's a real feeling inside of the organization that hey we believe in what we have in the building and I think that goes to coaches it also goes to players I think it speaks to what belich has been able to do to develop to develop D Mayo know what he is now but I think you watch that game and how they played it it's vintage old school Patriots early 2000s we're going to play really good defense they forced a couple turnovers they had three sacks we're going to play really well on special teams and then we're just gonna pound the football rre Stevenson played really well at over 100 yards he scored a touchdown then I'm GNA go back to that run he had at the end of the game he broke through I think it was like a second and seven he broke through and got he got hit at probably four yards and he just willed himself past the first down to win the game and when you're standing on the sideline and you're a defensive player and you're like hey we need one first down to win the game and you see your running back go through there put his shoulder down dig out a couple extra dirty yards it just makes you feel good and just like the lions are a product of Dan Campbell that shows you hey they believe and they buy into what Gerard Mayo wants to be on all sides of the football what does Lou have to do and what do they have to do to stop the run I don't you know they could not stop ra Andre and it's a worry I have that sort of continues from last year now they're down reader I think the Run game is an interesting thing in the NFL right now I think the running the running the ball you have to be able to run it when you need to and you got to be able to stop the run when you need to so running the ball in the middle of the game isn't as big of a deal with me they didn't score a ton of points what is it 17 to 10 that doesn't scare me but you have to be able to stop the run when every body knows they're going to run it right at the end of the game right there you're going to put eight guys in the box they're going to run power football they're going to pull guys they're going to run Gap schemes you got to be sound in what you're doing you got to Blitz accordingly and you have to do your job in situations like that everybody's like hey I need to be the guy that's GNA make the play I got to be the guy that's gonna make the tfl no you got to do your job and I'm not I'm not worried about that Bengals defense or lose a fantastic coach but it comes down to want to you know it's going to be cover three it's going to be fire zone it's going to be eight man box everybody knows what they're doing but at the end of the day it's who does it better so running the ball in the middle of the game isn't a big deal to me it's more of when teams need to stop the run you have to be able to do it and they weren't able to do that yesterday am I crazy to think the Patriots are a playoff team based off what we saw from Miami to start Buffalo obviously the Jets go tonight I I think this could be just the you're talking about the way that they play why not it's a tough it's a tough division tough division they've got three quarterbacks that are making a lot of money I think if you look right now I think they're probably number four in that until you beat Buffalo until you beat Miami and then Aaron Rogers back healthy with the guys that he has on the offensive side of the ball and that defense yeah I think skill-wise they got a chance I think they play really hard but that division is is a bear at now the AFC in general is just so difficult oh let's let's just get into it we'll go to some of these other games but Aaron Rogers takes the field tonight uh against those niners I don't even want to dig into it super much in my own head because I want to enjoy it and not have any expectations but uh you know you're two and two all time against him I spoke to Fred Warner uh at training camp he called you one of his idols by the way if you're Fred Warner tonight what are you studying all week what are you paying attention to and what are you executing tonight well I think the number one thing right from the jump that Aaron Rogers has that's super unique is patience in the play clock he's going to let that thing run all the way down to zero he's going to get the look that he wants he's going to snap it when he wants and his hard counts unbelievable so if you're mugged up there if you're playing defensive line you're a backer in the a gap on a pressure you have to make sure that you're seeing the play clock you understand where he is in the play clock when that hard counts coming because he's the king as everybody knows of free plays if he gets a free play you better believe that ball is going deep so I think number one understanding the play clock with him in his hard count number two you can't make it too easy for him the first time that we played Green Bay we played him in Lambo first drive of the game we're getting ready to get off the field it's third and it's third and 15 and I'm in the a gap I'm I'm not even I'm not even in the pressure I'm a I step across the line of scrimmage and drop okay so he hard counts I jump off sides they get the ball on you know it's third and seven now or 10 or whatever it was convert a first down two plays later Jordan Nelson touchdown that same game we're going pressure we're going pressure and it's a fire zone we're dropping a defensive end we're bringing front side pressure and remember he comes up to the line of scrimmage and it's dead quiet at Lambo when he's on the field it's quiet he gets up there he looks he says Hey pressure's coming from here this guy's dropping hey fan to this pressure he knows the defensive ends dropping into number two and the slot and he pins a ball right on Randle Cobb's chest for 10 yards so early in the game my first time with Aaron roggers was hard counts dangerous number if you show him too early in the play clock he's either going to check out of it or he's going to slide protection and get exactly what he wants so Fred Warner and that defense are really good so if I'm Fred I'm being really alert of what the play coock looks like in hard count number two when you associate all that stuff together you have to make sure that if you're playing cover four you just can't line up in cover four because the moment he knows what's going on you're in trouble so those are my two things for him right away is is is play clock hard count and number three don't show too early he has the lowest interception rate like of all time like he just doesn't it doesn't happen when it happens it's like I whenever it happens I'm like oh my God like what how did this fool him how did this weird what you have to fool him if you don't fool him you're not gonna how do you fool throw a ton of him it's not like he's not aggressive right like he goes for it and somehow it still works so I guess the question is why is he nearly impossible to pick off I think he's I think he's very intelligent I think he's super intelligent I think his feet and his arm get him out of a lot of trouble when you watch him throw the football there's not a lot of guys that I used to love watching him in pregame warm-ups throw Pat and go and just flick it he had he and Michael Vic had the ability to just flick the ball and it goes 50 yards and nothing's changed with his ability to throw the ball so I think he can take riskier throws he can take more you can take more risk just with his athletic ability so you compare that with he knows what he's doing he knows what he wants he largely has a really good feel for what the defense is doing and then his just natural ability to get the ball where he wants to and a small window is unique I mean you're saying it's because of his athleticism is will we have the legs I guess that's the question right yeah we'll see I mean coming off that Achilles you never know yeah can't wait okay Cowboys they do this thing where they pay daak they like try to sweep it under the pre kickoff rug so nobody discusses it do you have any thought thoughts on it do we feel like Micah is the odd men out now we've got you know obviously Jerry's trying to make it work here it's four years 240 million for Dak um is Micah Parsons the guy left out in the cold CD's got his money Dak now what do you think I think he's the next guy in line just chronologically right so you bring CD and then obviously you got to take care of your quarterback and then Micah Micah's next he is he's a problem he can line up everywhere he can Rush the p he can chase and go get it he's big he's powerful he's he's unique and that's the best way to describe him if you're if you're Mike Zimmer you've got you've got a dude that you can do stuff with and if I'm a coordinator on both sides of the ball like like go back to Clint kubak he's got Tamm Hill that he can line up wherever he wants and he creates problems now Zim in Dallas he's got the same thing with Mah Parson so yeah I think he's his his time his time's gonna come I don't know I don't if they can't pay if they pay all three how do you fill out a roster what's I don't know they're going to take some of your middle schoolers and start paying them in uh candy from 711 like how are you you pay anybody we'll take we'll take michah Parsons on the middle school team we might have to reclassify him but we we'll take him Micah had M Micah had a great game yesterday he had a sack he had five quarterback hits and he was tweeting last night I I need to do better which I love yeah yeah he's fantastic yeah I love seeing that what did you make of deshun Watson rough week one getting skewered two picks 50% of his passes completed he got sacked six times this offense looked good with flacko last year what is the issue at quarterback for the Browns I think that's what everybody's asking themselves right now I think you know you look at the game I think you play the Cowboys I think there's an inherent pressure that gets put on the opposing team you know they're going to score you know they're going to put up a bunch of points you know dak's really good and then coming into the season I think there's just been so much pressure for Deshawn to live up to that contract that he signed guaranteed contract they they traded all those picks to go get him and they just haven't it just hasn't quite worked out and for for what reason I'm not really sure he's got guys around him he's got in joku he's got aari Cooper He's got you know he's he's got chub when he's healthy they've got guys they're good up front stefans is a good coach and it just for whatever reason it hasn't quite clicked yet for him you can't you don't know you don't have any keckly insights to that like like watching really no not on that one I'm still trying to figure that that one out as it a little bit of a conundrum for me that is that is really a scary thing if you're a Browns fan watching the KE can't can't sort it out but it's h we'll see what happens in week two I wanted to ask you about the Vikings because they they looked good the Giants did not uh Sam darnold at MetLife obviously JJ's gone he's the starter 19 for 25 passing two touchdowns one interception but you know this guy you saw him up close news in Carolina what did you make of darnold's Kevin oconnell offensive performance yesterday well don't think I don't think it's a surprise with Sam right he was drafted high for a reason he's a great he's a great dude he's super smart he's super athletic he's competitive and then last year he had an opportunity for the first time in his career to just sit back and and watch right he got to go to a good organization in San Francisco got to watch pie and then he got to sit in that in that Shanahan offense right he got to see what works see what doesn't work and then boom now he goes to Kevin oconnell who basically runs the same offense they're good up front with Minnesota they can run the ball really well and then they have the two receivers Justin Jefferson and Addison he's been in that system now for going on a second year McCarthy got hurt so now there's nobody looking over his shoulder thinking hey if I'm Sam and I have a and I have a couple bad bad drives am I gonna get pulled for the first round pick he doesn't have to worry about any of that and then with Sam look you look at it yesterday you look at the numbers you're like all right what do these what do these mean eight receivers touched the ball so he wasn't forcing the ball to the two receivers he just spread it out and in that offense it's all about throw the ball who's open we're gonna scheme it up we're gonna give guys opportunity to get open we're g to draw plays up for guys and when they're open just put it on them so I think he's in a great offensive system I think he's super talented I think it was really good for him last year to sit in that offense behind Pere and just watch and then you pair that with McCarthy being hurt he's the guy this year from Minnesota I think that's a great feeling for him I love it nice to have Justin Jefferson there too he looked awesome was so excited to score a touchdown with his teammates it's I I wish them well I think it's a lot of pressure having just the best wide receiver in the National Football League on your team um getting him the ball I wanted to ask you you're not surprised about Sam darnold I think a lot of people were about his performance there were low expectations what did surprise you in week one what were you impressed by maybe something uh in a game or something that we haven't hit yet was there something that you saw even in your own game something that impressed you or surprised you I'm a big I'm a big Baker fan I I love Baker Mayfield I think he had you know obviously had a great season last year and then this offseason Tampa went and paid him right so they said hey we're gonna give you a three-year deal we're gonna pay you a bunch of money you're our guy and I think once that happened he felt embraced by Tampa right and I think that that team really rallies around him his toughness his Edge his attitude his competitiveness I think it helps that he was with Liam Cohen in 2022 back with the R so they have some familiarity a little bit from that but then when you watch that game and you watch how he believes in the guys on his team he threw a ball to Mike Evans a fade in the low Red Zone and he wasn't open at all but Baker's attitude to me is I believe in Mike Evans I believe in my guys I'm gonna give you a chance to go get it now go get it so if you're Mike Evans the he puts he gives you so much ownership in your ability to go play that you want to play for a guy like that so I'm a a big Baker fan they put up 37 points week one they've got two dudes that can really stretch it and go get the ball in Godwin and and Mike Evans they're they're a fun team to watch and he's settled and he's paid and every time something good happened his smile just got me going I was like he's just a football football guy yeah he's he was super happy confidence is something that works really well for him so uh he's going to use that and they look just as good as the division champs that we saw last year it's going to be hard to take them out uh even as good as the Saints might have looked and the Panthers coming along Falcons Etc Etc okay we're g do a little Luke and rally okay these are quick topics I have three of them for you Luke Keeley Luke and rally who's the losing team you're most concerned about after week one hey I'm gonna go back I'm gonna talk a little bit about the Bengals I'm not super concerned but I think there was a lot of there was a lot of Hope and expectations for them this year in the struggle on offense in week one at home against a team that everybody thought they were going to beat and they didn't they didn't start scoring until the second quarter or the second half I think that I just was looking for a little bit more but that's what they do they start slow and like I talked about previously the confidence of Joe burrow doesn't scare me but I just I was hoping for a little bit more to start week one who's the rookie that you sort of fell for that you said okay I like this I like this week one performance first game of the season Xavier worthy that that dude can run and fast he caught that reverse and you watch it you're like there's nowhere for him to go and he put his right foot in the ground and turned up field and it it reminds you of the speed of of Tyreek Hill and they really didn't have him going deep vertical that game but he is he is fast they know how to use him and momes has the arm to just sling it out there and let him go run underneath it I mean imagine what you could do with him at uh Charlotte Christian Middle School and you know writing on napkin at the next wedding you're at what you could do with somebody who looks like worthy out there we would figure it out we' figure out sure which team are you positive will bounce back in week two Baltimore Ravens I'm a big I'm a big Lamar fan they've got guys on offense I think that those two tight ends are going to be a really be a problem this year Isaiah likeley and Mark Andrews two really good players Z flowers is really good they can run the ball at Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson They had they had the opportunity to go win that game two times at the end of the game we just and they just missed some throws but hey that that team is coached by a really good guy in Harbaugh they they're really good on defense I'm a big roquan Smith fan you know there's a bad taste in their mouth they're going to be home this week I look look for them to get back on track love that now tell me what happens tonight who wins rather and one specific thing call your shot in a prediction for the big jets ners finale to week one yeah it is stacked with stacked with guys you know Debo Christian aayu Trent Williams got his deal obviously Bree Hall Aaron Rogers you know I'm I'm a Niners fan because my man Christian's on the team I want Christian I want Christian to play and have a big game and I want the ners to win so so but the NFL is better with Aaron Rogers back around him and Garrett Wilson are really good together but I'm going to I'm going to go Niners at home chrisan big game and uh get them going in the right direction and Aaron's better when you're not on the fields to yeah when I'm not jumping off sides he's not as good love that look we appreciate it so much thank you for the time great job with the Panthers I like the positivity about everything especially the coach they'll get it together Panthers fans and we'll be cheering them on as we will be Christian mcaffrey uh and and just the game tonight will be amazing so Keeley let's do this again next Monday sounds good all right thank you sir hey everybody thank you so much for watching you can subscribe right here to get the latest from the show and check out more of the best clips from up and Adams or go watch a few segments from other shows on FanDuel