The Nick Wilson Show

It is officially due or die time for the Carolina Panthers, and maybe Matt Rhule. Carolina is coming off their scheduled by week, sitting at 5-7, and just recently fired their offensive coordinator, Joe Brady. Even with being two games below .500, the Panthers are only 1 game out of the final playoff spot in the NFC heading into Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta brings with them a 5-7 record as well, and have won all of their games away from Atlanta, including winning in London earlier this season. It is well documented that Panthers QB, who is from southern Georgia, grew up a fan of the Falcons, and idolized Micheal Vick as a kid. Earlier today on Wilson & Norfleet, Carl Dukes a radio host from 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, joined the show to talk about Sunday's game and Newton specifically. Dukes expressed that Newton will be ready to play on Sunday, saying: "You're going to get Cam's best effort on Sunday, simply from a pride standpoint. I don't know what the game plan is, but I do know this; he gets up for the Falcons, and he will be ready" In his career, Newton is 6-9 against his division rival, having thrown for 21 touchdowns against 16 interceptions in their 15 career games against Atlanta. Carolina is set to host the Falcons, Sunday at 1 PM at Bank of America Stadium. 

With the Panthers have lost 7 of their last 9 games, many people have their opinions of the team, as they currently sit at 5-7 coming off their bye. Last Friday, former Panthers safety Tre Boston joined Wilson & Norfleet to talk about the struggles of his former team. When asked specifically about the issues for the team, Boston replied: " I believe it's an identity crisis. Right now we just don't know who we want to be. We don't know if we're the 3-0 Panthers, the four straight loss Panthers, we don't know if we want to run the ball, pass the ball. We were a good defensive team. We don't know if we want to play good defense anymore. It's all about getting back to your roots. Getting back to what you're successful at. Yesterday the Panthers fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady, so it's safe to say even they don't know what they are successful at themselves. Tre would later go on to say that he thinks this Sunday's game at home against the division rival Atlanta Falcons is a must-win and would go a long way for the confidence of the team heading into 2022, which could be a pivotal season for Matt Rhule, in terms of his long term tenure in Carolina. 

It was a big win for North Carolina last night in the Smith Center, as they toppled #24 Michigan 72-51, to earn their first signature win under first-year head coach Hubert Davis. A main reason for the win was Caleb Love's impressive performance highlighted by a game-best 22 points, which were aided by a couple of thunderous dunks. During the off-season, the biggest question about this Tar Heel team was the development of their backcourt, which is talented, yet still inexperienced. Seven games into the 2021-22 campaign, it is obvious that Love has taken that next step, necessary for Carolina to return to the top of the college basketball pecking order. Earleir today on Wilson & Norfleet, Brendan Marks, beat reporter for The Athletic joined to talk about the Tar Heels, and when asked specifically about Love he replied: "When he's engaged, it's hard to think about other point guards in the country being better than him. UNC is at its best, when he is at his best." During the 18 years of Carolina Basketball under Roy Williams, whenever Carolina had elite point guard play, they were usually among the better teams in college basketball. It appears that is hear to stay under Hubert Davis. The Tar Heels return to action on Sunday, in Atlanta when they'll take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 3 PM, on ESPN. 

The Charlotte Hornets continue to be one of the more pleasing surprises in the NBA and are one of the more entertaining teams to watch in the league as well. Currently sitting at 13-10, the young team looks poised to make a return to the NBA postseason, hopefully this team avoiding the Play-In Tournament, where last season they got bounced by the Indiana Pacers. They are currently coming off back-to-back losses to the Rockets and the Bulls, where they gave up a combined 279 points. Not ideal to say the least. Injuries have hindered this team at times this season, which has affected their play on the defensive end of the floor. Head coach James Borrego joined Wilson & Norfleet earlier today for his weekly visit, and when asked about fixing the defensive woes he replied: "I'm going to look at the experienced guys. They've been in this league, and they've guarded before in the past." The vets he's meaning our Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward, both quality, capable defenders, when healthy, and committed to competing on that end of the floor. For this team to reach its fullest potential, they'll need to evolve on the defensive end, which is why Borrego has harped on the defense since the season started, over a month ago. They'll get a chance tonight to take a step in the right direction, as they are in Milwaukee to take on the defending NBA champions. 

Rumors started earlier this college football season when the USC job became open, that Matt Rhule would be a candidate for the vacancy. The rumors didn't stop at USC, as since then LSU, Florida, Virginia Tech have since become open. Matt Rhule has deflected any chance at the possibility of him returning to the college game, but that hasn't stopped the rumors or him being named as a potential candidate for some of the best jobs in college football. Even this week, as the USC and LSU positions were filled, Oklahoma and Notre Dame have since become available as a consequence. That, meant more schools that will reportedly have interest in Rhule, who is just 10-18 in the NFL as a head coach. Interestingly enough, as Rhule keeps being mentioned as a possible candidate for those college vacancies, his job security isn't as high as you'd think for a coach on a seven-year contract. Scott Fowler, Panthers beat reporter for The Charlotte Observer joined Wilson & Norfleet earlier today to talk about these matters, saying: "Were I David Tepper would I fire him? Absolutely not, I don't think they should start the process all over again. But I'd give him a third year, after that they really need to improve in that third year."

Yesterday was a day to forget for the Carolina Panthers, as they fell to the Miami Dolphins 33-10, making it their seventh loss in their last nine games, following a 3-0 start. It was the worst game of Cam Newton's career, as he was eventually benched for backup PJ Walker during the blowout defeat. Earlier today on Wilson & Norfleet, Ross Tucker joined the program to talk about the latest loss for the Panthers. When asked about the job security for Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, Tucker replied: "I think the Carolina Panthers have a bottom five, offensive line and quarterback situation in the NFL. That answer would suggest that the issues that lie within the Panthers organization both on and off the field, are keeping the Panthers to reach their potential under Rhule, and would lead you to believe, that he's not the biggest issue with the team. Will owner David Tepper give Rhule, who is on a seven year contract, time to turn this thing around? Or will the owner who is hungry to win, and win now, while pushing for a new stadium, make a change? Time will tell. 

After last season, where the Charlotte Hornets made the NBA Play-In Tournament, expectations for this season were to make the NBA playoffs, but as a top six in the Eastern Conference. As of today, they are currently spotted in the fifth seed in the East and have scored impressive wins over the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors, and the Washington Wizards twice.  To talk about the Hornet's fast start, Brian Geisinger joined Wilson & Norfleet earlier today and when asked about their first 20 games, Geisinger replied: "They've exceeded my expectations a little bit." Geisinger would go on talk about the play of Miles Bridges, and why he believes the Hornets as currently constructed, are built to be contenders moving forward. Of the 20 games played so far, Charlotte has only played 8 in Spectrum Center, posting a 6-2 mark. The Hornets are on the road once again tomorrow night in Orlando, before coming home Friday to host the T-Wolves. After Friday's home game against Minnesota, Charlotte will be back on the road, for four games to end the month of November, and the start of December. This all sets up for the Hornets to be at home after the calendar turns to 2022, as they will look to make a push and solidify themselves as a top-six team in the East. 

In Cam Newton's first start back as the QB of the Carolina Panthers, the offense produced 21 points, and looked about as adequate as they could have given, Newton has only been in the saddle for 10 days. They may have been more effective had they not committed costly penalties in a tightly contested one-possession game yesterday afternoon. Fox 46 personality Will Kunkel joined Wilson & Norfleet earlier today, and when asked about the offense, and the penalties he replied: "Penalties bit them again, unfortunately. They are the most penalized team in the NFL, with 81 penalties this season. That's just undisciplined football, and you can't have that stuff. Penalties are usually the mark of a young inexperienced team, but there are veterans on this roster, which calls into question the job Matt Rhule, and his staff is doing to try to instill discipline into their football team. If they want to make a run at that final playoff spot in the NFC, which is still attainable, Carolina will need to crack down their self-inflicted wounds and become a smarter football team in the closing weeks. 

Sunday is going to be one of the greatest spectacles in the history of Charlotte sports, as Cam Newton will make his first appearance back in Bank of America stadium, after rejoining the Panthers last week. Earlier this afternoon, on Wilson & Norfleet, the guys were joined by College Football Hall of Famer, and NFL veteran London Fletcher to take a deeper dive into Sunday's matchup against Washington. Washington will bring with them to Carolina just a 3-6 record but Fletcher said "They are coming into this game very confident, but they know it will be another challenge. Fletcher would go on to say that he doesn't believe that Sunday is a revenge game for either Cam Newton or Ron Rivera, before concluding his interview with his opinion on who the best team is in the NFC. 

Earlier today on Wilson & Norfleet, Nick and Stan welcomed on former Virginia Tech and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for a conversation around the return of Cam Newton to the Carolina Panthers. When asked about Newton's return, Vick said " I was excited, because of the departure of Cam, and how he got jettisoned out of Carolina. Instantly I felt this was an opportunity to make amends, and a player who can add value to the franchise. The conversation from there would talk about how the Panthers can use Newton in the game plan this week, the revenge that Cam Newton seeks, among other NFL topics. From there, Vick talked about the vacancy at his alma mater Virginia Tech, as he believed it was to move from Justin Fuente, and believes the program will bounce back sooner than later.