Eugene Robinson previews Bears-Panthers game

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1:03Just grabbing my shoes. That's what you said 10 minutes ago. I just wrapped the video call, uploading this giant file on my tablet, looking at my watch group and Nana's with the group chat, and of course still lining up tonight's playlist on my phone. All at once? Yep, story of my life. That's why I switched to T-Mobile. They have the fastest 5G network. Okay, multitasker. I see you. Honestly, I never imagined I could do all this at once. It's awesome. Say no more, I'm totally switching. My post is taking way too long to upload. That's a sign you've got to get T-Mobile. So many reasons to join T-Mobile. Find yours at T-Mobile.com. Fastest based on analysis by Uglospeed Distant Intelligence Theatre of National Speed School Results incorporating 5G download and upload speeds for the first half of 2026. This hour is being brought to you by Vasek to me,

2:04clinics of Chicago. I respect the really just how smart this staff is, and then of course the style of which they play. This is not a finesse offense. They run the ball hard. They run the ball with attitude. It's a really good front and some aggressive running backs. That's the challenge. That's the challenge that our guys have to know. This isn't some kind of tricky misdirection lean thing. That happens too, but at the end of the day, when those backs have the ball, they're running downhill. And then they want to throw explosives off of those things. And so that's something that we try to do as well and try to build those things. I really respect this whole group, and I can't wait for this opportunity. You better respect this group. Carolina, head coach, Dave, canalists right there. As we welcome you back into Rahimi and Grody on 104-3, the score on a football Friday. I am excited about, I did pick, I'll give this away from the Take the North episode. I did pick Leila DeAndre Swift to be my Bears MVP for this season. Everything seemed to be in place for him.

3:04He's had an outstanding preseason, had a really good year last year. It's just another year with Ben Johnson. If we all believe that the offense is going to go up a notch and Caleb Williams is going to go to a new level, then why not DeAndre Swift as well? Well, and he's done it before. He's ascended in years where he had a contract year. He did that in Philadelphia, so I can't say I'm surprised, but all the reports from Camp Indicate that that's going to be the case. And if nothing else, he's been consistent. Say he has the same year of last year. Would you be disappointed? I certainly would not be. No, I mean, the average close to five yards per carry last year. One thing I don't want to see, though, is them get off to a slow start with the running game as they did last year. In those first four games, it was at the minibye. When we were literally, I was part of the media core that was asking questions to Ben Johnson like. And shame on me, I guess. Like, do you need to bring somebody else into there? You guys need to sign somebody and the scrap heap. Can you really get away with DeAndre Swift and Kyle Menunguy?

4:05And the answer turned out to be a decisive yes with the signature game being the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, where they both had a hundred yard games. They did the Walter Payton and Matt Sui on that particular day, where they both had a hundred yards. All right. We are now ready to bring in our next guest here on Rehemian Grote. We're excited to introduce Eugene Robinson, the color analyst for the Carolina Panthers. A 15 year career as an NFL safety for the C-OX Packers, Falcons and the Panthers. I remember Super Bowl 31 champion, a three time pro bowl. And this guy does it all. He's the co-host of Daytime Lifestyle Talk Show, Charlotte Today. Eugene Robinson, what's going on, man? Welcome back to the score. How are you? Thanks, Grote. I appreciate it. I'm doing well, brother. How you doing? Oh, man, we are doing great footballs about this. Okay, good. You know that's right. Oh, I know. I know you, man. This is what it's all about. We have finally arrived. We are sick and tired of previewing the Chicago Bears.

5:07We're doing it one more day today. But I want to hear from you, man. What has this offseason been like for the Carolina Panthers? Because I'd imagine, like with the Chicago Bears, there's a lot of hope. There's some similarities. Both teams were eliminated by the Rams by three points. What's the feeling in Carolina right now? I tell you what, it's been exciting here. And I think that Dan Morgan has done a really good job for nobody. People don't know Dan Morgan played here as a middle linebacker. And then he's up in the front office and now he's the GM. And he's made an effort to go ahead and really bring back the the cash that we had at the linebacker position. And so we made some moves defensively. I think this, so the outside of moves, one, Jalen Phyllis, and we picked up Devin Lloyd, and we picked up. We just picked up another guy, Bobby O'Caracay from the Giants. And so he's really about bolstering that deepest. And then when you couple that with the secondary,

6:08how well the secondary has been planned, particularly this preseason, I think it only lends itself that we made the right moves because I thought that one of the things that we lacked last year was we could not stop the run, could not get off on third down. I think our third down percentage will somewhere around in the 30-somethings. And so from that standpoint, if you can't get off on third down, it's hard for you to go ahead and give the ball back to the offense. And so we struggled there. This year, I don't see that being the case. I think that we made some upgrades significantly defensively. And the people around here are, I mean, the fans, they are excited about what they see. Grady, I'll give you a quick thing. When we had our fan fest, just to see what the team looks like. You come out to the stadium, it's free in a fight. It costs like $5. It was kind of basically free. We had like 47,000 people there. I'm like, the goal was filled. How many people are here at the stadium?

7:08And it was everybody's excited and excited to see what the Carolina Panthers are going to do. So that's just defensively. Well, I think that we made some significant upgrades. Well, yeah, I mean, Jaylen Phillips, that was a huge signing. And I think one of a lot of teams wanted to make. We saw the run on past pressures, Eugene, the other part of it, too. I wonder if it, I'm assuming that it was part of the reason that they thought that when you have somebody that powerful on the line, then you can have a rookie nose tackle. What can you tell us about Lee Hunter? Well, yeah, so I like having a Lee Hunter in the mix too. And I saw one of his latest interviews and he just said, I'm kind of really, can't wait to get going. But when you couple Lee Hunter with Derek Brown, who in my opinion is one of the best defensive tackles in the business, I think it just, I think it only bolsters up our run deep. We are able to go ahead like we were this preseason to keep rushing at like 82 yards.

8:10And with someone even under 100 yards, that's considered very, very good. You're probably being within the top seven defensively. And so I like what we have 100. And when you mentioned Jalen Phillips, I also got to mention another guy named Prisbee, Omar Manielin. And I watched him in preseason. And I just tell you, this young man coming off the edge, I didn't realize how good he was as a past rusher. So I got to see him a lot this preseason. He's like, he's everywhere. And guys, you're big winners. The guy is always at the quarterback doing a hurry, getting in the face or forcing to Jalen Phillips side. So I think, look, once again, I think that we've made some considerable significant upgrades defensively. And I thought that was one of our biggest weaknesses that we had last year. No doubt. And the Bears in Carolina share that distinction of two teams that did not get to the quarterback enough last year. As we're talking to Eugene Robinson here, the color analyst for

9:10the Carolina Panthers, a 15 year career in the NFL as a safety. Let me ask you about the offensive side of the ball, Eugene. And if it, if the offensive line is a deficit right now, and specifically because of the fact that both starting tackles are injured and you have the rookie first runner, Monroe Freeling, replacing Tyler Moton at Wright Tackle, Rashid Walker, is in at left tackle for Eku McQuanu. How big of a deal is that for Carolina? Is that going to be a soft spot that the Bears can exploit? Well, I think what's going to, what it, what it kind of, what you have been mentioned in there is that we haven't had Hunt and Lewis, who are our guards. Yeah, really good. Yeah. Preseason. I mean, I think that there are really the crux of what we do from the Office of Lifetime Point. And I factor the fact that the Eku McQuanu got hurt. And also that Moton had the pulmonary embolism. They moved my row Freeling to the right tackle. You got, oh, she wallets on the on the on the left side. But I think the secret soft is

10:14really Hunt and Lewis. I think having those two guys back because what we saw in preseason was we didn't see the Office of Line in its entirety. We saw bits and pieces of the Office of Line. We didn't see Hunt or Lewis at all. And so getting those guys back is going to help out tremendously. I think it's going to help out brachraminsley. And I also going to help out, I really believe Jonathan Brooks, my guy who we were waiting on to get healthy, get healthy, to get healthy, has been hurt in the last couple of years with me and now, and I can just tell you, I remember just watching him in a practice. I was with some of the other legends we were watching him in practice. I said, oh my goodness. This dude looks like he's making people stay still. Okay. Is he that fast? No, he can't be that fast. Right. Really bad injury, man. Yeah. Yeah, I hadn't seen him. It's all like, wow. So if he can stay healthy, but I really believe the advent of having those two men, Lewis and Hunt back in the mix, I think that Bolster's Office of Line.

11:17And then I would just maybe go one more further. You know, you got sweat over there. I'm about to sweat. I know he's a beast. And I would imagine that you're going to see that matchup putting him on the rookie off freelance. I would always try to maybe put a running back to that side or tied into that side just to go ahead and minimize it because what is the huge deal? There's no doubt about that. He's a beast. He's a beast. And so I would want to go ahead and not expose my guy to that type of all small, every single plate, but I would also kind of have people build a health by committee a little bit. New shoes, new clothes, brand new grade. Switched a Verizon to make sure their tech keeps up. This back to school season buy or bring any Android phone and get a Samsung Galaxy tablet on us. Get your kids ready for the school year without breaking the bank. Visit Verizon.com or your local store today. Bring an Android phone or purchase a new phone with device payment on post-paid service plan required. $3.99, $3.99 tablet device payment purchase with

12:18new mine on $20 per month tablet plan for 36 months required. Less $330 tablet per month credit applied over 36 months additional taxes fees in terms of apply. Let's clear the air about hybrids with Kia. I live in Pasadena so my Kia tell you ride turbo hybrid has to do a little of everything. School bags, speech chairs, a grocery run, I swore would be small. And somehow there's still room in my sister techs. I'm landing in Burbank. Compute me up. It seats seven. Has over 600 miles of range and makes the 134 feel a little less like a test of character. Space, range, flexibility. The Kia tell your ride turbo hybrid is built for the way L.A. moves. Find your way forward at Kia.com. Kia, movement that inspires. Hey, our rides almost here. Are you ready? Just grabbing my shoes. That's what you said 10 minutes ago. I just wrapped the video call, uploading this giant file on my tablet, looking at my watch group and Nana's with the group chat, and of course still lining up tonight's playlist on my phone. All at once? Yep, story of my life. That's why I switched to T-Mobile. They have the fastest 5G network.

13:19Okay, multitasker. I see you. Honestly, I never imagined I could do all this at once. It's awesome. Say no more, I'm totally switching. My post is taking way too long to upload. That's a sign you've got to get T-Mobile. So many reasons to join T-Mobile. Find yours at T-Mobile.com. Fastest based on analysis by Uglospeed Test Intelligence data of national speed score results in cooperating 5G download and upload speeds for the first half of 2026. We're talking to Eugene Robinson, the 15-year NFL veteran safety for the Seahawks, Packers, Falcons, and Panthers. Talking about the Carolina Panthers, where he is their color analyst, and Eugene, I feel like the observation on Bryce Young is similar to maybe the observation that we've had in Chicago and some of the years where we expect the quarterback to take that next step. We know Dave Canales had an excellent reputation working with quarterbacks. What is the mindset

14:24in Carolina just surrounding the expectation for Bryce Young this year and what people want to see him do? I think one is that the fact that he's so comfortable with the system now, and this is your year three with that system, that's huge. I think that's one of the biggest things that's kind of moving forward is because this preseason, he just looks so dang comfortable in it back there. No matter what was going on, he was just finding the throwing lanes and he was targeting and leading the receivers, getting the ball out quickly. I'm like, oh my goodness, this is a dude. He's really got a really grasp of what Coach Canales and Coach Brett is going to call and what he likes. Because of that, I think that the expectations are going to be really high, but I think the expectation is high by Bryce Young because I really believe that this is going to be like, yeah, I think he's like, you're coming out here. You firmly have a grasp of what this team does,

15:25and what Coach Canales wants. You have a new coordinator who's very, very off the corner who's very, very aggressive in his play college. I think that season and liens into what Bryce is able to go ahead and do so. I'm looking forward to seeing our Bryce really take that step of, not having three thousand yards, not having four thousand yards with three, 34 touchdowns, would allow like four or five interceptions. I really believe that he can get to that. And once again, I think that's predicated on a big fan of hunt and Lewis and those guys being able to protect him. Yeah, Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, the very talented guards for Caroline as we talk to. Yeah, right? I mean, that is something the Bears left to contend with and the running game will be based on that for the Caroline of Panthers, as you mentioned with a couple of the guys, Chuba Hubbard and Jonathan Brooks as well. What do you think Eugene Robinson of Caleb Williams? Super duper style. I mean, he had close to four thought he had one thirty nine hundred

16:28yards plus yards, close to four thousand yards. Yeah, right up against it. Yep. Yeah, and when I see him, like when I see him take off and his improvisation, it's like he's still in the improvisation. He's still looking to pass the ball, even though he can run. But when he takes off running, it's hard to stop him. And so I like it him a lot too, like that Cam Newton type of player would, if I want to be able to run, I can go ahead and get this thing done and I can go ahead and buy myself some time. I think he can also fill that long ball too. No doubt about that. He can throw the long ball. So you really have a quarterback, I think, and Caleb Williams, at least for the people's a number one guy for a reason. You have a quarterback who really is confident and what he's able to do and confident in the office and also the protection that he gets to. So I think we got one yes, our hands full, but like I said, I like the upgrades that we've made on our deepest to go ahead and maybe contend with what we would see off

17:28throughout the season. Okay, and Eugene has a former safety when you're looking at the game and you see the threat of Caleb Williams, we've talked a lot about Luther Burton. We think he's going to have a really good year. You know, there's an SEC familiarity there with him being at Mizu. What do you think he could possibly do are those two do this season and at least on Sunday? Yeah, well, you talk about that. First of all, when you when you look at Caleb Williams, let me be an old football player and go back into my career. And I remember John O'Way. John O'Way is a throwing running quarterback. If he decides to run, he's such a big man. They can run and he can run you over and do a lot of good things, but he also fills the ball. So what you have, what you typically would do with spy, John O'Way, I know I coast spied him. He would always have like a safety or a linebacker on him to go ahead and make sure if he got out of the pocket, you've got to have somebody to chase them down because I forget, typically you're a man of man of coverage, you're checking your guy down the field. You can't leave your guy. You got a plaster

18:31and now you got a guy like Caleb Williams running. Well, sure, he can do, he's good enough to go score test out. You know, I'll get 75, 50, he's that good. And so you got to really, I think that what we've done in the past and I'm talking about for the Seattle Seahorse, when I played in Seattle, Tom Catlin was out because he will always spy quarterbacks who had that threat to go ahead and run. And so I've always been a proponent of that debt. When you got a good quarterback, don't leave him out there, don't leave a second there out there to drive. You got to have somebody to pick up. Let's stay down memory lane back when you were playing because you did play with the Packers. That was a little bit of a problem for a bear. Did you play with Red, did you play with Reggie White and Sean Jones? Obviously, that was the Brett Farve era. Were you with Reggie? He was my roommate, Reggie White was my roommate. Yeah, so big dog was my roommate. So big dog caused me up, this is what happened 95 season we've done. He caused me to have a play for Seattle Seahorse and I get this call. You know, gee, I'm like, big dog, what do you want? He said, do you want to be a

19:36green Bay Packer? I'm like, you just can't call a person up and that's the you want to play for green Bay. I got to get cut, release or something. Got to be traded. I said, it doesn't work that way. They said this, the Lord told me to tell you, you're going to be a green Bay Packer. And so I get I kid you not about three weeks later. So I got straight into the green Bay Packer. So they have some problems that were going on with Reggie White. And I love that time in the year because I was one of those missing pieces that they needed along with Santa and Adopson to go ahead and the go ahead and show up the defense and allow, you know, Mariah Butler to do his thing. He can go and get sacked and I was getting the interception. So there you go. It was a fun time. That's that's hilarious, man. Reggie White was in the Lord. Good guys. I said, why would God tell you don't tell me? Okay, one more thing. Speaking of great voices. There was a gentleman that used to play for

20:39the Chicago Bears by the name of Joe Kane, a linebacker who has the Joe Kane big deep voice. Yes, that your guy. He for I played for Joe Kane in Seattle, man. Joe Kane. Joe Kane ended up becoming a police officer. I think I'm a Seattle and the Louisville was done, but he had a great voice, man. He could narrate any movie at all. You would definitely make sure you will listen to him. Joe Kane. That's absolutely. He played with OK in Seattle. And you're holding it down in a morning show. You're over here doing Charlotte today. You're killing it too. Well, look, I'm doing a variety show. I get to talk food fast and fun. We just finished. We had a mostly balls on. He's one of the Charlotte. Did you say from Charlotte Hornets? Oh, we know who he is. Yes. Yes, everybody knows much. So most people just on our show and the set. We're talking about his galon. He has coming up. Myself and goals. We're going to be empty in the event, what that. But we have to talk about that

21:41and then talk about some of the great things that's going on here with the Greek festival and things happening in and around Charlotte. So I get a chance to do all that fun stuff in. It is a blessing. I yeah, as somebody from the Dallas area, grandma, ma, Larry, you know, Larry Johnson. That was that was a great. Yeah. So definitely, Mugsy and grandma, ma. That was a great team. That was indeed a great team. Del Curry was on that team. Manana, I know my guys that were just beasts. And so his golf term is going to be September 21st. There's going to be a lot of celebrity, Vince Carter, Del Curry, Steph Curry. There'll be a lot of guys coming out there to go in and support Bucky both. Do you do Robinson? You are. You are an absolute delight. Did you do a prediction for this Bears' Pathers game? Do you do predictions? No, I don't do predictions. I always say this because there it is. Any team can be anybody. And I've been a firm believer like, whether you go to somebody stadium and what the what the trying to take the crowd out of it or the crowd becomes so part of the story that they overweld you. So I really believe that it can come down to

22:47a filter. I don't think there's going to be a high explosive game. I think it's going to be a a tough game. I think it's going to be a game that's going to be so warm at 17, 2017. I don't think it's going to be in the 30s and like that. And I think whoever has the ball last, probably wins the game. Our texture at the top says, and I agree with this and we'll let you go on this note here. Our texture says he's wildly entertaining to listen to. I bet you are great doing the color commentating on the Carolina Panthers radio network. Good luck to you. I wish we played Carolina a couple times. We might just have you out for the heck of it later on in the season, Eugene. All right. Well, thank you. I appreciate you guys indeed. Thank you so much. Yeah, man. Thank you, Eugene. It was Eugene Robinson. Mugsy Boggs awareness. I want to hear more about the Greek fest. Oh my God. I want to hear more about everything. That was amazing. Reggie White. I mean, this, this, this, I mean, I did not know Vince Carter had a golf game. Oh, man. I guess we should have started with that stuff. But no, the Carolina Scotland department really good. I feel like starting about about, yeah, the current football, we got everything addressed. Oh, man, the textures and our listeners are absolutely loving Eugene

23:50Robinson. That was so good. You sometimes you just never know, man, I'd never talk to Eugene Robinson on the radio before. That was great. We got to look into this Joe Cain after football career. Oh, yeah. Well, Joe Cain used to host overnight occasionally on the score. And he was so desperate for callers that he was pleading with people on the air. I did hear about this. Please, please call. I can't talk anymore. It's hard, man. It's a hard, hard job to do as a host period. I used to do it three nights a week after we lost Grober. So yeah, I was trusted. I was tested in all sorts of different ways. Oh, man. Coming up next another precious commodity. Dave Wonsted was on the afternoon show yesterday, Spiegel and Holmes. And wait till you hear what he says about Kyler Gordon, Wani Wazin next. And when Wani Wazin, you want to listen. It's Rahimi and Grody on 1043 to score. New Shoes, new clothes, brand new grade. Switched to Verizon to make

24:52sure their tech keeps up. This back to school season buy or bring any Android phone and get a Samsung Galaxy tablet on us. Get your kids ready for the school year without breaking the bank. Visit Verizon.com or your local store today. Bring an Android phone or purchase a new phone with device payment on post-paid service plan required. 329.99 tablet device payment purchase with new mine on $20 per month tablet plan for 36 months required. Less $330 tablet per month. Let's clear the air about hybrids with Kyler. I live in Pasadena so my Kyatel U Ride Turbo Hybrid has to do a little of everything. School bags, speech chairs, a grocery run, I swore would be small. And somehow there's still room in my sister techs. I'm landing in Burbank, compact me up. It seats seven, has over 600 miles of range and makes the 134 feel a little less like a test of character. Space, range, flexibility. The Kyatel U Ride Turbo Hybrid is built for the way LA moves. Find your way forward at Kia.com. Kia, movement that inspires. Hey, our rides almost here. Are you ready? Just grabbing my shoes.

25:53That's what you said 10 minutes ago. I just wrapped the video call, uploading this giant file on my tablet, looking at my watch group and Nana's with the group chat, and of course, still lining up tonight's playlist on my phone. All at once? Yep, story of my life. That's why I switched to D-Mobile. They have the fastest 5G network. Okay, multitasker. I see you. Honestly, I never imagined I could do all this at once. It's awesome. Say no more, I'm totally switching. My post is taking way too long to upload. That's a sign you've got to get T-Mobile. So many reasons to join T-Mobile. Find yours at T-Mobile.com. Fastest based on analysis by Uclav Speed Test Intelligence data of National Speed School results in incorporating 5G download and upload speeds for the first half of 2026. Girl, let's get real. Some pads are just diapers with a good PR team,

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