Oct 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) with the ball as Miami Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson (25) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Panthers need to ride Rico Dowdle’s hot hand even after Chuba Hubbard returns

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The Carolina Panthers found themselves down 17-0 in the second quarter on Sunday against the visiting Miami Dolphins. Dave Canales’s team was in danger of dropping to 1-4 on the young season.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com broke down the team’s 27-24 stirring comeback victory, spurred on by Carolina’s ground attack. “With Chuba Hubbard out for Week 5, Rico Dowdle took the lead role. He ran away with it. The running back dashed through the Dolphins defense repeatedly, gobbling up chunk gains. Dowdle generated 206 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 rushing attempts for a whopping 9.0 yards-per-carry average. He blitzed the Miami second level, ripping off rushes of 53 yards and 43 yards.”

“Between those big runs,” added Patra, “Dowdle did damage, routinely picking up six- and seven-yard gains to keep the offense in advantageous situations. After a rough start for Bryce Young, who turned the ball over on the first two possessions, credit Dave Canales for not getting away from the run game, down 17-0. It was Dowdle’s prowess that spearheaded the comeback and flipped a would-be laugher into a win…”

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Young finished the afternoon throwing for 198 yards and two scores (1 interception). Down 24-20 with less than five minutes to play, Canales’s club drove 83 yards in eight plays. Young’s four-yard TD pass to tight end Mitchell Evans with 1:59 to play was the difference in Carolina’s three-point victory.

By game’s end, the Panthers had rolled up 239 yards on the ground on Miami’s defense. It was Carolina’s best performance in terms of rushing yards in a game since Week 16 of 2024, when Canales’s club ran for 243 yards in the team’s 36-30 overtime victory over the visiting Cardinals.

Even if Hubbard is ready to go this Sunday, it would make perfect sense to give Dowdle the start against his former team. A year ago, he ran for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys. These days, Dallas’ defenders are giving up 127.4 yards per game on the ground.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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