Winner No. 4
Rico Dowdle - Carolina Panthers RB
The Carolina Panthers opted to give Chuba Hubbard some extra rest to recover from his calf problem. This provided Rico Dowdle with the opportunity to showcase his abilities from a starting-caliber role.
And he took full advantage.
Dowdle steamrolled his way to one of the finest rushing performances in the Panthers' franchise history. He was breaking off massive yardage at will. There was nothing the Dolphins could do to counteract this threat, and it was the primary catalyst behind Carolina's resurgence when they appeared to be down and out.
The former South Carolina star proved his worth with 206 rushing yards and one touchdown from 23 carries. Dowdle also brought in three receptions from four targets for 28 receiving yards, rounding off a highly profitable afternoon at the office.
This was a tone-setting performance from Dowdle. It'll be interesting to see how the running back dynamic looks if Hubbard gets the all-clear to participate this weekend.
Loser No. 2
Jaycee Horn - Carolina Panthers CB
Jaycee Horn was solid if not spectacular. But as one of the team's locker room alphas and very few exceptional performers, he's held to a much higher standard.
This wasn't Horn's best performance of the campaign. He gave up a touchdown to tight end Darren Waller, and he was beaten on a couple of occasions by Jaylen Waddle. It was relatively pleasing aside from that, but the shutdown presence fans have become accustomed to just wasn't quite there.
Horn is experienced enough to brush this off. He's bordering on elite-level production this season, so he should bounce back quickly. And if the Panthers want to build on their positive momentum, they'll need the 2021 first-round pick out of South Carolina to be fit and firing on all cylinders.
This was the slightest bump in the road for Horn. And it's a testament to his flourishing credentials that a performance like this could be classed as a disappointment.
Winner No. 5
Carolina Panthers 2025 draft class
Dan Morgan must have watched this one with the same pride a father would. His 2025 draft class came of age, and almost all of them played a significant role in the team's triumph when all hope seemed lost.
Tetairoa McMillan is on track to superstardom. The edge rushing duo of Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen was highly influential. Running back Trevor Etienne got yards when his number was called. Tight end Mitchell Evans scored the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Horn Jr., making his regular-season debut, came up with a couple of huge catches — one of which was on a fourth down with the game on the line.
If the Panthers are going to get out of their slump and become competitive over a sustainable period, Morgan must build through the draft. It's still early days, but it seems like there are some big-time hits from his latest choices.