For weeks, the Carolina Panthers’ running back room had a clear hierarchy. Chuba Hubbard was at the top. Rico Dowdle and the rest were fighting for touches behind him.
But after Carolina's stunning comeback win over the Miami Dolphins, that order might not be so simple anymore. Dowdle didn’t just fill in for Hubbard; he stole the show.
Carolina went into Week 5 already behind the eight ball. Hubbard was ruled with a calf strain after missing the entire week of practice. That opened the door for Dowdle, and he kicked it wide open.
The 26-year-old erupted for 234 all-purpose yards, including 206 on the ground. This was the third most in franchise history behind only DeAngelo Williams and Christian McCaffrey.
Rico Dowdle made a strong case to be Carolina Panthers RB1 moving forward
Even when Dowdle briefly exited with cramps late in the fourth quarter, he found a way to finish strong, after downing five pickle juices on the sideline.
When he returned, he powered through for five more yards, tying Jonathan Stewart for second on the single-game rushing list in team history. Not bad for a player who wasn’t even expected to start initially.
Trailing 17-0 midway through the game, most teams would’ve leaned on the pass to play catch-up. But Dave Canales stuck to the run, showing total faith in Dowdle.
The result? Drive after drive where the Panthers slowly clawed back, powered by a ground game that refused to quit.
“It’s the attitude he ran with, the violence he ran with, finishing through arm tackles,” Canales said. “That’s something we’ve been challenging our guys on. And I saw a great finish today out of Rico.”
Dowdle even lobbied offensive coordinator Brad Idzik for a play he believed could break open the Dolphins’ front, an inside zone look Carolina hadn’t yet used this season. They called it to start the second half. Fifty-three yards later, he was nearly in the end zone.
Hubbard has been reliable and rugged since taking over the starting job last year. That might not be enough after what Dowdle just accomplished.
Dowdle’s physicality and burst seemed to bring the best out of Carolina’s offensive line, and his ability to finish runs gave the unit an identity it’s been searching for all season.
The Panthers now have a real decision to make once Hubbard is healthy. Does he automatically reclaim the starting spot? Or has Dowdle earned the right to keep it?