After years of living in the NFC's dumpster, it's been refreshing to see the Carolina Panthers claw their way into relevance in the NFC playoff picture. They sit at 7–6 and are just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the division lead.
But as the calendar turns and the football hardens into the bruising brand that defines late December and early January, the Panthers’ hopes for both making and surviving the postseason pivot sharply toward one element of their identity: the ground game.
Peeling back the layers, Carolina has headliners on either side of the ball, which hasn't been the case in years past.
Bryce Young’s connection with Tetairoa McMillan is growing weekly, Derrick Brown continues to play at an All-Pro level, and Jaycee Horn’s presence (when healthy) can dominate matchups in the secondary.
Carolina Panthers must lean on the ground game with playoffs in their sights
Yet when the weather shifts, when possessions shrink, and when the scoreboard tightens into low-scoring contests with high stakes, the game of football often rewards teams that can run the ball with clarity and conviction.
For Carolina, Rico Dowdle has become one of the most efficient and tough runners in the NFC. He's got 192 carries for 929 rushing yards, five touchdowns, and a healthy 4.8 yards per attempt, putting him firmly on the cusp of his second straight 1,000-yard season.
Originally a reserve and rotational option with the Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle has emerged as the exact kind of no-nonsense, downhill runner that gives an offense structure when the temperature drops and the game script tightens. Behind him, Chuba Hubbard has carved out a vital complementary role.
After a slow start to the season, Hubbard erupted in Week 13 with 17 carries for 83 rushing yards against the Los Angeles Rams and added a receiving touchdown in space. His burst to the edge, comfort in the screen game, and improved vision have made him more than a change-of-pace back, turning him into a strategic counter to Dowdle’s style, giving Carolina a true two-headed identity.
The benefit of this approach extends beyond efficiency. A reliable run game helps camouflage the natural volatility that comes with a young quarterback under the bright lights of the playoffs. It keeps the offense on schedule, shortens third-down distances, and opens play-action windows that allow Young to attack layered defenses without forcing the ball.
It also protects Carolina’s defense by controlling time of possession and reducing the stress placed on a unit that has carried heavy responsibility all season.
In all, if the Panthers want to punch their ticket to the dance and if they expect to survive once they get there, the blueprint remains crystal clear. Everyone loves a high-flying passing attack, but the offense has to flow through Dowdle and Hubbard, whose combined presence on the ground is the stabilizer, the identity piece, and the most straightforward path toward playing meaningful football into January.