by Dennis Cox
I’m done trying to figure out the Panthers: The Carolina Panthers have beaten two of the top teams in the NFL in the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers, but have looked bad against the New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, and Jacksonville Jaguars, while also suffering blowout losses to the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills. Even in some wins, like the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, the Panthers weren’t hitting on all cylinders.
You can use whatever way to describe this team – rollercoaster, inconsistent, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – but one thing you must acknowledge is the fact that this team is playing meaningful football games, and we are seeing a team going through growing pains. There are pains, but there has been growth.
But the win against the Rams is the type of game where they can truly see that if they play a complete team game where there was a balance on offense, key plays made by Bryce Young in the passing game, and red zone stops on defense, they can beat anybody.
The locker room vibe was different: Walking into the locker room postgame to talk with players after the win, the energy and excitement was palpable, more than any game I’ve noticed – and I say that from first-hand experience. I got the sense that the players understood what a total team effort it was to win the game against one of the best teams in the NFL, but more importantly, there was belief.
The players proved to themselves they can beat anyone, and they know the NFC South title is there for the taking. Carolina must validate this win by following it up with a win against the New Orleans Saints in their next game after the bye week, but more importantly, it must be another complete team win. It can’t be the inconsistent performances we’ve seen so far this season (see above). The Panthers need to build and string together strong performances.
Dave Canales found the balance of Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle: Chuba Hubbard finished with 17 carries for 83 yards, while Rico Dowdle carried the ball 18 times for 58 yards. Hubbard finished with the better yards per carry (4.9 to 3.2), and added two catches for 41 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown. But head coach Dave Canales interchanged the two backs depending on situation, but also with who had the hot hand on a drive. It was a far cry from the every-other-series approach we saw for consecutive weeks earlier this season.
Not only how the two backs were used, but also the true commitment to the run game by Canales was a correction from the previous game against the 49ers. In a contest with a high-powered offense on the opposing sideline in the Rams, the Panthers needed to shorten the game by controlling the ball, limiting their opponents’ time of possession, and playing at a tempo that fit their style. They accomplished that on Sunday. And the mindset was no different against the Green Bay Packers.
The way you achieve that is running the ball, and sticking with it. When you have two quality running backs, find ways to use both effectively. Panthers fans are used to seeing two backs used in concert with each other, from Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster, to Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. When Carolina signed Dowdle, who finished 12th in the NFL in 2024 in total rushing yards, to compliment Hubbard, who finished 8th in 2024 in total rushing yards, fans were expecting to have the 1-2 combo that the franchise had been known for having. Sunday’s game was the first time it was really shown on the field.