The Carolina Panthers are playing some good football, and a major reason behind this is running back Rico Dowdle. The former Dallas Cowboys rusher had a chance to get a measure of revenge against his former team in Week 6. And he did exactly that once he stepped foot on the gridiron.
Dowdle rushed for 183 yards on 30 carries. Meanwhile, he led all Panthers players with 56 receiving yards. He also had a receiving touchdown, as well. All in all, he played a major role in Carolina's 30-27 victory over the Cowboys.
Carolina had some rough games to begin the 2025 NFL season. They looked nothing like the team that ended the 2024 campaign with confidence and smart play. The Panthers are beginning to regain their confidence, with Dowdle stepping up huge.
After Sunday's game, Dowdle spoke about what this win meant. He spent five years with the Cowboys. And he admitted that this game was personal to him.
“It's a lot that went on in the five years that I was there. But it was definitely personal. Just wanted to get the win and have a great performance,” Dowdle said, via David Newton of ESPN.
Panthers' Rico Dowdle surging at the right time
Dowdle's surge did not begin in Week 6, though. He came alive in Week 5 when he and the Panthers took on the Miami Dolphins. Carolina handed him the ball 23 times in that contest. He racked up 206 rushing yards and 232 yards from scrimmage in that game.
The Panthers are still far from a perfect team. In saying this, we are reaching the point when teams begin cementing themselves as potential postseason contenders. Carolina is now 3-3 on the 2025 campaign following their back-to-back wins. They certainly have work to do in order to catch the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, they are within striking distance of the postseason.
It's still a bit too early to truly consider anyone a playoff contender. As we get closer to the midway point of the season, though, the contenders and pretenders will separate themselves. It will certainly be interesting to see where the Panthers fall when that time comes.
