The Carolina Panthers 20-3 preseason loss to the Houston Texans won’t count in the standings, but it may have exposed something more meaningful than the final score… The run game (or the lack thereof).
For a team that leaned heavily on the run game to steady its offense last year, Saturday’s performance was a rough reminder that old strengths can quickly become new weaknesses. Carolina’s rushing attack, long considered the foundation of Frank Reich’s scheme, looked stagnant, inconsistent, and worryingly ineffective against Houston’s front seven.
Why the Struggles Matter More Than the Score
GettyRookie running back Trevor Etienne carried the ball seven times for 18 yards in the Panthers preseason Week 2 loss to the Texans.
By halftime, the Panthers had managed only 21 rushing yards on nine carries, most of which came in brief spurts from rookie Trevor Etienne. Starting running back Chuba Hubbard finished with just four yards on two attempts, while prized offseason addition Rico Dowdle, who crossed 1,000 yards with the Cowboys last year, was bottled up for only two yards on two carries.
Every time Carolina seemed to find daylight, penalties erased progress like when a holding flag on Ja’Tyre Carter that wiped out Etienne’s best run of the evening. “Shame about that holding call on Ja’Tyre Carter is that Etienne was WAY past his level on that really good carry. Showed good balance and vision there.” Mike Kaye posted on X.
The box score tells the story: 78 rushing yards on 23 attempts, no touchdowns, and no runner eclipsing 20 yards. The longest gain came in garbage time, a 16 yard burst by Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams.
Looking Ahead: Can Carolina Fix Its Foundation?
GettyThe Panthers managed only three points in their preseason loss to the Texans.
Preseason results are easy to dismiss, but the context here is harder to ignore. The Panthers entered camp with questions at quarterback, where Bryce Young continues to settle into his role, and a passing game still searching for consistency.nThat’s why the Panthers expected the ground game to stabilize the offense, easing pressure on Young and controlling games.
Instead, Saturday showed what happens when that safety net isn’t there. Houston’s front dominated the line of scrimmage, exposing an offensive line that too often lost leverage and composure. If that trend carries into the regular season, it could reshape the entire offensive identity. Without the run game to lean on, Carolina risks becoming one dimensional, forcing Young into obvious passing situations behind a line that already looked shaky.
The silver lining is that Etienne flashed the vision and balance that made him a Day 3 draft steal, and the issues that plagued the unit like penalties, blocking breakdowns, and missed assignments are at least correctable in theory. But the concern is bigger than just one bad night. The Panthers built this roster under the assumption that the run game would remain a strength.
Saturday’s performance raises a big question: if Carolina can’t run the ball, what is the offense built on? That’s the problem Frank Reich and his staff must solve before Week 1, because for all the focus on Bryce Young’s development, the Panthers won’t find stability until their run game can (literally) move forward.
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