The Carolina Panthers are on the verge of winning their first NFC South title in a decade if they can beat the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in back-to-back weeks. In a rollercoaster season, the Panthers are on the cusp of achieving one of their primary goals at the start of the season.
One Panthers player on the verge of achieving a major individual accomplishment is running back Rico Dowdle. Dowdle, after not being re-signed by the Dallas Cowboys last season, has been a key figure in the Panthers’ winning ways this year.
Now, Dowdle has the chance to do something that’s never been done in the history of the NFL.
In the History Books
Rico Dowdle has been an underdog since he made it to the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of the University of South Carolina. Dowdle didn’t get his opportunity to start until his last year with the Cowboys and had a 1,000-yard season.
Coming to the Panthers this year, it was figured that Dowdle would be the clear number two back behind Chuba Hubbard, but after Hubbard got injured early in the season, Dowdle’s production was undeniable. He took over the lead back role.
Now, Dowdle stands just 71 rushing yards short of 1,000 yards, which would put him in the NFL record books.
According to The 4-Man Rush writer Westside Fetti, Dowdle would be the first undrafted free agent running back in NFL history to have consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Dowdle was never supposed to be the guy in either season; he had 1,000 rushing yards, but his hard work and determination have driven him there against all odds.
Running Game is Panthers Football
The Panthers are looking for revenge and redemption after the New Orleans Saints beat them and stifled their run game earlier in the season.
In the first matchup, Rico Dowdle was held to 18 carries for 53 yards (2.9 per carry), and Chuba Hubbard only had three rushing attempts.
Darin Gantt of Panthers.com, in his December 11 article, wrote that the key to the Panthers’ victories this season has been getting the run game going.
“In their seven wins, the Panthers average 33.4 rush attempts and 28.0 pass attempts per game. In their six losses, they average 22.7 rush attempts and 34.0 pass attempts per game,” Gantt wrote.
Further in his article, Gantt wrote that Panthers head coach Dave Canales believes the key to Panthers football is a more balanced running game.
“We have an idea for what they should be, and for the most part defenses stay within their identity. . . . But for me, it’s a win is a win, yards are yards, and that’s what we want to come away from,” Canales said. “But I do know I want to be able to run the ball in some way, shape, or form because I understand who we are as a team.”
Canales then further emphasized that Panthers’ football is playing the run well on defense and running consistently on offense.
“Panthers football should look a certain way, and I want to make sure we come out of it playing the run well on defense and then on offense, making sure that Rico and Chuba have an opportunity to affect the game,” Canales continued.
The Panthers will look to run the ball effectively and help Rico Dowdle make history against the Saints as the team moves one step closer to locking up the NFC South.
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