The Carolina Panthers extended their good moment in the 2025 NFL season with a close 13-6 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. After a tumultuous start to the campaign, Bryce Young and Co. have righted the ship, sitting at 4-3 after the Jets game.
Besides the third-year quarterback finding his rhythm and confidence within the offense, the Panthers have taken advantage of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, two talented running backs causing a lot of damage to opposing defenses.
Dowdle carried the ball 17 times for 79 yards, while catching one pass for 17 yards. Hubbard rushed the ball 14 times for 31 yards and added two receptions for 24 yards. Having two running backs who can deliver at a high rate is great for the Panthers, but people are wondering who will get the most touches moving forward
Dave Canales gets honest on Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard’s usage
Speaking with reporters after the game, Dave Canales explained how he plans to use Dowdle and Hubbard moving forward.
Chuba Hubbard #30 of the Carolina Panthers
“It felt great for me to know, whoever I was calling the run for, I expect great execution out of these guys and, you know, Chubba even had a couple of excellent runs, you know, on the perimeter, you know, with screens,” the coach said.
The Panthers have become one of the biggest surprises of the season. This could be a good problem to have if Canales and Co. know how to use their running back tandem. Hubbard entered the season as the RB1, but Dowdle has earned his chances thanks to his performances.
