Gamble by Panthers coach Dave Canales pays off vs. Dolphins - barely

Carolina's head coach called a pass in the most obvious running situation, but it worked out.

Oct 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales waves to fans before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Bank of America Stadium. | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

No risk it, no biscuit. That's a motto that NFL head coaches either live by, or find themselves out of a job before too long. While his playcalling is conservative by nature, it seems Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales has at least a little bit of Brett Favre in his blood.

Facing a third and five against the Miami Dolphins to decide the game with 55 seconds to go, Canales probably should have called a running play. Specifically, he should have called a run to Rico Dowdle, who proved impossible for the Dolphins defense to stop the entire game, racking up 206 yards on the ground.

Instead, Canales decided to throw the ball, allowing quarterback Bryce Young to make the game-deciding play, one way or another. Here's what happened after the ball was snapped.

Jack Jones was PISSED after he got called for a PI and lost the game 🤯

What a comeback Bryce Young. pic.twitter.com/AddVMIlzfy

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 5, 2025

That was Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones drawing a holding penalty on Hunter Renfrow, bailing the Panthers out and icing a 17-point comeback victory for Carolina.

Canales should probably send him a fruit basket or something, because odds are Jones played himself out of a job today. He also should have been flagged for an obvious defensive pass interference against Tetairoa McMillan in the third quarter.

In any case, the big gamble by Canales paid off - and he bought himself a little breathing room.

If it hadn't worked out, we might be talking about whether or not team owner David Tepper would be in a firing mood tomorrow morning. Getting blown out at home by the Dolphins would have been that level of bad. Instead, the Panthers get a little bit of life just when they needed it most.

Messy though it was, this is the kind of game that can turn a season around. If Carolina can follow it up with a win next week over the Dallas Cowboys, it'll be a whole new ballgame.

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