Panthers insider believes run game must return for Carolina's playoff hopes

That's two games in a row in which opponents have made sure Rico Dowdle didn't beat them. After a shocking run of success, Dowdle has come crashing back down to earth in the last two games, but it says more about the Carolina Panthers' offensive line and the defensive strategy of opponents than him.

He's still running pretty well and finishing through contact, but teams are sending multiple defenders at him and often stacking the box. Unless he and Chuba Hubbard, who looked much better on Sunday, can really get going, then Carolina's playoff hopes are still mighty slim.

Panthers' playoff chances rest on run game's resurgence

Nov 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) warms up before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

448 yards, three touchdowns, and a record-setting win later, the questions about Bryce Young's future should fade away for now. But that won't happen every week, and the Panthers are going to have to get the running game back soon.

They face a gauntlet of NFC West teams, all three of whom (Rams, 49ers, Seahawks) could make the playoffs. If the Panthers are going to join them there, David Newton of ESPN says they really need Dowdle and/or Hubbard to get going again.

When asked if the Panthers could make the playoffs without their usually dominant running game, Newton said, "Not unless Bryce Young shows he can carry Carolina in the passing game. Young managed to pull that off Sunday, passing for 448 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He is now 1-1 when passing for 300-plus yards, but is most effective with a solid run game."

Entering Week 10, the Panthers averaged almost 140 yards on the ground per game, but the Saints loaded up to stop them. The Falcons tried a similar strategy, but the Panthers had learned from their mistakes.

"The schedule gets tougher from here on out, and without a run game, staying relevant will be tough," Newton concluded. This is a team built on running the football. They have a dominant backfield and the offensive line is better at run-blocking than pass-protection, typically.

So while Young showed he can light up the scoreboard, sustainable success in Charlotte will come from a bruising run game, something that's been absent the last two weeks.

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