Copyright yardbarker
Carolina’s backfield needs clarity, not committee politics. The Panthers have a choice to make. Scratch that—had a choice. Because if you’ve been watching the games, it’s obvious who the better running back is. Rico Dowdle needs to be Carolina’s starter. Not next week. Not situationally. Now. This isn’t a knock on Chuba Hubbard. He’s been a reliable role player, a solid rotational guy. But he’s not the kind of back who can change a game. He doesn’t keep defensive coordinators up at night. Rico Dowdle does. He’s faster. He’s tougher. He sees holes Hubbard doesn’t. He finishes runs. And most importantly—he produces. When Hubbard was sidelined, Dowdle didn’t just fill in—he thrived. He hit the hole with purpose. He turned routine carries into chunk plays. He brought life to a sleepwalking offense. It wasn’t just a “hot hand.” It was a clear upgrade. He looked like a lead back because he is a lead back. And yet, when Hubbard returned, head coach Dave Canales slid Dowdle right back into a timeshare. Business as usual. Split carries. Shared snaps. Committee backfield. Why? Because of politics. Because Canales is trying to keep the locker room calm, keep the veteran happy, and manage expectations. That might work in a drama-free rebuild. But this team isn’t in that position. They’re trying to salvage a season. They need to win now. Let’s not sugarcoat it—Hubbard hasn’t done enough to keep that job. His yards per carry is down. He’s not creating explosive plays. Defenses aren’t afraid of him. He’s reliable, yes—but predictable. And in today’s NFL, predictable doesn’t win games.
