Rico Dowdle and the Carolina Panthers defense came up huge last week as the Panthers now have a winning record after handing the Green Bay Packers a 16-13 setback.
Dowdle rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns, and his big run in the final minute set up Ryan Fitzgerald’s last-second 49-yard field goal as Carolina beat the Packers and to climb above .500 while snapping the Packers’ three-game win streak.
Rico Dowdle
It was the second time this season that Fitzgerald, a rookie from Florida State, has made a winning field goal as time expired. He hit a 33-yarder in the Panthers’ 30-27 triumph over Dallas on Oct. 12.
Carolina, now 5-4, came into the contest as a two-touchdown underdog. As it turns out, the Packers did not even score two touchdowns as the Panthers defense clearly controlled the game.
Dowdle’s second touchdown of the day gave the Panthers a 13-6 lead late in the third quarter. Green Bay tied the game with 2:32 showing on the clock. After Carolina got the ball back, Dowdle’s 19-yard carry on second-and-10 from midfield set up Fitzgerald’s game-winning kick.
Dowdle and his offensive line delivered against a Green Bay team ranked third in the NFL in rushing defense. The defense shut the Packers down when needed.
Before Josh Jacobs’ late touchdown, the Packers had driven inside the Carolina 35 on five of their first six possessions but had only two field goals to show for it.
The emergence of Dowdle at runningback has clearly coincided with the Panthers now being a playoff contender. The offense is on the field longer which gives the defense time to rest.
The formula of Dowdle and defense has worked in recent weeks and now has Carolina thinking playoffs.
