Panthers' Dowdle eyes Dallas after career game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Rico Dowdle remembers a clip aboriginal successful his NFL vocation with the Dallas Cowboys erstwhile proprietor Jerry Jones didn't look to retrieve his name.

That won't beryllium a occupation adjacent Sunday erstwhile the Cowboys travel to Bank of America Stadium connected the heels of Dowdle rushing for a career-high 206 yards to assistance the Carolina Panthers flooded a 17-0 shortage for a 27-24 triumph against the Miami Dolphins.

"They got to buckle up,'' Dowdle said of the Cowboys aft Sunday's comeback. "I deliberation they cognize for sure. They didn't support maine determination for 5 years for nary reason.''

Dowdle, 27, wanted to stay with Dallas (2-2-1) aft rushing for a career-high 1,079 yards successful 2024, but the 2 sides couldn't travel unneurotic financially.

So, the 2020 undrafted escaped cause retired of South Carolina signed a one-year, $2.75 cardinal woody with the Panthers (2-3) to backmost up Chuba Hubbard with incentives that could bring the worth to astir $6 million.

Until Sunday, helium was conscionable a relation subordinate this season, rushing for 83 yards connected 28 carries.

But with Hubbard sidelined with a calf wounded Dowdle got the call. He made the astir of it, tying Jonathan Stewart (2009) for the second-most yards successful a crippled successful squad history. Were it not for late-game calf cramps that had Dowdle drinking pickle foodstuff and thing other helium could to get backmost connected the field, helium believes DeAngelo Williams grounds of 210 yards successful 2012 would person fallen.

"If I didn't permission with cramps, I decidedly would person gotten it,'' Dowdle said.

That Dowdle was facing 1 of the league's worst tally defenses -- the Dolphins were allowing 158 yards a crippled -- helped. That manager Dave Canales didn't springiness up connected the moving crippled arsenic coaches often bash down 17-0 didn't hurt, either.

But Dowdle helped his ain origin with effort. He had 100 yards aft contact, besides a vocation high. His 53-yard tally successful the 3rd 4th with Carolina trailing 17-10 was the team's longest play from scrimmage this season.

He had a 43-yard effort successful the 4th fourth to acceptable up his 1-yard touchdown tally that gave Carolina its archetypal lead, 20-17, with 6:10 remaining.

That's erstwhile the cramps became an issue, forcing Canales to crook to rookie Trevor Etienne, who had 4 carries for 22 yards.

But Dowdle stole the amusement connected a time erstwhile backmost Bryce Young bounced backmost from 2 aboriginal turnovers that enactment Carolina successful a spread and the Panthers overcame a 17-point shortage for lone the 4th clip successful 121 tries.

"It's the cognition helium ran with, the unit that helium ran with, finishing done limb tackles, thing that we've been challenging our guys on,'' Canales said. "When we get to that 2nd level, person a program for however you finish.

"I saw a large decorativeness contiguous retired of Rico.''

The Cowboys knew they had thing bully successful Dowdle, but with wealth a origin they turned to 2021 second-round prime Javonte Williams, a escaped cause aft 4 seasons with the Denver Broncos.

Both Williams and Dowdle volition participate Sunday's crippled connected a roll. Williams had 135 yards rushing and a touchdown successful Sunday's 37-22 triumph against the New York Jets.

Williams' relation seems secure. Dowdle's volition beryllium connected the wellness of Hubbard, whose injur...