By Tiffany Williams –
The Panthers refused to die in Charlotte, storming back from a 17-point hole to stun the Miami Dolphins 27-24 in one of the most improbable wins of the season. For three quarters, Miami looked in control—Tua Tagovailoa dealing darts, Jaylen Waddle running wild—but Bryce Young and a resurgent Panthers ground game turned the tide in the fourth, silencing a Dolphins defense that looked gassed and bewildered by the end.
Carolina’s defense deserves a medal for the way it bottled up the Dolphins’ rushing attack. Miami finished with a miserable 19 yards on 14 carries—barely a yard per attempt. That’s not just bad, it’s historic. The Panthers haven’t stuffed a team like that since holding Washington to 14 rushing yards back in 2015. Derrick Brown, A’Shawn Robinson, and the rookie Nic Scourton controlled the line of scrimmage like bouncers tossing out troublemakers. Every Dolphins rusher got smacked at the line before they could even blink.
Then there’s Rico Dowdle. The guy was a wrecking ball. Making his first start in a Panthers uniform, he torched Miami for 206 rushing yards on 23 carries—averaging nine yards per pop. He broke free for a 53-yard burst in the third quarter that cracked the Dolphins’ defensive spine and piled up 234 total yards from scrimmage. Only Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart have ever done more in a Carolina uniform. Dowdle wasn’t just good—he was a human battering ram who ran like he was trying to erase every doubt that’s ever been attached to his name.
Bryce Young, often criticized for inconsistency, played with ice in his veins when it mattered. Down 24-20 in the fourth, he marched the Panthers 83 yards in under three minutes, slicing through Miami’s defense like a surgeon. The drive ended with rookie tight end Mitchell Evans snagging a four-yard touchdown with under two minutes to go—his second straight week finding the end zone. Young finished with 198 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick, but it was the calm and command that stood out. This was his seventh career game-winning drive, and it felt like a turning point.
Carolina’s defense wasn’t just tough—they were mean. Nine tackles for loss, three sacks, and a season-high swarm of pressure that left Tagovailoa flustered after a hot start. Pat Jones, A’Shawn Robinson, and Derrick Brown all took their turn planting Miami’s quarterback into the turf. Safety Tre’von Moehrig was a missile, leading the team with seven tackles and three behind the line. Christian Rozeboom chipped in nine stops, proving again he’s the heartbeat of this defensive unit.
It was a team-wide statement game—gritty, unrelenting, physical football. Brady Christensen made a little franchise history himself, becoming the first Panther to start at all five offensive line positions. That kind of versatility is rare, and it paid off as the front five mauled Miami’s interior all afternoon.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, couldn’t believe what hit them. Tagovailoa was sharp early—27 of 36 for 256 yards and three touchdowns, including a 46-yard bomb to Jaylen Waddle—but his rhythm vanished when Carolina started collapsing the pocket. Waddle was electric with 110 yards, his 13th career 100-yard game, and tight end Darren Waller looked like a difference-maker with 78 yards and a touchdown. But Miami’s ground game completely imploded, and when that happens, their offense loses its bite.
Rookie running back De’Von Achane was bottled up all day, managing just 16 yards on ten carries. He added 30 yards and a touchdown through the air, but it wasn’t enough to offset the beating Miami took up front. Tagovailoa still tied a personal mark with four straight multi-touchdown games, but it felt hollow in a loss that exposed the Dolphins’ soft underbelly—when they can’t run, they can’t finish.
Defensively, Miami had flashes. Bradley Chubb stripped Bryce Young on the opening drive, scooped it up himself, and set up a quick Dolphins score. Minkah Fitzpatrick snagged a second-quarter interception, his first since rejoining Miami, and led the team with eight tackles. But the turnovers that once fed their offense turned meaningless when the defense couldn’t get off the field late.
Miami’s linebackers were everywhere but too often chasing from behind. Jordyn Brooks was a tackling machine with 13 stops and half a sack, crossing the 700-career-tackle mark faster than almost anyone in the league. Jaelan Phillips finally broke his sack drought, but none of it mattered once Dowdle started steamrolling their front seven.
Special teams were solid but unspectacular. Riley Patterson nailed a 43-yard field goal and stayed perfect on the year, while punter Jake Bailey boomed six kicks for a career-best 52-yard net average. Malik Washington was Miami’s one spark on returns, piling up nearly 130 yards between punts and kicks, but even he couldn’t flip the field enough to bail out the offense.
Carolina’s young core showed grit you can’t teach. Rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan led the team in catches again, six for 73 yards, while undrafted corner Corey Thornton broke up a crucial third-down pass intended for Waddle. Rookie receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. made his debut count, converting a gutsy fourth-down grab that set up the game-winning score.
For the Panthers, this was more than a win—it was a statement that they’re not dead yet. After starting 2-6, the locker room could’ve folded. Instead, they rallied behind a bruising running back, a steady quarterback, and a defense that bullied a team built on speed.
For Miami, it’s a gut check. Two straight weeks with costly turnovers, squandered red-zone chances, and a complete lack of physicality up front. The Dolphins are built for highlight reels, but Sunday proved you can’t finesse your way out of a street fight.
Bryce Young summed it up best after the game: “We just kept fighting. That’s who we are. No panic, no quit. Just football.”
The Panthers played old-school smash-mouth football and came out swinging. Miami brought the flash, but Carolina brought the hammer—and when the dust settled, the Dolphins were left stunned, staring at a scoreboard that told the whole story: Panthers 27, Dolphins 24.
Sports Insider Daily 