Sportsnaut
Midway through the second quarter, quarterback Bryce Young looked like he might lose the Panthers’ season. Two costly turnovers had spotted Miami a 17-point lead, and frustration inside Bank of America Stadium was mounting. But from that low point came something Carolina hadn’t shown all year — resolve. Behind Young’s composure, Rico Dowdle’s breakout performance, and a defense that refused to fold, the Panthers clawed their way back for a 27-24 comeback win that may have saved their season and reshaped their quarterback’s reputation.
After a fumble and interception led directly to 14 Miami points, Young steadied himself behind an inspired offensive line and a revived run game powered by Dowdle. By the final whistle, Carolina had erased that 17-0 deficit to tie the largest comeback in franchise history.
“It didn’t start the way we wanted to,” Young said after the game. “But there was never any hesitation. Flush it, go to the next play. The belief was always there.”
In the middle of that collapse, defensive captain Derrick Brown saw something that told him the game wasn’t over. As the defense trotted back onto the field after Young’s second turnover, the quarterback walked up and made a promise.
“Everybody wants him to just fail in those situations,” Brown said, via the team website. “But he comes straight to me on the sidelines and says, ‘Go get it back for me and we’ll go.’”
That confidence rippled through the locker room. Instead of crumbling, the Panthers leaned on their identity. Dave Canales’ offense went back to its foundation — the run game — and Dowdle responded with a career day, piling up 206 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Carolina’s offensive line, reshuffled and bruised, held firm long enough for Young to rediscover his rhythm.
Once the defense delivered a few key stops, Young capitalized. His first strike came on a perfectly placed touchdown to Xavier Legette, the rookie wideout returning from a hamstring injury. That drive trimmed the lead to 17-7 before halftime and gave Carolina a spark it hadn’t shown since its Week 3 shutout of Atlanta.
By the fourth quarter, the Panthers had scored 20 unanswered points, fueled by two explosive Dowdle runs — a 53-yarder in the third and a 43-yarder in the fourth — that flipped field position and the game’s momentum. Miami briefly took back the lead on a deep shot to Jaylen Waddle, but this time, Young answered.
With Dowdle sidelined by cramps and Chuba Hubbard inactive, Young took control. He sealed the win, leading an 83-yard, eight-play drive, capped by a four-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Mitchell Evans.
Young finished 19-of-30 passing for 198 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, with a 90.7 passer rating. His 63.3% completion rate was modest, but his poise in high-leverage situations defined the day. Carolina’s offense totaled 418 net yards, and for the first time all season, it felt balanced — 220 through the air,...
