CHARLOTTE — The running game is always going to be a big part of what Dave Canales wants to do.
When you run the ball, you control the clock. And if you’re efficient on third downs, you can run even more. And the more times you’re able to run, the better your chances of winning become.
“Good things happen when you run the ball; you run the ball when good things happen,” Canales likes to say. “It works both ways, and it’s a part of who we are.”
So for the Panthers, this is always going to be a priority.
Chuba Hubbard was coming off a 1,195-yard, 10-touchdown breakout season in 2024, during which the Panthers extended his contract to make him a cornerstone piece here.
And they demonstrated their commitment to that part of the offense by signing Rico Dowdle in free agency, when he was coming off a 1,000-yard season of his own.
The plan was for the two of them to share the load, Stewart-and-Williams or Davis-and-Foster style. It didn’t exactly work that way, but the results were still sufficient to help them get to the playoffs. It included some twists and turns, and more are coming. But it will always be central to Canales’ philosophy.