Friday morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Carolina Panthers starting running back Chuba Hubbard is expected to miss the team’s Week Five game due to a lingering calf injury.
Which team are they playing against on Sunday? That’s right — our Miami Dolphins.
Hubbard’s absence figures to be a big blow to the Panthers’ offensive hopes, as Miami’s defense allows 5.1 yards per carry to opposing ball carriers — the fourth worst mark in the entire National Football League. The 632 yards the Dolphins have surrendered on the ground through four games is the third worst figure in the league as well. Only four teams have given up more rushing touchdowns than the Dolphins have this season (5).
The Panthers will presumably turn to Rico Dowdle to handle the lion’s share of carries for the club. Dowdle has mustered just 83 yards on 28 carries this year (3.0 yards per carry), while scoring just once in four games. However, last year, as lead back for the Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle had a breakout season in which he carried the ball 235 times for 1,079 yards (4.6 yards per carry). He added 39 receptions for Dallas in 2024 as well.
Anthony Weaver — Miami’s defensive coordinator — has stressed that his team needs to play with more “violence” this season. We will see if the heavy hitters come out to play on Sunday when the Dolphins travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to battle the 1-3 Panthers.
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