Rico Dowdle's Big Day and Ryan Fitzgerald's Clutch Kick Secure Panthers' 16-13 Victory Over Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Rico Dowdle rushed for 130 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a crucial run in the final minute that set up Ryan Fitzgerald's dramatic 49-yard field goal. This gave the Carolina Panthers a 16-13 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, ending the Packers' three-game winning streak.
The defeat may have serious implications for Green Bay (5-2-1), as they also lost star tight end Tucker Kraft to a knee injury in the third quarter.
Carolina (5-4), considered a two-touchdown underdog by BetMGM Sportsbook, rebounded strongly after their 40-9 home loss to Buffalo and climbed back over .500 in the standings.
Dowdle Takes Lead in Rushing
Dowdle, who had been sharing carries with Chuba Hubbard, was given the majority of the workload by Panthers coach Dave Canales. Despite running behind an offensive line plagued with injuries, Dowdle delivered a standout 25-carry performance.
His second touchdown put the Panthers ahead 13-6 late in the third quarter. However, celebrating with a hip thrust gesture referencing a “Key & Peele” sketch led to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
“He celebrated by thrusting his hips twice, an apparent reference to a ‘Key & Peele’ sketch, and was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Following the penalty, Fitzgerald's 48-yard extra-point attempt into strong wind fell short, maintaining the 13-6 Carolina lead.
Final Minutes Show Resilience
Green Bay's Josh Jacobs responded with a 2-yard touchdown on third-and-goal with just over two minutes remaining, tying the game. However, Dowdle and Fitzgerald redeemed themselves in the closing moments to secure the win.
“Dowdle and Fitzgerald both redeemed themselves after Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs scored a tying touchdown from 2 yards out on third-and-goal with 2:01 left.”
Fitzgerald's last-second 49-yard field goal sealed the victory for the Panthers, marking a crucial comeback win.
Key Game Facts
- Rico Dowdle: 130 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns
- Ryan Fitzgerald: decisive 49-yard game-winning field goal
- Packers' Tucker Kraft suffered knee injury in the third quarter
- Panthers overcame a prior 40-9 home defeat to Buffalo
Summary: Rico Dowdle’s powerful rushing and Ryan Fitzgerald’s clutch kick led the Panthers to a narrow 16-13 win over the Packers, ending Green Bay’s winning streak and highlighting critical injuries for the Packers.
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