CHARLOTTE — All week, running back Rico Dowdle calmly and confidently delivered a message to his former team.

"Buckle up," he told them, not with spite but more than once, in preparation for the Week 6 matchup between Carolina and Dallas.

On Sunday, Dowdle finished with a franchise record 239 yards from scrimmage, with 183 yards on the ground, and 56 yards receiving including a touchdown, in the Panthers 30-27 win over the Cowboys.

So what's Dowdle's message to his old team now?

"They weren't buckled up," he deadpanned.

It's hard to argue with him, given the production. Not only did he set the aforementioned franchise record, surpassing Christian McCaffrey who had two games of 237 scrimmage yards, Dowdle also became the first undrafted rookie player since 1970 to compile at least 200 scrimmage yards in consecutive games, as well as the first player in the entire NFL to post consecutive 200-plus scrimmage yard games since Dalvin Cook did so for Minnesota in Weeks 8 and 9 in November of 2020.

"Film don't lie, man," stated receiver Tetairoa McMillan. "Everybody in Bank of America Stadium can see what number 5 is doing out there and, you know, he's a big part of the reason why his offense is going, so shout out to Rico, just driving us down the field, finishing plays, and he doing his thing for sure."

Dowdle has now done his thing for two straight weeks. He's been filling in on the starting role for Chuba Hubbard, who continues to be sidelined with a calf injury. And with these two performances, he's helped spark an offense that is finding their chemistry and groove with each other.

"Just looked like the same guy last week, ran with violence, had a plan, a man on a mission that wants to make yards and really just take our schemes and make them come alive," said Canales.

Added quarterback Bryce Young, "When you get to watch that, I always say, I get to watch the end zone view of film live, and it's so much fun being able to turn around and, and watch, to see all the great stuff that our backs do. So, we're glad he's with us.

"Violent, someone who's super explosive, really patient, and then when he decides to put his foot in the ground and go, he has bad intentions."

There is a part of this story that can't be ignored; that Dowdle is only here with the Panthers because the Cowboys didn't elect to resign their 1,000-yard free agent rusher after the 2024 season. So despite no change in Dowdle during the week, or in his countenance during the game, Canales knows this one was personal for his running back.

"He's human. I'm sure there's emotions for him coming from his former team and all that, so I will acknowledge that part of it," admitted Canales. "But I didn't see a difference from what he did last week. I just saw great execution and great attitude when he ran the ball."

Dowdle echoed his coach, admitting there were some narratives at play, but he made a conscious choice to focus less on beating Dallas and more on winning for the Panthers.

"Just stand in the moment. I know what I said, those comments. I talked to a couple of guys out there. They know I meant no harm, but that's me. I just always talk, joke around with them and things like that," explained Dowdle. "But yeah, just stand in the moment. Don't never let it get too high. Don't never get too low. I come here to do a job and I know what I got to do when I go out there."

Coming here specifically to do the job has made the last two weeks special. Dowdle grew up in the Carolinas, attending high school in Asheville and playing college ball at South Carolina. Being back home has given him a chance to play in front of family and friends, more than he has ever in his career. And to continue to write the story of his football career in this way, there's no better setting.

"Definitely special just being back home in front of a lot of family and friends. I had a lot of people at the game today and like I said, I'm on the home team, so definitely special getting to do it here in North Carolina," expressed Dowdle.

"Definitely special to be able to come here and, get in the history books for the home team."

Whether it was personal because Dowdle was facing his old team, or personal because he's now playing for the home team, personal because he had a chance to make a statement two weeks in row, or personal because he just wanted to prove something to himself, none of the why mattered to his teammates; only that it meant something to him. And for how much he has carried this offense the past two weeks, today, they wanted to carry him.

"Rico is a competitor that just speaks to the dog he is," said Young. "It was personal, we knew that and we want to have his back. That's our brother, that's someone that, if it's important to him, when it's personal to him, it's personal to us."