Bryce Young threw a go-ahead, 4-yard touchdown pass to TE Mitchell Evans with 1:59 remaining, RB Rico Dowdle ran for 206 yards and a score, and the Carolina Panthers overcame a 17-point first-half deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins, 27-24, on Sunday.
Young completed 19 of 30 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns after turning the ball over on Carolina’s first two possessions, leading to two touchdown passes by QB Tua Tagovailoa and a 17-0 Miami lead.
Making his first start for the Panthers, Dowdle matched the second-highest rushing total in franchise history.
The Panthers (2-3) remained unbeaten at home and equaled a franchise record with their 17-point comeback. Carolina improved to 4-117 (including the playoffs) when trailing by 17 or more.
Tagovailoa finished 27-for-36 for 256 yards with touchdown passes to De’Von Achane, Darren Waller and Jaylen Waddle in Miami’s first game since Tyreek Hill sustained a season-ending knee injury.
The Panthers took the lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Dowdle, but Tagovailoa answered quickly with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Waddle to put the Dolphins ahead 24-20 with 4:50 left.
The Panthers responded with an impressive drive sparked by Young’s 17-yard pass to rookie WR Jimmy Horn on fourth-and-5. Evans’ touchdown catch was his second score in two games.
The Dolphins (1-4) had a chance to retake the lead, but Patrick Jones II sacked Tagovailoa for a 7-yard loss on third-and-10. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel elected to punt with 1:10 left.
On Carolina’s ensuing drive, Miami’s Jack Jones was flagged for pass interference on Hunter Renfrow on a third-down play, giving Carolina a game-sealing first down.
The Dolphins were held to 19 yards rushing, and Tagovailoa was sacked three times.
The momentum changed late in the second quarter when Young found struggling WR Xavier Legette for a 7-yard touchdown strike to cut the lead to 17-7. Legette had come into the game with just 8 yards receiving on four catches this season and had sat out the last two games with a hamstring injury.
A field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald on the final play of the half got Carolina within 17-10. Dowdle’s 53-yard burst set up another field goal to open the second half.
Dowdle, a free-agent pickup from Dallas, also had a 43-yard run. He came within 5 yards of breaking the franchise single-game rushing record held by DeAngelo Williams.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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