After a three-game winning streak, the Carolina Panthers came crashing back down to Earth after a thorough 40-9 beatdown by the Buffalo Bills. The team was without starting quarterback Bryce Young, and the offense struggled as a result.
One of the more questionable decisions the Panthers made was the allocation of snaps between their two running backs, Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Dowdle during Hubbard, two games he missed due to injury, dazzled the NFL with back-to-back games, racking up over 200 all-purpose yards. However, since Hubbard’s return, Dowdle has taken a back seat at running back.
On Sunday against the Bills, Hubbard was in on 57% of the Panthers’ offensive snaps, compared to Dowdle being in on 36% of the Panthers’ offensive snaps. Still, Dowdle led the Panthers in rushing with 54 yards, while Hubbard scored the lone touchdown for the Panthers on offense. Now, with a few weeks of observing the split backfield, Panthers head coach Dave Canales is evaluating if the team needs to make any changes to the running back rotation.
Canales Discussing RB Rotation Changes
Panthers head coach Dave Canaels sees what everyone else has been seeing. Since the return of Chuba Hubbard from injury over the last two weeks, Rico Dowdle has outperformed Hubbard. Over the previous two weeks, Hubbard has averaged 2.5 yards per carry on 26 attempts, while Dowdle has averaged 5.7 on 25. After their loss to the Bills, Canales is ready to re-evaluate.
Darin Gantt & Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com, in their October 27 article, wrote about Canales discussing whether to tweak the running back rotation.
“It’s a fair observation, and you know Chuba has meant a lot to this organization, certainly to the identity that we want to build our team on,” Canales said. “And wanted to give Chuba the opportunity to go out there and to continue to impact our team in a positive way.”
Canales then noted that while they want to respect what Hubbard has brought to the team over the years, they have to be realistic about Dowdle’s recent, more effecient performances, which may make him the primary running back.
“We cannot ignore the fact that Rico has been exceptional in a couple of games and then in the opportunities he’s had over the last two weeks,” Canales continued. “He’s made some excellent plays, loved the tempo and violence that he’s running with, and these are all things that we’re talking about and working through this week as we look back on these last four games and really taking a snapshot of what’s been successful for us. These are conversations that we do definitely have to have.”
Canales might give Dowdle more snaps as the season moves along, but for Hubbard, the work remains the same.
Hubbard Continuing to Put the Work In
With all the talk about Chuba Hubbard needing to take a backseat to Rico Dowdle, one would think that he would be bitter about the possibility of losing snaps. Especially, after Hubbard himself waited years to become the lead back. However, Hubbard is focused on working hard and helping the team.
Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com wrote in her October 27 article about the unselfish, team-first mindset that Hubbard is bringing to the team.
“I mean, whatever, whether it’s 70/30, 50/50, 100 my way or Rico’s way, whatever it is, my focus is winning,” Hubbard promised. “My main focus is never solely about me. It’s always about the team and winning games.”
In times of uncertainty, Hubbard likes to lean on his faith, and that is what he’s doing in this situation.
“Everything I do—I’m a man of faith, a follower of Christ, and whatever my journey comes with, I take the good and the bad,” Hubbard said. “So, in moments like this, I just continue to work. I’ve been through worse days and worse things, and people have scrutinized me for stuff all five years I’ve been here.”
The Panthers will need all hands on deck when they face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, who are currently the number one seed in the NFC.
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