Loser No. 2
Shy Tuttle - Carolina Panthers DL
There was an incredible amount of trepidation among fans heading into this game. The reason for their grave concern centered on a woeful run defense going up against NFL MVP candidate Saquon Barkley.
It was another lackluster outing from Ejiro Evero's ground defense, giving up 206 rushing yards — 124 of which came from Barkley. Shy Tuttle was a non-factor once again, which was extremely disappointing.
Tuttle is not a nose tackle. We've discussed this at length after he joined the Carolina Panthers in free agency last year. He cannot effectively anchor Evero's 3-4 defensive front, is sluggish in pursuit, and loses leverage too early and often.
The former Tennessee standout failed to register a single tackle versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Tuttle was credited with a pass breakup, but it was another mundane effort aside from that.
His 37.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 189th out of 208 qualifying interior defensive linemen. If the same trend continues for Tuttle over his final four games, a situation could emerge where the Panthers cut their losses next spring with one year remaining on his deal.
Winner No. 3
Chuba Hubbard - Carolina Panthers RB
When Jonathon Brooks went down with an early knee injury and Raheem Blackshear was also ruled out with a chest complication, the Panthers had one healthy running back to shoulder the load. Chuba Hubbard answered the call.
Hubbard took on the responsibility and thrived. He displayed physical running and exceptional contact balance, breaking no fewer than 10 tackles during the game against a stout Philadelphia Eagles defense. This kept things ticking over and provided quarterback Bryce Young with a solid security blanket in the backfield.
After coughing up a costly overtime fumble versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was evident right out of the gate that Hubbard was keen to make amends. This was another prime example of why the Panthers gave the former fourth-round selection out of Oklahoma State a long-term extension.
The Panthers needed Hubbard to step up and he delivered. He accumulated 30 combined touches for 107 all-purpose yards and one touchdown. That's more usage than head coach Dave Canales would probably like for the player, but desperate times called for desperate measures.