The Carolina Panthers have the luxury of two productive running backs leading the charge. However, it's becoming painfully obvious which one is better suited to head coach Dave Canales' schematic concepts.
That was once again evident in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills. The Panthers moved forward with their committee approach, with Chuba Hubbard starting and Rico Dowdle splitting each series. It's a fantastic asset to have, but it can become a flaw if utilized too stubbornly.
Hubbard was pedestrian once again in his second game back from a two-game absence. He's not displaying the same explosiveness or purpose in his running style that earned him a new four-year extension from the Panthers last season. Something just isn't clicking for the former Oklahoma State standout right now, and everyone can see it.
Carolina Panthers must adopt more flexibility to their backfield approach
This is not the case with Dowdle. He's clearly the hot hand. He's running with aggression and with far more urgency. More yards are being gained after contact, and there is more dynamism attached whenever the South Carolina product's number is called.
The ground attack became an afterthought as the contest went on. Carolina was in a heavy hole and needed to claw its way back somehow. That didn't happen, as veteran backup Andy Dalton looked hesitant and made countless errors. The Panthers couldn't overcome them, and they came crashing back down to earth after gaining significant momentum in recent weeks.
Dowdle finished the game with 54 rushing yards from eight attempts (6.8 yards per carry). In contrast, Hubbard mustered just 34 yards and a touchdown from 12 touches (2.8 YPC). There is a massive difference between the two currently, and something has to give.
Canales will likely continue to implement this 1-2 punch moving forward. The Panthers have too much invested in Hubbard to make him surplus to requirements, but there must also be some flexibility when one running back is performing more effectively than the other. Anything less is going to take momentum out, and it points to a rigid lack of adjustment from the head coach.
It's about finding the correct balance and going with the flow of the game. Canales needs to remove sentiment from the equation. If one is outperforming the other, that's the direction Carolina's offense needs to take.
Both have proven capable of shouldering heavy workloads. They've both also stated that the team is all that matters, so neither should be feeling some way about accumulating fewer carries.
Canales needs to ride the hot hand. Right now, that is Dowdle, and everyone can see it.