3 winners (and 4 losers) from Carolina Panthers' loss at the Bears

Winner No. 3

Chuba Hubbard - Carolina Panthers RB

Why the Carolina Panthers continue to go away from Chuba Hubbard when he's building momentum is anyone's guess. The running back is the one constant amid the chaos, yet head coach Dave Canales seems reluctant to give the former Oklahoma State star a hefty workload. This was exactly the environment to do it, especially considering how he was having his way from the outset.

The Chicago Bears had no answer for Hubbard early on. He torched them for a touchdown and always seemed capable of reaching the second level or beyond. But when the game got away from the Panthers again, Canales resorted to the passing game to no avail.

Hubbard finished the game with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown from just 13 carries. That's 7.5 yards per carry for the mathematicians. It was around five yards for every touch even without the long score.

The Panthers are a poor football team. Hubbard and the offensive line are their real strengths. Making him the focal point whether Jonathon Brooks comes back or not is the only way they'll stay competitive with some tricky games upcoming over the next three weeks.

Loser No. 4

Xavier Woods - Carolina Panthers S

It was not a good day for the Panthers' defense. The Chicago Bears had a plan for the Cover 3 dependent scheme of Ejiro Evero and exploited it accordingly. They were outmatched in the trenches and the secondary was carved open almost at will. Injuries haven't helped, but the concerns before the campaign are rearing their ugly head constantly.

Xavier Woods is held to a higher standard than most. He's one of the team's most experienced performers and produced the goods consistently in difficult circumstances last season. Despite finishing the game with seven tackles, this was not one of his finest efforts.

Woods is technically flawed from a tackling standpoint. He tends to go in with his shoulder first, which is susceptible to getting beaten or giving up penalties. He was also sluggish in coverage support, which didn't do the cornerbacks any favors with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams looking polished with all day to throw en route to the best performance of his professional career.

The former sixth-round selection is good enough to bounce back. Woods wasn't at his best, but the veteran safety wasn't alone during another woeful afternoon at the office.

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