5 winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers loss at Buccaneers in Week 13
By Dean Jones
Winner No. 1
Chuba Hubbard - Carolina Panthers RB
There were very few positives to take from this one. The Carolina Panthers couldn't muster enough fight to prevent quarterback Baker Mayfield from getting one over on his former employers, which was extremely disappointing with renewed optimism that their coaching changes could bear immediate fruit.
Chuba Hubbard was one of the Panthers players to emerge with any semblance of credit. The running back continues to display the traits normally associated with long-term starters at the position, going over 100 rushing yards with two trips to the end zone thrown in for good measure.
Hubbard is running far more physically these days. The former fourth-round selection deserves endless praise for working on contact balance, with his extra experience also improving his vision to spot gaps and burst through them accordingly.
The Oklahoma State product was written off by most after an underwhelming rookie campaign in 2021. Hubbard wasn't ready for prominent reps so soon, but he's steadily progressed since then and has taken his game to completely new heights this time around.
Not many within the Panthers locker room can say with any confidence what their future with the team beyond 2023 will look like. But if Hubbard keeps this up over the next five games, his spot should be assured under a different coaching regime.