Why Chuba Hubbard Could Be the Panthers' Most Important Player Against Atlanta

There has been a lot of talk this week about Bryce Young and how the Carolina Panthers' defense will respond after giving up 59 points against Chicago. However, one player who may not be getting talked about enough is Chuba Hubbard.

Hubbard only had 13 touches in Week 1 but finished with 87 total yards and two touchdowns. He ran the ball 10 times for 49 yards and also caught three passes for 38 yards. Those numbers may not jump off the page, but I think Hubbard could play a much bigger role in what Carolina wants to do against Atlanta.

If the Panthers can get him going early, it takes some of the pressure off Young and gives the offense some balance. It could also help Carolina control the football and keep a defense that struggled last week from spending too much time on the field.

That is why Hubbard could end up being one of the most important players for Carolina on Sunday.

Chuba Hubbard Can Take Some of the Pressure Off Bryce Young

Last week Bryce Young threw the ball 37 times. While he was very productive and it worked well for the most part, I do not think this is the recipe for long-term success for Carolina. The Panthers shouldn't have to depend on him throwing this many times each week.

If Carolina can get Chuba Hubbard started early in the game, then that will take some of the pressure off Young. Hubbard's involvement would force Atlanta to respect that part of Carolina's offense and help keep the Panthers from becoming one-dimensional. It would also make it harder for Atlanta to know what is coming.

Ten carries is not enough for your starting running back. Hubbard averaged nearly five yards per carry against Chicago, and if that continues this weekend, then it will be in Carolina's best interest to give him more opportunities. I would like to see him get closer to 20 carries in this game.

Keeping the Defense Off the Field Could Be Just as Important

After last week's game, we should be talking more about the big game Bryce Young had. We should be hearing about how Jalen Coker emerged as a viable option in the passing game. However, the poor defensive performance has overshadowed much of that.

The defense seems to be the Panthers' biggest weakness coming out of last week. Hubbard could help sustain drives, wear down Atlanta's defense, and, maybe most importantly, keep Carolina's defense on the sidelines.

That becomes even more important when Bijan Robinson is standing on the other sideline. The less time Atlanta has the football, the fewer opportunities Robinson has to take advantage of a Carolina run defense that just gave up 291 yards against Chicago.

This doesn't mean Carolina needs to hand Hubbard the ball every other play. They just need to find some balance and give him more opportunities than he had last week. If Hubbard is averaging close to five yards per carry again, then keep feeding him.

A lot of the attention on Sunday will be on Bryce Young and whether the defense can bounce back, and rightfully so. However, Hubbard may be the one player who can make life easier for both of them.

Carolina doesn't need him to rush for 150 yards or completely take over the game. They just need to give him the opportunity to make an impact. If Hubbard can move the chains, keep Atlanta honest, and help keep Bijan Robinson standing on the sideline, then his impact will go far beyond whatever numbers show up next to his name in the box score.

Sometimes the most important player in a game isn't the quarterback or the guy making the game-changing play on defense. On Sunday, it might just be the guy Carolina only gave the ball to 10 times last week.

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