The 1-5 Carolina Panthers don't have many players likely to strike fear into the hearts of the Washington Commanders. However, Chuba Hubbard might at least make a few members of a struggling defense feel uneasy.
Few running backs in the NFL have been as active as Hubbard through six games. He leads the Panthers with 86 carries for 485 rushing yards and has added 22 catches for 93 receiving yards.
Hubbard is the player who makes the Panthers go. He's also somebody capable of working over a Washington defense gashed by Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens last week.
Henry punished the Commanders with big runs late in the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Hubbard can't match his sudden-strike capability, but the 25-year-old has proved a reliable chain-mover by rushing for 26 first downs, the fourth-most in the league.
If Hubbard is allowed to grind early, he'll keep Jayden Daniels and the high-powered Commanders' offense stewing on the sideline. It's going to take good fundamentals and an appetite for collisions to stop him.
Commanders must get hats on Chuba Hubbard early
Swarming on Hubbard early during a run is the biggest key for the Commanders at Northwest Stadium. That might sound obvious, but making quick contact with running backs has been a problem for this defense.
It's a flaw that might prove fatal against Hubbard, who "ranks 6th in average yards before contact this season. The Commanders' defense ranks 31st in average yards before contact allowed to RBs," according to Pro Football Focus.
Getting to Hubbard with more urgency will require the Commanders to build imposing run fronts by stacking the line of scrimmage and playing downhill.
Commanders need to stack the line of scrimmage
Walking linebackers Bobby Wagner and former Panthers standout Frankie Luvu up into interior gaps should be a feature of defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.'s plan for Hubbard. Stacking the second-level duo in the A and B gaps will have a dual benefit for the Commanders.
First, it will supplement an injury-hit defensive line notably weakened by losing Jonathan Allen for the season with a torn pec. The veteran wasn't dominating against the run, but he'll still be missed against a Panthers offensive line strongest on the inside with to Damien Lewis, Robert Hunt, and Brady Christensen.
Look at how easily and how far this rugged trio pushed the interior of the Atlanta Falcons defensive line off the ball last week.
That's an ugly sight for any self-respecting run defense, and the Commanders can't let it happen again. It won't if the middle of Carolina's front five has to split focus between defensive tackles and linebackers.
The other advantage to filling more gaps up front is preventing Panthers' linemen from moving to the second level of Washington's defense. Blocking in space has been a strength for the Panthers this season, springing Hubbard for some of his biggest gains.
The Panthers will struggle to get blockers in space if the Commanders clog the lanes of exit in the trenches. A stacked box can also give Whitt the freedom to attack the run more aggressively.
Run blitz can be the Commanders' friend in Week 7
Stunts and twists are easier to run when linebackers and linemen are playing closer together. So are run blitzes, something safety Jeremy Chinn, another ex-Panther, should be given free rein to unleash whenever Hubbard is behind veteran quarterback Andy Dalton.
Selling out to attack the run is worth the risk for the Commanders. They are yielding five yards per carry and have surrendered six runs of 20-plus yards, so Whitt and head coach Dan Quinn should take drastic action.
Using games up front to mess with the Panthers' blocking schemes would be a good start. So would having a player like Chinn, who needs a big game, attack downhill and put some negative runs on Hubbard's stat line.
Letting Hubbard take over is how the Commanders fall victim to a classic trap game.
