Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is leaving the door open for Rico Dowdle to replace Chuba Hubbard as the team's starting running back after Dowdle went off again in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Dave Canales confirms Panthers have a Rico Dowdle-Chuba Hubbard starting controversy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The have a running back controversy.
Chuba Hubbard has missed the previous two games with a calf injury and in that time Rico Dowdle has gone nuclear.
After breaking loose for 206 rushing yards and 234 yards from scrimmage in Week 5, Dowdle went off against his former team, the , in Week 6 to the tune of an absurd 239 scrimmage yards, including 183 on the ground.
In the process, Dowdle broke a pair of franchise records previously set by Christian McCaffrey. His 445 yards from scrimmage over the last two games and 239 yards from scrimmage in Week 6 are both new high marks in Panthers history.
No surprise that production like that has not only sparked the Panthers' offense, but has also helped the Panthers to two consecutive wins.
There was a conversation to be had after last week that perhaps Dowdle could take Hubbard's job, and that conversation is even more logical now.
After the game, Panthers head coach Dave Canales would not commit to Hubbard returning to his No. 1 role next week, which is a change in tune after what he said last week.
"That's a great question," Canales said after the game when asked about the state of the starting running back job. "We're going to figure that part out, but I know Rico is doing a great job and he will be a part of what we're doing.
The Panthers are most definitely in a tough spot.
Dowdle is playing a special brand of football right now, but the Panthers are also committed to Hubbard through a four-year, $33.2 million contract he signed last season.
Of course, the problem could take care of itself for another week if Hubbard doesn't return from injury. But if he does, Carolina will have a tough decision on its hands.
That said, it should be Rico until he falls off his incredible pace.
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