As the Chicago Bears prepare for their upcoming home game against the Carolina Panthers, the defensive team is focusing on one key player: running back Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard has been a standout, recording over 100 rushing yards in each of the last two games and ranking second in the league for rushing first downs during that period. His performance has been particularly significant since the Panthers switched quarterbacks in Week 3.
Currently among the top 10 running backs for rushing yards this season, Hubbard poses a significant threat with his ability to make explosive plays. He has already made two runs of over 20 yards, largely due to his physical running style.
Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington noted, “He’s a downhill player with excellent contact balance, which allows him to break tackles and gain yards after contact. This requires us to excel in our tackling and gap control. He can exploit any weaknesses in our run defense, whether as a cutback runner or at the point of attack. When there’s an opening, he finds it and accelerates downhill, resulting in big plays.”
Out of his 296 rushing yards this season, 181 have come after contact, making him challenging to tackle. The Bears’ defense will need to be at its best when facing him on Sunday.
Despite being one of the top rushing defenses over the past two seasons, the Bears have struggled in this area this season. Washington emphasized the team’s determination to improve: “The resolve in our defensive room is remarkable, and we will focus on what we need to do to maintain consistency. An example of our ideal run defense was seen on the last drive of Week 4 when we halted a Rams outside zone play for a loss. That’s the standard we aim for on every play, and we just need to be more consistent.”
As they head into this game, Washington also highlighted the Panthers’ offensive line as a crucial component of their success. If the Bears fail to overcome that unit and contain Hubbard, they may face a challenging game on Sunday.
