CHARLOTTE — "The two headed monster is better than one," said Rico Dowdle, propped against his locker on Wednesday, loose, nonchalant, and content with whatever questions were being lobbed his way about the possibility of he and Chuba Hubbard splitting reps on Sunday against the Jets.

With each question, every answer floated back to that same mantra; two are better than one.

And this week, as the Panthers hit the road to take on New York, it just might be that two-headed monster that takes the field.

Dowdle stepped in the last two weeks while Hubbard was sidelined with a calf injury. And all he did with the chance was put together back-to-back games of 200-plus yards from scrimmage. In Week 5, he rushed for 206 yards and had 234 from scrimmage. Then in Week 6, the back put up 183 rushing yards, with 239 yards total from scrimmage.

"To be honest, none of this really surprised me," shared Hubbard. "Rico's a great player. I mean amazing player. He's shown it throughout camp every time he's been here. He works hard. The opportunity came, he made the most of it, and yeah, like I said, it's not a surprise."

Now, Hubbard is on the precipice of returning. He practiced on Wednesday, and told reporters after said practice that he felt "110 percent. I'm ready, I feel good." There are still two days of practice to go before coaches make a decision, but Dave Canales was encouraged by what he saw from his starter.

"He looked great," Canales said Wednesday afternoon. "He looked great last week (when) he started to ramp up. Today he looked awesome out there running around. He's got a real focused look in his eyes, he's hungry and he can't wait to get back out there."

In the interim, Hubbard has been finding ways to stay involved. Ever the pre-game speech giver, Hubbard kept the tradition alive even while in street clothes, and he willingly took on any task while roaming the sideline.

"Anywhere I can be there for my teammates, I'll be there," Hubbard said. "Obviously I'm a player, but I look at myself as a leader as well, so just trying to help the younger guys and even the older guys. I'm trying to water. You need a word about something, whatever you need, I'm going to be an asset to you.

"So yeah, I mean just watching the guys and how they've operated, trying to see if I can help any way—give reminders, but also just see how we're playing and yeah obviously two great weeks back to back so obviously not the best being on the sideline, but it was fun seeing us win."

Sunday could put him back on the field though, and cause some champagne problems for Canales and the Panthers, since having two backs is a luxury rather than a problem.

"It's a great opportunity for us to look at both guys and to find a way for them to help the team," Canales said.

Both Hubbard and Dowdle shut down any narrative that they care about who takes the first snap. The bigger concern is how they can both be folded into a rushing attack that has found its footing behind a stout offensive line.

"To be honest, for me, I'm a football player," began Hubbard. "I love football. I love this team. I love competing. Any time I get on that field, whether it's first, last, middle of the game, whenever, I'm going to give my all, so that's my mindset about it."

Echoed Dowdle, "All that stuff is left up to the coach, and then the only thing we can control is going out there and producing at a high level. That's all we really have to control. We are pretty close and there's no hard feelings either way."

In theory, it sounds strange to even question Dowdle coming off the field. He's set a new franchise record for yards from scrimmage, posted the two games of 200-plus yards, and is currently fifth in the league in total yards, with 472 yards on the ground. But Dowdle, who was in a two-back system last year with Ezekiel Elliot in Dallas, knows what Hubbard means to the Panthers and doesn't want to distract from that.

"I wouldn't say it's weird, you know, when you go out there and perform and have two good games like this, of course it's going to be the question, but like I said, it's all up to the coaches about what goes on here," stated Dowdle. "(Chuba's) got his contract and things like that and it's been his team from the jump, so you got to just take all that into account for sure."

Canales promised they aren't disregarding what Dowdle has done the last two weeks though. Anytime a guy takes over a national narrative, it's impossible to ignore.

"I think he's earned everything that he's done in the last two weeks," praised Canales. "He's earned the right to help this team, and he will, and we'll find a way to do that.

"How we do that specifically, I don't want to really share those details of it, but certainly the world knows, the recognition he's getting and just for all of us who, who've been here right at the forefront to watch the violence and the attitude that he's brought to the offense."

There was always the possibility that, by signing Dowdle as a free agent this offseason and pairing him with Hubbard and putting two 1,000-yard backs on the same roster, this competition would arise.

But for the two guys at the center of the conversation, it's less a competition and more an exciting opportunity to change the look of the Panthers' offense.

"I think just getting us both the ball, having us both on the field at the same time, things like that," Hubbard said of what a dream scenario with both guys would look like. "Obviously we're both very talented players, so like I said, no matter who's on the field, we know, it's going to count, it's going to hurt. So, it's a blessing to have such a great room.

"I feel like everybody in the RB room, everyone has their own style, but I think one thing that's, I guess something we formulated across the room is everyone runs with intent, everyone's aggressive, everyone runs violent, so that's something that I can say we all do."

And the real dream scenario, Hubbard continued, would be to get rookie Trevor Etienne—who has 15 carries for 76 yards spelling Hubbard and Dowdle—on the field with them at the same time.

"Any time you can put us on the field like I said, I mean, let's do it," said Hubbard. "Obviously we have some young guys as well that are doing a great job, Trevor, so I think we joke about it sometimes, having a three back set or something like that, but stuff like that would be fun, no doubt."

Added Dowdle, "It don't really matter who's starting, just a matter about going out there, getting a win and executing and then as long as we all getting the ball and things like that and it's helping the team win, so it really don't matter."

There is something to be said for a running back being able to build up a lather on the field, working their way into a rhythm and read the defense up close.

"You get into that rhythm with the flow of the game," confirmed Dowdle, before adding, "but the way I think we'll do it, I don't think it'll be hard to get into a rhythm at all, especially the way those guys blocking up front."

Furthermore, after two weeks of cramping up in the fourth quarter, Dowdle knows there's also positives to having two capable backs to keep the run game going when one needs to take a breather.

"I think it's going to allow for us both to be fresh throughout the whole game, duration of the game, Dowdle said. "So obviously we've seen the past two games I've cramped up late in the game. So definitely think it'll help."

And for those possible plays when they're both on the field, the two-pronged attack to defenses can be detrimental.

"I mean any time any of us can be on the field, I think it's a plus," said Hubbard. "Having both of us, I think that's a plus plus. So yeah, I'm not the one to give any details or too much out, but yeah, it'd be cool to see."

Regardless of who is on the field though, be it Hubbard, or Dowdle, or Etienne, Canales is asking for the same approach, the one that has come to define the Carolina Panthers in recent weeks.

"Every single carry like it's your last, every single one with the intensity, the violence that we're looking for, it affects the whole group," preached Canales. "So regardless of when those guys go in there, we expect Chuba and Rico, and Trevor when he gets his chances to go out there, to empty the tank on every single run."