CHARLOTTE — It's no secret the Panthers want to be a run-first team. It's part of the reason they built the offensive line they did, extended Chuba Hubbard, and added Rico Dowdle in the offseason, giving them two 1,000-plus yard rushers.

It's also no secret that getting into early deficits the first two weeks of the season—including a 20-3 hole at half in Week 1, and a 10-0 deficit after the first two drives against the Cardinals, leading to a 27-3 hole in the third quarter—have taken away that option.

"I really think it's about how many possessions you have and what the score is, and that always starts to make decisions for the mode that we need to be in offensively," pointed out Dave Canales on Monday, following the Panthers' loss to the Cardinals that left them 0-2. "For the last two weeks, we've made mistakes early in games on both sides of the ball and put us in situations where we're going into the half with a pretty good deficit, and I'm in a different mode at that point.

"That affects the run game, that affects the balance that we want, it affects the mix of play actions, screens, runs, different attacks, different approaches that we can have offensively."

Against the Jaguars, the Panthers ran 61 total plays, 25 of which were runs, roughly 41 percent. That number went significantly down this last week to 25 percent (19 rushes in 77 plays), thanks to the aforementioned early deficit.

"Getting back on schedule, playing good football will allow us to have that balanced football that we want to play," said Canales.

This is still a team built to run, though, and they aren't shying away from that identity.

"We're a run team," promised offensive lineman Damien Lewis. "Just some stuff we just got to clean up, up front, and get it together."

When those opportunities do come, the results will be largely dependent on Hubbard and Dowdle. The former is averaging 3.7 yards per carry through two games, on 26 carries. That carry number is still 10 more than Hubbard had at this point last season (16), given even bigger score discrepancies in those games, and splitting carries more evenly at that time with Miles Sanders.

This season, he's theoretically splitting those carries with Dowdle, although the latter only had three rushes in Week 1. Dowdle's number went up in Week 2, with six rushes.

"We work good with each other, so whether it doesn't matter who goes out, we're just going to give it our all," said Hubbard.

While the increased number of carries is a testament to committing to the run for as long as possible, Hubbard, who also had five receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals, knows it's still not enough. Changing that requires the entire offense working towards a better start.

"Obviously, we can't shoot ourselves in the foot," said Hubbard. "We've got to put ourselves in a good position so we can run the ball. If not, like you said, we're going to be in pass downs, which obviously I feel like we did a really good job with that, regardless of everything that happened yesterday.

"But, just starting off playing clean football and take care of the ball is the most important thing for us so and that means all of us doing our job."

Regardless of what the Panthers want to do with the run game, it did just become more difficult, given injuries to two starting offensive linemen, Austin Corbett and Robert Hunt, that will land them on injured reserve. Carolina kept their offensive line room together from last season, prepared in case such a situation would arise, and will roll with Cade Mays at center and Chandler Zavala at guard next week.

Losing two starters who worked and practiced with the starters all offseason could change the dynamic, and whether or not it will remains to be seen. But those in the offensive line and running back room feel confident in what comes next.

"That was a tough loss, Rob and Austin," admitted Lewis. "We got the next-man mentality right now. I'm confident in Cade and Chan, you know, getting out there and doing the job. We coach up for that, so you know the next man in line."

Added Hubbard, "I'll be praying for them and hoping they can come back as soon as possible, but you know I've said it, since the beginning, (offensive line coach) Joe (Gilbert) and Goody (Harold Goodwin, the run game coordinator) do a great job with everybody in their room, so the next guys that need to step up, they'll do a great job, so I'm not worried."

Next up on the schedule is the Falcons, the first divisional opponent the Panthers will face this season. Through two weeks, Atlanta has held teams to an average of 89.5 yards per game, but on 42 carries, that becomes an average of 4.26 yards per carry.

If the Panthers can start fast and not be forced to play from behind, they hope to finally show the balanced offense led by the rush that could define this team.

"I mean, it's Week 2. Obviously, you would like to have everything be perfect in a perfect world, but that's not always the case, so I'm not too worried about it," admitted Hubbard. "We still got a lot of season left and a lot of ball, so we'll get it going."