The winning formula for the Carolina Panthers this year isn't that hard to figure out.
First, they let quarterback Bryce Young air the ball out and establish a lead, then they ride running back Chuba Hubbard in the second half to seal the deal. It hasn't always worked, but it's been good enough to give them a 3-2 start to the season and a reasonably comfortable lead in the NFC South coming out of Week 6.
Some folks, however, aren't sure if they can keep this up.
Team beat reporter Mike Kaye questions Carolina's lack of an early rushing attack in ESPN's latest power rankings:
The Panthers are organically throwing to run. While the team would like to have a more balanced attack early, the offense is leaning heavily on its passing game to start fast and score points. The Panthers are averaging a league-worst 26.2 rushing yards in the first half. Defenses are then getting worn out against the passing attack, and running back Chuba Hubbard is taking advantage -- the offense averages a second-best 82.6 rushing yards in the second half. That production might not be sustainable, even with QB Bryce Young among the league leaders in passing yards.
We saw a perfect example of this on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Hubbard was held to just 24 rushing yards in the first half, then broke out in the second to finish with 120 in leading Carolina to a 25-14 victory.
Passing to run is exactly the right way to do it in the modern NFL. Young has leveled up his game enough that the Panthers can trust him to score points early on and put them in position to grind down the clock in the second half with Hubbard.
If the approach unsustainable, it will be because opposing defensive play-callers figure out how to fluster Young. But the way offensive coordinator Brad Idzik is orchestrating these games, that's going to be pretty difficult.
The Panthers enter Week 7 averaging the second-most yards per game (404.4) and the fourth-most points per game (29.2).
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: ESPN questions if Panthers' offensive production is sustainable