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26_KnowYourFoe (6)
26_KnowYourFoe (6)
CHARLOTTE — The Panthers (3-3, 1-1) have a short week, perhaps blessedly, as they come off a 30-point loss to the Bucs in Week 7. They'll travel to Wisconsin on Wednesday to take on the Green Bay Packers (4-3, 1-2), who are also coming off a division loss to the Detroit Lions.
These two teams have met often in recent years; this will be their third meeting in four years, with the most recent coming last season, when Carolina beat Green Bay 16-13 on a walk-off Ryan Fitzgerald field goal.
The Panthers are 7-12 all-time against the Packers. Carolina is 4-6 at home and 3-6 on the road. Carolina is 0-1 in the playoffs against Green Bay, but 2-1 against the Packers in prime time games. Eight of the last nine contests, including each of the last six, have been decided by single digits.
Get to know the 2026 Packers ahead of Thursday Night Football.
Green Bay Packers' Christian Watson celebrates with fans after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Mike Roemer/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Jordan Love and a new line playing well, but injuries still mounting
Quarterback Jordan Love had an up-and-down start to the season, with two games of 300-plus yards and two sub-200 performances. Some of that was due to an ever-revolving door at offensive line. After injuries and subpar play, the Packers made wholesale changes in that unit, most notably bringing in Laken Tomlinson at left guard.
The changes settled things for a while, and Love has thrown for 274-plus yards over the last three games, with five touchdowns, two interceptions, and six sacks. Love is fourth in the league, averaging 279.7 yards per game.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Paul Sancya/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
However, the O-line took another hit on Sunday in a loss to the Lions, when starter Sean Rhyan and backup Jacob Monk both left the game within a few snaps of each other in Detroit, and coach Matt LaFleur told reporters on Monday he didn'texpect either to play Thursday. The team placed Monk on injured reserve later that day.
John Williams, the 2025 seventh-rounder, finished the game. It was his first regular-season action. He allowed zero sacks, one hit, two hurries, and three pressures in 58 offensive snaps versus Detroit, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Packers signed guard Mekhi Becton from their practice squad to the active roster on Monday.
Green Bay Packers' Christian Watson catches a pass in front of Atlanta Falcons' Jessie Bates III during the second half of an NFL football game in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Abbie Parr/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Skill players to watch
Jordan Love has an arsenal in the passing game. Christian Watson (sixth) and Matthew Golden (10th) are both in the Top 10 in total receiving yards league-wide. Watson is second league-wide with six receiving touchdowns. Both are also in the Top 10 of explosive plays (catches of 20-plus yards), with 15 for Watson and 14 for Golden.
The Packers didn't practice on Monday, and only an estimated report was released. However, the report listed Golden as a DNP (did not participate) with a shoulder and foot injury.
At tight end, the Packers have Tucker Kraft, a big-bodied brawler with 29 catches for 297 yards and two touchdowns this season. Over the Packers' three-game win streak from Week 4-6, Kraft gained 28 or more yards after the catch in each game.
In Week 7, Green Bay returned running back Josh Jacobs. He spent the first six games on the commissioner's exempt list following a May arrest on misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor destruction of property charges. Jacobs remains under investigation by the league and could still face suspension, but for now, he is allowed to play.
Before his return, the Packers ranked last in the league, averaging 59.8 yards per game on the ground. Against the Lions, Jacobs ran for 36 yards on 11 carries. Green Bay still ranks last in the league in rushing, but the average rose slightly to 59.9 yards per game.
Jacobs can also play out of the backfield, though. On Sunday he caught five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) breaks a tackle by Detroit Lions cornerback Keith Abney II (6) during a touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Paul Sancya/Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Defense loses another starter, but unit is stingy
The Packers' front seven doesn't look like what they'd hoped for at this point in the season. Micah Parsons is not yet ready to return from an ACL injury suffered last December. LaFleur teased Parsons might start practicing this week, but with the short practice schedule, he will not play Thursday night.
Veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin, a team captain and the defensive green dot (signal caller), suffered a hairline fracture in his leg, according to ESPN, from a collision in practice last week. Franklin ranked third on the team in tackles (41), with two quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup.
That means the Packers were without their two starting linebackers against the Lions on Sunday, since Edgerrin Cooper is out for the season with an Achilles injury.
Isaiah McDuffie and Ty'Ron Hopper, both of whom have been with Green Bay for several years, took over at linebacker. Hooper had seven tackles while McDuffie had 11 tackles, plus a forced fumble and recovery.
The front still includes Lukas Van Ness, though. He leads the team with 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. The Packers also rely on corner Keisean Nixon to come up on the line. He is tied with Van Ness for a team-high 5.5 tackles for loss, in addition to his six passes defensed and an interception this season.
Safety Xavier McKinney already has a team-high three interceptions this season.