Despite a shaky end to the game, Jordan Love’s big day got the Packers back in the win column in its Week 8 matchup.
On the back of Love’s three touchdown passes, Green Bay took down the Carolina Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field on Oct. 29.
On top of Love’s trio of touchdowns, Josh Jacobs scoring two touchdowns in his return to Lambeau Field was enough to hold off Carolina’s late comeback.
Green Bay entered the fourth quarter up 27-13, but a Love interception and a Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker touchdown suddenly turned the contest into a one-score affair. After punting on its next drive, Green Bay’s defense stepped up and forced Carolina to turn the ball over on downs with fewer than two minutes left in the game, essentially sealing the victory.
“I would say it is disappointing,” said Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, on how the Packers closed the game. “Obviously got the one first down and then we tried to lean on the run game, and we went backwards. So that’s an area of emphasis that we have to improve upon, because it puts a lot of pressure on your pass game to continue to find ways to move the ball down the field.”
As a whole, Green Bay’s run game was once again a struggle, as Jacobs finished with 39 yards on 21 carries. In total, Green Bay finished with 66 total rushing yards.
Through the air, Love completed 30-of-41 passes for 288 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
After leaving the game with a chest injury but eventually returning, Christian Watson led the Packers receiving corps with 113 yards on eight receptions. Matthew Golden added 79 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions, while Tucker Kraft totaled 53 yards and a touchdown on six receptions. Jacobs was the other recipient of Love’s touchdown passes.
With the run game struggling, Thursday’s game marked the sixth time Love has thrown for 270 or more yards this season. With Golden, Watson and now Kraft playing good football, Green Bay’s passing attack looks like one of the better in the NFL this season.
“You can’t say enough great things about him,” said LaFleur, talking about Love. “He is carrying the burden of everything right now, just dealing the ball and throwing a lot of great passes.”
On the other side of the ball, Green Bay’s defense once again registered another great performance. As a whole, the Packers recorded six sacks, nine quarterback hits and one interception. Under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, this also marks the sixth time that the Packers held an opponent to 20 or fewer points this season.
“It’s fun, man,” said Packers defensive back Xavier McKinney, on playing under Gannon. “That versatility gets to show within our games, and I think everybody loves playing for him.”
For Carolina, Bryce Young finished the game completing 23-of-41 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Tetairoa McMillan was the leading receiver for the Panthers, totaling 58 yards on six receptions. Running back Chuba Hubbard added 38 receiving yards on seven receptions, while Coker finished with 36 yards and a touchdown on two receptions.
In the run game, Hubbard finished with 81 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
Green Bay’s win over the Panthers bumps the team’s record up to 5-3 on the season. Playing on Thursday gives the Packers an extra couple days of rest, before the team travels to New England on Sunday.
Micah Parsons is expected to return in Week 12. (Greg Mellis | Green & Gold Express)
Green Bay’s stellar defense against Carolina was able to make up for some mistakes on offense, like Christian Watson’s fumble. (Greg Mellis | Green & Gold Express)
Christian Watson was “resurrected” after a round trip in an ambulance. On the next drive after his early fumble, Watson caught a 53-yard bomb but landed on the ball and was slow to get up. He walked off on his own but was coughing up blood on the sideline, so he was taken to a local hospital in an ambulance for precautionary tests. Those tests came back clean, except for a broken rib, and he returned to the game in the second half to finish his 113-yard outing, generating quite the cheer as he re-emerged from the Packers’ tunnel. (Greg Mellis | Green & Gold Express)
Christian Watson was “resurrected” after a round trip in an ambulance. On the next drive after his early fumble, Watson caught a 53-yard bomb but landed on the ball and was slow to get up. He walked off on his own but was coughing up blood on the sideline, so he was taken to a local hospital in an ambulance for precautionary tests. Those tests came back clean, except for a broken rib, and he returned to the game in the second half to finish his 113-yard outing, generating quite the cheer as he re-emerged from the Packers’ tunnel. (Greg Mellis | Green & Gold Express)
