GREEN BAY – The Packers overcame some sloppy offense early and late to post a 27-19 victory over the Panthers on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
With the win, Green Bay improved to 5-3 on the season. Carolina fell to 3-4.
The Packers built a 27-10 lead in the second half on the strength of a big night from QB Jordan Love, who finished 30-of-41 for 288 yards with three TDs, one INT and a 106.6 passer rating.
WR Christian Watson had eight catches for 113 yards amidst a trip to the hospital for testing on a chest injury. Watson came back into the game when the tests were clear.
WR Matthew Golden had seven catches for 79 yards and a TD, TE Tucker Kraft had six catches for 53 yards and a TD, and RB Josh Jacobs caught the other TD pass. Jacobs also rushed for a score as he compiled 53 yards from scrimmage (39 rushing on 21 attempts, 13 receiving on six catches).
Green Bay's ground game remained a struggle throughout, and that along with Love's INT helped Carolina get back in the game with a field goal and touchdown. The Packers' defense stopped the two-point play, however, to keep it an eight-point game in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers had a late fourth-quarter drive starting on their own 45-yard line, but the defense got a four-and-out to effectively seal the game.
For Carolina, QB Bryce Young was 23-of-41 for 209 yards with one TD, one INT and a 68.0 passer rating, as the Packers sacked him six times. LB Ty'Ron Hopper had one of those sacks as well as the INT.
WR Tet McMillan had six catches for 58 yards, and RB Chuba Hubbard had seven catches for 38 yards. Hubbard also rushed 22 times for 81 yards and a score. WR Jalen Coker scored on a 26-yard catch-and-run on fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Panthers 6-3 after first quarter
Carolina won the opening coin toss and deferred, but the Panthers' offense touched the ball first after Coleman Owen fumbled the opening kickoff and Carolina recovered at the Green Bay 29.
Chuba Hubbard gained 14 yards on three straight carries but was stopped for no gain on a second-and-8 pass. Devonte Wyatt sacked Bryce Young for a 6-yard loss on third down.
Ryan Fitzgerald's 39-yard field goal gave Carolina a 3-0 lead with 11 minutes, 43 seconds left in the first quarter.
Aaron Banks started at left guard with Laken Tomlinson sliding to right guard. The Packers went three-and-out after Jordan Love's second-and-6 pass went off Matthew Golden's hands.
Carolina started at its 12 after Daniel Whelan's 49-yard punt and went three-and-out after Ty'Ron Hopper came on a blitz and hit Young to force an incompletion on third-and-6.
The Packers took over at their 44 and nearly went three-and-out again but Will Lee was flagged for defensive pass interference against Golden on a third-and-11 pass.
On third-and-8, Love delivered a pass to Watson over the middle for a 24-yard gain to the Carolina 14.
Love fired another laser to tight end Tucker Kraft for a 12-yard touchdown on third-and-18 to put the Packers up 6-3 with 5:08 left in the first quarter after Trey Smack's extra-point attempt hit the left upright.
Carolina took over at its 35 after a touchback and Young quickly found Tet McMillian for a 10-yard pickup. Tommy Tremble gained 19 yards on a playaction flare on third-and-3.
The Panthers converted another third down when Hubbard came free on a third-and-10 route to the flat and gained 11 yards. Evan Williams tackled John Metchie a yard shy of the first down on a third-and-5 crosser.
Carolina went for it on fourth down, with Hubbard gaining a yard to set up first-and-goal.
Packers lead Panthers 20-10 at halftime
Chuba Hubbard scored a 1-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter, putting Carolina back up 10-6 with 14:57 left in the first half.
The Packers gained nine yards off a quick pass to MarShawn Lloyd, who then converted the initial first down with a 5-yard carry. Green Bay moved the ball across midfield on an 8-yard pass to Christian Watson on third-and-4, but Carolina then forced a fumble that the Packers recovered at their 37.
Brenton Cox Jr. hit Young to force an incompletion on second-and-9 and the Packers' defensive front pressured the Carolina quarterback again on the next play to force the three-and-out.
Love stepped into a deep 53-yard pass to Watson, who hauled in the pass at the Carolina 26 but was slow to get up after the play. He walked off under his own power with what was announced as a chest injury.
Savion Williams rushed for a career-high 18 yards on an end-around to the Carolina 8. Marco Wilson was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the next play, moving the ball the 3.
Jacobs bounced an inside run right to score a 1-yard touchdown on third-and-goal to put Green Bay up 13-10 with 6:33 left in the first half.
Carolina took the kickoff to its 42, but Ty'Ron Hopper gave the ball back to Green Bay when he batted a Young pass up in the air and then intercepted it at the Panthers' 43.
A 10-yard pass to Golden moved Green Bay to the Carolina 32. Kraft took a screen pass for a 7-yard gain on third-and-6 as the first half reached the two-minute warning.
Love nearly lobbed a 24-yard touchdown to Golden on second-and-13, but the two couldn't connect. He went back to Golden on the next play on a corner to put the Packers up 20-10 with 1:46 left in the first half.
Brenton Cox Jr. recorded his first sack of the year, dropping Young for a 10-yard loss. Rasheed Walker was called for a false start on the next play and Carolina punted on fourth-and-15 after Hubbard was tackled on a 4-yard run.
Golden caught a 14-yard pass to move the ball to midfield, but Green Bay was forced to punt after three straight Love incompletions.
Packers lead Panthers 27-13 after three quarters
Green Bay's defense earned a turnover on downs to begin the third quarter. Ty'Ron Hopper sacked Young for zero yards on second-and-2, Xavier McKinney broke an out and Chris McClellan tackled Hubbard for no gain at midfield.
Jacobs gained four yards and a first down on a second-and-3 run. He then stood up in pass protection for Love, buying enough time for the Packers quarterback to find J. Michael Sturdivant on a 16-yard deep crosser to the Carolina 23.
Jacobs gained 10 yards on back-to-back carries and then Golden caught an 8-yard slant to the Panthers' 4 to set up third-and-2.
Jacobs caught a quick wheel route on the next play for the 4-yard touchdown, extending Green Bay's lead to 27-10 with 7:30 remaining. The three-time Pro Bowl running back eclipsed 10,000 career total yards on the score.
A 17-yard Hubbard run and 17-yard pass to Mitchell Evans moved Carolina to the Green Bay 25. The drive stalled when Dani Dennis-Sutton and Lukas Van Ness combined for a sack of Young that lost nine yards.
Fitzgerald made a 50-yard field goal to cut Green Bay's lead to 27-13 with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
Watson returned to the game on the next series after having his chest examined at a local hospital. Love immediately targeted him downfield, though they couldn't connect.
Jacobs gained four yards on third-and-1 to the Green Bay 45 and Golden caught an 11-yard slant to move across midfield.
Packers hold off Panthers 27-19, improve to 5-3
Green Bay's scoring threat came to an end when Zakee Wheatley picked off Love on a deep ball intended for Golden and returned it to the Carolina 19.
Young rolled left off a read-option throw and hit McMillian for 13 yards, but the drive went nowhere after Barryn Sorrell sacked Young for a 5-yard loss on second down and Dennis-Sutton came untouched on a pressure on third-and-13.
Kraft gained eight yards on first down, but Jacobs was stopped for no gain on the next play and Green Bay went three-and-out after Love's third-and-2 pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Carolina took over at its 30 with 10:40 left in regulation. The Panthers moved the ball into Green Bay territory with a 9-yard pass to Jalen Coker. Dennis-Sutton tackled Hubbard for a 2-yard loss on second-and-1. Rasheed Walker was then flagged for a false start.
The Packers sent seven at Young on third-and-8, but he got the ball out to receiver Brycen Tremayne for nine yards and the first down. Young worked out of another third-down situation with an 11-yard lob to Hubbard on third-and-10.
The Panthers went for it on fourth-and-3 from their 6 and Coker came free across the middle for a catch-and-run touchdown. Carolina elected to go for two but didn't convert, leaving the score 27-19 with 5:37 left in regulation.
Right tackle Anthony Belton was flagged an illegal man downfield on a first-down screen for Kraft. Jacobs was tackled out of bounds after a 5-yard gain and Green Bay punted the ball with 4:45 left after Love was flagged for intentional grounding.
Devonte Wyatt tackled Hubbard for no gain on first down at the Carolina 45. The Panthers wound up turning the ball over on downs after Young's fourth-and-5 pass for McMillian fell low.
Carolina used its first timeout after Jacobs gained five yards to the Panthers' 45. After Jacobs gained two yards, Love fired a quick 7-yard completion to Watson to convert a third-and-2 and force Carolina to use its final timeout.
Jacobs lost a yard on three straight carries and Green Bay punted with 29 seconds left. Carolina took over with 22 seconds left after Daniel Whelan's punt bounced in the end zone.
Dennis-Sutton sacked Young for a 4-yard loss on first down and Young spiked the ball with four seconds remaining. Cox recovered the fumble on the third-and-14 lateral to end it.
