Panthers Face Packers on Thursday Night Football Amid Injury Concerns

The Carolina Panthers travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football to kick off Week 8 of the NFL season. Both teams enter the prime-time matchup seeking to rebound from losses last week, as the Panthers aim to maintain their lead in the NFC South.

Carolina comes into the game following a tough 43-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a contest in which the Panthers allowed 258 rushing yards. Green Bay is also looking to recover after dropping a narrow 20-17 decision to the Detroit Lions on the road, which snapped a three-game winning streak for the Packers.

The Panthers released their inactive list ahead of kickoff, revealing that they will be missing three starters: edge rusher Jaelan Phillips due to a hamstring strain, guard Damien Lewis with a knee issue, and defensive tackle Bobby Brown with a hand injury. Additional inactives for Carolina include tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, emergency third quarterback Haynes King, guard Torricelli Simpkins III, and running back AJ Dillon.

Running back AJ Dillon was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive week as the Panthers adjust their backfield depth chart. Chuba Hubbard continues to lead the Carolina ground attack, supported by rookie running back Trevor Etienne and special teams contributor Anthony Tyus III.

Carolina's roster depth faces a significant test on the short week, particularly after placing cornerback Akayleb Evans on injured reserve and missing starting tackles Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu. The team elevated players from the practice squad and signed rookie Malcolm DeWalt IV to the 53-man roster to help fill the gaps.

Quarterback Bryce Young leads the Panthers' offense after fully participating in practice despite carrying a knee designation earlier in the week. Young looks to steady the unit following a difficult outing against Tampa Bay, where he threw two interceptions and took five sacks.

The Packers enter the matchup as 3.5-point favorites with an over/under set at 47.0 points. Green Bay is dealing with its own offensive line constraints, ruling out center Sean Rhyan and linebacker Zaire Franklin, while running back Josh Jacobs looks to build on his season debut from the previous week.

Historically, the Panthers secured a 16-13 victory over the Packers during their most recent meeting at Lambeau Field in November 2025. Kickoff for Thursday night's game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time, with a national broadcast streaming on Prime Video.