Packers Beat the Panthers 27-19 on Thursday Night: Jordan Love Throws Three Touchdowns and Green Bay's Defense Racks Up Six Sacks
Green Bay built a 27-10 lead at Lambeau Field, then held off Carolina's fourth-quarter rally to open Week 8 with a win that moves the Packers to 5-3.
The Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19 on Thursday night at Lambeau Field, overcoming sloppy stretches early and late to open Week 8 of the NFL season with a win, according to the Packers' official recap and Reuters' report of the game.
Jordan Love completed 30 of 41 passes for 288 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and Green Bay's defense racked up six sacks. The Packers built a 27-10 lead in the second half, with Love hitting Matthew Golden on a 24-yard scoring toss late in the first half for a 20-10 halftime lead and Josh Jacobs on a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
Carolina rallied within 27-19 with 5:37 remaining when Bryce Young hit Jalen Coker with a 26-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-3, and the Panthers got the ball back at their own 45 with 4:35 left - but Young's fourth-down pass fell incomplete, and Green Bay survived the final seconds. Receiver Christian Watson's return stole much of the night's attention in the USA TODAY account: he led the Packers' receivers in the win.
Green Bay improved to 5-3 and Carolina fell to 3-4. Reuters noted an oddity the broadcast flagged: Green Bay entered last in the NFL in rushing at 59.9 yards per game and managed just 66 on the ground, making the Packers, per the Amazon Prime broadcast, the first team in league history to own a winning record through eight games with fewer than 500 rushing yards on the season. The Milwaukee Brewers, fresh off their World Series title, were celebrated at Lambeau before kickoff.
