Acme Packing Company
The Green Bay Packers wore uniforms that evoked the 1923 version of their team on this windy Sunday when they took on the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. Unfortunately, at times it looked like their game plan came from that era of football as well, and the team lost a brutal 16-13 decision at home.
Fresh off one of the best games of his career, Jordan Love made some mind-bending decisions and the Packers’ offense went 1-for-5 in the red zone despite the Packers entering the day as nearly two-touchdown favorites. Love was 26 for 37 passing for 273 yards, but he threw no touchdowns against one interception — and he could have thrown at least one more if not for a drop by a Panthers player.
Meanwhile, the Packers’ vaunted pass rush, including Micah Parsons, was a complete no-show despite the Panthers playing with multiple backups all across the offensive line. Instead, the Green Bay defense got gashed repeatedly in the run game as Rico Dowdle ran for 130 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
This game was costly for the Packers not only in the standings, but also on the injury front. Tucker Kraft, who has been staking a claim as being one of the best tight ends in the NFL, left the game with a right knee injury and was carted to the locker room. The Packers also lost defensive tackle Colby Wooden and wide receiver Matthew Golden to shoulder injuries in the game, with neither one returning to the game after leaving.
The winds were swirling at Lambeau Field, and the kicking game was a major story. Brandon McManus shanked a makeable 43-yard field goal at the end of the first half, which would have given the Packers a lead at the break. Instead, those three points ended up being enormous, as the Panthers eventually won the game on a 49-yard field goal by rookie Ryan Fitzgerald with no time left on the clock.
The Panthers won the coin toss and took the football, but Green Bay’s defense got a stop with the help of a few penalties on Carolina. Edgerrin Cooper tracked down Rico Dowdle just short of a first down on 3rd-and-6, and a holding penalty on the Panthers’ 4th-and-1 conversion led them to punt instead. Green Bay’s offense started out smoothly, picking up four first downs on their opening series. However, after reaching the red zone, rookie Savion Williams coughed up the football after running into the back of one of his blockers and the Panthers recovered for an early turnover.
Carolina then kept the offense on the field for a 4th-and-1 from their own territory on their second drive as well, and this time instead of taking a penalty, Bryce Young scrambled for the first down. Dowdle got the Panthers’ run game going with a handful of carries that picked up a few first downs, but a sack-strip by Xavier McKinney (recovered by running back Chuba Hubbard) and a tackle for loss...
