Bryce Young returns to action, 4 other things to know about Panthers vs. Packers

It was a highly-disappointing showing for Dave Canales’s club last Sunday at home. The slumping Buffalo Bills were in Charlotte to take on a Carolina Panthers’ team that had won its last three games. A victory by Carolina would put the team above the .500 mark. The club would be without starting quarterback Bryce Young, and veteran Andy Dalton would be at the controls.

The latter finished with three turnovers, and the Panthers totaled just nine points in a 40-9 setback. A defense that allowed just 131 yards rushing during their three-game winning streak was torched for 245 yards on the ground by James Cook and the Buffalo offense.

Now Canales’s 4-4 team hits the road for the fifth time this season. The Panthers take on the 5-1-1 Green Bay Packers, who own the best record in the NFC and are in the midst of a three-game winning streak. Matt LaFleur’s division-leading squad is a perfect 3-0 at home this season, and scored exactly 27 points in each of those victories.

Panthers vs. Packers History

Talk about starting things off with a bang? The first meeting between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers took place at Lambeau Field in the 1996 NFC Championship Game. Brett Favre and company rolled to a 30-13 win, and two weeks later Green Bay went on to win Super Bowl XXXI.

Including that postseason victory, the Packers have doubled up the Panthers in this series via a 12-6 overall lead. The teams last met in 2023 at Carolina, with Green Bay coming away with a 33-30 win. Carolina’s last appearance at Lambeau Field resulted in a 24-16 loss in 2020.

Keeping Bryce Young Safe and Sound

Last Sunday vs. the Bills, Panthers’ quarterback Andy Dalton was dropped seven times. Meanwhile, Bryce Young has done a much better job eluding pass rushers. In his seven outings this season, he’s been sacked only 11 times. Rashan Gary (7.5) and Micah Parsons (6.5) have combined for 14.0 of Green Bay’s 21 sacks.

More on the Packers’ defense, which is third in the league vs. the run (allowing 78.9 yards per game on the ground). Carolina has had its issues early in games and it’s worth noting that LaFluer’s team has not allowed a first quarter touchdown this season—surrendering only a pair of field goals in seven outings.

Packers’ TE Tucker Kraft Bears Watching

Which version of Ejiro Evero’s run defense shows up on Sunday? The Panthers have given up a total of 262 yards rushing in four wins—limiting three teams below 100 yards on the ground. Compare that to 631 rushing yards in four setbacks (157.8). Carolina has allowed 200-plus yards rushing in two of those losses.

While wideout Romeo Doubs has been targeted a team-high 42 times by quarterback Jordan Love—good for 27 receptions for 350 yards and four scores—tight end Tucker Kraft (41) leads the Packers in catches (30), receiving yards (469) and TD grabs (6). He caught just seven touchdown passes in 17 games in 2024.

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