Jordan Love has Green Bay in a good spot on the scoreboard, but the Packers’ run game is leaving plenty of people wondering how long this can hold up.
That concern came into focus again after Thursday night’s 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers. The Packers got the result they needed on Thursday Night Football, but the offense still didn’t look clean, and the ground game never really found its footing. Head coach Matt LaFleur praised the defense for what it did against Carolina, while the offense was left with more work to do after the mistakes that helped sink Green Bay in its Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions.
ESPN analyst Marcus Spears zeroed in on that issue after the game, making it clear he sees a real problem in the way Green Bay is operating right now.
“I kept asking myself, ‘Is this sustainable?’ Right, we know what this league is…Right now, Green Bay is so bad (at the running game). And we all know…In this version, when you look at Green Bay…Jordan Love is playing absolutely out of his mind right now,” commented the NFL expert.
Spears pointed to the lack of balance as the thing that could eventually catch up to the Packers.
“But there is a perfect storm for things to go wrong. Drops, and no run game.
When you think about last night, because of no run game, Carolina almost got back in that football game, because they have to throw the football so much. I’m looking forward to seeing if they can get that part of their offense going.”
Green Bay still has time to sort it out, whether that comes from internal fixes or something more before the trade deadline. But the calendar isn’t doing the Packers any favors, with the schedule only getting tougher as the season moves into the colder months.
Josh Jacobs gives Green Bay a proven option in the backfield, but his production depends on an offensive line that has flashed at times without putting together steady performances. His status also comes into question after fresh abuse allegations from three more women surfaced.
For the Packers, finding a more dependable running game may end up being one of the biggest factors in how the rest of the season plays out.
In Other News...
Packers May Face A Backfield Reset They Can't Ignore
The 2026 NFL trade deadline is already drawing attention, and Jordan Schultz has said he expects it to be one of the busier ones around the league. For the Packers, the intrigue centers on Jonathan Taylor, a player who has spent his entire career with the Colts while Indianapolis continues reshaping its roster and moving on from other established names. Green Bays interest makes sense on paper, especially with Taylor carrying a strong off-field reputation and a track record that has kept him among the leagues most recognizable backs.
The timing only adds to the conversation in Green Bay, where the backfield has become a more complicated topic than it looked a year ago. Josh Jacobs has dealt with legal issues tied to domestic dispute allegations, and the Packers are now being linked to a player whose profile is very different from the one they already have in place. If the Colts keep listening and the deadline market heats up as expected, this is the kind of situation that could force Green Bay to decide how aggressive it wants to be about a reset. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Make Their Josh Jacobs Stance Clear Amid Serious Allegations
Josh Jacobs is once again at the center of an NFL review, and the Packers are already making clear they expect him to stay on the roster while the process plays out. The league has expanded its investigation after new allegations surfaced, adding another layer of scrutiny to a player whose recent past already included a six-game absence on the commissioners exempt list following a no contest plea tied to an earlier arrest.
For Green Bay, the immediate football question is less about availability than about how long this situation lingers around the team. Jacobs has already dealt with league discipline once, and the Packers now find themselves waiting on the NFLs next move while the review continues. The teams stance is straightforward for now, but the broader picture remains unsettled as the investigation moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Packers May Have A New Linebacker Problem In The Best Way
The Packers have managed to keep their defense on track even while dealing with injuries at linebacker, and the next stretch could say a lot about how deep that room really is. With Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin sidelined, Isaiah McDuffie and Tyron Hopper have been asked to carry more of the load, and the unit has held up well enough to keep Green Bay from feeling the full weight of those absences.
Hopper, in particular, has started to look like more than a fill-in. His recent impact showed up all over the field, from tackles to disruption in coverage and even splash plays in the backfield, which is the kind of production that can complicate a coachs rotation once everyone is healthy again. Franklin is expected back soon, but if Hopper keeps stacking strong performances, the Packers may have a new kind of linebacker question on their hands. [Read more 🡒]