The Green Bay Packers kept winning Thursday night, but the ground game kept dragging behind.
Green Bay handled the Carolina Panthers 27-19 in prime time, leaning on Jordan Love at quarterback and a pass rush that brought down Bryce Young six times. The result helped the Packers in a crowded NFC North race. The rushing attack, though, was a different story entirely.
Against a Panthers run defense that had already been gashed for more than 250 rushing yards twice this season, the Packers came up empty in the one area that should have been ripe for production. Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Savion Williams and Pierre Strong Jr. never got the offense rolling on the ground.
Green Bay finished with just 66 rushing yards on 26 carries, a 2.5-yard average. Jacobs accounted for 39 yards on 21 attempts and did score a rushing touchdown, but that was about the only bright spot.
The bigger problem is that this isn’t just a bad night. It’s becoming a historic one.
According to senior NFL researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno, the Packers have been held under 90 rushing yards in each of their first eight games. That makes them only the second team since 1950 to do it, joining the 1990 Indianapolis Colts, who missed the playoffs that season.
That’s not exactly the neighborhood Green Bay wants to be in. And the numbers got even more jarring during the Amazon Prime broadcast, which noted that the 2026 Packers are the first team in NFL history to own a winning record while totaling fewer than 500 rushing yards through eight games.
For a team sitting in a division with the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions - all of them winners as of Friday - the margin for error is thin. If Green Bay wants to separate itself, the run game has to become more than an afterthought.
After the game, Matt LaFleur didn’t hide from the issue when asked whether he still believes in the rushing offense. “If I'm being honest, probably not a lot.” He added that it falls on the coaching staff to sort it out.
The Packers are going to need a fix fast. Jacobs’ return hasn’t solved the problem, and the interior of the offensive line hasn’t done enough to create space. With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, Green Bay should be looking hard at adding a guard if it wants to give this offense a chance to catch up in the division race.
In Other News...
Packers Fans Will Have Strong Feelings About Xavier McKinneys Latest Punishment
Xavier McKinneys frustration after the Packers loss to the Lions did not fade once the game ended, and now it has carried a financial cost. The Green Bay safety was fined by the NFL after publicly criticizing officials in the wake of the Week 7 defeat, a game that left plenty of Packers players and fans pointing to disputed calls that helped shape the result.
McKinney confirmed the punishment after the teams next game, and he made clear he still stands by what he said on behalf of his teammates. For a Packers locker room already irritated by how that loss unfolded, the fine only adds another layer to a story that has not gone away nearly as quickly as the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Rookie Just Changed Green Bays Trade Deadline Debate
Dani-Dennis Sutton has quickly become one of the more important developments in Green Bays season, and not just because the rookie pass rusher has earned more snaps. What looked like a position group with questions in the preseason has turned into a strength, with Suttons growing role helping the Packers keep their pass rush on schedule even while Micah Parsons has been sidelined.
The ripple effect is showing up in how the front office may approach the trade deadline. Green Bay entered the year with some outside chatter about adding help on the edge, but the current production from Sutton, Lukas Van Ness and Brenton Cox Jr. has changed the conversation, and the Packers now lead the NFL in sacks. In a market that often tempts teams into chasing reinforcements, Suttons rise has made it a lot harder to justify a big move before Nov. 10. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Are Closing In On A Huge Micah Parsons Boost
The Packers keep stacking wins even while waiting on one of their biggest defensive difference-makers. After moving to 5-3 with their Week Eight victory over the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay has shown it can still lean on a strong defense despite being without All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, whose presence has been missed even as the unit has held up.
Now the next step is getting Parsons back into the routine of football work. He is expected to begin practicing soon as part of his rehabilitation process, a sign that his return is drawing closer and giving Green Bay a real chance to add another impact piece as the season moves into November. [Read more 🡒]