The Green Bay Packers took on the Carolina Panthers to kick off week eight and won 27-19. While the final score shows it was only a one-possession game, it wasn’t as close as the final score would imply. The Packers controlled the game, and the defense deserves much of the credit for Thursday night’s win.
This win moves Green Bay to a record of 5-3 on the year; however, the team remains in last place in the ultra-competitive NFC North for the time being. While this was an impressive win against a feisty Panthers squad, many of the same issues that have plagued this team showed their heads again. That being said, there was one player who showed out for the first time in their Packers career.
Winner: Ty’Ron Hopper
Ty’Ron Hopper just put himself on the map with his performance during Thursday’s game. An argument could be made that he was the best player on the defense against Carolina. He posted an impressive stat line with 10 total tackles, one sack, and two more QB hits. Hopper also came down with an interception after he deflected a ball into the air.
Hopper was a third-round pick in 2024 who has yet to find much playing time so far in his career. He’s been a backup up to this point and is now receiving playing time due to the injuries to Zaire Franklin and Edgerrin Cooper. Credit to him for making the most of the opportunity and giving the Packers a reason to feel good about their linebacker depth.
Loser: Trey Smack
Looking at the box score, Trey Smack didn’t have a completely terrible game. He went 3 for 4 on his kicks, missing only one extra point, but he didn’t attempt a single field goal all night. In fact, with 36 seconds left in the game, Green Bay opted to punt the ball while up by one score instead of attempting a field goal to put the game away. It would have been a long but makeable kick of about 53 yards, but that decision showed the coaching staff can’t trust him fully.
Smack had an immaculate preseason, but that has not carried over into the regular season. He has missed five field goals and three extra points, which comes out to 18 points left on the board. He has a field goal percentage of 68.8%, which is 29th in the league, and that is just flat-out not going to cut it. The Packers have aspirations of a deep playoff run, and Smack must be more consistent for that to happen.
Winner: The Pass Rush
The Green Bay Packers’ pass rush had a field day against Carolina on Thursday. They sacked quarterback Bryce Young six times and recorded nine total QB hits. A lot of the credit deserves to go to defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who has this Packers defense looking fantastic so far this year.
Several different defenders got in on the sack total, but someone who deserves some praise is rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton. Dennis-Sutton has been making plays every game and has been building a case to become a real contributor on this team. After starting the year as a backup, he’s earned his spot as the starter opposite Lukas Van Ness, who also had a sack on Thursday. The pass rush was truly relentless and played their best game against the Panthers.
Loser: Josh Jacobs
Make no mistake about it: this Packers rushing attack has been historically bad so far in 2026. The team doesn’t even have 500 rushing yards yet and is averaging 2.9 yards per carry. Their leading rusher currently is MarShawn Lloyd with 149 yards; they are by far the worst rushing team in the league. Multiple factors can be attributed to this poor level of play, including the offensive line as well as the backs themselves.
Josh Jacobs missed the first six weeks of action before returning against the Lions last week. Many expected he would at least give the Green Bay run game a jolt of life, but that has not been the case so far. Against the Panthers, Jacobs ran the ball 21 times while being held to just 39 yards, which is less than two yards per carry. Something has to change in the run game because this production is unsustainable for a team that is looking to go on a playoff run.
Winner: Christian Watson
Christian Watson has truly taken his game to the next level to start this season. With multiple departures in the wide receiver room this offseason, questions were asked about how that position group will look. This was a notable game for Watson; he went over 100 yards for the third time this year and is now sitting in second place in receiving yards ahead of Sunday’s games.
Watson also came out of the game after a 53-yard catch, and he completely left the stadium in an ambulance before returning in the same ambulance and coming back into the game. Injuries have always been a hold-up with Watson throughout his career, so seeing him return was a positive sign. He’s the go-to guy for the Packers and is one of the most explosive receivers in the league. For a while, it seemed like Watson would never take that next step, but since returning from his knee injury last season, his play has been phenomenal.
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End Of My Green Bay Packers Rant
This was a good win for a Packers team that really needed one after coming off a tough loss to division rival Detroit Lions. Green Bay currently sits at a 5-3 record, which is last place in the North, and they are entering a difficult part of their schedule. Four of their next five games are coming against teams with winning records, and the Packers will have to maintain the pace set by their division rivals.
