Packers Beat Panthers 27-19 Despite Three Takeaways by Carolina
Jordan Love threw three scoring passes Thursday night while Green Bay improved to 5-3 on the season.
By Austin Reed ·
The Green Bay Packers gave the ball away three times and still beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field on Thursday night. Jordan Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns as Green Bay moved to 5-3. Carolina dropped to 3-4 with the loss.
Love finished 30-of-41 with one interception. He hit Tucker Kraft for a 12-yard score, Matthew Golden for a 24-yard score and Josh Jacobs for a 4-yard score. Jacobs also added a 1-yard rushing touchdown. The Panthers' defense entered the game ranked last in the NFL against the run, but Jacobs was limited to 39 yards on 21 carries.
Green Bay fell behind 3-0 after fumbling the opening kickoff. The Packers then went three-and-out on their first series before scoring touchdowns on three of their next four drives. Kraft's catch put Green Bay up 6-3, and a 53-yard reception by Christian Watson set up a Jacobs rushing touchdown that made it 13-10. Golden caught his scoring pass on third-and-13 to push the lead to 20-10 before halftime.
The Packers extended the margin to 27-10 in the third quarter on a Love-to-Jacobs connection. Carolina then drove down the field, but Chris McClellan and Evan Williams stopped Chuba Hubbard short on fourth-and-2 from midfield. On the next Green Bay drive, Love threw an end-zone interception to Zakee Wheatley.
That turnover changed the game's shape. Bryce Young hit Jalen Coker for a 26-yard touchdown on fourth-and-3 to cut the score to 27-19 with 5:37 left. Young's try for a two-point conversion failed, and Carolina never got closer. Young closed the night 23-of-31 for 209 yards. Hubbard ran 22 times for 81 yards and caught seven passes for 38 yards.
The game produced several injuries. Watson left the field and went to the hospital after hurting his chest on his 53-yard catch in the second quarter; he returned to the game. Carolina cornerback Will Lee hurt his hamstring on the same play and was carted off. The Panthers already had three cornerbacks on injured reserve: Akayleb Evans, Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn. Green Bay tight end Josh Whyle was evaluated for a concussion, and Carolina guard Corey Bullock hurt his quadriceps.
The Panthers play host to Denver on Nov. 8, while the Packers visit New England the same day.
During halftime, the Packers unveiled the name of former president and CEO Bob Harlan on the northeast facade of Lambeau Field. Harlan, who led the organization from 1989 to 2008, died March 5 at age 89. Members of the Milwaukee Brewers, including Christian Yelich and Brandon Woodruff, attended the game one day after winning the World Series.
