Lambeau Field Awaits a Thursday Night Answer

Three weeks ago, the Packers looked ready to grab control of the NFC North. Then a blocked field-goal try in Detroit helped turn a tight game into a 20-17 loss. Now Green Bay returns home at 4-3, with Lambeau Field lit up for Thursday night and another close race waiting.

The Panthers arrive with a different kind of urgency. Carolina is 3-3 and has already shown it can beat strong teams, including Detroit and Philadelphia. But last week’s 43-13 loss to Tampa Bay showed how quickly a promising drive can become a long night. This game gives both clubs a chance to steady their season before the halfway point.

Jordan Love leads a Packers passing game that does most of its damage through the air. Green Bay averages nearly 280 passing yards per game, while its running game has found only 60 yards per game. That means Love will again be asked to guide the action with quick throws, play-action passes, and deep shots.

Christian Watson is the main home-run threat. His 595 receiving yards and six touchdown catches in seven games show how often he can turn a small opening into a huge gain. Tight end Tucker Kraft gives Love another powerful target underneath. Kraft can catch a short pass, break through a tackle, and keep a drive alive. Green Bay may need both players because wide receiver Matthew Golden is questionable, while several linemen are out.

Carolina’s defense has allowed points and yards, and its task becomes harder without cornerback Jaycee Horn. The Panthers also will be missing key players up front, including tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton, plus guards Damien Lewis and Torricelli Simpkins III. Those absences could make every snap tougher for Carolina’s offense.

That offense still brings real firepower. Bryce Young has thrown 12 touchdown passes in six games, and he will look often for Tetairoa McMillan. The second-year wide receiver uses his size to make difficult catches, and his 511 yards show he is already Young’s most dangerous target. Chuba Hubbard adds another problem for Green Bay. He has rushed for 459 yards and scored six total touchdowns, whether he is charging through a hole or catching a pass out of the backfield.

The Packers must keep Hubbard from setting up easy throws for Young. That job is more difficult without linebacker Zaire Franklin and with defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt questionable. Still, Green Bay has been better at taking care of the ball than Carolina, and its defense allows fewer yards per game. That could matter late, especially after the Packers learned in Detroit how one blocked kick can swing a finish.

Carolina has enough passing talent to make this a lively Thursday night battle. Yet Green Bay’s home field, stronger ball security, and Watson’s big-play speed give the Packers the edge. Prediction: Green Bay wins.