The Green Bay Packers, for the second time this season, will play a home game on "Thursday Night Football" to begin Week 8 in the NFL. The last time the Packers suited up for a midweek game at Lambeau Field, they fell flat in a 21-point loss. They eye a different result this time around against a Carolina Panthers squad that is fresh off its worst showing of the year: A 30-point defeat at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
One of these teams will carry a two-game losing streak at the end of the night. The Packers would slip to .500 with a loss, while the Panthers would own a losing record. Those are high stakes, especially since both sides still have ambitions of winning their respective divisions.
The deciding factor in the Week 8 primetime battle could be whether Green Bay's run game comes to life. Running back Josh Jacobs made his season debut last week but was surprisingly ineffective against a porous Detroit Lions defense. He now squares off against a Carolina unit that is significantly worse at stopping the run and, in fact, ranks last in the NFL at 153.2 yards allowed per game.
On the other side of the ball, can the Packers contain Bryce Young and the league's second-best passing attack? They fared decently well against the top-ranked Lions last week in that regard.
Keep it locked to our live blog throughout the game as we deliver score updates, stats, highlights and in-game analysis.
Date: Thursday, Oct. 29 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Lambeau Field (Green Bay)
Streaming: Prime Video
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Packers -3.5, O/U 47.5 via DraftKings Sportsbook
Jordan Love is one of two QBs this season to have 2+ passing TDs in six games this season, joining Kirk Cousins.
Love is actually the first player since Josh Allen in 2022 to score 2+ total TDs in each of the 1st 7 games of a season. The last Packer to accomplish this was Aaron Rodgers in 2011, who won MVP that season.
CAR: 3-3 ATS, Total is 3-3
GB: 4-3 ATS, Under is 5-2
The Under hit in 9 of last 10 primetime games for the Panthers
Carolina is 10-2 straight up and 12-0 against the spread in their last 12 games following a game in which they didn't cover the spread. The Panthers obviously did not cover the spread in the 43-13 loss to the Buccaneers last week.
The 3-3 Panthers lead the NFC South over the Falcons by half a game. All other NFL division leaders are 2+ games above .500
The Panthers have been a completely different team depending on if they are playing at home or on the road.
2-1 record, 12.7 opp PPG, +13.0 PPG diff on road this season
1-2 record, 42.7 opp PPG, -15.3 PPG diff at home this season
(per The Athletic):
Injured: OLB Jaelan Phillips, G Damien Lewis, DT Bobby Brown, G Torricelli Simpkins
Third QB: Haynes King
Scratches: TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, RB AJ Dillon
WR Matthew Golden is ACTIVE
