Panthers face Packers with fractured offensive line and flawed run defense

The Carolina Panthers will attempt to stop the Green Bay Packers' passing attack on Thursday night, but they are doing so with the NFL's worst run defense and an offensive line that is missing its anchor right tackle. The 3-3 Panthers host the No. 5 passing offense from Green Bay at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video, a matchup that tests their ability to balance a potent passing attack against a porous defensive front.

Carolina has allowed 153.2 rushing yards per game over the first seven weeks, which is 7.5 yards more than the Dallas Cowboys for the 31st-ranked mark. The unit gave up 258 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 30-point loss on Sunday. This is the third time since 2024 that an opponent has rushed for at least 200 yards against Carolina, a total six more than any other defense in the league during the current coaching era.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has managed the unit since 2023. He signed a contract extension in 2025 that runs through the 2027 season. Despite that financial commitment, the defense allowed a league-worst 3,057 total rushing yards in 2024, becoming the first defense in the modern era to cross the 3,000-yard threshold in a single season. Head coach Dave Canales acknowledged the issue on Monday, stating that the team must execute its adjustments well to stop the floodgates.

The offensive line is struggling to protect quarterback Bryce Young. Right tackle Taylor Moton suffered a fractured fibula in the third quarter of the Tampa Bay game and will undergo season-ending ankle surgery. His injury forces first-round pick Monroe Freeling, a left tackle by development plan, to fill in at right tackle. Freeling has surrendered 18 total pressures, including four sacks, in five games. Left tackle Rasheed Walker has allowed a team-leading 34 pressures, including three sacks in the most recent loss.

Injuries have compounded the line's problems. Center Damien Lewis is out with a knee injury, and practice squad promotion Torricelli Simpkins III is also unavailable due to a left ankle injury. The Panthers will lean on core veterans and developmental picks to shield Young, who set a franchise record with 11 passing touchdowns in his first five games before throwing three interceptions against Tampa Bay.

The passing offense remains a strength, ranking second in the league with 276.0 passing yards per game. Chuba Hubbard has produced 571 total yards and six touchdowns through six games. Green Bay ranks 17th in rushing defense but ninth in passing defense, allowing 208.0 passing yards per game. The Panthers have covered the spread in 12 consecutive games following a loss, a streak that is one game shy of the longest in the Super Bowl era.

Green Bay holds the longest active cover streak in the NFL at four games. The Packers' rushing attack is the worst in the league, but their aerial threat poses a different challenge than the physical pounding the Panthers faced from Tampa Bay. Carolina must find a way to maintain its divisional lead in the NFC South while managing a roster that has been battered by injuries and inconsistent defensive execution.