The Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers 27–19 on Thursday Night Football, improving to 5–3. The win reinforced what has been clear throughout the season: Green Bay has the talent to compete, but its rushing offense is a serious weakness.
Through eight games, the Packers have rushed 170 times for just 485 yards, ranking last in the NFL in rushing yards per game. They are the first team in league history to have fewer than 500 rushing yards through eight games while still holding a winning record.
That achievement speaks to the strength of Green Bay’s passing game and defense. It also raises an important question: how far can the Packers go if they cannot establish a more effective ground attack?
## A Run Game That Has Yet to Find Its Footing
The Packers have struggled to produce meaningful rushing numbers all season. Through eight games, the most rushing yards by a Green Bay running back in a single game is 42, a mark Kaleb Johnson reached in Week 4.
Josh Jacobs’ return was expected to help stabilize the ground game, but his production has remained limited. In his first two games back, he rushed for 36 and 39 yards. The latter performance came against Carolina on Thursday, when he had 21 carries and averaged just 1.9 yards per attempt.
The matchup made that output especially concerning. The Panthers entered the game ranked last in the NFL in rushing defense, yet half of Green Bay’s rushing attempts gained one yard or less.
The offensive line has not created consistent openings. It ranks 32nd, leaving the running backs with few opportunities to build momentum. At the same time, Green Bay’s runners have not made enough of the space available to them. The result is an offense that has relied heavily on the pass.
That reliance has not yet stopped the Packers from winning, largely because Jordan Love has been outstanding.
## Love and the Defense Have Kept Green Bay Competitive
Love has completed 61.5% of his passes for 2,246 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. He leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes, even as the offense deals with a struggling run game, a receiving corps that leads the league in drops and rookie kicker Trey Smack, who has made 68.8% of his field-goal attempts this season.
Love also handled the Panthers’ pressure effectively. Carolina blitzed him 14 times, and he completed 13 of 14 passes against the blitz for 119 yards and two touchdowns. His performance continued a season in which he has repeatedly delivered despite the challenges around him.
Green Bay’s defense has also helped the team reach a 5–3 record. The Packers rank 11th in points allowed, giving up 20.5 points per game. Over their last five games, they have been even more effective, ranking second while allowing 14.6 points per game.
During that five-game stretch, Green Bay leads the NFL in takeaways, averaging 2.6 per game, and is tied for fourth in sacks, with three per game. Those numbers have come without Micah Parsons, who is expected to return in the near future.
The Packers may also get improvement from other areas. Their receivers’ drops could decrease, and the kicking situation could improve if the team makes a change. But the ground game remains the most pressing concern because it affects the balance of the entire offense.
## The Run Game Could Decide Green Bay’s Ceiling
If Green Bay can raise its rushing production to even slightly below the league average and improve its offensive-line play, the team could become more difficult to defend. Without progress, the Packers risk becoming too predictable when the stakes are highest.
The concern is supported by the historical numbers. Teams that have rushed for fewer than 500 yards through eight games are a combined 11–61. Green Bay has 485 rushing yards at this point in the season and is 5–3, making its record an unusual exception.
The Packers are currently projected as the NFC’s seventh seed. Their position could change as the season continues, but the quality of their rushing attack may be one of the biggest factors in whether they hold that spot, move up or fall back.
Green Bay has clear strengths. Love is producing at an elite level, the defense has been playing well, and Parsons is expected back. Still, a one-dimensional offense can become easier to contain in the playoffs. The Packers’ passing game has carried them so far, but their running game needs to contribute more if they hope to make a deep postseason run.
For now, Green Bay is a good team with a potentially costly flaw. Whether the Packers become a great one may depend on whether their rushing attack can catch up with their passing game before the season’s most important games arrive.
