Packers dealing with unexpected
adversity as they prepare to host Eagles
[November 04, 2025]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — First, they lost a game they were favored to
win by two touchdowns. Then they discovered they had lost their star
tight end for the rest of the season.
Now the Green Bay Packers have cause for concern as they spend this
week preparing for a Monday night matchup with the reigning Super
Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Green Bay (5-2-1) still leads the NFC North but has reason to worry
about an offense that couldn’t finish drives in a 16-13 loss to
Carolina on Sunday and now must find a way to replace Tucker Kraft,
who will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.
“Certainly, we’re disappointed,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said
Monday. “Absolutely. But we’re going to take a look at it, we’re
going to own it and we’re going to learn from it and we’re going to
move on."
The Packers never punted against Carolina, but they finished with
just 13 points because they scored one touchdown in five trips to
the red zone. The other four red-zone opportunities resulted in two
field goals, one fumble and one missed fourth-down conversion
attempt.
“That’s just been story of our season,” offensive tackle Zach Tom
said after the game. “Just not being consistent with really anything
we do. We’ve got to get better and attack the week."
When they're at their best, the Packers are as good as anyone.
The Packers opened the season with a 27-13 win over the defending
NFC North champion Detroit Lions. They won 35-25 on the road against
the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers.
But they’ve struggled in matchups they were expected to win
convincingly.
They collapsed down the stretch in a 13-10 road loss to the
Cleveland Browns, who have two wins on the season. They needed a
late touchdown to hand Arizona its fifth straight defeat. Their loss
to Carolina came one week after the Panthers fell 40-9 at home to
Buffalo.
“We’re still yet to play a complete game as a team,” running back
Josh Jacobs said. “That’s something that we’re striving (for) every
day and not being able to do it, it does feel weird.”
What’s working
Green Bay continued to move the ball effectively, at least until it
reached scoring position. The Packers outgained Carolina 369-265.
... The Packers allowed only 102 yards passing.
What needs help
Green Bay had just three turnovers in its first seven games but lost
a fumble and threw an interception Sunday. ... The Packers recorded
just one sack against an injury-riddled Carolina offensive line that
had yielded seven sacks a week earlier. ... A Green Bay run defense
that had ranked third in the NFL allowed 163 yards rushing. The
Packers hadn't given up more than 117 yards rushing in any games
before Sunday.
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs against Carolina
Panthers defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (99) during the first
half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Green Bay,
Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Stock up
S Xavier McKinney had an interception in the end zone. Two plays
earlier, McKinney produced a strip sack, though Carolina's Chuba
Hubbard recovered the fumble. McKinney also had a team-high nine
tackles. ... Jacobs had his 10th touchdown run of the season Sunday.
Jacobs is the first Packer to have at least 10 touchdown runs in
consecutive seasons since Jim Taylor did it in three straight years
from 1960-62. ... WR Romeo Doubs had seven catches for 91 yards,
both season highs.
Stock down
K Brandon McManus made field goals of 49 and 27 yards, but he also
missed a 43-yarder that would have put Green Bay ahead in the third
quarter. McManus is 8 of 8 from inside 40 yards but just 1 of 5 on
field-goal attempts from 40-49 yards this season. ... WR Savion
Williams fumbled in the red zone on Green Bay's opening drive. ...
One week after throwing for 360 yards and three touchdowns in a
35-25 win at Pittsburgh, Jordan Love was intercepted once and failed
to throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season.
Injuries
Along with the Kraft injury, WR Matthew Golden and DL Colby Wooden
injured their shoulders and OG Aaron Banks left with a stinger.
LaFleur indicated the injuries to Golden, Wooden and Banks don't
appear to be long-term situations. He described Golden's status as
“more day to day” than week to week. ... WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf)
and DE Lukas Van Ness (foot) were each out for a second straight
game.
Key number
13 — The Packers closed as 13-point favorites, according to BetMGM
Sportsbook. The last time the Packers lost as a double-digit
favorite was on Dec. 2, 2018, when the Arizona Cardinals won 20-17
at Lambeau Field as 13 1/2-point underdogs. The Packers fired coach
Mike McCarthy after that game.
Next steps
The Packers' Monday night home matchup with the Eagles is a rematch
of their 22-10 loss at Philadelphia in last year's wild-card playoff
round. This will be the third time in four years that the Packers
have hosted the defending Super Bowl champions. They won the last
two such matchups, beating the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 and the
Kansas City Chiefs in 2023.
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