Packers want to maintain focus for
Panthers game with Eagles rematch looming
[October 31, 2025]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — All the elements are in place for a possible
Green Bay Packers letdown.
The Packers are coming off an emotional victory over former Green
Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. A rematch
of last season’s playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles is a week
away. All that stands in the Packers’ way is a Lambeau Field matchup
Sunday with a Carolina Panthers team that just got blown out at
home.
Green Bay is confident it won’t get caught looking ahead. The
Packers are intent on avoiding the mistakes that led to their lone
loss of the season.
“We’ve been in this position before,” quarterback Jordan Love said.
Indeed, the Packers stumbled through a 13-10 defeat at Cleveland
just before a highly anticipated trip to Dallas for Micah Parsons’
first matchup against his former team. The Packers ended up tying
Dallas 40-all but have won three straight since.
Green Bay (5-1-1) owns the NFC’s best record but doesn’t have much
margin for error in a conference featuring six teams with two or
fewer losses.
“We’ve got enough to worry about just within ourselves and a lot of
growth in front of us,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “If we want to play
our best football, we should only be worried about today and this
game and nothing else outside of that.”
Carolina won four of its first seven games, an impressive
accomplishment for a franchise that has suffered double-digit losses
in each of the last six seasons. But the Panthers (4-4) got a
reality check Sunday with a 40-9 loss at Buffalo in which veteran
quarterback Andy Dalton filled in for the injured Bryce Young.
Now comes a second straight matchup with a team that made the
playoffs last season.
“These are the types of matchups that we need to continue to push
our football forward and find out a lot of information about who we
are right now,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said.
The Packers know they can’t take anything for granted.
“I think we’ve learned that you can never look past any team,” Love
said. “You’ve got to take it one week at a time and you’ve got to be
your best on Sunday.”
Young expected to return
Young returned to practice this week, and the Panthers are
optimistic he will play after sitting out last week with an ankle
injury. Young had won three straight starts before missing the
Buffalo game.
Dalton has a broken thumb and was limited in practice on Thursday.
If Young and Dalton were both sidelined, the Panthers’ options would
include Hendon Hooker and Mike White.
Packers’ pass rush
Parsons has a league-leading 44 quarterback pressures, according to
Next Gen Stats. Parsons, who was named the NFC defensive player of
the month, represents an imposing challenge for a Carolina offense
that allowed seven sacks against Buffalo.
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Green Bay Packers' Rashan Gary reacts after sacking Pittsburgh
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers during the second half of an NFL football
game Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Parsons has 6 1/2 sacks and Rashan Gary has a team-high 7 1/2. Gary
delivered two sacks against the Steelers.
Dowdle likely to carry the load
Canales appears ready to give Rico Dowdle the bulk of Carolina’s
carries this week.
Chuba Hubbard and Dowdle had alternated series over the past two
weeks, but Dowdle has clearly been more productive.
“We cannot ignore the fact that Rico has been exceptional,” Canales
said.
Dowdle amassed 473 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back wins over
Miami and Dallas while Hubbard was out with a calf injury. Dowdle
ran for 133 yards on 25 carries the past two weeks, while Hubbard
was limited to 65 yards on 26 carries with one touchdown.
Defending Kraft
The Panthers have struggled this season defending tight ends, which
means Tucker Kraft could be in for another big day.
Kraft had nine receptions for 143 yards and two TDs in the Packers'
win at Pittsburgh.
While the Panthers were able to hold Buffalo’s Dalton Kincaid in
check on Sunday, New England’s Hunter Henry, Miami’s Darren Waller
and Dallas’ Jake Ferguson all put up big games against Carolina.
Packers’ running issues
Green Bay is looking to get its running game in gear after gaining
just 94 yards on the ground in each of its last two games. The
Packers averaged 3.6 yards per rush against Pittsburgh, and Josh
Jacobs was limited to 33 yards on 13 carries.
Jacobs could have an easier time against Carolina, which allowed
Buffalo’s James Cook to rush for a career-high 216 yards.
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AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina,
contributed to this report.
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