Week 9: Panthers Overcome Packers in Gritty Win 16-13

At Lambeau Field, the Panthers shocked the Packers 16-13, earning a road victory that few expected. Carolina leaned on a powerful ground game, with Rico Dowdle rushing for 130 yards, with 25 carries and two touchdowns. His second score came late in the third quarter and set the stage for such a dramatic finish. 

Bryce Young, who all Panther fans missed last week due to an ankle issue, returned in this game and passed for just 102 yards and threw a bad interception, but the Panthers did just enough. Special teams delivered when rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald drained a 49-yard field goal as time expired to seal the upset. 

For Green Bay, it was a very frustrating afternoon. Jordan Love completed 26 of 37 of his passes for 273 yards, but zero touchdowns and one interception. The offense repeatedly stalled in the red zone and settled for field goals rather than touchdowns. Meanwhile, injuries piled up for Green Bay as tight end Tucker Kraft left with a knee injury (which appears to be an ACL tear),  and the defensive line was shorthanded for the second half, allowing the Carolina offense to march down the field late in the game. 

Despite dominating in total yardage (369 to 265), the Packers just could not convert that advantage into victories. The Panthers, meanwhile, played complementary football. Their run game, opportunistic defense, and clutch kicking were the keys to success as they punched another ticket into the win column. 

With this win, Carolina moves to 5-4, while Green Bay falls to 5-2-1. The result tells the story of how even favored teams can fall when they fail to execute in key moments. Even with the terrible loss last week against the Bills, the Panthers turned things around this week and earned a win to continue their solid season heading into Week 10.