The Green Bay Packers continue to frustrate fans by failing to play up to their lofty standards. For a team that has impressed during most of this 2025 season, what was supposed to be an exciting return home to Lambeau Field against the Carolina Panthers quickly soured into a very gloomy afternoon. Here are three key takeaways from the Packers’ first home loss of the year.

#1: Dismal Red Zone Play Dooms Green Bay Packers Offense

Entering Sunday, Green Bay had a 70% TD rate when entering the red zone, one of the highest marks in the league. Quarterback Jordan Love was in the upper tier of passers in red zone completion percentage.

However, against Carolina, the team went just 1 for 5. In the first half, a Savion Williams red zone fumble started the day off on the wrong foot. Later, Jordan Love threw multiple incompletions and Matt LaFleur chose to kick a field goal on 4th & 6 at the Carolina 8 yard line.

The 8 yard line was a site of issues for the Packers in the 4th quarter as well. On 3rd & 3, Emanuel Wilson got the ball and ran for -5 yards on what was a massive play in the game. Down 13-6, the Packers then turned it over on downs on the ensuing 4th & 8.

While part of the issues were obviously execution-related, the play-calling can also be questioned. As much as LaFleur has the reputation of an elite play-designer, his situational play-calling and play-call sequencing continues to feel like it needs improvement.

10 points on 5 red zone trips is absolutely abysmal. This kind of outing is what makes one of the more talented squads in the NFL a beatable team.

#2: Defensive Line Takes a Step Back

Although they only gave up 16 points, the defense did not have a good day. QB Bryce Young barely passed for 100 yards, but the Panthers averaged 5 yards per carry on their way to 163 rushing yards. Lead back Rico Dowdle specifically averaged 5.2 yards a carry on 25 totes, scoring both Panthers touchdowns.

Carolina is one of the better running teams in the NFL, but the Packers still routinely failed to get the stops they needed in critical running situations. The Packers gave up 11 rushing first downs and were consistently getting pushed back at the line of scrimmage.

While the overall unit played below par, it was Micah Parsons who had a truly poor day. While also being culpable in an underwhelming day against the run, Parsons failed to impact the game as a pass rusher and was locked down by Panthers tackle Icky Ekwonu. #0 failed to record a single pressure in the game, something he has never done before.

Micah Parsons had zero pressures across 21 pass rushes in Packers’ loss to Panthers, marking his first career game without a pressure, per @NextGenStatshttps://t.co/KZK4WGAsmU pic.twitter.com/x7X2pTEUjg

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) November 3, 2025

The team once again had 0 sack yards, as the lone QB takedown by Xavier McKinney netted 0 yards. The issues in the secondary are well documented, the defensive line not carrying their weight is even more concerning.

#3: Tucker Kraft-Sized Hole Means It’s Now or Never For Young Skill Position Players

Arguably more depressing than the loss itself was the fact that star TE Tucker Kraft when down with a serious knee injury that, the following day, was declared to be an ACL tear. Kraft was on his way to an All-Pro season and now is going to be missing the rest of the season. With 489 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns on the year, Kraft led the team in both categories.

At the tight end spot, Luke Musgrave is obviously going to have to step up in a major way. He has shown the ability to be a weapon, particularly in 2023 during his rookie season, but now he is going to have to level up his game even more.

More realistically, it will be the young wide receivers who are going to need to pick up the slack for Kraft. Matthew Golden and Savion Williams, both of whom had forgettable afternoons on Sunday, are going to have to grow up fast if the Packers are going to continue being a Super Bowl threat.

With Golden in particular, much of his hype so far this season has been about how he has been a good separator, or near-miss highlights of what could have been. It’s now time for him to actually produce like a first-round receiver.

Golden’s fellow first-rounders Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka have had no issues producing as primary options on their respective teams. While it wasn’t fair to compare Golden’s situation to theirs, Green Bay is now in a situation where they need a player of Golden’s caliber to rise to the occasion and help Christian Watson be a focal point of the passing attack.

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