On Thursday night, the planets will align in a very specific way. And that could lead to more than a few penalties being called.
When the Panthers and Packers open Week 8, the game will pit the most-penalized team (the Packers, 9.3 per game) against the fourth most-penalized team (the Panthers, 8.7 per game). The Panthers also lead the league in penalty yards per game (79.2), while the Packers are second at 78.0 yards per game.
On top of that, referee Scott Novak’s crew leads the league in penalties called per game (22.7) and penalties accepted per game (20.1).
Throw the ingredients together, and there could be a stew of stoppages on Thursday night.
Either way, it’s something to monitor. Will the Packers and Panthers continue to draw an excess of penalty flags? Will Novak and crew continue to be flag-happy?
It could be a good idea to take a nap tomorrow afternoon. Thursday night’s game could last a little longer than usual.
Wide receiver Matthew Golden moved up to a limited listing on Wednesday’s injury report and the Packers are hoping to have him in the lineup on Thursday night as well.
Golden is listed as questionable to face the Panthers because of shoulder and foot injuries. His participation level was an estimation as the Packers never held more than a walkthrough this week and three defensive players join Golden with questionable tags.
Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (ankle), defensive tackle Anthony Campbell (ankle), and defensive end Brenton Cox (quad) are also in that category. All three of them were listed as limited practice participants as well.
Linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin), offensive lineman Travis Glover (knee), and center Sean Rhyan (ankle) have been ruled out for this week.
The Panthers will be shorthanded on defense in Green Bay on Thursday night.
Linebacker Jaelan Phillips was one of two defensive players ruled out on the team’s final injury report of the week. Phillips also missed last Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers with a hamstring injury. Phillips has 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hits in his five appearances this season.
Cornerback Akayleb Evans (triceps, knee) is also out and that leaves the Panthers with two healthy cornerbacks on the 53-man roster Will Lee and Chau Smith-Wade will likely be joined by reinforcements from the practice squad before Thursday’s game gets underway.
The offense will be missing left guard Damien Lewis (knee) and reserve lineman Torricelli Simpkins (ankle).
Defensive tackle Bobby Brown (hand) is the only player listed as questionable. Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald was added to the report with an illness on Wednesday, but he has no injury designation.
Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin will miss another game. It’s not a surprise given the Packers play on Thursday night.
Coach Matt LaFleur announced Tuesday that Franklin will not play against the Panthers.
Franklin missed last week’s game after getting accidentally kicked in Thursday’s practice. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his leg.
The Packers did not place him on injured reserve, believing he can return after missing fewer than four games.
Franklin ranks third on the team in tackles (41) and has two quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Ty’Ron Hopper took Franklin’s spot in the lineup on Sunday, and Isaiah McDuffie wore the green dot in Franklin’s stead.
The Panthers have the worst run defense in the NFL, and head coach Dave Canales knows what that means for opposing teams game planning against them.
Up next for the Panthers is a game on Thursday night against the Packers, who have the most pass-heavy offense in the NFL. Canales said today that after giving up 258 rushing yards on Sunday against the Buccaneers, he knows that the Packers will be excited by the opportunity to play against them. That means both trying to run the ball with Josh Jacobs, and trying to have Jordan Love beat them deep if the Panthers overcompensate for their run defense struggles by stacking the box.
“Collectively, as a group, we have to be locked in to what they’re going to try to do and how they’re going to attack us,” Canales said. “I’m sure they’re watching the game and they’re seeing 250 yards on the ground, and that’s got to be appealing. For me, as an offensive-minded coach, I think about that and say, ‘We can set some things up down the field by making sure we have a run game going.’ That would be my approach, so I do expect them to run the ball, and we do expect Jordan to heave the ball down the field just like he does, and challenge the back half of our defense as well.”
The Packers, who have only had Jacobs for one game this season, have not run the ball well. Having the Panthers’ defense come to town could be just the thing to fix that.
