GREEN BAY, Wis. — Rico Dowdle ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Fitzgerald split the uprights from 49 yards as time expired. Green Bay reached Carolina’s red zone six times and walked off Lambeau Field with one touchdown.
Panthers 16, Packers 13. Final. November 2, 2025.
Carolina arrived at Lambeau as a 13-point underdog. The Panthers won anyway, snapping Green Bay’s three-game winning streak and climbing to 5-4 for the first time all season. The Packers, who had committed just three turnovers in their first seven games, coughed up two in one afternoon at the worst possible times.
Table of Contents
Game Information
| Date | November 2, 2025 |
| Venue | Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI |
| Attendance | 77,864 |
| Weather | 47°F, 15 mph wind, 53% humidity |
| Vegas Line | Packers -13.0 |
| Over/Under | 43.0 (went under, 29 combined) |
| Broadcast | FOX |
| Records After | Panthers 5-4 / Packers 5-2-1 |
Score by Quarter
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 16 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
Scoring Summary
| Q | Time | Team | Play | CAR | GNB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 7:53 | GNB | Brandon McManus 49-yd FG | 0 | 3 |
| 2nd | 2:22 | CAR | Rico Dowdle 5-yd rush (Fitzgerald kick good) | 7 | 3 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | GNB | Brandon McManus 27-yd FG | 7 | 6 |
| 3rd | 2:12 | CAR | Rico Dowdle 1-yd rush (Fitzgerald kick failed) | 13 | 6 |
| 4th | 2:32 | GNB | Josh Jacobs 1-yd run (McManus kick good) | 13 | 13 |
| 4th | 0:01 | CAR | Ryan Fitzgerald 49-yd FG (walk-off) | 16 | 13 |
How Green Bay Lost a Game It Should Have Won
The Packers finished with 369 total yards against Carolina’s 265. Jordan Love completed 26 of 37 passes for 273 yards on his 27th birthday. Green Bay converted 54% of its third downs and controlled possession for over 30 minutes. On paper, they dominated.
The Packers still lost, and the scoreboard tells you exactly why.
Red zone failures
Green Bay drove inside the Carolina 35 on five of its first six possessions and came away with two Brandon McManus field goals. In the third quarter, McManus missed a 43-yarder that would have put the Packers ahead. Later, facing fourth-and-8 from the Carolina 13 while trailing 13-6, LaFleur passed on a short field goal attempt. Love threw across the field toward the end zone. Carolina’s Michael Jackson dropped it, but the damage was done. Green Bay got nothing.
Six red zone possessions. One touchdown. A 20% red zone conversion rate in a three-point game.
“Hindsight’s 20-20,” LaFleur said. “I wish we would have taken the points. Didn’t do that there. Bad decision.”
Two turnovers at the worst times
Green Bay had combined for just three turnovers all season entering November 2, tied with Philadelphia for the league’s lowest total. The Packers gave up two against Carolina.
Savion Williams fumbled on Green Bay’s opening drive, erasing what looked like a certain scoring opportunity. Then, in the third quarter with the Packers trailing 7-6, Love tried to hit Christian Watson deep over the middle. Linebacker Tre’von Moehrig stepped in front of the throw, intercepted it at the Packers’ 26, and returned it 36 yards. Carolina scored four plays later.
“I think everybody was feeling that as an offense,” Love said. “First half, we were limited in possessions. Those games, you have to maximize every time you’re on the field. We didn’t do that.”
Dowdle, Fitzgerald, and the Coin Toss That Changed the Game
Dave Canales had publicly named Dowdle as the primary ball carrier before kickoff. Running behind an offensive line dealing with injuries, against a Packers defense ranked third in the NFL against the run, Dowdle averaged 5.2 yards per carry and reached the end zone twice.
“From carry one, it was attitude, it was aggression and violence at the end of it,” Canales said. “It really does affect the group. It affects the whole sideline when they see that kind of energy. That kind of violence, it gives them confidence. It’s who we want to be.”
His second touchdown, a 1-yard run in the third quarter after Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon was flagged for defensive pass interference on third-and-goal, put Carolina ahead 13-6. Dowdle then drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag for a hip-thrust celebration, a reference to a Key and Peele sketch. The 15-yard penalty moved Fitzgerald’s extra-point attempt back to the Packers’ 30, turning a standard kick into a 48-yard shot into a swirling headwind. The kick fell well short.
Green Bay tied it on Jacobs’ 1-yard touchdown run with 2:32 left. On Carolina’s first play after the kickoff, Dowdle took a second-and-10 handoff from his own 31 and broke off 19 yards up the middle to midfield. That set Fitzgerald up for a 49-yard attempt with the wind at his back.
“I just wanted to make up for it,” Dowdle said. “So I knew I had to come out there and keep putting my best foot forward, because I didn’t want that to end up biting us.”
The wind advantage was not a coincidence. Carolina won the coin toss before the game and, against standard practice, elected to receive. Special teams coordinator Tracy Smith had suggested the move specifically to ensure Fitzgerald would kick with the wind in the fourth quarter.
“He and I were talking before the game and he was like, ‘If we take the ball, we can set ourselves up to have the ball with the wind to our backs to finish the game to give us the opportunity,'” Canales said. “And it played out just like that.”
It was Fitzgerald’s second walk-off field goal of his rookie season. He had also converted a 33-yarder to beat Dallas 30-27 on October 12.
“I think there is a sort of comfort level from the fact that I’ve done it before,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m still learning new experiences. Tough environment on the road this week, tough conditions.”
Passing Stats
| Player | CMP | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SK-YDS | QBR | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Young (CAR) | 11 | 20 | 102 | 5.1 | 0 | 1 | 1-0 | 38.3 | 48.3 |
| Jordan Love (GNB) | 26 | 37 | 273 | 7.4 | 0 | 1 | 1-8 | 63.8 | 80.1 |
Young was pressured on 26.1% of his dropbacks and threw a second-quarter interception to Xavier McKinney in the end zone. His two scrambles went for nine yards and helped Carolina extend drives. Love averaged 9.0 yards per target and had five explosive pass plays (15-plus yards) but could not cash in when the Packers reached scoring range.
Rushing Stats
Carolina Panthers
| Player | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | 25 | 130 | 5.2 | 2 | 29 | 7 |
| Chuba Hubbard | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Bryce Young | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Jimmy Horn Jr. | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Team | 33 | 163 | 4.9 | 2 | 29 | 11 |
Green Bay Packers
| Player | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Jacobs | 17 | 87 | 5.1 | 1 | 18 | 6 |
| Emanuel Wilson | 6 | 16 | 2.7 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Jordan Love | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Team | 25 | 104 | 4.2 | 1 | 18 | 7 |
Carolina’s run game finished at 96th percentile EPA per rushing play per PFF. Dowdle broke three tackles on 25 carries and generated 87 yards before contact. Jacobs carried 17 times for 87 yards and a touchdown for Green Bay, adding four receptions out of the backfield for 13 yards.
Receiving Stats
Carolina Panthers
| Player | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tetairoa McMillan | 4 | 6 | 46 | 11.5 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Xavier Legette | 1 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 22 | 7 |
| Rico Dowdle | 2 | 3 | 11 | 5.5 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
| Jalen Coker | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Brycen Tremayne | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| Ja’Tavion Sanders | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Jimmy Horn Jr. | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tommy Tremble | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Chuba Hubbard | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Team | 11 | 20 | 102 | 9.3 | 0 | 22 |
Green Bay Packers
| Player | REC | TGT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romeo Doubs | 7 | 10 | 91 | 13.0 | 0 | 30 | 12 |
| Christian Watson | 2 | 4 | 58 | 29.0 | 0 | 52 | 1 |
| Luke Musgrave | 3 | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 0 | 21 | 11 |
| Chris Brooks | 2 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 16 | 23 |
| Tucker Kraft | 2 | 3 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 8 |
| Josh Jacobs | 4 | 5 | 13 | 3.3 | 0 | 7 | 15 |
| Savion Williams | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| Malik Heath | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 6 |
| Matthew Golden | 2 | 3 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| Emanuel Wilson | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Team | 26 | 37 | 273 | 10.5 | 0 | 52 |
Romeo Doubs led all receivers with seven catches for 91 yards on 10 targets. Watson’s two catches for 58 yards included a 52-yard gain in the second quarter, the longest play of the game. Tucker Kraft caught two balls for 20 yards before leaving in the third quarter with a knee injury that LaFleur said “doesn’t look good.”
Defense Stats
Carolina Panthers
| Player | TOT | SOLO | AST | SK | TFL | PD | INT | INT YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Rozeboom | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Trevin Wallace | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tershawn Wharton | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Lathan Ransom | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Michael Jackson | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tre’von Moehrig | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 36 |
| Nic Scourton | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Derrick Brown | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Jaycee Horn | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Nick Scott | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Trevis Gipson | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| A’Shawn Robinson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Green Bay Packers
| Player | TOT | SOLO | AST | SK | TFL | PD | INT | INT YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier McKinney | 9 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Edgerrin Cooper | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Evan Williams | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Quay Walker | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Devonte Wyatt | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Keisean Nixon | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Karl Brooks | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Carrington Valentine | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Javon Bullard | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Micah Parsons | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Rashan Gary | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Kingsley Enagbare | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Xavier McKinney was the standout defensive performer on either roster. The Green Bay safety totaled nine tackles, one sack, one interception (end zone, second quarter), and one forced fumble, finishing with a 90.5 PFF grade. Tershawn Wharton led Carolina’s pass rush with one sack and four total pressures. Moehrig earned a 77.9 PFF grade after his interception set up the Panthers’ go-ahead score.
Special Teams and Kicking
Field Goals and Extra Points
| Player | FGM-A | FG% | LONG | XPM-A | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzgerald (CAR) | 1-1 | 100% | 49 | 1-2 | 4 |
| Brandon McManus (GNB) | 2-3 | 66.7% | 49 | 1-1 | 7 |
McManus made from 49 and 27 yards but missed from 43 in the third quarter. Fitzgerald’s missed extra point after Dowdle’s second touchdown was a 48-yard attempt into the wind following the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Punting
| Player | NO | YDS | AVG | LG | In 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Martin (CAR) | 3 | 134 | 44.7 | 51 | 1 |
| Green Bay | — | — | — | — | — |
Returns
| Player | Type | NO | YDS | AVG | LG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Etienne (CAR) | Kick Return | 3 | 70 | 23.3 | 27 | 0 |
| Savion Williams (GNB) | Kick Return | 3 | 68 | 22.7 | 33 | 0 |
| Romeo Doubs (GNB) | Punt Return | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 6 | 0 |
Full Team Stats
| Stat | CAR | GNB |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 265 | 369 |
| Rushing Yards | 163 | 104 |
| Net Passing Yards | 102 | 265 |
| Total Plays | 54 | 63 |
| Yards per Play | 4.9 | 5.9 |
| First Downs | 19 | 20 |
| Rushing First Downs | 11 | 7 |
| Passing First Downs | 6 | 13 |
| Penalty First Downs | 2 | 0 |
| Third Down | 4-10 (40%) | 7-13 (54%) |
| Fourth Down | 2-2 (100%) | 2-3 (67%) |
| Red Zone | 2-3 (67%) | 1-6 (17%) |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Fumbles Lost | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost | 1-0 | 1-8 |
| Penalties-Yards | 5-39 | 7-42 |
| Time of Possession | 29:50 | 30:10 |
| Avg EPA per Play | +0.073 | +0.053 |
In-Game Injuries
Green Bay Packers
| Player | Position | Injury | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucker Kraft | TE | Knee (carted off) | Q3 |
| Matthew Golden | WR | Shoulder | Q3 |
| Aaron Banks | G | Stinger | Q2 |
| Colby Wooden | DL | Shoulder | Q4 |
Carolina Panthers
| Player | Position | Injury | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler Zavala | G | Elbow | Q1 |
| Trevin Wallace | LB | Undisclosed | Q4 |
Kraft’s injury was the most significant news out of either locker room. “It doesn’t look good,” LaFleur said. “It’s going to be tough, but it’s football. Other guys are going to have to step up.”
What the Final Score Actually Reflects
Green Bay gained 104 more yards than Carolina. The Packers ran more plays, held the ball longer, and had their quarterback throw for 273 yards. They still went home having lost.
The Carolina Panthers vs Green Bay Packers final score was a direct product of one number: Red zone efficiency. Green Bay got in six times and scored once. Carolina got in three times and scored twice, with Fitzgerald adding the field goal that ended it. In a game decided by a field goal with no time left, that gap between the two teams in scoring position was everything.
Carolina left Wisconsin having beaten a Packers team that had every reason to win at home against a two-score underdog. The Panthers ground out 163 rushing yards, made the right call on the coin flip, and had a rookie kicker stand at the Lambeau 31 with no time on the clock and deliver.
For Green Bay, the game put a spotlight on a red zone problem that the yardage totals tend to hide. A team that moved the ball consistently all season committed two costly turnovers and passed up points on a fourth-down gamble that came up empty.
“I think everybody was feeling that as an offense,” Love said. “Those games, you have to maximize every time you’re on the field. We didn’t do that.”
Statistics sourced from Pro Football Reference, Pro Football Focus, and ESPN. Game played November 2, 2025, at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI.
