The Green Bay Packers faced a surprising home defeat against the Carolina Panthers, and to make matters worse, they might have lost their standout tight end for the rest of the season.
Tucker Craft sustained a severe knee injury, raising fears that he may have torn his ACL, as reported by ESPN.
During the game, Craft collided with guard Sean Ryan, immediately grimacing and grabbing his right knee before being taken out midway through the third quarter.
He was assisted off the field and subsequently went to the locker room.
Head coach Matt LaFleur commented after the game, “Things aren’t looking good. It’s going to be tough. But that’s football; we’re going to need other guys to step up.”
Before his injury, Craft had recorded 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns this season. Just last week, he impressively had seven catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns in a victory against the Steelers.
“Tuck means a lot,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love shared with reporters. “His leadership and performance on the field have been significant. We’ll see how things go with the injury, but losing him for the rest of the game was a big blow. We have to find a way to keep playing at a high level without him.”
Rookie receiver Matthew Golden also exited the game in the third quarter due to a shoulder injury.
In the game, Love completed 26 out of 37 passes, totaling 273 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. This marked the first game of the season without a touchdown pass for him.
On the flip side, Panthers running back Rico Doodle delivered another impressive performance, racking up 141 all-purpose yards and scoring two touchdowns on 27 touches.
With this loss, the Packers now stand at 5-2-1 for the season, while the Panthers improved to 5-4.
Carolina’s victory bolsters their position in second place in the NFC South, trailing the 6-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Packers continue to lead the NFC North over the Lions and Bears, both sitting at 5-3.
