Packers make NFL history in beating Panthers on 'TNF' - Packers Wire

The Green Bay Packers made NFL history in beating the Carolina Panthers on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 8.

Two meaningful things happened: The Packers won, improving their record to 5-3 after eight games, and the offense rushed for only 66 yards, bringing the team's season total to 485 yards.

The history made, per the Prime Video broadcast and confirmed via Pro Football Reference: The Packers became the first team in NFL history to have a winning record despite rushing for fewer than 500 yards during the first eight games of a season.

Dating back to 1935, only 13 teams have rushed for fewer than 500 yards in the first eight games of a season. Those teams were a combined 18-86 after eight games. Five of the teams were 0-8. The only team to come close to a winning record was the 2005 Philadelphia Eagles, who were 4-4 and ended up 6-10.

On Thursday night, the Packers gave Josh Jacobs 21 rushing attempts against the NFL's worst rushing defense entering Week 8, but the runs gained only 39 yards. Jacobs became the first player in the NFL since 2023 and first Packer since 2012 to rush at least 20 times and gain fewer than 40 rushing yards in a game. The Packers still haven't had a rusher gain more than 42 yards in a game this season.

But despite the issues running the ball, the Packers are winning games. Thursday night's win was the Packers' fourth in the last five games. Jordan Love and the passing game has carried the load, although Jacobs did score a 1-yard rushing touchdown on Thursday night.

Coach Matt LaFleur said the run game is "not good enough."

"That's an area of emphasis we have to improve on because it puts a lot of pressure on our pass game. We have to find something we can hang our hat on in the run game and unfortunately we have not done that yet."

Can the Packers overcome a historically bad run game and make a playoff run?

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