Historic Lambeau Field sets the stage for a Week 8 "Thursday Night Football" showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, with both teams looking to bounce back after tough losses.
While Green Bay hopes to regain its momentum at home, Carolina heads north at 3-3, sitting at .500 and atop the NFC South despite an embarrassing defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Baker Mayfield’s return. Now, Bryce Young and the Panthers offense will look to put that performance behind them and get back on track against a Green Bay defense that is still without Micah Parsons.
The Packers, meanwhile, saw their three-game winning streak end in Week 7 with a road loss to the Detroit Lions. The defeat sparked plenty of debate surrounding the officiating
and penalties, but Green Bay must turn the page quickly with a short week to prepare.
Both teams enter Thursday night with injuries across their offensive lines, making the trench battle one to watch. However, the Packers get a major boost with Josh Jacobs back for his second game. Green Bay has struggled to establish the run, ranking last in the league at just 59.9 rushing yards per game. Fortunately for the Packers, Carolina’s defense has allowed a league-high 153.2 rushing yards per game, giving Green Bay a prime chance to get the ground game going.
Can the Packers take advantage of the matchup and get back in the win column, or will the Panthers pull off a road upset?
Where to watch NFL game tonight? Packers vs Panthers on 'Thursday Night Football'
Only fans in the Panthers and Packers local markets can watch "Thursday Night Football" on cable television. Here's where those fans can tune in tonight:
- Charlotte (local only): Channel 9 (WSOC)
- Green Bay (local only): NBC26 (WGBA) | Local Milwaukee TV Channel: FOX6 (WITI)
- Live stream (national): Prime Video
Fans outside local markets can watch the Packers vs. Panthers game only on Amazon Prime Video. The streamer remains the exclusive home of "Thursday Night Football."
Watch Thursday Night Football with Prime Video
USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates, highlights, key stats and all the biggest moments as the Packers and Panthers kick off Week 8 on "Thursday Night Football." All times are Eastern:
Where to stream the NFL game tonight
07:15 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom Viera- Live stream (national): Prime Video
Fans can stream the Packers vs. Panthers game on Prime Video, the exclusive home of "Thursday Night Football."
Watch "Thursday Night Football" all season with Prime
Panthers inactives vs Packers
07:00 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraCarolina will be without one of their prized offseason additions, linebacker Jaelan Phillips, tonight. Here's a look at who else the Panthers will not have available tonight against the Packers:
- TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
- OLB Jaelan Phillips
- QB Haynes King (emergency third QB)
- RB AJ Dillon
- G Damien Lewis
- G Torricelli Simpkins
- DT Bobby Brown
Packers inactives vs Panthers
06:58 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraGreen Bay will be without starting linebacker Zaire Franklin. However, wide receiver Matthew Golden is ACTIVE.
- TE Jonnu Smith
- RB Kaleb Johnson
- LB Zaire Franklin
- OL Donovan Jennings
- C Sean Rhyan
- OL Travis Glover
The inactives for today's Week 8 game against the Panthers
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 29, 2026
Packers vs Panthers prediction by A.I.
06:20 PM ET, October 29 2026, Jacob CamenkerGreen Bay Packers 27, Carolina Panthers 17
AI's take: Copilot stated the Packers have more "balance and consistency" than the Panthers, which is leading the chatbot to favor Green Bay at home. It expects the Packers "to create more explosive plays" and "force the Panthers into catch-up mode" on "Thursday Night Football."
Our take: The Panthers remain without their top two cornerbacks, which should give Christian Watson and Matthew Golden plenty of chances to make down-the-field plays. Josh Jacobs can also run roughshod on a Panthers run defense that has struggled this season, so Copilot is probably on the right side here, even if Bryce Young performs better than he did against the Buccaneers last week.
NFL MVP odds
05:45 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraHere's a look at the latest NFL MVP odds entering Week 8:
NFC South standings
05:30 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraThe Carolina Panthers enter tonight's game in first place in the NFC South, where no teams are above .500.
- Carolina Panthers (3-3)
- Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5)
- New Orleans Saints (2-5)
NFC North standings
05:15 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraThe Green Bay Packers enter Week 8 tied for last in the NFC North. The Minnesota Vikings sit atop the standings, undefeated.
- Minnesota Vikings (6-0)
- Chicago Bears (5-2)
- Detroit Lions (4-2)
- Green Bay Packers (4-3)
Packers vs Panthers odds, moneyline
05:01 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraThe Packers are favored to defeat the Panthers, according to the current NFL odds at DraftKings.
- Spread: Packers -3.5 (-112) | Pantherss +3.5 (-108)
- Moneyline: Packers (-190); Panthers (+160)
- Total: OVER 47.5 (-112) | UNDER 47.5 (-108)
Who plays in the NFL game tonight? 'Thursday Night Football' schedule
04:45 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraAll games listed will air on Amazon Prime Video. The Week 12 game will take place on Black Friday instead of Thursday to make room for NBC's primetime Thanksgiving game.
Tonight's NFL game is between the Gren Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers.
- Week 2 – Sept. 17: Buffalo Bills 41, Detroit Lions 31
- Week 3 – Sept. 24: Atlanta Falcons 35, Green Bay Packers 14
- Week 4 – Oct. 1: Cleveland Browns 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24
- Week 5 – Oct. 8: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Dallas Cowboys 16
- Week 6 – Oct. 15: Denver Broncos 17, Seattle Seahawks 14
- Week 7 – Oct. 22: Chicago Bears 30, New England Patriots 24
- Week 8 – Oct. 29: Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers
- Week 9 – Nov. 5: Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 10 – Nov. 12: New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders
- Week 11 – Nov. 19: Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts
- Week 12 – Nov. 27 (Black Friday): Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos
- Week 13 – Dec. 3: Los Angeles Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 14 – Dec. 10: New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings
- Week 15 – Dec. 17: Los Angeles Chargers vs. San Francisco 49ers
- Week 16 – Dec. 24: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Houston Texans
- Week 17 – Dec. 31: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
Packers vs Panthers predictions, picks
04:35 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraHere's how the USA TODAY Sports staff thinks the NFL game tonight will go:
- Jarrett Bell: Panthers, 24-20
- Nick Brinkerhoff: Panthers, 27-23
- Chris Bumbaca: Packers, 28-25
- Nate Davis: Packers, 27-17
- Adam Kaufman: Packers, 23-20
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Packers, 30-17
TV channel for NFL game 'Thursday Night Football'
04:15 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom VieraOnly fans in the Panthers and Packers local markets can watch "Thursday Night Football" on cable television. Here's where those fans can tune in tonight:
- Charlotte (local only): Channel 9 (WSOC)
- Green Bay (local only): NBC26 (WGBA) | Local Milwaukee TV Channel: FOX6 (WITI)
Fans outside local markets can watch the Packers vs. Panthers game only on Amazon Prime Video. The streamer remains the exclusive home of "Thursday Night Football".
What time does the NFL game start tonight?
04:00 PM ET, October 29 2026, Tom Viera- Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
The Packers and Panthers game will kick off Week 8 of the 2026 NFL season with "Thursday Night Football" at 8:15 p.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thursday Night Football live updates, inactives, start time, TV channel, where to watch NFL game tonight
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