The Carolina Panthers showed some late fight Thursday night, but another inconsistent performance ended in a 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, dropping Carolina to 3-4 on the season.

The defeat carried immediate consequences. On Friday, head coach Dave Canales announced the dismissal of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, naming defensive line coach Todd Wash interim defensive coordinator.

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Carolina trailed by 17 points in the second half before mounting a comeback, but six sacks allowed, offensive struggles and an inability to get off the field defensively proved costly.

Bryce Young Struggles as Packers Build Lead

Quarterback Bryce Young completed 23 of 41 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception, finishing with a 68.0 passer rating.

The Panthers briefly led 10-6 in the second quarter following a one-yard touchdown run by Chuba Hubbard, but Green Bay responded with 21 unanswered points.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 30 of 41 passes for 288 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His scoring throws went to Tucker Kraft, Matthew Golden and Josh Jacobs.

Christian Watson added eight receptions for 113 yards, repeatedly testing Carolina’s injury-depleted secondary.

Green Bay built a 27-10 advantage before Carolina finally responded.

Late Panthers Comeback Falls Short

The Panthers trimmed the deficit with a 50-yard field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald before Young connected with Jalen Coker for a 26-yard touchdown on fourth-and-three with 5:37 remaining.

The ensuing two-point conversion failed, leaving Carolina trailing 27-19.

The Panthers got another opportunity after a defensive stop but turned the ball over on downs near midfield with 2:41 remaining.

Carolina’s final possession also ended without a score.

Hubbard provided one of the few offensive bright spots, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries while adding seven receptions for 38 yards.

Rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught six passes for 58 yards.

Carolina finished with just 258 total yards and converted only five of 18 third-down opportunities.

Canales Fires Evero, Cooley After Loss

Although Carolina limited Green Bay to just 66 rushing yards and forced three turnovers, the defense continued to struggle in critical situations.

The Packers converted nine of 16 third downs, while Love operated without being sacked.

Those problems were followed by a significant coaching shakeup Friday morning.

Canales parted ways with Evero and Cooley, placing Wash in charge of defensive play-calling.

Wash brings 31 years of coaching experience, including 20 in the NFL. He previously served as Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator from 2016 through 2020, overseeing the Jaguars’ second-ranked defense during their 2017 AFC Championship Game run.

Outside linebackers coach AC Carter will expand his duties to include the defensive line, while Renaldo Hill remains responsible for the secondary.

Up Next: Panthers Host Denver Broncos

Carolina gets an extended break before returning home to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

The matchup will mark Wash’s first game directing the Panthers defense.

Denver presents another important test for Carolina’s offensive line, which must improve after allowing six sacks against Green Bay.

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For Young and the Panthers offense, protecting the quarterback and sustaining drives will be priorities. Defensively, Wash must find ways to improve third-down execution without sacrificing the run defense that performed well against the Packers.

With Carolina sitting at 3-4, the next game offers an opportunity to begin reversing the team’s recent slide.

But after Friday’s sweeping coaching changes, the pressure to produce immediate results has only increased.