The Carolina Panthers are still sitting atop the NFC South, but Thursday night’s showdown with the Green Bay Packers could reveal whether they’re legitimate playoff contenders or simply benefiting from a struggling division.

Carolina (3-3) visits Lambeau Field for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff on Prime Video, looking to recover from Sunday’s embarrassing 43-13 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Unfortunately for head coach Dave Canales, the Panthers are entering one of their toughest road assignments with significant injury concerns on both sides of the football.

MORE: June Jones Dies at 73: Coaching Legend Changed College Football

The most pressing problem involves protecting quarterback Bryce Young.

Carolina has ruled out starting left guard Damien Lewis with a knee injury, while reserve offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III will miss the game with an ankle injury. Starting right tackle Taylor Moton is already lost for the season, leaving rookie Monroe Freeling facing an enormous challenge.

Young was sacked five times against Tampa Bay and faced pressure on 51.5 percent of his dropbacks.

That doesn’t bode well against a Green Bay defense generating pressure on 38.5 percent of opposing dropbacks without blitzing, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Young has been pressured on 44.3 percent of his dropbacks when defenses rush four or fewer players, the highest rate among qualified quarterbacks.

If Carolina can’t provide better protection, moving the football could become a serious problem.

The defensive injury report isn’t much more encouraging.

Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips will miss his second consecutive game because of a hamstring injury, while cornerback Akayleb Evans has been ruled out with triceps and knee injuries.

Defensive tackle Bobby Brown III is questionable with a hand injury.

Those absences come at a particularly troubling time for a Carolina defense that surrendered 258 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns against Tampa Bay.

Green Bay’s rushing offense, however, has struggled throughout the season.

The Packers are averaging an NFL-worst 2.9 yards per carry and haven’t reached 100 rushing yards in a game.

Veteran running back Josh Jacobs returned last weekend after missing the first six games, giving Green Bay another offensive weapon against a Panthers defense allowing a league-worst 5.2 yards per carry.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love also presents a significant challenge for Carolina’s depleted secondary.

Green Bay has injury concerns of its own, with linebacker Zaire Franklin, center Sean Rhyan and offensive lineman Travis Glover ruled out.

Wide receiver Matthew Golden, defensive tackles Devonte Wyatt and Anthony Campbell, and edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr. are questionable.

The Packers (4-3) are also looking to bounce back after falling 20-17 to Detroit on Sunday.

For Carolina, Thursday represents an opportunity to prove last week’s blowout was an exception rather than a warning sign.

The Panthers won last season’s meeting with Green Bay 16-13 on a last-second Ryan Fitzgerald field goal.

Repeating that result will require a much cleaner performance, particularly in pass protection, run defense and turnovers.

MORE: Bears Land Jeffery Simmons in Blockbuster Trade With Titans

Carolina doesn’t necessarily need an offensive explosion to pull off the upset.

But it absolutely cannot afford another performance like the one it delivered against Tampa Bay.

With the NFC South still wide open, Thursday’s result could say plenty about where the Panthers are headed over the second half of the season.