Squirrel’s Nuts & Bolts: Panthers - Packers TNF Showdown Strategy (Week 8 NFL DFS)

Oct 29, 2026

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 8 of the NFL season kicks off with an NFC Showdown between the Panthers and the Packers at Lambeau Field. Kickoff is 8:15 PM ET, and the Packers are favored by 3.5 points at home, with the total set at 47.5 points.

The Packers are 4-3 after a 20-17 loss in Detroit on a field goal as time expired, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Jordan Love is second in the league with 1,958 passing yards to go with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, but the Packers are last in the league in rushing yards and are averaging 2.9 yards per carry. Josh Jacobs returned from the commissioner’s exempt list on Sunday and played 52% of the snaps, running 11 times for 36 yards and catching five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. Christian Watson leads the team with 595 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and Matthew Golden (shoulder/foot) leads the team with 69 targets. Golden is questionable after a limited practice on Wednesday, but he is expected to play. The offensive line will be without center Sean Rhyan and right guard Travis Glover tonight.

The Panthers are 3-3 and lead the NFC South despite back-to-back home losses by 31 and 30 points, including a 43-13 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. Bryce Young has 1,712 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in six games, and the Panthers are sixth in the league at 26.5 points per game, but Young was sacked five times and threw two interceptions on Sunday. Chuba Hubbard is 13th in the league with 459 rushing yards, and he has scored six touchdowns in six games, but he ran just seven times for 33 yards in the blowout. Tetairoa McMillan leads the team with 55 targets, 36 catches, and 511 receiving yards, and Jalen Coker has 328 receiving yards in five games. The Panthers’ offensive line is without left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, right tackle Taylor Moton, and guard Damien Lewis, and the Packers’ defense leads the league with nine interceptions.

This Showdown gives us a 47.5-point total, Jacobs back in the lead role, and a Panthers offense with a lot to prove after two lopsided losses. Let’s break down this Thursday night NFC Showdown, highlight the key plays, and uncover the strategies that could help you climb the leaderboards.