The Carolina Panthers have a golden opportunity to take advantage of one of the NFL's worst pass-blocking offensive lines when they face the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football.
Unfortunately, their own injury problems could make that easier said than done.
According to ESPN Insights, Green Bay ranks dead last in the NFL with a 31 percent pass-block win rate, a concerning number for an offense led by quarterback Jordan Love.
Carolina Panthers' edge injuries could waste a chance against Packers flawed protection
And with the Packers dealing with multiple injuries along their offensive line, Carolina should have plenty of opportunities to get after Love.
The problem? The Panthers are dealing with some pretty significant injuries of their own, including to their biggest pass-rushing addition of the offseason.
The Panthers have struggled to generate consistent pressure this season, but an injured, struggling offensive line should give them a chance to change that.
And they'll need to.
Love is averaging 279.7 passing yards per game, ranking fourth in the NFL. He can pick apart a defense when given enough time in the pocket.
That's a little concerning for a Carolina secondary already dealing with injuries to stud cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Sr.
The Panthers simply cannot afford to let Love sit comfortably in the pocket all night.
Carolina Panthers must get creative to pressure Jordan Love
Unfortunately for Carolina, taking advantage of Green Bay's offensive line could be much harder without Jaelan Phillips, who missed Week 7 with a hamstring injury and didn't practice over the first two days.
Carolina also placed outside linebacker Thomas Incoom on injured reserve and promoted Nick Hampton to the active roster, leaving the Panthers with even fewer edge options.
That puts considerably more pressure on second-year pro Princely Umanmielen and veteran Patrick Jones II.
And with defensive lineman Bobby Brown III also dealing with a hand injury, Carolina could be shorthanded at multiple spots on its front seven.
That's a tough position to be in against a quarterback like Love.
The Panthers have a clear opportunity to attack Green Bay's offensive line, particularly along the interior, but someone actually has to capitalize on it.
Umanmielen has shown flashes, and this could be his best opportunity yet to prove he can handle a larger role. Jones also has a chance to make an impact against a struggling offensive line.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero could also dial up pressure to compensate for the missing bodies, though that comes with risks given the injuries in Carolina's secondary.
And that's what makes this matchup so frustrating from the Panthers' perspective.
Green Bay's offensive line is practically inviting opposing defenses to get after Love, yet Carolina may not have enough healthy pass rushers to take full advantage.
With the Panthers looking to bounce back from an embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this prime-time matchup should tell us plenty about whether Carolina's defense can overcome its mounting injuries.
If Carolina can't generate pressure against this Packers offensive line, it's hard to imagine things getting much easier moving forward.
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