GREEN BAY – A frantic fourth-quarter comeback attempt put the Green Bay Packers two plays away from tying the game. For the first three quarters, though, the Carolina Panthers dominated the Packers and appeared to be a vastly superior team.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from the Packers’ 37-29 loss.

1. Not playing up to the competition, yet again

Green Bay’s early-season schedule was relatively easy. It consisted of four home games, and not one of those six opponents is currently in the playoff picture – though Seattle will likely climb its way into contention.

The real test for the Packers was going to come after the bye week. That’s when trips to then-undefeated Denver and 7-0 Carolina were on the docket. The test against the Broncos was failed miserably by Green Bay in every facet of the game. For three quarters against the Panthers, it was arguably even worse.

Three of the Packers’ next four games are against the 1-7 Detroit Lions and the 2-5 Chicago Bears. Winning those games isn’t going to change the fact that when Green Bay played two top NFL teams, seven of the eight quarters were barely competitive.

The next real challenge for the Packers will be on Nov. 22 when they go to Minnesota to face a Vikings team that is now tied with them atop the NFC North standings.

2. Defensive issues on the field

The good news for Dom Capers’ group is that they didn’t give up 500 yards this week. However, giving up 427 isn’t much better. As a result, the Packers once again lost the time of possession battle.

Over the past three games, Green Bay has allowed 1,475 yards.

The Packers didn’t record a single sack against Cam Newton. A week earlier against Peyton Manning, Green Bay didn’t record a sack. In those two games, the Packers combined to have just five quarterback hits.

Aside from Damarious Randall recording interceptions in back-to-back games, the secondary has had little positive impact for Green Bay.

Just about everything has gone wrong for the Packers defensively over the past month, and it certainly didn’t get any better in Carolina.

3. Defensive issues off the field

And then there’s what happened on the sideline. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix approached the area of the bench where linebackers and defensive linemen were sitting. Clinton-Dix addressed Julius Peppers, forcing the veteran to stand up in a confrontational manner. B.J. Raji took exception, forcefully shoving Clinton-Dix away from the area.

Some will interpret that as a positive, that the players were actually showing emotion and how much their poor play was bothering them. That could be true. What’s also true, though, is that tension is obviously boiling over on Green Bay’s defense.

4. James Starks > Eddie Lacy

Huh? When did this happen?

Lacy was in the conversation to be among the top five running backs in the NFL entering the 2015 season. Now he can’t get playing time over Starks?

Over the past four games, Lacy has 33 carries for 78 yards (2.36 average). Add in a fumble in three consecutive games, and yeah, that’s enough to get a player benched.

The Packers are fortunate that they have such a capable backup ready to step in, because Starks has done a phenomenal job throughout Lacy’s slump. Starks’ biggest contribution in Carolina was as a pass-catcher, finishing with six receptions for 83 yards.

Still, the situation with Lacy is bizarre. Have weight issues caught up to him? Is he out of shape? Or is this just an incredibly forgettable stretch in his career?

For at least a while going forward, Lacy will find himself No. 2 on the depth chart behind Starks. There’s no way anyone saw that coming when the season began.

5. Aaron Rodgers’ frustration, opportunity for leadership

Rodgers is the best player on the team. He’s a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and one of the best players in the world. With that amount of talent – and a $20-million-per-season contract – comes immense expectations.

Upon looking at the pictures on the sideline, Rodgers saw how open Randall Cobb was in the end zone on the final play of the Packers’ comeback attempt in Carolina. He threw the tablet device to the ground and covered his head with his hands. The frustration had come to the surface.

At some point, this final result of this season will be determined by how far Rodgers can take the Packers. He isn’t getting Jordy Nelson back, and Green Bay isn’t getting "playmaking" moments out of its offensive players with nearly enough frequency.

Can Rodgers find a way to lead the offense back to consistent success? It falls on him to do so.