Will Carolina Earn Its Third Win At Home This Season?
Our Packers-Panthers Preview Includes In-Depth Analysis Along With A Pick
The Green Bay Packers are sitting at 6-8 on the season. But with three games left and a chance to become over .500 at the end of the season, Green Bay still has a chance at getting into the NFL Playoffs.
They’ll take on the Carolina Panthers, who just won their second game of the season last weekend.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, that’ll likely be the last game they win this year. Unfortunately, their first-round pick won’t even go to them in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With literally nothing to play for, the Panthers are currently +4.5 (-105), with the total for this game sitting at 36.5.
The Packers have been streaky throughout the season. However, Green Bay should have a mostly healthy offense against Carolina. Will that be enough for the Packers to earn their 7th win of the year?
Check out our Packers-Panthers preview for Sunday’s matchup in Carolina.
Green Bay Packers vs Carolina Panthers 
Location: Bank of America Stadium
Day/Time:
Streaming: FOX
Packers-Panthers Preview
The Packers have covered 7 of 14 games this season and have hit the Over in 8 of 14. However, while the Packers have a winning record at home, Green Bay is only 2-5 on the road this year.
They’ll be out on the road against Carolina.
Meanwhile, Carolina has only had two wins this season. But both came at home. The Panthers are 3-9-2 against the spread and have hit the Under in 10 of 14 games this season.
Meanwhile, the Packers have defeated the Panthers in the last two head-to-head matchups. However, the Panthers still covered the last one, losing 24-16 as 9.5-point underdogs in 2020.
Could Joe Barry Lose Defensive Coordinator Position After 2023?
ESPN has confirmed that defensive coordinator Joe Barry is on the hot seat.
The Packers just allowed 34 points to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that pushed the Packers to 6-8 on the season.
Around the industry, the Green Bay defensive coordinator job is on many coaches’ radar.
At 6-6, the Packers allowed 24 points to the Giants with undrafted free agent Tommy DeVito and gave up 34 points to a typically offensively challenged Tampa Bay team.
Barry can reportedly hold onto his job if the defense performs over the next three weeks. However, if the Packers continue to struggle defensively, he’ll likely lose his job in 2024.
The Panthers Love DC Ejiro Evero
The Carolina Panthers are in the process of finding a new head coach for the program after firing Frank Reich from his duties a few weeks ago.
It was said that David Tepper loves to get in the middle of different hires and in-game situations. Apparently, he’s about to do it again.
The Panthers want to have Evero be the defensive coordinator for the future and pair him with an offensive-minded head coach.
Carolina watched Indianapolis do this with Shane Steichen as head coach and Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator. It also happened with the Dolphins, who hired Mike McDaniel as head coach with Josh Boyer as the defensive coordinator.
So far, Evero has done such an impressive job with the Carolina defense. The Panthers rank third in total defense and passing defense despite a lot of nothing from the offense.
We’ll see which direction Carolina goes. But it’s clear that Evero is loved in Carolina.
Can Carolina Score Enough?
It’s the same question every game.
The Carolina Panthers have scored only 14.71 points per game this season. They’ve added just 164.86 yards in the air and another 106.07 yards on the ground per game this season. That has led the Panthers to a 2-12 record.
The Panthers had to hold the Falcons to seven points to earn a 9-7 victory last weekend. That’s how poor the offense has played and how well the defense has looked.
Meanwhile, the Packers have struggled on defense but are still playing solid offense. Green Bay has scored at least 20 points in each of their last five games, while the Panthers haven’t even scored more than 18 points in their previous five games.
The Packers won’t have it easy against Carolina’s improved defense. But Green Bay should score enough points to get by Carolina, even on the road.
The Packers have Adam Jones back in the lineup and could potentially have Christian Watson back as the WR No. 1. Watson hasn’t practiced yet, so his status is still up in the air. However, Jayden Reed has stepped up in his place. He’s now the leading receiver with 592 yards and six touchdowns.
Reed is also a great runner and will have plays that use an end-around. Running against the Panthers has been easier as Carolina’s missed plenty of tackles throughout the season.
Meanwhile, the Packers aren’t too great defensively. But with Barry’s job on the line, expect Green Bay to put it all on the line defensively. They’ve been solid as a pass defense and are better against the run than the Panthers as a whole.
The Panthers are about to finish at the bottom of the NFC Playoff standings. They’ve got no chance and are playing for nothing. Meanwhile, the Packers need this game more than anything. The NFL odds this week have some exciting spots. The NFL point spreads are intriguing, including this one between the Packers and Panthers, with the spread only at -4.5.
After reviewing the Packers-Panthers preview, let’s roll with the Packers at -4.5. The Panthers are cooked!
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