Packers Periscope: Week 10 vs Carolina Panthers

The Packers are in the middle of their toughest stretch of the season. First, they took care of business against the Chiefs but then laid an egg against the Chargers. This week, the Panthers are on the slate, and the currently undefeated 49ers await after next week’s bye. A win Sunday would be huge for Green Bay, so at worst they would be 2-2 if their matchup in San Francisco ends in a loss.

It is conceivable the Packers are about to face their top opponents in back to back weeks. Carolina is 5-1 without Cam Newton as second-year quarterback Kyle Allen has done a nice job in his absence. Some even suggest the team should move on from Newton in the offseason but, that’s a hard gamble. The last time these teams faced, Newton was playing at a very high level like he always seems to do against Green Bay.

Overall, the Packers lead the all-time series 9-6 including six of the last 10. They most recently met the Panthers in what was a drama-filled game two years ago. Aaron Rodgers returned for the first time after sitting out the previous seven games with a broken collarbone. Rodgers was nowhere near 100 percent, but he kept Green Bay in it until the very end. Newton led the way with four passing touchdowns to zero interceptions in a 31-24 win. As a rookie, Christian McCaffrey totaled 63 yards on the ground and 73 yards through the air.

McCaffrey has been practically unstoppable in 2019, and he poses the biggest threat to the Packers’ hopes of winning this week. 881 rushing yards, 363 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns put him as a legitimate MVP candidate.  On the other hand, he’s pretty much all that Carolina has on offense. So if Green Bay manages to limit him, they should like their chances. Easier said than done.

The Panthers’ have a productive defense, which is to be expected under Ron Rivera. They’re 19th in the league in total defense, however, they lead the NFL in sacks and are third in takeaways. Carolina compares favorably to the Packers as a team who can make plays but can’t seem to stop anyone from moving the ball. The game may come down to which defense can create a turnover or force a stop at the right time.

Green Bay enters this game under tough scrutiny after what happened in Los Angeles. Rodgers said he is confident the team will respond based on the character of the locker room. That’s definitely what you want to hear from your franchise quarterback, but that loss to the Chargers is a black eye on a good first half of the season. The Packers put up zero fight until it was too late and got dominated in every meaningful category.

They probably wish they weren’t trying to bounce back a 5-3 Panthers team that is vying to be one of the two teams in the wildcard out of the NFC. This is about as meaningful a game can get at this point in the year with each team hoping for a marquee win midseason.

 

 

 

Brandon Carwile is a Packers writer who also enjoys watching and breaking down film. Follow him on Twitter @PackerScribe.

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Comments (33)

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BoCallahan's picture

November 08, 2019 at 12:51 pm

This has been the longest week of the year, having to deal with that mess-of-a-game last Sunday. We can finally start reading articles which look forward to the Panthers. I hope the Pack is able to right the ship and get back in the win column. Can’t wait to see how the players and coaches respond with renewed intensity.
Go Pack Go!!

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Leatherhead's picture

November 08, 2019 at 06:49 pm

You're never as good or as bad as you might have looked. The smart money would say "Packers offense won't be bad two weeks in a row", because there's a lot of talent and pride and they know they laid a Cleveland Steamer last week. I think that we're going to see a real good Packer offense this Sunday.

McCaffrey is a hard guy to tackle. We're going to miss some tackles, and Martinez is going to have a hard time covering him......just like everybody else this year. But if the offense goes out and hits 30+, like they SHOULD do, then we're going to come out on top.\

The Panthers aren't as awesome as their 5-1 stretch without Newton might suggest. They've beaten bad teams, and SF beat them by 40 points.

I think we'll win this game and go into the bye week at 8-2 and I think everybody is surprised and happy about that.

The 49ers have a stretch now of Seattle, Arizona, Green Bay, New Orleans, and the Ravens. And they finish in Seattle. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that SF loses some games and maybe finishes with the same record as GB.

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Lare's picture

November 08, 2019 at 02:01 pm

It all comes down to which Packers team shows up on Sunday- the one that does everything right or the one that can't do anything right.

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stockholder's picture

November 08, 2019 at 02:52 pm

After that poor performance last week. They need to Win. Also per your picture: The rumors of MM have started. He is ready to return. He is putting a staff together. He too is reviewing tape week to week now.

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Tundraboy's picture

November 08, 2019 at 06:17 pm

Reviewing tape. Why? To see how far the game has passed him by?

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Leatherhead's picture

November 09, 2019 at 08:57 am

Nice dig at the former coach who got us to the playoffs 8 years in a row. We’ll see if that happens again in our lives.

McCarthy is a solid coach and he’s going to win a lot more games in this league.

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porupack's picture

November 08, 2019 at 10:04 pm

ha, good one StHr

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Lphill's picture

November 08, 2019 at 04:19 pm

I hope the Packers defense is angry at themselves for the poor performance last week and they atone for it Sunday.

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jannes bjornson's picture

November 08, 2019 at 08:56 pm

They held the Bolts to three FGs and kept the Pack in the damn game. THe offense was putrid.

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jannes bjornson's picture

November 08, 2019 at 08:57 pm

delete

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Doug Niemczynski's picture

November 08, 2019 at 10:12 pm

I agree that the defense did more than enough
to keep the Packers in that game to win it!! Offense has got to show up and defense don't slack off now.

My biggest concern is really the special teams .

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 09, 2019 at 07:31 am

I hope the Packers offense is angry at themselves for their poor performance.

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Cubbygold's picture

November 10, 2019 at 01:05 pm

Exactly. Highest paid offense in football had 3 points entering the 4th quarter. That's the story of the game

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Doug Niemczynski's picture

November 08, 2019 at 10:10 pm

Come on Packers!!! Regroup and WIN!!! Let's play with some INTENSITY!!!!

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porupack's picture

November 08, 2019 at 10:13 pm

Adversity is good, though it doesn't excuse last week. I don't buy the excuse of last week "bad day at the office". That really exposed this team.

Furthermore, too often no-name players make their name b/c GB is focused on the marquee players (and barely able to stop them). So if GB only focuses on McCaffrey, Pettine will only make a new game MVP.

But, I'm going with GB. If Pettine can harness their humiliation and revenge, and channel into disciplined attack, and not stupid penalties, then this will be a comfortable win. In fact, I'll go on to say, it will be a dominant win.

Since there won't be a team bus, we won't have that to worry about; you know, the team never getting off the bus),
I'll conjecture that this game makes Curly proud, cold weather and all. Wished I could attend. Hope ya'll holler loudly.

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ALLGASNOBRAKES's picture

November 08, 2019 at 11:35 pm

"I don't buy the excuse of last week "bad day at the office"."

Really? Are you on your game 100% of the time every day, every week? If you say yeas I'm calling BULLSH**. No offense good sir but it CAN happen. Not only can it happen, but it DOES happen...To EVERYBODY.

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porupack's picture

November 09, 2019 at 07:10 am

That was way beyond some missed execution and some unfortunate rolls of the ball, which are the kind of things that happen at the office on a bad day; spilling coffee on your shirt, missing a meeting, etc,
It was serious flaws in pass execution, of Oline, and throughout the whole team, kind of like the office was robbed and computer was hacked. I guess that is a bad day, one could say.
How come Philip Rivers has a fantastic game against Packers, and a few days later gets beat soundly by Oakland, to the point where pundits are wondering if Rivers is washed up? Chargers haven't been good all year and they soundly beat the packers? That is just a bad day? no way. They studied and exploited packers' weaknesses, and there were plenty on offense, defense and special teams. That is not a "bad day at the office" that was getting their asses kicked from the opening whistle.

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murf7777's picture

November 09, 2019 at 07:22 am

I know it’s hard to believe but the Raiders have had many very good games this year. Gruden has this team heading the right direction.

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Doug_In_Sandpoint's picture

November 09, 2019 at 12:10 am

Sorry Poru, there is a team bus...at least there has been one in past years. I believe they bus over from a local hotel.

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carlos's picture

November 09, 2019 at 05:58 am

I think they drive themselves or are driven in by drivers. Not 100 % on that, but noticed that years ago. Maybe it’s different now and they use a bus.

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porupack's picture

November 09, 2019 at 07:13 am

Ok Doug, you now took away my one worry that the team won't get off the bus. Damn.

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4thand10's picture

November 08, 2019 at 11:41 pm

I’m Kinda hoping the defense just plays well enough where they can stick with the running and screen game. Pettine finding a way to contain McCaffrey is definitely key. I’m kinda of curious to see what kind of adjustments are made if any. Seems like Kenny Clark could use a little help in the middle.

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Bure9620's picture

November 09, 2019 at 05:26 am

Hopefully the egg laying is fully out of their systems. As I said on previous posts, this is Lefleur's most important week as HC yet. How does he refocus this team? Was last week an aberration or signs of things moving forward? Also, I am going go the game so they better play better!

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murf7777's picture

November 09, 2019 at 09:39 am

Burr.... I would have to say the most important game was after the Philadelphia loss and going down to Dallas. the season could’ve spiraled downward at that point. Although you could argue that the next game is most important. And of course they’ll be other very important games as we head to the end of the season. LaFleur showed his abilities after the Philadelphia loss.

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carlos's picture

November 09, 2019 at 06:00 am

Very concerned with this game even though it’s at home.

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porupack's picture

November 09, 2019 at 07:24 am

As I said earlier, last week performance was very alarming, but I do expect the team to be very focused and erase that humiliation and anger. One thing coach will have to do is channel that intensity on disciplined attack and not commit reckless 'clay Matthews' roughing penalties like to exonerate last week's shame.

I would hate to be Panthers coming into Lambeau this week to face the wounded egos at the cheese bowl. Packers will make Curly proud, with a commanding win in the cold and all.

35 - 20

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GVPacker's picture

November 09, 2019 at 09:24 am

Kyle Allen a two year pro QB is going to come into Lambeau and beat the Packers? Mr McCaffrey is a very potent weapon but he is the straw the stirs the drink for the Panthers offense and if the Packers D can stop him it should mean the Packers take care of business! Last weeks loss to the Chargers was not the defense fault they kept Mr Rivers offense out of the end zone in the first half. The shameful performance of the Packers O line was the reason the Packers were Bitched Slapped by the bolts last week. Let's see if Matt Lafleurr can motivate his team and Kick Some Arse!

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Johnblood27's picture

November 09, 2019 at 09:33 am

The Packers made Curly proud last week with their wild ass partying in tinseltown, just like him in the old days!

Time to make Vince proud by playing with effort and dignity for 60 full minutes in all 3 phases.

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PatrickGB's picture

November 09, 2019 at 09:51 am

Alexander and Amos are listed as doubtful. Without them playing or playing effectively I think we lose. Martinez is no Kuechly. I think that the rest of the league has caught up to our coaching scheme. It’s now our job to out execute them. I think that this team is better than last years team and we are a good but not great team.

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Qoojo's picture

November 09, 2019 at 11:02 am

What surprised me most about the Chargers game is failure to protect Rodgers and failure to recognize and adapt to the poor protection. I think Rodgers creates complacency in coaches. He is so good that they expect him to deal with shit protection, because generally he will beat it more often than not. So like all odds/random number generation, eventually you get a bad string of coin flips.

Thus, in the Chargers game, 4-5 series went by where Rodgers couldn't beat bad penalties by OL and the poor protection. Where every series the coaching staff goes, Rodgers will beat it this time or the OL will hold up this time. Before you know it, it's late 3rd quarter, defense is tired, and the game is pretty much over.

The biggest worry for the Carolina game is the defense. Too many injuries at safety. Pettine/MLF seem to be ok with giving up a lot of yards and time of possession for FGs. This is an important game because it's against a potential playoff team, which means it might be part of a tie breaker. Panthers have the 7th ranked running game, but their rushing defense is ranked worse than packers. So both teams should run often.

Panthers get a lot of sacks, and give up a lot of sacks. So to go back to what i just said, run a lot and turn the Smiths loose.

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PatrickGB's picture

November 09, 2019 at 11:33 am

We are a pretty good but not yet great football team. I see this game as 50-50. Perhaps less than that if the team cannot overcome its problems. Other teams are starting to figure out our coaching scheme and too many of our players are sub par talent wise. Yet, with Aaron freaking Rodgers we have a fighting chance.

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mittikaalvi's picture

November 10, 2019 at 02:29 pm

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mittikaalvi's picture

November 10, 2019 at 02:30 pm

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