Retour
For the second straight year, the Carolina Panthers will head into the wintry confines of Lambeau Field. For the second straight year, they will do so as underdogs after an abysmal loss in which they allowed 40 points the week prior. It's a little uncanny how that happened.
It should be a fun contest on Thursday night no matter what. Here are some bold predictions that could, under the right circumstances, come true this week.
The Panthers made life difficult on Jordan Love last year, and the defense has more talent this year to do the same. However, without Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, one would expect the Panthers to struggle in coverage.
Akayleb Evans is everyone's favorite punching bag, and sadly, he's likely to be picked on again (assuming he plays after being dinged up on Sunday). But Love is prone to being a little too aggressive at times, so we're predicting that Evans will finally punch back against an opposing offense and snag a takeaway.
It hasn't been a banner start to Jaelan Phillips' Panthers career. He does have 2.5 sacks in 4.5 games, which translates to a full season of over nine sacks. That's not that bad, although it's not what Carolina is paying for.
The Panthers should get Phillips back after missing last week, and the Packers, like the Panthers, have struggled to protect their quarterback. If anyone can make life difficult on that offensive line, it's Phillips, who can break out with two sacks of Love. And if Phillips can't go, then Princely Umanmielen should be able to wreak havoc, too.
Jalen Coker set his career high with 138 receiving yards in Week 1 this year, and the Packers' defense is pretty stout. However, they're allowing the 12th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this year.
Coker's been a little slow (not entirely his fault) since returning. A motivated Bryce Young against that secondary should lead to a solid day. Coker, because he will not see as much of Green Bay's best defender, should be able to set another career high.
The Panthers have no business winning this contest, which makes it the boldest prediction of all. They are and should be underdogs, and this is deservedly a game everyone expects them to lose. That was probably true before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made mincemeat of Carolina as well.
They can't follow the same formula of controlling the game with the ground attack and limiting possessions. That won't work this time. But they do have the aerial firepower to go band for band with Green Bay, and the Packers have lackluster pass protection. There is a path, albeit narrow, to victory.