GREEN BAY, WI. (BLACK & BLUE KICKOFF LIVE) — The Panthers are getting healthier but have a date against one of the Super Bowl favorites, the Green Bay Packers.
Bryce Young is back after a one-week hiatus with an ankle injury, and offensive lineman Chandler Zavala has been activated from injured reserve.
Young will provide more stability to the offense than Andy Dalton, but it will be hard against one of the league’s top defenses led by All-Pro Micah Parsons. The Packers allow the fewest yards per attempt to opposing quarterbacks at 5.8, the only team under six yards.
The Panthers announced they’ll be giving a bigger workload to Rico Dowdle this week after splitting carries with Chuba Hubbard the last two weeks. However, the Packers’ run defense is even tougher than their pass defense.
They’ve allowed the second fewest rush yards in the NFL (552) and are top five in opponent yards per carry (3.7) and rushing touchdowns (3).
Packers’ quarterback Jordan Love (who’s turning 27 on gameday) is having his most accurate season of his young career, with a 70.9% completion rate, fifth-best among quarterbacks with at least 80 attempts.
If there’s an area that the Panthers’ defense can take advantage it’s the running game. They’re led by former All-Pro Josh Jacobs, but the Packers average less than four yards per carry and only have 799 total rushing yards (for reference, the Panthers have 1,095 rushing yards this season, fifth most in the NFL through eight weeks).
Matchup notes
🏈 Carolina and Green Bay will be meeting for the 19th time on Sunday. In the 18 previous games, the Panthers are 6-12.
🏈 11 of the 18 matchups have been decided by one score.
🏈 In the Panthers’ last five games following a loss, they are 4-1 and average 31.8 points per game, and outscore their opponents by eight points per game (the Panthers lost week against Buffalo).
🏈 Green Bay is currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 5-1-1 record. Since 2010, the Panthers have gone 3-2 when facing a team with one loss or less after Week 9, including a 37-29 win against the Packers in 2015.
🏈 Betting odds (according to FanDuel): Panthers +13.5 (-115) and +640 moneyline; over/under at 43.5 (-105).
Sunday’s game between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers from Lambeau Field starts at 1 p.m. on Queen City News.
