Predict the score tonight

[MHS831]

Detailed Game Analysis that includes the NFC battle for the bye/home field advantage:

Setting the table:  The Lions played the Packers close last week after we blew out the fake cats by 20.  The Packers have Carolina, the Titans, and Bears left. If they run the table, the first round bye is theirs to keep and the path to the Vince Lombardi Trophy then goes through Titletown--it doesn't sound fair when phrased that way.  They are tied with New Orleans in the NFC at the top with a 10-3 record but they beat the Saints earlier this year, giving them the tie breaker, while the Rams and the Seahawks (who play each other Dec 27) are sitting at 9-4.  In other words, the bye is a 3-team race (just not sure about the third team yet) with 3 to play. 

New Orleans is playing KC  Sunday and it sure seems Brees might be a bit rushed back into the lineup.  Had Hill won last week, I think Brees might sit this one out.  KC should win, and I bet the Packers know that.

With all these distractions, and the lowly Panthers coming to town the last game before Christmas, is it possible that the Cheeseheads look past the Panthers?  On one hand, it may not matter if they do.  They are pretty healthy right now, all things considered.  The Panthers, however, could be hurting in this (windchill expected to be in teens) night game in upper Wisconsin in mid December.  Not a good game if you are nursing a muscle-based injury (like a thigh, calf, or hammy).  There might not be "the other hand."

Injury report as of 9 am this morning:

• Questionable (Boston, hamstring; Obada knee; Larkin, Shoulder---Samuel, hamstring; Okung, calf)
• Doubtful (Daley, head; CMC, thigh)

So if you consider Daley a starter (he would have been if he did not jump on the injury carousel all season)--that is 4 starters off the offense who are questionable or worse.  Obada and Larkin have been key contributors on defense. 

When it is cold, anything can happen.  Winds at a minimum (2 mph) and temp will be about 30.  The only home field advantage will be the weather--no fans in attendance.

So Green Bay has clinched their division, but they have a reason to play without pressure.  They know they can pull ahead of New Orleans with a win and Kansas City victory, putting them 1 game ahead of 3 teams (Saints, Seahawks, and Rams) with two to go.  They win the head-to-head against New Orleans, having defeated them earlier this season.  So a KC win would essentially put them 1.5 games ahead of New Orleans with 2 to play, if the Chiefs beat the Saints.  The Rams have the Jets, Seahawks, and Cards, so they could run the table, finishing at 12-4--if they can sweep Seattle by beating them IN SEATTLE Dec 27.

So what do Panther Tankers want to see happen?

It would be great if New Orleans beats Kansas City tomorrow.  That would leave them (basically) a half-game behind Green Bay, giving them something to fight for.  A loss to KC and a GB win would be demoralizing and practically knock the Saints out of the NFC bye chase, but the Saints still would be left to fight for a first round home game--something that used to mean more than it does right now--because either Seattle or LA Rams would be tied with the Saints going into the final week of the season.

Fun Facts: Rogers has 39 TDs vs. 4 interceptions--clearly the MVP if he continues that pace.  Bridgewater has 14 TDs and 8 interceptions....Anderson (Panthers) has 996 yards receiving this season, so his first catch likely puts him over the 1000 yard mark, yet he only has 2 TDs on the season.

Prediction:  Packers 37, Panthers 23

 

 

 

[Khyber53]

Packers 38, Panthers 14

We see PJ Walker come in after halftime. To no avail.

[GOAT]

Panthers: 31

Packers: 27

 

[Waldo]

 42-24. Packers pull away in the 3rd and our offense is stuck in a Teddy ball low gear. 

[Sgt Schultz]

The weather looks balmy for Green Bay in December, low to mid 30s and little chance of snow.  So, no "frozen tundra."

As tempting as it is to say it would be a blowout, the Panthers have a habit of hanging in with better teams and the Packers have a habit of letting worse teams hang with them.  I could see something like 38-24 with it being close at halftime and never really of reach until the dying minutes.

[NanuqoftheNorth]

Checkdown Charlie gets the hook today.

[Varking]

I predict prime positioning for the draft. 
 

Green Bay 28

Carolina 17

We play prevent offense and prevent defense. We kill the clock. There won’t be enough time for them to just run it up. 

[jerrya]

4 hours ago, CarolinaRideorDie said:

I predict at least 15+ check downs short of the first downs for the panthers this game. 

 

I know there's been a lot of criticism about TB's check downs but without seen the entire field are we sure it's Teddy or are the route schemes are just not efficient enough to get our great WR's open.  I've seen some occasions where there were 2 and sometimes 3 receivers in the same area.  Anyone have any insight into this?

[Pejorative Miscreant]

28-24.  We do just enough to keep it close then we do just enough to not come thru on the last drive.  
 

Continue with growing pains but it’ll be entertaining prime time tv viewing. 

[TLGPanthersFan]

5 hours ago, Peon Awesome said:

Just curious, why do people keep predicting blowouts? In 13 weeks, what have you seen to keep predicting we'll get blown out every week? Our worst loss of the season against the Bucs, we lined up for a 2 point conversion with 11 minutes left in the game with a chance to make it a 7 point game, then it unraveled at the very end. We have never been dominated start to finish, not even close. Maybe it's funny and somehow makes you feel good to create the illusion that we're the Jets, but our identity has consistently been a scrappy competitive team with too much of a talent discrepancy to consistently win. I don't think we'll see anything different tonight. I'd be far less surprised if we win than if we get blown out. I'm guessing something like 34-24, where we come up short on a 4th quarter drive to tie it, and Green Bay kicks a meaningless field goal with like 90 seconds left to make it a 2 possession game.

If Rhule hadn’t of pulled out every trick in the book and the Chiefs, for some reason, kept falling for them we would lost buy more than 2 points. 
Personally I would prefer a blowout at this point. I am tired of close games. Either win or get the crap beat out of you like the bad team you are. 

[TLGPanthersFan]

21 minutes ago, jerrya said:

I know there's been a lot of criticism about TB's check downs but without seen the entire field are we sure it's Teddy or are the route schemes are just not efficient enough to get our great WR's open.  I've seen some occasions where there were 2 and sometimes 3 receivers in the same area.  Anyone have any insight into this?

Teddy has been known as captain checkdown since he was with the Vikings. It isn’t the routes. 

[KatsAzz]

Packers 31 Panthers20

[ladypanther]

7 hours ago, MHS831 said:

Detailed Game Analysis that includes the NFC battle for the bye/home field advantage:

Link?

[pdub0702]

33-24. Packers.