Packers seek 4th straight win as they host slumping Panthers
CAROLINA (4-9) at GREEN BAY (10-3)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST, NFL Network
OPENING LINE - Packers by 9 ˆ½
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Panthers 7-6, Packers 8-5
SERIES RECORD - Packers lead 10-6
LAST MEETING - Packers beat Panthers 24-16 in Green Bay on Nov. 10, 2019
LAST WEEK - Panthers lost to Denver, 33-27; Packers beat Detroit, 31-24
AP PRO32 RANKING - Panthers No. 25, Packers No. 2
PANTHERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (19), RUSH (20), PASS (15).
PANTHERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (21), RUSH (13T), PASS (23).
PACKERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (2), RUSH (10), PASS (4).
PACKERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (11), PASS (12).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - The Panthers have lost seven of their last eight games. ... Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, coach Matt Rhule says he will continue to play all healthy starters because he doesn't think having a 'œtryout'ť during the season sends the right message to his players. ... Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater has lost seven games this season when he's had the ball in his hands with a chance to win or tie in the final four minutes. Bridgewater is 3-9 as the team's starting QB. ... RB Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss his 11th game this season with a thigh injury, Rhule said. ... RB Mike Davis rushed for two touchdowns last week against Denver. ... WR Robby Anderson needs 4 yards receiving to reach 1,000 on the season. ... Carolina's defense allowed Denver's Drew Lock to throw for 280 yards and a career-high four touchdowns in a 32-27 loss to the Broncos last week. ... Panthers S Jeremy Chinn leads all rookies with 91 tackles and has two fumble returns for touchdowns, a sack and forced fumble in the last two games. ... Carolina has been penalized 84 times, tied for sixth in the league. '¦ Green Bay has won three straight games. ... Green Bay WR Davante Adams has caught a touchdown pass in eight straight games, the third-longest such streak within a single season in the Super Bowl era. Jerry Rice caught a touchdown pass in 12 straight games in 1987 and A.J. Green did it in nine straight games in 2012. '¦ Adams missed two games with a hamstring injury this season, but he still has 14 touchdown catches to tie Kansas City's Tyreek Hill for the NFL lead. '¦ The Packers have clinched the NFC North title and share the NFC's best record with New Orleans. The Packers own a tiebreaker advantage over the Saints after winning 37-30 at New Orleans on Sept. 27. '¦ Green Bay has scored an NFL-leading 31.5 points per game. '¦ The Packers also lead the league in average time of possession (33:02). '¦ Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has an NFL-leading 39 touchdown passes this season. '¦ Rodgers is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 39 touchdown passes and fewer than five interceptions in the first 13 games of a season. '¦ Packers TE Robert Tonyan has caught a touchdown pass in four straight games to increase his season total to nine. '¦ The Packers have committed only nine turnovers to match Tennessee for the lowest total of any NFL team. ... They have 14 sacks over their last three games. '¦ K Mason Crosby has made 17 straight field-goal attempts over the last two seasons. He's 15 of 15 this season and made a 57-yarder against Detroit. He has missed three extra-point attempts. '¦ Fantasy tip: Carolina allowed Lock and K.J. Hamler to connect on touchdown passes of 37 and 49 yards last week. The Panthers' issues in the secondary could result in a big night for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, whose speed makes him a dangerous deep threat.
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