Green Bay Packers v. Panthers: Behind Enemy Lines Week 15

In this week’s edition of ‘Behind Enemy Lines,’ we take a closer look at the Green Bay Packers’ Week 15 opponent, the Carolina Panthers.

The Green Bay Packers continue on with their quest towards clinching the NFC’s top seed, and the first of this final three-game stretch will be against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. From the looks of it, the 4-9 Panthers will be without Christian McCaffrey, who is listed as doubtful, but this is still a talented team under Matt Rhule. As Matt LaFleur pointed out on Thursday, they may have nine losses, but seven of them have come by only one score.

Green Bay and Carolina met a season ago, but since then, the Panthers hired a new head coach, and their roster looks a bit different. So to help familiarize ourselves with this fairly uncommon opponent, I received some help from Dean Jones, the site editor over at Cat Crave, where they cover anything and everything about the Carolina Panthers.

Dean was kind enough to answer five of my questions to help provide some insight into this Panthers team, and I also answer five of his about the Green Bay Packers. So be sure to check that out over on their site as well. Now, with all of that out of the way, let’s dive on in.

1. The Green Bay Packers and Panthers played just last season, but how is this team different this time around under Matt Rhule?

Dean: It’s almost a completely new starting lineup from the one that took on the Packers last season. Matt Rhule has got his team full of exciting young players who are going through a bit of a rough time at the moment. But the foundations are there from which to build a successful future.
Taking them lightly would be a mistake despite their recent concerning form.

The Panthers have players who can impact the game on both sides of the ball, and there won’t be anything in the way of expectations on Saturday, which is something that’s worked in their favor already this season.

Takeaway: Despite their record, the Panthers have seen quite a bit of improvement on offense. In 2019, they ranked 27th by DVOA, but this year they rank ninth and are scoring on average over two more points per game than what they did a season ago.

Defensively from the DVOA metric, they are a similar team, but in points per game, they are giving up on average four fewer. This is also a unit featuring some young playmakers, including Brian Burns, Jeremy Chinn, and Derrick Brown.

2. Christian McCaffrey has played in just a few games this season; how has the offense functioned without him, and how has it changed? Or hasn’t it?

Dean: Losing someone of the caliber of Christian McCaffrey has been a major blow, especially in the tight games Carolina has been involved in throughout the season. However, the offense hasn’t had to change much in terms of the playbook thanks to the dual-threat ability provided by Mike Davis, who has done far better than anyone expected after he won the primary backup job in training camp.

Opposing defenses have been able to focus more on Teddy Bridgewater rather than stack the box to cope with McCaffrey’s threat. This has come with its fair share of complications from the quarterback’s perspective, and the jury is still out as to whether he can be the man to lead them moving forward.

Takeaway: Mike Davis is certainly someone to worry about this week. He’s averaging over four yards per carry and has 371 receiving yards. The Green Bay Packers are one of the worst teams when it comes to covering running backs in the passing game, and if Carolina just wants to run Davis between the tackles all night, I’m not sure how effective the Packers will be at stopping him.

3. What is the strength and the weakness of this Panthers team?

Dean: They have some dynamic weapons on offense who can make things happen. The likes of Robby Anderson, Curtis Samuel, and D.J. Moore have all been in fine form this season, and they possess the sort of game-changing ability that every team needs and it’s hard to deny that if Green Bay had this sort of firepower, they’d probably win the Super Bowl.

This also applies to an improving defense. Brian Burns is a player to keep a close eye on thanks to his explosiveness off the edge, and stud rookie Jeremy Chinn has burst onto the scene this season and is a star in the making. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow took his time to adjust to the NFL over the first half of the season, but the unit has made some encouraging strides in recent weeks.

Takeaway: It’s going to be strength versus strength when it comes to the Panthers’ receivers and their downfield ability against the Green Bay Packers’ defense, who has been very good at limiting the big play through the air. Moore ranks fifth out of 50 qualifying receivers with 382 deep receiving yards, while Anderson ranks 22nd. Meanwhile, Samuel doesn’t have the same amount of targets, but he’s been very efficient, catching six of eight passes, two of which were touchdowns.

4. Who is a player or two that Packer fans might not be familiar with but could make an impact on Saturday’s game?

Dean: Taylor Moton might not be a household name, but he is one of the NFL’s best right tackles. The former second-round pick has dealt with some of the league’s most ferocious pass-rushers with ease this season, and Green Bay’s defensive ends will have a tough time with him.

On the other side of the football, Yetur Gross-Matos has shown some flashes of brilliance as a rookie despite being frustrated by injury and a period on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He is big, fast, and athletic in equal measure, and he should get plenty of reps with relatively little to play for down the stretch in Carolina.

Takeaway: According to Pro Football Focus ($), Moton has allowed only two sacks and 13 total pressures this season in 535 pass-blocking snaps. Out of 49 eligible tackles, Moton’s 13 pressures are the fourth-fewest, and for reference, David Bakhtiari has allowed only seven all year.

On defense is edge-rusher Gross-Matos, who has 15 pressures and two sacks this season but has been picking up steam as of late, recording six of his pressures and a sack all in the last three games. Brian Burns is the big name to keep your eyes on when it comes to Carolina pass-rushers — and I know Packer fans are familiar with him — but perhaps Gross-Matos can continue to build off of his recent performances–although, he hasn’t been up against Green Bay’s offensive line.

5. If the Panthers are going to pull off the upset, what does that path to victory look like?

Dean: Keeping Aaron Rodgers off the field is going to be crucial. Teddy Bridgewater needs to control the line of scrimmage a lot better than he has as of late, and they cannot go away from the running game even if things might not go their way early on.

Following the Minnesota Vikings’ blueprint from their win over the Packers would be a good place to start. But even that might not be enough when one considers just what opposite directions these two teams seem to be heading in.

Takeaway: Dan hit the nail on the head; the Carolina offense has to control the clock, keep Rodgers on the sidelines, and stick to the run game. With the way the Packer offense is playing, if they get going I don’t see how Carolina is going to be able to keep up.

In addition to those few key factors, the Panthers are also going to need to either win the turnover battle or make something happen on special teams, which given Green Bay’s play there recently, I wouldn’t rule that one out. However, this is a game that the Green Bay Packers should absolutely win.