Green Bay Packers v. Panthers: Week 15 Predictions

Here are your Week 15 predictions before the Green Bay Packers take on the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field.

How is it Week 15 already? This season is flying by. This week the 10-3 Green Bay Packers will face the 4-9 Carolina Panthers. With a win, the Packers are one step closer to clinching the NFC’s No. 1 seed, but with a loss, well, let’s not think that way.

This is a much different Panthers team than the one we saw at Lambeau Field just one year ago, but don’t be fooled by their record. They are a young, talented, and well-coached team under Matt Rhule that has seven losses by only one score. Although, they likely will be without Christian McCaffrey once again, who is listed on the injury report as doubtful.

Here at Dairyland Express, several of us have put together our predictions for this week’s game, taking a look at how we think things will play out, and of course, giving a final score. Let’s see how everyone has the Packers faring.

Matt LeVene (5-2)

This Saturday Night Football clash should be very simple. The Green Bay Packers currently hold the number 1 seed in the NFC and control their own destiny moving forward. Aaron Rodgers has said it; the Packers want the road to Super Bowl 55 coming through Green Bay. There is one way to ensure that happens, take care of business these remaining three games.

The Packers should dominate this week. As is the case with most games this year, the Packers are the more talented and better coached team. However, Carolina does present some challenges as they have some dynamic offensive weapons that could get going and cause some problems. Mike Pettine and the young secondary will be tested by the duo of D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson. Given the limitations of Teddy Bridgewater’s arm, the defense should keep this offense in check, and opportunities should be plentiful for turnovers. I will go out on a limb and predict a Kevin King interception.

Offensively, I do not think there is anything Carolina can do to stop the red-hot Packers. Nathaniel Hackett and Matt Lafleur have this unit humming, and with Rodgers at the helm, they look unstoppable. Carolina has shown some defensive promise as they shutout the Detroit Lions a few weeks ago but look for Green Bay to tear through this defense. Davante Adams will look to strengthen his OPOY resume, and Rodgers will bolster his MVP campaign and his quest for 50 touchdowns. On the ground, the two-headed monster of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams will continue to be efficient and effective; I predict both of them will find the endzone this week in the Frozen Tundra.

Prediction: Green Bay 31 – Carolina 7

Trevor Bender (3-1)

The Green Bay Packers are 10-3 but have to keep winning to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Packers have not been shy this past week, making it known that they want that top seed badly, which would allow them to have their first home NFC championship in the Aaron Rodgers era.

The Carolina Panthers have a first-year head coach after a surprising 3-2 start to the 2020 season; since then, the Panthers have are 1-7. The one key thing I will be watching is how the Packers defense handles this Panthers offense. The Panthers are not the best offense in the league by any means, but they do have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Teddy Bridgewater has been a good quarterback this year; in fact, he is completing over 70 percent of his passes, which ranks him second in the league. Robby Anderson, DJ Moore, and Curtis Samuel form a formidable group of pass-catchers for Bridgewater to throw to. Anderson is tied with Davante Adams for the ninth most 20+ yard receiving plays by a receiver in the NFL with 15 such plays. Moore is just one play behind Adams and Anderson with 14. I will closely be monitoring how this defense can affect Bridgewater and these receivers to slow down this talented group.

Prediction: Packers 38 – Panthers 17

Kenny Jilek (9-4)

The Carolina Panthers are a team primed with all the ability to make this game a close one right down to the wire. Seven of their nine losses are by one score, and they’ll likely make it eight on Saturday night against the Packers. Teddy Bridgewater’s affinity for short passes, along with a solid running game with Mike Davis, will likely slowly and methodically drive the Panthers down the field. These kinds of drives have killed the Packers this season. We saw it against the Vikings, Jaguars, and even last week early against the Lions. Hopefully, the bend but don’t break mentality keeps the Panthers out of the end zone.

I have the Packers slightly under their scoring average for this game for the reasons I listed above. If they don’t have the ball, they can’t score. This Carolina defense has enough playmakers like Jeremy Chinn and Brian Burns to make it interesting, but the Packers’ offense should continue to roll for the most part. The Panthers are no pushover, but as long as Green Bay stays focused on the task at hand, they should manage to pull out the win. Don’t plan on turning off the tv at halftime, though.

Prediction: Packers 27 – Panthers 20

Paul Bretl (11-2)

I do believe that the Green Bay Packers will maintain control for much of the game, but I don’t see them pulling away either. Pressuring Teddy Bridgewater and taking away the deep pass is going to be two keys for this Green Bay defense. Bridgewater has been bad when under duress, and although he doesn’t throw downfield at a high rate, he’s been very efficient when doing so. I also expect a heavy dose of Mike Davis in both the running and passing games, in an attempt to control the clock and keep Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines.

When it comes to the Packer offense, once again, I expect them to find success. Carolina has several talented players on defense, but overall this is a young unit that hasn’t been able to put it together for four quarters. With an experienced player like Rodgers under center, he’s going to pick them apart.

Prediction: Packers 34 – Panthers 24