Packers at Panthers: 3 reasons to fear the upset

Can the Green Bay Packers snap a two-game losing streak and stay in the playoffs with a win over the Carolina Panthers?

   Here are three reasons why it won’t happen: green bay packer start a conversation GREEN BAY, Wis. – With playoff hopes on thin ice after two straight losses, the Green Bay Packers are desperate for a win. Fortunately, Sunday’s opponent, the Carolina Panthers, have an NFL-worst 2-12 record. The Packers should be on the list, but there are three reasons why a trip to Charlotte on Christmas Eve should be a big boost to their playoff hopes.

   1. Hot Hubbard The Panthers fired coach Frank Reich on November 27. Their offense will still score, but the run game has shown some teeth. In the last three games, Chuba Hubbard caught 25 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns against the Buccaneers, 23 times for 87 yards against the Saints and 22 times for 87 yards against the Falcons. This helped the Panthers get through the season and finish fourth in the league. He’s not explosive at 4.3 yards per carry, but he has volume and will test Green Bay’s ball defense. “I’m a complete defender, I try to catch the ball and run it,” Hubbard said recently. “I pride myself on paying attention to the little things and the details. That’s why I try to catch the best balls possible.

   The important thing is not the number of balls you catch. It’s different from ‘let’s catch 50 balls.’ “I want to be good. I want to take every angle and every ball from a good angle. That’s all I have to say about the good stuff today. So focus on making sure all the information is correct.

   The Packers enter the game ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed per game (138.8) and 28th in yards allowed per carry (4.55). They limited the Buc rushing attack last week. Before that, he had over 140 rushing yards in five straight games, including 205 against Pittsburgh and 209 against the Giants. It was Green Bay’s longest at 140 yards since 2001. It should be noted that starting the fight against TJ Slaton is questionable due to his knee injury.

   2. Watch out for the panda’s defenses Carolina ranks 29th in points allowed. That bad But the remaining numbers show why Ejiro Evero is considered one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. And that’s why he’s a name to watch if Green Bay fires Joe Barry.

   Carolina ranks third in total defense. They averaged 8 yards per play, 11 yards per rushing attempt and 10 yards per attempt. They rank 31st in rebounding percentage, but are third through seventh. In last week’s game against Atlanta, the Panthers held the Falcons to a tough running game, gaining 52 yards on 31 carries. He averaged 1.7 yards per carry. Derrick Brown and Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Burns lead the way with two wins each. Packers at Panthers: Three reasons for hope learn more “It starts with the people at the front,” Evero said this week.

   “The challenge is we have to be better than them (outside linebackers, interior D-linemen) up front, and we want to be more physical and dominant up front than them. The guys gave it their all.” “Derek keeps doing what he always does. Burns played one of his best games of the year. I think we are very physical and very strong. That’s where it all started.” Working in Green Bay takes some planning.

   Evero and Barry come from the same training tree. Interestingly, according to Sport Radar, the Packers are 11th in offensive percentage, while the Panthers are 12th. “They do a lot of things, they’re the same defensively,” Jordan Love said. “It’s a lot of different things, but I think the defense is good. I think it’s tight at the back, it’s very good up front. Of course, there’s a lot of answers in the defense to make sure everything helps and, we did the right thing today in defense Only by playing defense does he always know how to help. three.

    3. Air hacker, Which player has the highest field goal completion percentage at Bank of America? Surprisingly, it wasn’t Jordan Love. Not Bryce Young. Instead, it was Panthers pitcher Johnny Hekker. In his 12th NFL season, the four-time All-Pro has a long history of cheating. For his career, he is 15-of-24 passing and has a completion percentage of 62.5%, better than Love (62.2) and Young (59.4).

   Hekker remains the Packers’ quarterback. And it affects your ability to cover points. “How would you like to play?” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said. “Are you going to put both of them aside? Does it go both ways? There are a lot of receivers out there. 

    No. 90 (outside Amaré Barno) is a quick 6-4, 6-5 on one side, No. 42 (safety Sam Franklin) on the other, he’s a big player for them.” Carolina’s special teams are strong and they overcame Bisaccia’s weakness. Running back Raheem Blackshear averaged 30.8 yards per kickoff return. Receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette averaged 8.2 yards per carry and had a 79-yard touchdown.

   Kicker Eddy Piñeiro was 24 of 28 in field goals. “It’s a good challenge for us, but I know we’re looking forward to it,” Bisaccia said.