The last-place Green Bay Packers will try to bounce back from a mistake-filled defeat when they host the first-place Carolina Panthers on Thursday night to kick off Week 8 of the NFL season.
Yes, that is correct. Last-place Green Bay, first-place Carolina.
Green Bay (4-3) lost at division rival Detroit 20-17 on a 22-yard field goal on the final play of the game, dropping the Packers to the bottom of the closely contested NFC North.
Carolina (3-3) committed four turnovers in a brutal 43-13 loss at home to Tampa Bay, yet the Panthers remained atop the NFC South as the only team not below .500.
ODDS AND TRENDS
The Packers are consensus 3.5-point favorites. The line had reached 4.0 points early Thursday morning before shifting back to 3.5 at BetMGM, where the total bets on the spread have been split between the teams while the Panthers have attracted 53% of the spread money wagered.
Green Bay’s moneyline has shifted from -185 to -200 with the Packers backed by 53% of the total bets and 68% of the money.
The total points line has shifted only slightly from 47 to 47.5, with the Over drawing 61% and 64% of the action, respectively.
PROP PICKS
–Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard Anytime TD Scorer (-120 at DraftKings): Hubbard has rushed for 459 yards on 96 carries through Carolina’s first six games. He has also reached the end zone six times — four on the ground and two as a receiver — and has scored at least once in all but two games.
–Packers RB Josh Jacobs Over 16.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at BetMGM): This has been the most popular player prop at the sportsbook after Green Bay quickly integrated Jacobs back into the offense in his season debut last week. Green Bay couldn’t get much going on the ground in Detroit, but Jacobs did catch five of seven targets for 55 yards and a touchdown.
KEY STATS
Green Bay leads the league with eight roughing-the-passer penalties, to zero for opponents.
JACOBS JUICE FOR PACKERS OFFENSE?
Jacobs carried 11 times for 36 yards in his season debut after coming off the commissioner’s exempt list, but the Packers managed just 60 yards on the ground at 3.2 per carry. Green Bay is last in the league with 419 yards rushing at 2.9 per attempt.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love, though, is second in the league with 1,958 passing yards. Love completed 27 of 45 passes for 274 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against Detroit.
“We’ve made it by in a couple of these games, we’ve leaned on the passing game and I think the passing game has been good,” Love said Tuesday. “I think pass game, run game, there’s still a lot more out there for us, but if we want to be the team we want to be, we’ve definitely got to improve in the run game.”
The Panthers, meanwhile, know what to zero in on after Tampa Bay gashed them for 258 yards on the ground on 49 attempts, which equaled the most rushing attempts allowed in team history. The Buccaneers averaged 5.3 yards per carry with 17 first downs rushing.
“That’s what we’re working on right now,” Carolina coach Dave Canales said Monday. “You know, I don’t really want to get into the specifics of it. I feel like there’s the adjustments and the things that we need to do. I don’t want to really air that out, but just understanding that we’ve got to do it. We’ve got to execute it well together.”
INJURY REPORT
PACKERS: Center Sean Rhyan is out after suffering a high ankle sprain against Detroit and backup center Jacob Monk (quadriceps) was placed on injured reserve. Journeyman lineman Mekhi Becton Sr. was moved from the practice squad to the active roster.
Also missing Tuesday’s practice: linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin), wide receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder, foot) and guard Travis Glover (knee). Golden was a limited participant on Wednesday and is questionable for the game, as are edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr. (quad) and defensive tackles Anthony Campbell (ankle) and Devonte Wyatt (ankle). Franklin and Glover joined Rhyan in being ruled out for the game.
PANTHERS: Right tackle Taylor Moton was placed on injured reserve with a fractured fibula suffered against Tampa Bay.
Left guard Damien Lewis (knee), backup offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III (ankle), linebacker Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) and cornerback Akayleb Evans (triceps, knee) missed practice Tuesday and Wednesday and were ruled out for the game.
THEY SAID IT
“We kind of said what we needed to say in the locker room and a lot of things were talked about, between myself, the coaches, connecting with the players. But wanting to make sure we’re able to move forward to have the type of day we did (Monday), which is full focus, Packers, here we go.” –Canales on the message to his team following the blowout loss to Tampa Bay.
PREDICTION
The Packers were trending in the right direction before a critical loss to division rival Detroit that included a pair of missed field goals. Jacobs’ return provided a clear boost to the offense, and Green Bay gets back on track at home on a short week. –Packers 23, Panthers 20