The game between the Packers and the Panthers will be presented Saturday at 8 p.m. on RDS and on RDS Direct.
PRE-MATCH
The road the Green Bay Packers must take to the No. 1 overall standings of the National Association of the NFL is very straightforward.
With victories in their last three games of the regular calendar, the Packers (10-3) will have the opportunity to secure their ticket to the Super Bowl without having to leave Lambeau Field. This is a tantalizing scenario for a franchise that has lost abroad in three of the last six National Association finals.
The first-ranked team from each of the two associations only needs to win two home games to qualify for the Super Bowl. The Packers, already champions of the North section of the National Association, will try to take another step towards the first echelon of the Association as they host the Carolina Panthers (4-9) on Saturday night.
“Winning two home football games and then participating in the Super Bowl, it couldn’t be clearer,” opined wide-winger Davante Adams. “It’s kind of the message that has been circulating for a week or two. “
After visiting the Panthers, the Packers will host the Tennessee Titans (9-4) and then visit the Chicago Bears (6-7).
The Packers and New Orleans Saints (10-3) have identical records, but the Packers hold the advantage by virtue of their victory in New Orleans on September 27.
The Packers have won their last three meetings thanks, in part, to the tandem of Adams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Adams has 14 pass touchdowns, which puts him tied for first in the NFL with Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Adams has scored at least one touchdown in each of his last eight games. Only two players have done better than Adams since the creation of the Super Bowl, Jerry Rice (12) with the San Francisco 49ers in 1987 and AJ Green (9) with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012.
As for Rodgers, he dominates every quarterback in the league with 39 touchdown passes.
Rodgers’ performance amazes Panthers head coach Matt Rhule. The latter remembers when he had to watch videos of Rodgers while working as an offensive line instructor for the New York Giants in 2012.
Rhule considers that Rodgers retained the same physical assets that he possessed at the time.
“He hasn’t aged,” Rhule said. ” He is incredible. “
A hat trick?
Rodgers’ exploits to date suggest he could be voted his team’s MVP for the third time in his career, following caps in 2011 and 2014.
Rodgers and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes are considered the more serious candidates.
“Few players have earned this honor three times and for that reason it would mean a lot,” admitted Rodgers.
Tom Brady received this title for the third time in his career in 2017. Peyton Manning holds the record in this regard with five nominations.
Rodgers will face a defense that has seen some trouble against inferior quarterbacks. The Panthers have lost six of their last seven games.
Last week they suffered a 32-27 loss to the Denver Broncos in a game where they allowed Drew Lock to rack up 280 yards through the air and complete four touchdown passes without committing a single interception. .
Two weeks earlier, Kirk Cousins passed 287 passing yards and threw three touchdowns in a 28-27 victory for the Minnesota Vikings. Again, the Panthers’ defense failed to score any interceptions.
In three of their last four losses, the Panthers have lost by a total of eight points. In seven of their losses, the Panthers were in possession of the ball late in the fourth quarter with the chance to win the game or force an overtime period.
“It’s a bad habit that we want to get rid of for sure,” Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said.
“It’s doable, but we have to get the games right when the situation arises. And to start, I have to improve myself in these situations. “
While running back Christian McCaffrey, with a thigh injury, is set to miss an 11th game this season with an injury, the Panthers could see wide-end DJ Moore, who was out last week after his name was placed on the list of injured / COVID-19.
Moore caught 50 passes for gains of 924 yards and four touchdowns.
