NFL Odds Put Packers Ahead of Panthers for Week 9 Match

The Carolina Panthers might be the only undefeated team left in the NFC at 7-0, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t home underdogs this week when the Green Bay Packers (6-1) come to town this coming Sunday afternoon. You can thank the damp overtime victory that the Panthers had to eke out over Indianapolis this past week on Monday Night Football for that, as well as the anger that the Packers are almost certain to work out on the field after getting thoroughly outclassed by the Denver Broncos this past Sunday night. Despite the loss, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers command the NFL odds for this game, as they head to the Bank of America Stadium as -2.5 favorites to come victorious.

Shaq Thompson ✔ Luke Kuechly ✔ Thomas Davis ✔ Good luck to anyone facing this defense ➡️ https://t.co/RVfwZKApgv pic.twitter.com/2W1ZB7e3Nr

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 7, 2015

Even though the Panthers have not lost, and even though Cam Newton has shown he can dominate a game in the fourth quarter, most observers consider the Panthers the weakest of the four NFL teams that are still undefeated. However, if the Panthers can overcome the projected odds and beat Green Bay, they will move to 8-0 and have a strong position for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on the NFC side of the bracket. Newton is now in his fifth year guiding the Panthers, and he has made some amazing plays late in the game this season. In the fourth quarter, he has a combined passer rating of 105.2, completing 60 percent of his pass attempts for 363 yards and three scores. If the score is closer than a touchdown in the fourth quarter, his rating in those situations vaults up to 117.2.

Oddsmakers have this game coming down to less than three points, which means that the Panthers will need magic from Newton if the game remains true to form. In Week 8, Newton threw for two touchdowns to put the Panthers up 23-6 in the fourth quarter over the Colts. However, the Panthers defense could not stop the Colts and Newton had to put together a couple more drives for field goals just to bring his team the overtime victory. This was the Panthers’ first overtime win and (obviously) their closest margin of victory so far this year. What it showed many people is that the Panthers can win even when their defense is not playing at its best. However, if you put the fourth quarter aside, the Panthers do have a defense that ranks well in the NFL. They are #9 in total defense, permitting 342 yards per game, and they rank #5 against the pass, as quarterbacks from the other teams have a combined 64.5 rating and having thrown 12 interceptions to Panther defenders this season.

To do well against the Packers, though, the Panthers will need to put thoughts of that late collapse out of their minds. After all, Rodgers brings enough intimidation all on his own, and the fact that he just got embarrassed by Denver, throwing for just 77 yards, will motivate him. In the past, he has feasted on the Carolina defense, completing 69 percent of his passes in the three meetings for a total of 861 yards and eight scores, against just one interception, for two victories and an aggregate rating of 119.8. Expect this to be a terrific battle between two teams sorting out the power balance this year.