Packers vs. Panthers Prediction
Will the Carolina Panthers spoil Aaron Rodgers’ return when they host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET?
Who Oddsmakers Like: Carolina. According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Panthers are 3-point home favorites to beat the Packers, who opened as 2-point road underdogs. The total, meanwhile, hit the board at 44.5 but has been bet up to 47.
Who the Public Likes: Carolina. As of Sunday morning, 57% of the bets for this game are on the Panthers to cover the spread and 53% of the money is also on Carolina minus the points.
Who the Trends Like: The over. In the last six meetings between these two teams the over is a perfect 6-0. The over is also 5-2-1 in the last six meetings between these two teams in Charlotte. The home team, meanwhile, is 4-1 against the spread in the last five meetings between these two teams but the underdog is 9-3-1 at the betting window in the last 13 meetings.
Who We Like: Carolina. Rodgers is back but how rusty will he be after missing over a month of action? Reports have it that he has looked great in practice and could have even played last week had he not been placed on injured reserve at the time of the injury. Still, that’s practice. The game is going to look awfully fast to even a vet like Rodgers.
The Packers are also playing on the road for the second straight week and are coming off back-to-back overtime games. Fatigue could be an issue not only for Rodgers, but for the Packers as well.
Cam Newton has passed for more than 200 yards just once in his last six games but that won’t deter me from taking Carolina. Newton understands that the less he throws, the better the Panthers offense is because their running game is humming. Plus, Green Bay’s defense is terrible. I fully expect the Packers to be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss today in Charlotte.
NFL WEEK 15 PREDICTIONS: CAROLINA PANTHERS -3