What tales will the Carolina Panthers tell this Christmas Eve?
Here are the biggest storylines for their Week 16 matchup against the Green Bay Packers:
A breakout for Bryce?
Even in one of the least desirable situations you can imagine for a rookie quarterback, Bryce Young is growing before our eyes. And that growth was on full display last Sunday.
Young, through the wind and the rain, beautifully orchestrated a game-winning 17-play, 90-yard drive against the Atlanta Falcons—one that included the second-most improbable completion of the entire season. The 22-year-old connected on each of his six passes for 58 yards to help set up a walk-off field goal from NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Eddy Piñeiro.
Oh hey, speaking of players of the week—the Packers have allowed the conference’s last two on offense. New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito sliced the cheese for 229 total yards and a touchdown in Week 14, then Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield baked it for the first perfect passer rating by a visitor in the history of Lambeau Field the next week.
2023’s No. 1 overall hasn’t had a big box-score performance just yet, as he’s maxed out at just 247 passing yards. But will the generous Green Bay defense set the stage for a breakout?
Hubba Hubba
The Packers have also been quite generous to opposing ground attacks. With three weeks to go, Green Bay has allowed the third-most rushing yards per game (138.8).
They’ll be running into running back Chuba Hubbard, who Carolina has used as an old-school bell cow of late. He’s recorded at least 22 carries in each of the past three games and has amassed 93 total touches in the last four—the second-most in the league over that span.
Thanks to Hubbard’s steady workload since Week 13, one that’s resulted in 278 rushing yards, the Panthers have been able to form at least an iota of an identity on offense. Unfortunately for the Packers, that identity—paired with their ineffectiveness against the run—could do them in on Sunday.
Green Bay's Grinches?
If Green Bay is indeed done in, then they may be done for the season.
The Packers enter this contest at 6-8 and currently sit behind a handful of teams for the NFC’s third and final wild card spot. Coming into Week 16, they carry an 18-percent chance to make the postseason. But if they lose, that number will slim all the way down to five percent.
Last week, the Panthers struck a major blow to the Falcons’ playoffs odds and might’ve sent them halfway to Cancun. So, can they continue to play spoiler and do the same on Christmas Eve?
