The Green Bay Packers were dropped last week from the ranks of the unbeatens in Denver in one of the worst games of Aaron Rodgers' career. Live betting experts will want to see how he rebounds against the still undefeated Carolina Panthers before pulling the trigger on one of the biggest games on the Week 9 docket.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Green Bay Packers -1.5
Carolina Panthers +1.5
Over/Under 46
ODDS ANALYSIS
There's a heck of a lot on the line in this game. Green Bay is very likely going to win the NFC North, while Carolina is very likely going to win the NFC South. Those two teams along with the NFC West winner will make up the top three seeds in the NFC playoffs. Home field advantage is crucial when Green Bay is involved, because there isn't a team in the league which wants to play on the Frozen Tundra against Rodgers.
Carolina is sort of the forgotten team, though. The Panthers are still undefeated at 7-0, yet they're underdogs in this game to the Packers at +2.5. Live bettors could very well see some opportunity if Carolina proves that it can indeed play with what is perceived to be the best team in the NFC.
The total opened at 46, but the number could trend towards the under in live betting throughout, especially if Green Bay's offense plays as poorly as it did last week.
WHEN THE GREEN BAY PACKERS HAVE THE BALL
One bad game in November doesn't make a football season, and Mike McCarthy will be reminding his team of that all week in preparation for the trip to Charlotte. Rodgers is a man we trust to rebound from his woeful 77-yard passing performance against the Broncos, but he's got a tough ask in this game with Josh Norman manning another one of the best secondaries in the league.
The question we have in live betting though, is who is going to guard against Randall Cobb in the slot. Typically, Norman is lined up outside against a receiver, not on the inside, and we're not sure he's going to be following Cobb wherever he goes. Keep in mind that Cobb is a time bomb waiting to explode. He only has 36 catches for 377 yards this year with four touchdowns, but he hasn't caught a pass of 30+ yards this season, and he hasn't scored a touchdown in over a month.
Live bettors will want to keep a close eye on Rodgers to see what he's capable of doing in this one. Where Norman goes is the key. If he's sticking with Cobb, Rodgers could be forced to look elsewhere with the football, and that's when things get dangerous for the Pack.
WHEN THE CAROLINA PANTHERS HAVE THE BALL
The Panthers' offense continues to do just enough on a game in, game out basis. Cam Newton might only barely be completing half of his passes, but he's still on point with his legs and is making defenses pay just enough times to be worthwhile.
Green Bay's defense has historically struggled against mobile quarterback, and preparing for Newton is going to be no small task. The Packers' aggression could be used against them if Clay Mathews gets himself out of position too often when he's supposed to be accounting for where Newton is in the pocket, and that's when 20+ yard runs get ripped off.
Jonathan Stewart's stats aren't pretty, but live betting is where it's at when he really gets rolling. Those four yard carries where he powers through the line of scrimmage hurt defenses more than statistics can show, but live bettors can be right on top of it all.
What's most important about Carolina is its knack to score when it has to. The comeback against Seattle. The field goal drive against Indianapolis. The drive against the Eagles which put the game away in the fourth quarter. Newton is generating it all. If the ball is in his hands late in a close game, trust that he'll be able to seal the deal, knowing that he has done so seven times in a row to kick off this year.
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