Packers hold off Panthers for 11th win

Updated: Dec. 20, 9:45 a.m.

For a second straight season, the Green Bay Packers earned a 24-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field.

On Dec. 19, the Packers jumped out to a big early lead before sputtering to the final whistle and improving to 11-3 overall.

Green Bay scored touchdowns on its first three offensive possessions and led 21-3 late in the second quarter.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw his 40th touchdown of the season to tight end Robert Tonyan — a 1-yard pass — for the game’s first score before Rodgers scored a touchdown on a 6-yard run. Running back Aaron Jones capped a monster first half with an 8-yard touchdown run.

The Packers had two chances to add to the lead and potentially deliver the knockout punch in the first half, but a couple of drops and penalties forced the team to punt twice instead.

Green Bay’s offense wasn’t able to right the ship in the second half, going three-and-out on its first three possessions, which allowed Carolina to get within eight points, 21-13.

The Packers finally put together a solid drive midway through the fourth quarter, but stalled and had to settle for a 51-yard field goal from kicker Mason Crosby. Carolina quickly answered with a field goal to get back within eight points.

Green Bay’s offense then had to the chance to run out the clock, but couldn’t pick up a first down and had to punt the ball back to Carolina with just under a minute left.

A holding penalty on the punt return followed up by an intentional grounding call on first down moved the Panthers all the way back to their 10-yard line, and the visitors eventually turned the ball over on downs, finally sealing the win for the green and gold.

“Nothing felt good,” said Rodgers of the offense in the second half. “The energy was a little off and we obviously had the three-and-outs.”

“It is frustrating, but we’re 11-3, we won the game. That’s a good problem to have. We just know that type of football in the second half is not going to get it done in the playoffs.”

The turning point in the 21-point first half was actually started by the Packers’ defense.

Green Bay was leading 14-3, but Carolina appeared to be on its way to a touchdown. Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater tried to leap over the top of his offensive linemen for a touchdown, but Packers rookie linebacker Krys Barnes had other ideas.

Barnes punched the ball out of Bridgewater’s hands before it crossed the goal line, and Packers cornerback Kevin King scooped it up and returned it 48 yards to set the Packers up at the Carolina 47.

Seven plays later, Jones scored to make it 21-3.

“That was the play of the game, no doubt about it,” said Packers coach Matt LaFleur. “They caught us in a defense where they thought they were going to take advantage of and pound the football. I think our guys kind of knew what was coming there with the quarterback sneak and that’s just great awareness. And that’s why you saw (Barnes) in there quite a bit. He did a great job punching that sucker out. That definitely was the play of the game, the turning point of the game.”

The goal line stand was part of a standout performance by the Packers’ defense in the red zone. Carolina reached the red zone five times, scoring one touchdown and settling for three field goals.

“We gotta be resilient down there (the red zone),” said Packers safety Adrian Amos, who had seven total tackles and three passes defensed. “That’s something that we’ve been working to improve on is our red zone defense — keeping them out, holding them to three or getting takeaways down there. I just thought we executed.”

Linebacker Christian Kirksey led the team with nine total tackles, while Amos and outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith all were credited with a sack.

Rodgers passed for just 143 yards and was sacked five times for a combined 47 yards. Jones rushed for 145 yards.

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