Packers Keys to the Game (Nov. 10)

The Green Bay Packers (7-2) host the Carolina Panthers (5-3) at 3:25 p.m., Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. FOX televises the game.

Coaches

Green Bay — Matt LaFleur, first season (7-2). Carolina — Ron Rivera, ninth season (76-59-1).

History

The Packers lead 8-6 but the Panthers won 37-29 in 2015 and 31-24 in 2017.

When the Packers have the ball

After being stopped cold by the Chargers last week, the Packers will get a chance to rebound against a mediocre Panthers defense.

Carolina ranks 21st with 25.5 points allowed per game along with 19th in total defense (360.4 yards per game), 26th in rushing defense (133.3 yards per game) and ninth in passing defense (227.0 yards per game). As usual, the per-play numbers give a better indication. Carolina is a woeful 31st against the run (5.06 yards per carry) but a lofty fourth against the pass (6.05 yards per attempt).

On the bright side, the Panthers are first with 34 sacks and third with 19 takeaways. On the not-so-bright side, situational football has been a problem. Carolina is 19th on third down (41.0 percent) and last in the red zone (69.2 percent touchdowns).

In Carolina’s 3-4 scheme, Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe and Vernon Butler are the defensive line.

McCoy, signed after being released by Tampa Bay, has been excellent. While he has only 2.5 sacks, he is tied for 11th with 26 total pressures among interior defenders, according to Pro Football Focus. Butler, with a team-leading three forced fumbles, is an underrated run-stopper and Poe is the anchor at nose tackle.

Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin are the outside linebackers.

Addison has a team-leading 6.5 sacks, Irvin has 3.5 sacks and first-round pick Brian Burns has 4.5 sacks and a team-leading 11 quarterback hits off the bench.

“There’s a lot of different guys they send at you and they are relentless,” LaFleur said. “They are hard-charging. They do a great job of getting on edges. Their get-off, how aggressive they are — they’re really good. They just send so many different people. It’s just a platoon of different guys coming at you on each and every snap. We’re going to have our work cut out for us.”

Luke Kuechly (78 tackles) and Shaq Thompson (69 tackles) cover at lot of ground as the inside linebackers.

Kuechly, with his seven passes defensed ranking second on the team, is an exceptional player with a nose for the ball and elite tackling skills. Thompson is highly underrated; he has three sacks and a team-high seven tackles for losses.

Donte Jackson and James Bradberry are the corners, Eric Reid and Tre Boston are the safeties and Ross Cockrell mans the slot.

Bradberry and Jackson have three interceptions apiece and Cockrell has two. Combined, the Panthers’ cornerbacks have allowed three touchdowns but intercepted nine passes, according to PFF. Reid is an attacker with 56 tackles and three sacks.

When the Panthers have the ball

Green Bay has given up 120-plus rushing yards in six of nine games, including 159 yards against a historically bad Chargers rushing attack last week.

The challenge will get much, much tougher against Carolina. Running back Christian McCaffrey lead the NFL in rushing yards per game, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and yards from scrimmage.

“He’s done everything he’s needed to to get stronger, faster, understanding their scheme,” said Packers linebacker Blake Martinez, a former teammate of McCaffrey at Stanford. “They have a great scheme for him and he makes plays. He’s obviously an explosive player. Ever since I met him, I knew he was going to be a special player, so it’s awesome to see.”

Not awesome for a Packers defense that has been exposed most weeks on the ground. While McCaffrey is having a season for the ages, the Packers are 24th vs. the run (127.7 yards per game) and 25th in yards allowed per carry (4.73).

And it’s not just McCaffrey as a runner. Last season, he set an NFL running backs record with 107 receptions. He’s got 43 catches through eight games this season. Added together, McCaffrey is averaging 155.5 yards from scrimmage per game — 45.8 percent of Carolina’s yards.

McCaffrey has had to carry the load because star quarterback Cam Newton has missed most of the season with a foot injury and was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday. Kyle Allen, an undrafted free agent last year, is 5-1 as a starter this season and 6-1 for his brief career. Before the Panthers were clobbered at San Francisco a few weeks ago, Allen had become the first quarterback in NFL history to start his career with a 5-0 record with zero interceptions. He’s come back to earth of late, with season totals of 60.7 percent accuracy, nine touchdowns, four interceptions and an 87.8 passer rating.

“He’s a natural thrower,” LaFleur said. “He can make every throw in the pocket.”

D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel are the unheralded young receivers and Greg Olsen is the veteran star at tight end.

Moore leads the team with 45 receptions for 564 yards, Samuel has chipped in 30 receptions for 407 yards and Olsen has added 27 receptions for 331 yards. McCaffrey, Moore, Samuel and Olsen have contributed an incredible 89.4 percent of the Panthers’ offense.

The offensive line consists of left tackle Dennis Daley, former Packers reserve Greg Roten at left guard, former Broncos starter Matt Paradis at center, Trai Turner at right guard and Taylor Moton at right tackle.

Daley replaced Daryl Williams, who was horrendous with nine sacks allowed, according to Pro Football Focus. That was a good move by Rivera, with Daley allowing one sack in four starts.

The best of the bunch is Moton, who ranks third among all tackles in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. The weak link is Paradis, who ranks as the worst pass-protecting center in the league.

Special teams

Kicker Joey Slye has struggled. He’s just 15-of-21 on field goals, including 9-of-15 from 40-plus yards. He’s got a monster leg; opponents have returned only four of his kickoffs.

Punter Michael Palardy is averaging 46.3 yards per punt with a net of 41.5. Of his 39 punts, 24 have been returned, so there will be opportunities for Tremon Smith.

Undersized receiver Greg Dortch made his debut as the returner last week, averaging 26.0 yards on two kickoff returns and 5.5 yards on two punt returns. The Packers need to get their punting unit back in order. In the first six games, JK Scott averaged at least a 41.5-yard net in every game. The last three games, his nets have been 39.7, 29.3 and 37.4.