Green Bay will host Carolina at noon Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Packers’ offense vs. Panthers’ defense
Jordan Love was good in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He would have been even better if the Packers’ receivers did not catch an all too familiar illness.
Green Bay’s pass catchers caught a case of the dropsies in Pittsburgh.
Tucker Kraft had one drop on a third down that would have extended a drive. Romeo Doubs had two on two separate third downs as well.
The star of the show in the passing game, despite one drop, however, was Kraft.
Kraft’s ability after the ball in his hands separates him from the rest of their pass catchers.
Green Bay had been much better in that department to begin the season, but those issues reared their ugly head again.
Josh Jacobs and the ground game were poised to have a big game against Pittsburgh’s below average run defense, but they found absolutely no traction against them in the first half.
At halftime, the Steelers led the rushing battle 81-19.
The second half saw the Packers get the ball in the hands of Kraft, and coincidentally, or not, good things happened, starting with a touchdown pass from Love to Savion Williams.
Love was excellent in the second half, completing at one point, 20 consecutive passes, tying a franchise record.
Love was excellent and played the game anyone could have dreamed of against his predecessor.
The offensive line went back to its rotation at right guard with Sean Rhyan playing sporadically in relief of Jordan Morgan.
Carolina’s defense has struggled in the early going this season rushing the passer. Their 11 sacks are the fourth-worst in the NFL.
Apart from that, however, their defense has been solid.
They are in the top 10 for interceptions with nine, led by Jacyee Horn’s three picks to start the year.
They’re top 10 in both passing yards and rushing yards allowed per game, while a pretty average 14th in the NFL in points allowed per game.
They struggled on Sunday, however, giving up 40 points to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, most notably on the ground.
James Cook ran for 214 yards, which was the most by a Buffalo Bill since O.J. Simpson.
That could be a matchup that Jacobs and Green Bay’s ground game, which has been better as they’ve found their footing, could be licking their chops over.
Packers’ defense vs. Panthers’ offense
Green Bay insisted almost to a man that they were fine at cornerback.
They were confident in Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Nate Hobbs with the experience they brought to the table.
Early in the season, the recipe looked like it was a good one with the pass rush being as dominant as they are.
The last two games?
They’ve been disastrous.
Hobbs was benched for Valentine because of how poorly he played in Arizona.
Nixon was victimized over and over by Aaron Rodgers.
It’s hard to envision the Packers winning a championship if their cornerback group does not play better.
On the bright side, they did get some reinforcements back. Devonte Wyatt returned to the lineup and gave a boost to Green Bay’s depleted defensive line.
Edgerrin Cooper looked like the disruptive player the team envisioned him being when the season started, including a forced fumble in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game.
Rashan Gary and Micah Parsons both sacked Aaron Rodgers, and the pass rush appears to still be strong as we reach the midway point of the season.
Carolina’s offense has one big question mark coming into this game. Who is going to be under center?
Bryce Young has been Carolina’s starter this season and played well when he’s been on the field.
He led the team to a 4-3 record prior to having to sit out last week’s game with an ankle injury.
Young was able to get some reps in during practice but did not play, as Andy Dalton took the field as the starter.
Dalton is a veteran but really struggled against Buffalo’s defense.
Dalton was picked off once and sacked seven times.
Buffalo’s defense was dominant and kept Carolina out of the end zone until they had taken a 40-3 lead.
Regardless of who is under center, there are two players that Carolina undoubtedly wants to get involved in its offense.
The first is Rico Dowdle, who spearheads their run game, averaging more than five yards a carry.
He ran for 54 yards on eight carries in Sunday’s loss to Buffalo, but the game script robbed him of getting more opportunities.
Green Bay entered play on Sunday as the NFL’s best defense against opposing run games, so this is a matchup worth monitoring.
When the ball goes to the air, Carolina has leaned on its first round pick.
Tet McMillan was a player Brian Gutekunst had his eye on during the pre-draft process, including going to one of his private workouts prior to April’s draft.
Who knows if Gutekunst would have taken McMillan over Matthew Golden, because he was long gone by the time the Packers were on the clock.
McMillan has proven to be a key contributor, with nearly four times as many receiving yards as the team’s second-leading receiver.
He has 413 yards on 30 catches in seven games, and has found the end zone twice.
Carolina’s issues have come in protection.
Young was sacked 11 times in the first six games, and Buffalo’s pass rush got home seven times against Andy Dalton on Sunday.
This is a unit for Green Bay to try and take advantage of if they can slow down Dowdle and the run game.
Special Teams
Green Bay’s special teams was at full strength for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with Brandon McManus returning from the inactive list to handle kicking duties against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He was asked to make a 57-yard field goal in the first half, which was noticeably short, giving the Steelers good field position.
He missed a 44-yard field goal to close the first half as well.
Green Bay’s adventures trying to return punts continued. Pittsburgh’s first punt of the night saw Nixon back deep as opposed to Golden or Romeo Doubs.
It nearly ended in disaster as Nixon muffed the punt, but was recovered by Zayne Anderson.
The Packers still do not have an answer back there.
Special teams was a disaster for Green Bay on Sunday night.
Carolina’s special teams is led by Ryan Fitzgerald, who has missed one field goal and one extra point this season.
Their return game is diverse and has potential to be dynamic.
Trevor Etienne and Dowdle both have at least six chances to return kickoffs this season.
Etienne has handled the punt return duties and entrenched himself as the primary returner in both phases.
He has a long return this season of 45 yards on a kickoff return.
