At first glance of the schedule back in April the upcoming game against the Carolina Panthers was an instant gimme, but after week one of the season, not so fast. The Panthers showed in their game last week that they are not the team that was just playing out the string in head coach John Fox’s last season as coach. Quarterback Cam Newton and new head coach Ron Rivera have changed the attitude in Charlotte.
The Panthers all of sudden have have life, and the Packers will be wise to pay attention this week. The Panthers are a confident team, linebacker Thomas Davis even guaranteed a win. The dreaded Super Bowl hangover theory will be front and center if the Packers lose. If the Packers lose it will be because they played bad, not because they won the Super Bowl last year.
I think this game will play out a little differently for Newton than his first game did. The Packers’ defense has a score to settle within themselves after giving up 477 yards to Drew Brees and the Saints last week. Plus with a little game tape on Newton Packers’ defensive coordinator has at a little something to work with. Expect some of his best quirky looks to confuse the young gunslinger (yeah, I said it).
I think I would be a little leery of bringing too much pressure though, Newton is still probably a better runner than passer at this point in his career and he is also huge, he only needs a crack and he’s off and running. I think the Packers will contain the Panthers’ running game and confuse Newton into a couple of interceptions.
Offensively I think the Packers will be able to operate pretty much status quo. They are not going to be as explosive all the time as they were last week, but I can see them putting up 31 or so this week on the road. So with that in mind, I’ll say Packers 31, Panthers 14.