The Green Bay Packers have already clinched the NFC North, and their ticket to the 2020 NFL playoffs is already booked. But that doesn't mean they don't have more to play for with three weeks left in the season. With the New Orleans Saints (10-3) and, technically, the Los Angeles Rams (9-4) right on their heels in the race for the conference's No. 1 seed, Aaron Rodgers and Co. must still take care of business if they intend on entering the postseason with the NFC's only first-round bye.
Standing in their way in Week 15: The Carolina Panthers, one of the scrappiest teams in the league. Matt Rhule's squad is in the cellar of the NFC South at 4-9, and they've now lost seven of their last eight after starting 3-2. But all but two of their losses came in one-score games, Teddy Bridgewater has surprised with his efficiency, and the Packers defense has occasionally proven quite vulnerable. Carolina may not be playing for much more than pride and 2021 draft positioning, but that's all the more reason for Green Bay not to overlook Saturday night's contest.
As we look ahead to the second of two games on Saturday, how will things actually unfold between the Panthers and Packers? Let's break things down.
How to watch
Date: Saturday, Dec. 19 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
TV: Fox, NFL Network | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
When the Panthers have the ball
It's probably going to be a long night regardless, but Carolina's chief goal on offensive possessions should fit right in: Make drives as long as possible. There's no getting around the fact the Panthers do not have the secondary -- or defense in general -- to prevent Rodgers and Co. from putting up points. So it would behoove them to milk clock, churn through methodical drives and only occasionally gamble with the deep shot. The motivation isn't so much going blow for blow with Green Bay as keeping Rodgers off the field, keeping the score low enough that it can at least be within reach.
That's not conservative nor pessimistic as much as it is realistic; the Panthers are 4-9 for a reason, which means understanding that a Saturday night upset isn't going to come without some sacrifices (e.g. making keep-away a top priority). How does that look, though? It starts by not giving up on the ground game. Green Bay has been better against the run of late, but the Pack are still vulnerable there, as well as defending RBs out of the backfield, so Mike Davis should be in for a sizable workload in place of Christian McCaffrey. He and Curtis Samuel and/or Rodney Smith should combine for at least 20 carries.
Finally, the Panthers would do well to get the ball into their play-makers' hands sooner rather than later. Remember, we're aiming for long, steady drives here. That means quick strikes -- screens, slants, reverses, etc. -- to guys like Robby Anderson and DJ Moore, who can use their speed to create and keep series alive. This would also take some pressure off Bridgewater, whose gotten solid protection from his bookends but probably can't afford to be waiting around while Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith are coming in hot.
When the Packers have the ball
Throw, throw and then throw some more. Seriously. There's no need to overthink this one. Aaron Rodgers is -- or should be -- the MVP favorite entering Week 15. Let him go to work. Not only because he's carved up literally every defense he's faced this year, with the lone exception of Tampa Bay, but because the Panthers are essentially begging him to air it out. They enter with bottom-half marks in almost every major pass-defense category, ranking 23rd in yards allowed per game, 26th in passer rating and 28th in completion percentage. In other words, Rodgers should be drooling at the chance to get this matchup Saturday -- and the Packers should allow him to take advantage of it on the field.
That doesn't mean there isn't a place for Aaron Jones and the run game to be featured. We know Matt LaFleur will get that unit involved anyway. But this, plain and simple, should be a night where Rodgers is permitted to will the Packers to a big win. Everyone out there -- Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Robert Tonyan -- will warrant targets.
Prediction
It doesn't matter much what the Panthers are doing on offense. Even in their ideal game, if Carolina is able to control the clock and finish long drives, the Packers should still be unafraid to sling it with regularity. Because the fact of the matter is, Rodgers is good enough to get the job done, whether it's on a four- or a 10-play series. If the strategy pays off early, even better. The last thing Bridgewater needs is to be forced to throw his way back from a big deficit, and No. 12's arm alone is capable of ensuring just that.
Prediction: Packers 38, Panthers 23
