Panthers vs. Packers Pre-Game Links

Here's some links to post analyzing the Panthers Sunday game in Green bay.

If You're a Betting Person

An 8-3 record doesn't get you mush respect these days. If you like to bet on Panther games the line is Packers (-3) with the over/under set at 45 points.

The Bottom Line: I know the Packers are usually money at home, but the Panthers have a great defense and Aaron Rogers is throwing up too many interceptions.

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Packers Must Win to Stay in the Race

Both teams failed to live up to their potential last week.

"Five games to play, we're not out of anything," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's right in front of us. We need to win football games. We know that. That's our focus."

The Packers beat the panthers pretty handily last season so I'm hoping for a little revenge. One more loss for them and that fat lady may have sung for the Pack.

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Panther Defense Looking to Reduce their YAC

If the Panthers want to beat another team this season they have to do better at limiting their opponent's yards-after-contact, meaning tackling.

Damione Lewis doesn't remember his Carolina Panthers' coaches ever bringing up the statistic "yards after contact."

So when the defensive tackle heard the eye-popping number of yards the Panthers gave up to Atlanta Sunday after making an initial hit -- 193 -- it was jarring. It only got worse when he and his teammates had to watch it on film.

"You see guys coming in and hitting a guy and he's staying up," Lewis said. "We're not wrapping up. We're going in getting big shots on them and they're bouncing off and making big runs out of it."

That's not what we had grown accustomed to earlier in the season.

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Let's See More Gang Tackling

The defense is getting back to the basics this week in practice.

"There was a lot more sense of urgency running to the ball," cornerback Richard Marshall said. "That was a big emphasis (Wednesday) -- getting to the ball, running to the ball, guys getting there, because on Sunday, there were a couple of plays where guys weren't getting to the ball and all 11 guys weren't running to the ball, and that's something we preach here. 

"Our defensive coordinator (Mike Trgovac) and head coach (John Fox) preach that everybody's got to get to the ball.  That's something we want to do on Sunday.  So there was a big emphasis on that (Wednesday)."

I'll just be happy if they don't whiff on some key tackles.

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Packer Secondary Looking to Rebound 

After all, they just got ripped by the Saints passing game. The Panthers expect them to rebound.

"Those are some playmakers," said Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme. "They can catch the football. They've scored a lot of points. A lot of guys who play (defensive back) might have a little trouble handling the ball. But this guy Woodson has been doing it since college (when he won the Heisman Trophy at Michigan). The corners are just in your face and opportunistic, too."

I'm thinking they wait one more week for a rebound.