Published Oct 28, 9:11pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Oct 28, 9:11pm ET
Grok AI
Updated Oct 28, 9:22pm ET
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| Green Bay Packers | -13 (-110) |
| Carolina Panthers | +13 (-110) |
Bryce Young's absence likely made no difference in the Week 8 beating by the Bills. But Buffalo desperately needed the win. Backup Andy Dalton was 16 for 24 and 175 yards with no TDs and 1 pick. Rico Dowdle was held to 54 yards on 9 carries. Chuba Hubbard added 34 yards on 12 carries. The Bills' James Cook gashed Carolina's defense for 216 yards on the ground.
James Cook so far today:
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 26, 2025
11 carries
146 yards
1 TD
(via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/7zrvNrscLH
Carolina is in playoff contention at 4-4 and has two games on its remaining schedule with the Saints. If they can take three other games against tougher opponents like Green Bay, they could make the playoffs as a Wild Card.
With their rushing attack led by Dowdle and Hubbard, they can control the clock if they get a minimally effective passing offense. They're ranked 5th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. The Panthers are near the bottom in passing yards per game. That's a tall order with Green Bay's pass rush, Dalton's immobility, and Young with an injured ankle.
On defense, they are 10th in defensive passing yards per game and 16th in rushing. If they want to truly make that playoff run, they need to take care of the ball and force some turnovers.
If they get into a shootout with the Packers, they'll get blown off the field.
Against the Steelers in Week 8, the big storyline centered on Packers QB Jordan Love taking on his predecessor with Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers. Love met the challenge. He completed 29 of 37 passes for 3 TDs and a passer rating of 134.2.
JORDAN LOVE WITH ONE OF THE MOST INSANE THROWS YOU WILL EVER SEE.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 27, 2025
😱😱😱
The throw was perfectly placed over multiple defenders.
pic.twitter.com/Ulbp7InHe1
Receiver Christian Watson played his first game of the season after recovering from a knee injury, catching 4 passes for 85 yards. The star of the game, apart from Love, was Tucker Kraft, who caught 7 passes for 143 yards and 2 TDs.
Rodgers did play well, but Green Bay's defense clamped down when it needed to. Green Bay trailed 19-14 with just over 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter, but outscored Pittsburgh 21 to 6 over the last 20 minutes.
Green Bay is 3rd in the league in defending against the run, which is a bad sign for the Panthers since they need to run to win.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Bryce Young, CAR | INJURED |
| Chandler Zavala, CAR | INJURED |
| Derrick Brown, CAR | INJURED |
| Trevin Wallace, CAR | INJURED |
| Brady Christensen, CAR | INJURED |
| Taylor Moton, CAR | INJURED |
| Cade Mays, CAR | INJURED |
| Jimmy Horn Jr., CAR | INJURED |
| Dontayvion Wicks, GB | INJURED |
| Lukas Van Ness, GB | INJURED |
| Warren Brinson, GB | INJURED |
| Nick Niemann, GB | INJURED |
For Panthers-Packers Week 9, Green Bay needs to win this game to keep its momentum going. On paper, they should beat the Panthers easily. Of course, games are not played on paper.
Whether it's Dalton or Young under center, they will be sitting ducks for Green Bay's pass rush. And if Dowdle and Hubbard can't run the ball, this game will be a blowout.
The only danger for Green Bay is a letdown after their win over the Steelers. They might make the mistake of looking ahead to the Eagles.
None of these factors will hinder them, and they will cover the 13-point spread.
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Pick
Green Bay Packers -13
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