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GREEN BAY PACKERS (1-0) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-1)
When: Sunday, September 18, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Broadcast: FOX
Packers vs. Panthers Betting Lines:
Spread: Packers -9 ½
Moneyline: Packers -475: Panthers +390
Total: 46 points
It is hard to believe that there will be debate about who will beat the Spread in the Week 2 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers. But a great debut by Cam Newton has planted a seed of optimism in the minds of Panthers players and fans. Carolina lost their Week 1 showdown with Arizona but they went a long way in proving the notion that they are a completely different team in 2011.
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Green Bay showed absolutely no affects of a Super Bowl hangover in their impressive Week 1 game with the New Orleans Saints. Aaron Rodgers proved once again that he is as good as there is in the NFL on his way to 312 yards passing and three touchdowns. He used nine different receivers on Thursday night and rekindled the chemistry that he had with Greg Jennings. The Packers scored on all four trips into the Red Zone and made the decent New Orleans defense look somewhat ordinary. Even the running game chipped in with 103 effective yards on the ground.
Carolina maybe deserved a better fate in their 27-20 loss at Arizona bur came up short – no surprise. What shocked the football world was the play of Cam Newton who threw for 422 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for just one interception on the afternoon. Was it a fluke? Probably a little bit but with Steve Smith, Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey in town, this passing game could be for real. The Panthers will need a better effort from the running back duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The pair combined for just 56 yards rushing in a game that the offense generated 477 total yards.
Green Bay’s defense underachieved in Week 1 allowing 476 yards to the New Orleans Saints. They are an elite group that will be looking for some redemption against Cam Newton and the boys. Expect the Packers to stuff the run and to hassle Cam Newton all game long. Newton was great against Arizona but there is no way that his talents will catch the elite Packers defense off guard.
Carolina’s defense will certainly have their hands full! This unit gave up 394 yards in Week 1 to the fourth tier offense of Arizona. The Panthers will be without perhaps their best defensive player on Sunday – Jon Beason was lost for the season in Week 1.
Betting Outlook: Green Bay actually got a favor from the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. There was a chance that the Packers may have taken the Panthers lightly – there is no way that is going to happen now. Green Bay should be able to move the ball at will on Sunday, forcing Cam Newton to play from behind all game long. Expect a few more mistakes from Newton in Week 2 in what will be a terrific but possibly humbling learning experience for the rookie QB. The Packers will be focused and should win this game easily – don’t fall into the Carolina trap!
The odds makers have the Green Bay Packers as a -9.5 point favorite with an over/under of 46.
Pick: Green Bay Packers -9 ½
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Green Bay Packers Betting Trends:
- Green Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Green Bay’s last 11 games on the road
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Green Bay’s last 11 games when playing Carolina
- Green Bay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Carolina
Carolina Panthers Betting Trends:
- Carolina is 1-10-1 SU in its last 12 games,
- Carolina is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games
- Carolina is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
- Carolina is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
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