GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – According to Ron Wolf, the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl XXXI victory over the New England Patriots was anticlimactic. The Pro Football Hall of Fame General Manager of the Packers built that championship team but he’s long maintained the most significant victory of his tenure was the one that came two weeks prior.
The Pack’s 30-13 win over the upstart Carolina Panthers in the 1996 NFC Championship Game takes the cake. To have that conference title game played at frigid Lambeau Field, and so dominated by the home team, to Wolf, it signified what he was told couldn’t be done, could be, turn Green Bay into a champion once again.
The franchises meet again Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, a Christmas Eve game the Packers absolutely must have to keep flickering playoff hopes alive. The Panthers have long been looking ahead to next year, perhaps 2025 or beyond. In the last calendar year, Carolina owner David Tepper has fired Matt Ruhle, hired Frank Reich, fired Reich and promoted Chris Tabor to lead a team being quarterbacked by the number one overall pick in the 2023 draft, Bryce Young. Sounds like the Packers will unwrap a happy present. Not so fast.
When the Packers have the ball.
The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens have played dominant defensive football this year. You know who’s running third? It’s Carolina. The Panther defense, coordinated by Ejiro Evero, a defensive quality control assistant in Green Bay with Mike McCarthy in 2016, gives up the third fewest yards per game this year, second best against the pass. The Packers, with key playmakers nursing injuries, will be challenged. Christian Watson is doubtful after not practicing again all week. A.J. Dillon, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks are all questionable. Jordan Love can lean on Aaron Jones who appears to be behind the MCL sprain of a month ago, tight end Tucker Kraft who has replaced Luke Musgrave more than capably. Will that be enough against Derrick Brown, Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu? Carolina really flies to the ball. If Romeo Doubs gets too much attention, it might have to be Malik Heath or even Samori Toure coming up with important contributions. As good as the yardage numbers are for Carolina, they have given up almost 25 points per game, more of a sign the offense unable to get to the plus half of the field.
When the Panthers have the ball.
If Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry can’t come up with a way to neutralize Carolina’s offense, a change might have to be made before Christmas. Young has looked like a rookie quarterback most of the year, throwing 9 touchdown passes with 9 interceptions. He leans on former Viking Adam Thielen out wide and a serviceable running back tandem of Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. They haven’t found any consistency, especially in the red zone. Two starters are down for the Packers in Dre’Vondre Campbell and Darnell Savage. Look for less, two-shell coverages and more pressures against the young quarterback. I’m expecting a spirited performance from this unit.
The bottom line.
The Packers are out of tomorrows. They need to win out and they understand that.
I like the Pack, 24-14.
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