One of the most interesting matchups of Week 15 has to be the NFC matchup between the Green Bay packers and the Carolina Panthers. The Packers have done their best to keep their playoff hopes alive without their star quarterback. And at the moment, Green Bay’s playoff hopes are very much alive. However, the Packers need to win the last three games of the season to even have a shot at cracking the postseason. Additionally, beating the Panthers on the road isn’t a walk in the park. What kind of odds are sports betting sites giving the Packers with Aaron Rodgers’ return?
Betting Green Bay
At 7-6, the Packers have done all they can to keep the slightest of postseason hopes alive. Green Bay lost Aaron Rodgers in their game against the Minnesota Vikings earlier this season. Without Rodgers in the lineup, the Packers suffered consecutive losses to the Vikings, Saints and Detroit Lions. Afterwards, the Brett Hundley Packers were able to pick up a divisional win against the Chicago Bears. However, the team would suffer two losses following that triumph. But the real triumph of Hundley and Green Bay came these past two weeks when the Packers were able to beat both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cleveland Browns. This has placed Green Bay in a good sportsbook position to make the playoffs. But it all starts this Sunday with a must-win game against the Panthers.
The Packers are at a clear disadvantage this weekend. Green Bay’s offense is currently putting up 21.9 per game while the Panthers are averaging 23.1. However, considering that these numbers account for a Rodgers-less offense, they might not be that accurate for this Week 15 matchup. Nevertheless, the defensive numbers should proof reliable, especially the Panthers. Carolina comes into this contest sporting the league’s 7th best pass defense: not an easy unit to overcome.
Betting Carolina
The Panthers pounce into this matchup with a stellar 9-4 record that ties them for the lead in the division alongside the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers have suffered two losses against the Saints this season, so New Orleans will walk away with the division this year in case of a tie. Carolina has posted a 2-1 record in their last three games which includes a huge 31-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are one of the frontrunners to compete for the NFC title, so seeing Carolina come out on top against a worthy opponent gives their fan base a boost of confidence. Furthermore, there’s no question that that triumph has prompted good sportsbooks to peg the Panthers as the favorites this Sunday.
Players looking to place sportsbook bets on this NFC pairing should consider wagering on the spread. The Packers have a 7-6 against the spread record this season while the Panthers are 8-4-1 against the spread themselves. Specifically, Green bay is 4-2 against the spread on the road which fares much better than the 3-2-1 ATS record the Panthers have posted this year. Green Bay will be looking to cover a 3-point spread. Notwithstanding their chances of covering the spread, the Pack has a great shot of upsetting the Panthers with a rested Rodgers making his return into the starting lineup this weekend.
Good Sportsbook Betting Lines:
Green Bay Packers +3 (-120) 47 (-110)
Carolina Panthers -3 (EV) 47 (-110)
