The Green Bay Packers play the Carolina Panthers on Saturday this week with three games to go in the regular season. They have clinched the playoffs and the NFC North, but the No. 1 seed is still up for grabs, and they will probably have to win out to get it.
It feels like Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have dominated the Panthers often over the years, but is that really the case? Carolina is currently 4-9 and tied for last in the NFC South. They don’t have a lot to play for but have a lot to prove. The Packers are currently nine-point favorites, but what can we learn from Rodgers’ history against the Panthers during his career?
Let’s break it down. Each game will have Rodgers’ stats, if the Packers won, and other random notes/facts.
2008, Week 13
Score: Panthers 35, Packers 31
Aaron Rodgers was 29-for-45 with 298 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His quarterback rating was 96.3.
This was Rodgers’ first full season when the Packers went 6-10. Rodgers had a pretty solid game, so you can’t blame him for the loss. DeAngelo Williams was a force of nature that game, going for 72 yards and four touchdowns.
Cumulative Stats (through one game):
Yards: 298 | Touchdowns: 3 | Interceptions: 1 | Average QB Rating: 96.3 | Rodgers’ Record vs. Carolina: 0-1
2011, Week 2
Score: Packers 30, Panthers 23
Rodgers went 19-for-30 with 308 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. His quarterback rating was 119.9.
What a difference three years, not as many throws and coming off of a Super Bowl win can make. The Panthers came out strong in this one, and Cam Netwon threw for more than 400 yards. But with solid play and a bunch of field goals, Rodgers got his first win against Carolina.
Cumulative Stats (through two games):
Yards: 606 | Touchdowns: 5 | Interceptions: 1 | Average QB Rating: 108.1 | Rodgers’ Record vs. Carolina: 1-1
2014, Week 7
Score: Packers 38, Panthers 17
Rodgers went 19-for-22 with 255 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. His quarterback rating was an amazing 154.5, his highest against them in his career.
The Packers absolutely manhandled the Panthers at Lambeau Field on a beautiful afternoon. It was the year that special teams danced prior to every kickoff before the No Fun League told them they had to stop. Rodgers threw touchdowns to three different receivers and had help with two rushing touchdowns and a field goal. Carolina didn’t score until the fourth quarter.
Cumulative Stats (through three games):
Yards: 861 | Touchdowns: 8 | Interceptions: 1 | Average QB Rating: 123.6 | Rodgers’ Record vs. Carolina: 2-1
2015, Week 9
Score: Panthers 37, Packers 29
Rodgers went 25-for-48 with 369 yards, four touchdowns and one interception His quarterback rating was 96.6, which happens when you only complete half your passes and are playing catch-up the whole game, but four touchdown passes are still impressive. It doesn’t help that the Panthers were undefeated at this point and ended up going to the Super Bowl.
Cumulative Stats (through four games):
Yards: 1,230 | Touchdowns: 12 | Interceptions: 2 | Average QB Rating: 116.8 | Rodgers’ Record vs. Carolina: 2-2
2017, Week 15
Score: Panthers 31, Packers 24
Rodgers went 26-for-45 with 290 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Yes, there were games where Rodgers threw multiple picks. He finishes with a quarterback rating of 71.5.
In theory, Rodgers shouldn’t have played this game, but the Packers were looking to win and he was cleared to play. This was the year that he broke his collarbone in Week 6 thanks to Anthony Barr and the Minnesota Vikings. Green Bay lost the game and missed the playoffs.
Cumulative Stats (through five games):
Yards: 1,520 | Touchdowns: 15 | Interceptions: 5 | Average QB Rating: 107.8 | Rodgers’ Record vs. Carolina: 2-3
2019, Week 10
Score: Packers 24, Panthers 16
Rodgers went 17-for-29 with 233 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions. His quarterback rating was only 84.4, but it doesn’t matter. He did enough, Aaron Jones’ scored three touchdowns, and the Packers held off a late Panthers drive to win in the snow.
Cumulative Stats (through six games):
Yards: 1,753 | Touchdowns: 15 | Interceptions: 5 | Average QB Rating: 103.9 | Rodgers’ Record vs. Carolina: 3-3
Lucky Number Seven
This weekend’s game will be the seventh matchup for Rodgers against Carolina. I was completely off when I first thought he dominated them and would have never guessed he is .500 against them, but one game was in his rookie season and another was during his injured season. He has still thrown for more than 1,750 yards against them and a QB rating of over 100.
Can the Packers help make it 4-3 for No. 12? Can he surpass 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns? We will see. Rodgers is still in the running for MVP, and the Packers have a chance to win out the season.
There’s a good chance he’ll get that fourth win this Saturday.
