One thing is crystal clear: We’ll find out on Sunday whether the Pack’s defense got the message this week or whether it’s packed it in for the season.
By now, you know the story. Matt LaFleur chose not to relieve Joe Barry of his duties, reportedly because the unit’s defensive issues seem to be about communication. Never mind that that is precisely what coaches need to do to excel at their jobs.
Barry also had a little get-together with a number of defensive starters to allow them to air out their concerns and get things out in the open. We don’t know who all attended – only Quay Walker has spoken publicly about it. But we know Kenny Clark was not there, which seems odd since he is that unit’s veteran leader.
Then there are the sagas involving Jaire Alexander and De’Vondre Campbell. Jaire is officially listed as questionable. But only he knows if he’ll miss his seventh straight game with a shoulder injury that never landed him on IR, and he has had him practicing for the last few weeks. The Green Bay Packers are playing this game in Alexander’s hometown – you’d think he’d want to be out there. If he’s not, I’d be surprised if we see him the rest of the year.
As for Campbell, the Packers relieved him from practice after his social media firestorm, and they’ve ruled him out for Sunday. After a miserable performance last week that had critics sharpening their pens, he intimated that he’s been playing hurt to help the team. He hasn’t taken kindly to those who’d rip him when he could just as easily have sat out. Campbell has been a great player for the Pack, but if he can’t be himself, he needs to let his coaches know. The tape he put out there last week is hideous to watch.
With the soap opera that is the Packers defense swirling, the Carolina Panthers offense provides a get-well opportunity. There’s no Mike Evans for Barry to freak out about, and there’s no magician at quarterback who scares you with his arm and his legs. There’s also no prodigious rushing attack ready to steamroll the Pack’s porous run defense.
The Panthers are the league’s bottom feeders this year despite recording their second win of the season last week over the Falcons, a 9-7 stinker in a rainstorm where they never scored a touchdown. They’ll try to attack with running back Chuba Hubbard, who’s getting almost 25 touches per game lately, but he’s nothing special. Carolina’s passing attack is about as meek as it gets. Adam Thielen started very strong but has slowed lately, and they haven’t gotten consistent production from DJ Chark or rookie Jonathan Mingo.
Carolina’s lousy offensive line that can’t pass block for their rookie QB, who really needs them to, has stalled its offense. Bryce Young has been sacked at least three times in all but two games this year and is constantly running for his life. He’s dealing with the pressure of being drafted ahead of C.J. Stroud and knowing that the trade that brought him to Carolina will send next year’s top pick to Chicago.
When owner David Tepper fired head coach Frank Reich after just 11 games, he removed the guy who’s been working with Young since he got there. It’s just not a great situation for the former Heisman trophy winner. He led the Panthers on a long drive that resulted in the game-winning field goal last week, but they get excited when they cross midfield at this point.
If Barry still has his unit’s attention, they should dominate on Sunday. But on offense, there is uncertainty about Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks’ availability – both are questionable. But the running back room is getting healthier. Aaron Jones carries no injury designation, and it looks like the Pack will get AJ Dillon back, too. Carolina is decent against the run and shut down the Falcons last week. But Aaron Jones should shine against the Panthers, provided LaFleur doesn’t forget about him.
Carolina’s top two pass rushers, Brian Burnes and Marquis Haynes, returned to practice Friday after missing the first two days of the week with illnesses – they’re both good to go. They each have over 30 QB pressures, and the Pack will have to account for them. They only have 20 sacks as a team, last in the league. They’re also last with just 11 takeaways. But they got their best corner, Jaycee Horn, back a few weeks ago (he’s been recovering from a knee injury suffered last year), and the unit has been better since he returned.
There should be a healthy dose of Packer fans in Charlotte, with many Panthers fans ready to look ahead to next year with a new head coach. Weather should be a lot nicer than last week, where heavy rains made it hard for either offense to do much of anything.
I see the Panthers hanging around in a one-possession game for much of the afternoon, with the Pack scoring late to put it away. I choose to believe that the defense will look a lot more like the unit we saw in November; the one that frustrated Herbert, Goff, and Mahomes. If, instead, they make Bryce Young look like Steve Young? Well, then we can definitely pack it in for 2023.
Packers 24
Panthers 13
