The Green Bay. Packers are still alive in the playoff hunt, but Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers didn’t come without drama.
For a brief stretch in the fourth quarter, it looked like Carolina might pull off an improbable rally. The Panthers trailed by 14 when Young threw an 11-yard pass to Chark on a slant route to make it 30-22 with 7:14 remaining. Young appeared to scramble for the 2-point conversion, but the Panthers were called for holding and Eddy Pineiro missed his second extra point of the game.
After a defensive stand, the Panthers got the ball back and Young found Chark again in the right corner of the end zone for a diving 10-yard TD. Raheem Blackshear then tied the game at 30, scoring on a pitchout for the 2-point conversion.
But Jordan Love came through for the Packers. With just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Green Bay QB completed a 36-yard strike on third-and-4 to to Romeo Doubs, who hauled in a catch near the Carolina Panthers’ sideline.
Huge catch Romeo Doubs🔥
pic.twitter.com/haPeEXTRYi— IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) December 24, 2023
Carolina Panthers WR Takes Jab At Green Bay Packers Over Doubs Catch
Panthers WR Adam Thielen claims he was right next to the controversial catch, that was upheld after an official review. ‘
He was adamant it wasn’t a catch while talking to reporters after the game.
Adam Thielen on the controversial Romeo Doubs catch. “They say control and then a football move. There was no football move.”
Adds, “It’s kinda what you get when you play the Packers.” pic.twitter.com/SZvooSdfki
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) December 24, 2023
“Yeah I saw the whole play, I saw a catch, then ball moving, so he was going to the ground ball moves, controlled it again, hits the ground, and then it moves again, So in my opinion, the ball moved twice, two different times, so there wasn’t enough time to control the ball. They say control and then a football move, there was no football move. And then he rolls out of bounds. So, you can slo-mo it and say one 1000, two 1000, in full speed that’s no catch.”
Thielen then appeared to take a direct jab at the Green Bay Packers, insinuating referees favor them over other teams.
“That’s what you get when you play the Packers,” the Carolina Panthers WR added.
Green Bay Packers Offense Thrives, Defense Struggles Against Carolina Panthers
In a disturbing trend, the Packers — led by Jordan Love — and the offense thrived, while the defense struggled against Panthers’ QB Bryce Young, who entered the game with the second worst QBR of any NFL signal caller, behind only Zach Wilson of the New York Jets.
Love was phenomenal finishing the game with 219 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He benefited from a balanced offensive attack, especially with a fully healthy Aaron Jones in the backfield.
Jones had his best game of the year, finishing the game with 127 yards while averaging over 6 yards per carry.
Still, Joe Barry’s defense struggled against Young and the Carolina Panthers offense when they should have put them away early in the game. The Packers were efficient on offense in the first half, scoring on their first four possessions to build a comfortable 23-10 lead by halftime.
But in the second half, defensive miscues allowed Carolina to climb back into the game.
Carolina had one last chance in the final moments of the fourth quarter. Young completed a 22-yard pass to Chark on the sideline to stop the clock and then threw over the middle to Thielen for 22 yards. But the Panthers, without any timeouts, were unable to spike the ball before time expired.
Young finished with a career day, connecting on 23-of-35 of his throws for 312 yards and two touchdowns.
If the Green Bay Packers aren going to win their last two games and make a run in the NFC playoffs, they are going to have to find a way to clean up their defense.
But a win is a win, and the Packers playoff chances remain alive.
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Deadwood Barry strikes again, thanks to LaFluer’s insecurities.