Packers vs Panthers Odds, Picks, and Predictions Week 16: Love Rights Green Bay's Ship

The Green Bay Packers try to snap a two-game skid as they head to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, December 24. The Packers are 6-8 but can still make the playoffs while the Panthers have the worst record in the NFL but are coming off their second win of the year.

NFL odds have the Packers installed as 4.5-point road favorites with the Over/Under at 36.5 for this Week 16 clash.

Here are my best free Packers vs. Panthers NFL picks and predictions.

Packers vs Panthers odds

Packers vs Panthers predictions

It's funny how much seven days can change a team's stock. Two weeks ago, the Green Bay Packers were on a three-game winning streak where they had pulled off upset victories against the Lions and Chiefs. They were surging at the right time, Jordan Love was starting to look like a franchise quarterback and they were seemingly getting healthier across the board. Then they lost outright as 5.5-point road faves against the Giants on Monday Night Football before losing by 14 points at home to an average Buccaneers squad in Week 15. 

They opened as 4.5-point chalk on the road against a Carolina Panthers team that is just 2-12 straight up and 3-9-2 against the spread. Sure, Carolina is coming off a 9-7 win versus the Falcons but that was a messy-weather clash against a division rival and this could be a bit of a letdown spot. 

While there was driving rain and brutal winds last Sunday in Charlotte, this week we're getting a clear and warm December day with wind a non-factor. That should make it ideal weather for Love to continue his ascent. The Packers signal-caller has completed 68.8% of his passes for 1,359 yards with 11 touchdowns and just a single interception over the last five games.

The Packers are ninth in offensive EPA and sixth in dropback EPA which is all the more impressive when you consider how banged up and inexperienced they've been at receiver. Meanwhile, the Panthers are just 29th in offensive EPA and rank dead-last in the league with 4.1 yards per play. Rookie QB Bryce Young continues to struggle and ranks 28th among 29 qualifiers in QBR. 

The Panthers haven't been quite as terrible on the other side of the ball, but they still sit 23rd in defensive EPA. They are dead-last in defensive rush EPA however and the Packers will have a healthy Aaron Jones in the backfield. Take the Packers in a bounce-back spot against a Panthers team whose stock is as high as you'll see it all year. 

My best bet: Packers -4.5 (-110 at FanDuel)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.

Packers vs Panthers same-game parlay

Packers -4.5

Jonathan Mingo Over 3.5 receptions

Jordan Love Under 0.5 interceptions

+550 at bet365

I'm expecting the Packers to run away with this one, which should result in lots of pass attempts from the Panthers as they play with a negative game script.

That should mean plenty of receptions for Jonathan Mingo, who has seen more looks his way in recent weeks. The rookie second-rounder has hauled in more than 3.5 catches in three of his last four games, and in the one game he went below that number, he was targeted a whopping nine times. 

Love has done a good job of cutting down on his mistakes and has thrown just one pick in his last five games. He shouldn't feel pressure to throw risky passes against the cellar-dwelling Panthers, who are near the bottom of the league with eight interceptions. 

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Packers vs Panthers spread and Over/Under analysis

This line hit the board with the Packers installed as 4.5-point road favorites and the Over/Under at 36.5. 

It's been a roller-coaster season for the Packers, who've dealt with myriad injuries and saw Love struggle early on. After beating the Chargers, Lions, and Chiefs in consecutive weeks, they saw their stock rise only to lose back-to-back contests to the lowly Giants and the Bucs. 

The Panthers have struggled all year but did manage to snap a six-game losing streak with a 9-7 victory against the Falcons last week. They are just 2-12 SU with nine of their losses coming by at least a touchdown. 

Packers vs Panthers betting trend to know

The Under is 7-1 in Carolina's last eight games. Find more NFL betting trends for Packers vs. Panthers.

Packers vs Panthers game info

Packers vs Panthers latest injuries

Packers vs Panthers weather

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