Carolina @ Green Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2011 ) Green Bay 30, Carolina 23

Aaron Rodgers is emerging as one of the favorites for the NFL's Most Valuable Player award, and he'll try to lead the Green Bay Packers to their fourth straight victory Sunday against the visiting Carolina Panthers. Rodgers leads the NFC with a 111.4 quarterback rating and 15 touchdown passes and is the only player in NFL history to throw for at least 15 TDs with no more than one interception in his team's first six games. The Panthers know that they must focus on Rodgers, as well as receivers Jordy Nelson (NFL-high 632 receiving yards) and Randall Cobb (NFC-leading seven TD catches).

Rodgers hooked up with tight end Andrew Quarless on the game-winning touchdown pass with three seconds left in last week's victory over Miami, moving Green Bay into a first-place tie with Detroit in the NFC North. "A big part of winning in this league is confidence. It obviously adds to your confidence," coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's an investment in confidence and in one another, from one unit to the next - everybody involved. But it's also lessons of overcoming adversity. You cannot overcome enough adversity in the course of a game." The Panthers played to a 37-37 tie with the Bengals last Sunday and are beginning a daunting four-week stretch in their schedule.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Packers -7. O/U: 49

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (3-2-1): Carolina, which follows this tough game with contests versus Seattle and New Orleans and at Philadelphia, has really struggled on defense of late. The Panthers gave up 513 yards against a short-handed Bengals offense last Sunday and have yielded 34 points per game over their last four contests. Cam Newton has carried Carolina offensively, throwing for 284 yards and two touchdowns and running for 107 yards and a score last week, while tight end Greg Olsen caught his fifth TD of the young season.

ABOUT THE PACKERS (4-2): With Carolina dealing with some injury issues at running back, Green Bay catches a big break as the Packers are last in the league against the run (154.5 yards per game). Former Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers has gotten off to a quiet start in his first year with the Packers, notching 1.5 sacks in six games. Eddie Lacy had his best game of the season Oct. 2 against Minnesota, rushing for 105 yards on two touchdowns, but he struggled again last weekend (14 carries, 40 yards) and has rushed for more than 3.3 yards per carry in only one of the first six games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Carolina's DeAngelo Williams (ankle) will not play Sunday, while fellow RB Jonathan Stewart (knee) is expected to return after missing the last three games.

2. Panthers S Roman Harper is tied for the NFL lead with three interceptions, including one in each of the last two games.

3. The Packers are seeking to post a winning streak of at least four games for the fifth consecutive season.

PREDICTION: Packers 31, Panthers 13