Breaking down Packers’ 33-30 win over the Panthers in Week 16

cbarto66 | 12/26/2023

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By PACKERSWIRE

Zach Kruse

Breaking down Packers’ 33-30 win over the Panthers in Week 16

The Green Bay Packers snapped a two-game losing streak and kept their season alive with a dramatic 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. The victory featured a blown 14-point lead and a career-best performance from rookie Bryce Young, but the Packers are returning home with the only thing that matters: a victory.

Now 7-8, the Packers have given themselves a chance to win the final two games and sneak into the postseason.

Here’s what went right, what went wrong, what it means and what’s next for the Packers after Sunday’s 33-30 win:

What went right

The offense scored 33 points, the team’s most since Week 1 in Chicago. The Packers scored on their first four possessions, built three different leads of 10 or more points and delivered the game-winning points late.
Jordan Love finished his fifth game in the last six with multiple touchdown passes, zero interceptions and a passer rating over 100.0. Love was responsible for three touchdowns on Sunday, pushing his season total to 30 in 15 games.
Aaron Jones produced a season-high 127 rushing yards.
Romeo Doubs had an 8-yard touchdown catch to open the fourth quarter and the crucial 36-yard catch on third down on the final, go-ahead drive.
Rookie Tucker Kraft had two more catches of 20 or more yards, including a 27-yarder on the opening touchdown drive and a key 20-yarder on the final drive.
Bo Melton, a practice squad elevation, chipped in four catches and 51 total yards.
Jordan Love was sacked just once, and the Packers didn’t have a turnover. Overall, the Panthers had just two quarterback hits and one pass breakup.
Rookie kicker Anders Carlson missed an extra point, but he also connected on a 53-yard field goal — a new career long — and made the 32-yarder late in the fourth quarter.
Preston Smith delivered 1.5 sacks and a team-high four quarterback hits.
Dontayvion Wicks produced another explosive play: a 21-yard touchdown catch on the scramble drill. He left with a chest injury and didn’t return, however.

What went wrong

Almost everything defensively in the second half. The Panthers scored 20 points, including 14 straight in the fourth quarter.
Bryce Young set a new career high for passer rating (113.0) and produced his first career 300-yard passing game, while the Panthers scored 30 points for the first time in 2023.
The Packers offense was nearly unstoppable in the first half, but they were three-and-out three times in the second half.
The Packers got a turnover on downs in the first half but otherwise didn’t produce a turnover. The Panthers were also 3-for-3 scoring touchdowns in the red zone.
The Packers defense had only two sacks, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup. This group just isn’t disruptive. The team’s 10 quarterback hits showed the pass-rush did have a few bright moments.
Three different Panthers receivers had a catch of 20 or more yards. DJ Chark and Adam Thielen both finished with over 90 receiving yards.
Chuba Hubbard had a walk-in touchdown run, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette scored on a 20-yard end around where Rashan Gary lost contain and Jaire Alexander missed a tackle.

What it means

The Packers are still alive in the NFC playoff race. Green Bay is one of four teams at 7-8 (Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints), and all four are chasing the 8-7 Los Angeles Rams and 8-7 Seattle Seahawks for the final two wildcard spots. Beating the Vikings and Chicago Bears over the final two games will give the Packers a legitimate chance at making the postseason field, but nothing is guaranteed at this point. Can the Packers defense survive a road test in Minnesota and a visit from Justin Fields and the Bears in the season finale? Even if this season ends short of qualification for the playoffs, the Packers have learned two important things: Jordan Love and the young playmakers on offense are good, and the defense desperately needs new leadership in 2024.

What’s next

Another elimination game. The Packers will go to Minnesota to play the 7-8 Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 17. Can Matt LaFleur’s team extend the season with a road win in a tough atmosphere on New Year’s Eve night? Last year, the Packers got trucked in the season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. This year’s showdown won’t feature Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins. The winner will have a terrific chance of qualifying for the postseason, and the loser will almost certainly be out. The Vikings beat the Packers 24-10 at Lambeau Field back in October.

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Kudos to Amy for making sure that the tickets to the tailgate party were waiting for me at the reception desk! Your personal phone call and text messages went above and beyond customer satisfaction! I can't wait for the 2024 season, rest assured that my go-to Packer's game supplier will be Event USA for a long time.
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-Jean-Pierre Mallette, Montréal, Canada

"Thank you so much Cathy, greatly appreciate your help. As always, EventUSA has been awesome to deal with in booking the Lodge Kohler package for the Tampa Bay Game, particularly for me traveling from Sydney, Australia, it takes the stress out of the booking process. "

-Kayle

"Good Morning, Nicole - Everything you did turned out great. The seats were great. Access to the air conditioned club lounge was great. Lots of Packers fans in the club lounge and overall at the stadium. The tailgate party at the fancy restaurant in the hotel was fabulous. The servers just kept on bringing out different sliders and desserts. Good thing that I got in a 30-minute run along the river in the morning. So, thank you! You may be speaking with me in November if I can work out getting up to Green Bay for a game. It's been too long since my last time. One of the best aspects of this weekend was interacting with so many people from Wisconsin and learning their personal stories of things Packers. And we even met a couple from St. Petersburg, Florida (my home county) and were able to tell them about the Varsity Club tavern and Packers bar in Clearwater where Mark Murphy's mother is in attendance -- very nice lady whose retirement home is in Clearwater, which borders my little city of Dunedin. Pre-COVID, I always went to the Varsity when the Packers games weren't televised locally -- lots of Wisconsin natives there, too + they serve brats and sauerkraut during Packers games. I'm glad that you are working for Event USA. "

-- Martin Lawyer, Dunedin, Florida

"Dennis - I was blessed to join Amy and some of your customers at the Morton's tailgate as well as after the game. She does an amazing job for you. Every single customer I met praised Event USA for being able to arrange the hotel and tickets and fabulous tailgate party in such a quick time. Having been to some great tour tailgate parties in Jacksonville and Kansas City and old San Francisco, a lot can be said of the long-term benefit of having really great tailgate parties. Morton's was probably one of the best - amazing food, patio sitting on the riverfront, walk to stadium, open bar!!! It was first class fun!!!"

-Matt

"Hi Amy- Just wanted to say thank you for making Jacksonville happen! We had a wonderful time and looking forward to more Packers games with Event USA in the future! Even though the game was not what we expected- we are packers fans for life-lol! Go pack go!!"

-Julie Mastrianni

"I want to thank Event USA and in particular Amy Flores for the Jacksonville trip. We have used you before and always were very pleased with the packages you have set up and your service. My son who lives in Charleston, SC and myself who lives in Minnesota, decided we needed to do a guys trip and decided to go through your company to see the opener in New Orleans. I initially called and talked with Amy about some questions I had and booked our trip. After itinerary and info was emailed to us, it soon became apparent that the trip to New Orleans wouldn’t happen. In steps Amy, wondering if we would be interested in Dallas if the game was moved there and a package was set up. Then finally the move to Jacksonville and continued communication from Amy on our interest. It was getting late at that point and I was wondering if she would be able to pull off setting up a package in Jacksonville. She did it. We went to Jacksonville and had a great time. The accommodations and the tail gate were fabulous. If only the Packer team we were hoping for had made the trip. Thank you Event USA and in particular Amy Flores."

-Tom Sohrweide, White Bear Lake, MN

"Thank you for all your help. I had a great time at the Packer-Raider game opening day. I have already begun telling interested Packer fans in Sacramento about your service. The next time I come to Green Bay for a game, I’ll be sure to ask for your help. God bless you and God bless the Green Bay Packers."

-Frank Chavez, Sacramento

"I just wanted to say that I had such a great time. The whole weekend was so much fun. I enjoyed the Player Autograph Party and the tailgate party was just the best. After coming from a country that loves soccer, it was nice to mix with people who have the same interests as me. Thank you once again, Green Bay is one very special place."

-Beverley Moore, Lancaster

"My accommodations at the Best Western Midway were excellent. I was picked up at the airport and returned promptly. No problems at all. Your representative at the hotel on game day was very pleasant and helpful. The tailgate party was super, great food, great drinks and lots of fun. Obviously, Lambeau Field and the game itself was great. I will continue to use Event USA in the future, and I will definitely tell anyone who I come across to give you a call. One last thing, the hospitality I experienced in Green Bay was incredible. I have traveled to many places, and I don’t think there are more friendly people than the people of Green Bay. Thank you again and see you next year!"

-David Anastas, Worchester

"My wife and I booked the tour to Tampa. The trip was so well organized from start to finish. It started with the people in the office with their friendly help over the phone, to receiving the tickets in the mail, and meeting the tour guides with their upbeat personalities. Signs guided us in the airport and information was posted in our motel lobbies to keep us posted. Your people had everything in order. Talk about organization, you had it. Event USA made this a most memorable trip. Thanks for all involved."

-Dick Koerner, Neenah

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-Sam Jones, Sedalia

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-Kim Ewing and Bruce DeMaine, Ann Arbor

"Thanks so much for the best weekend ever! You not only got us in all the Magazines, TV, WWW pages and even the big screen at Lambeau Field, but Disney World on the side? Nice job – You and your family are top notch – we were on the best tour for the Super Bowl! Seeing the Green Bay Packers win back the Lombardi Trophy was a life long dream of this Packer fan, and you all were so dedicated to the job of taking care of us that, like the Packers, we were a winning team! Keep me on your list."

-William D Lorge, Representative to the Wisconsin State Assembly