Charlie Cummings breaks down his prediction and best pick for Sunday’s Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers matchup.

Everybody and their grandma expected the Green Bay Packers to be in the mix for a playoff spot. Already loaded all over the field, acquiring Micah Parsons put them squarely in the inner circle of contenders. What’s more surprising is that the Carolina Panthers are in the mix. They’re in striking distance of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South while having a good wild card shot. It brings an extra element of drama to Sunday’s game.

Green Bay is a 12.5-point favorite and -1000 on the moneyline, while Carolina is +650 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 44.5 points.

Let’s dig into my pick and prediction for Sunday’s game between these two NFC playoff hopefuls.

Packers vs. Panthers Preview, Prediction

Last week’s Andy Dalton start did not go well for the Panthers. They sorely missed Bryce Young and were wholly unable to move the ball. But now their former No. 1 pick is back in the fold, and crucially so.

The Panthers are 27th in points per game and 29th in net yards per pass attempt. Even with Young, throwing the ball will be a struggle against the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL in net yards per attempt. This year, they’ve gone as far as the run game can take them. However, Green Bay’s run defense is also a top-five unit. The breakdown of what makes this defense incredible is a treat to watch.

If Carolina wants to pull out the win here, it needs a big performance from nose tackle Derrick Brown. His presence up front is crucial to deterring Josh Jacobs and the Green Bay run game. Allowing the Packers to pick up chunk gains on the ground would kill Carolina’s chances quickly.

Jaycee Horn and their secondary will have a tough time against Jordan Love as well. The absence of Jayden Reed hasn’t affected their productivity all that much, and if you give Love chances in play action, he will burn you down the field. Stop the run and maybe, just maybe, you make the Pack predictable enough to stop.

Packers vs. Panthers Preview, Prediction

Everything on paper favors the Packers. They’re superior at nearly every position, have a defense you can truly lean on, and have a better offense as a whole. Yet I retain my trust in Carolina’s run game to extend drives and hoard a significant amount of possession time. Green Bay has also made a habit of playing down to the level of its competition this season. Give me the Panthers to keep pounding and cover the spread.

Best Bet: Carolina Panthers +12.5