Panthers prove great defenses don’t necessarily translate to winning
By GERY WOELFEL
The Green Bay Packers defense has been much maligned this season.
Some of the criticism is justified; a lot isn’t.
The Packers rank a lowly 23rd – out of 32 teams – in yards per game but rank 17th in points per game.
From my perspective, the former stat is relatively insignificant in the big picture. If the yards-allowed-per-game stat was so important, the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets and New England Patriots would all be punching their tickets to the playoffs.
Let’s look at the Panthers, who’ll host the Packers Sunday before what is expected to be a virtually empty stadium (Packers fans will clearly outnumber disillusioned Panthers fan).
The Panthers have the third-best – repeat, third-best — defense in the league. They are allowing a meager 291.6 yards a game.
But what do the Panthers have to show for their sterling defensive play?
A 2-12 record.
The worst record in all of football.
Now, let’s look at the New York Jets. They have a tremendous defense, too. They rank seventh in average yards per game.
And what do the Jets have to show for their stellar defense?
A 5-9 record.
That’s the second-worst record in the AFC.
As for Bill Belichick’s Patriots defense?
The Patriots boast the eighth-best defense in Roger Goodell’s kingdom and their record is … 5-9.
This isn’t to imply defense isn’t a key component to winning football games at the NFL level. It is. But it’s not nearly as important as some observers contend.
The fact of the matter is success in today’s NFL is usually determined by the offense. And the Packers offense is unequivocally better than the Panthers’.
The Packer also have the better quarterback: Jordan Love is enjoying a stellar season and establishing himself as an elite player. Bryce Young is having a typical rookie roller-coaster season.
If the Packers don’t self-implode with bone-headed mistakes, they could blow up the Panthers.
Prediction: Packers 27, Panthers 16
