Packers Host Panthers in Thursday Night Football Matchup

The Green Bay Packers were scheduled to host the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field on Thursday night, Oct. 29, in a Week 8 matchup between teams with different records but leading positions in their divisions. The game was set for 8:15 p.m. ET as part of Thursday Night Football; the supplied reports were published before kickoff and do not give a result. Green Bay entered at 4-3 and Carolina at 3-3. The Packers were last in the NFC North, while the Panthers led the NFC South, according to the pregame coverage. Both teams had a chance to improve their standing, but betting previews differed over which side had the stronger matchup. One set of projections favored Green Bay, pointing to its recent defensive play and improved offensive efficiency. The Packers ranked second in expected points added per play allowed over the four weeks before the game, at minus-0.118, according to one analysis. The same analysis said Green Bay ranked seventh in offensive dropback EPA per play during that span. Another preview cited the Packers’ home defense and recommended betting on Green Bay to cover an alternate spread. A different preview argued Carolina could keep the game close or win...