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The Green Bay Packers invade Charlotte NC, today to take on the Carolina Panthers and record-setting rookie  QB Cam Newton. The Packers are certainly hoping for a more comfortable win than last week’s game against the Saints.

The Panthers were 2-14 last season, but have spent 144 million on seven players in an attempt to keep a young core together, ala Green Bay. They already looked like an improved team last week, with Cam Newton a huge improvement over Jimmy Clausen.

The Packers’ defense, however, will be looking to bounce back and show the NFl last’s weeks points surrendered were more attributable to the Saints’ high-powered offense than the packers’ defense not playing well.

Inactive for the Packers tonight are:

DB Tramon Williams, DE Mike Neal, LB Frank Zombo, CB Davon House, LB Vic So’oto, T Derek Sherrod, RB Alex Green.

I’m very pleased that Tramon Williams is being held out if he’s not 100%. He is way too important to the Packers for them to risk aggravating the injury further.

With Williams out, M.D. Jennings makes the first game-day roster appearance of his career. With Williams out, Shields starts and Bush plays at nickel. Since Bush is also a backup safety, Williams comes on in case emergency safety help is needed.

The Packers go with seven active offensive linemen again, with Marshall Newhouse and Evan Dietrich-Smith the only reserves. With Clifton’s knee aching a bit more this week, Packers continue to roll the dice with inexperienced backups and only two of them.  Read more... (1166 words + 3 images, estimated 4:40 mins reading time)

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The Green Bay Packers (1-0) and Carolina Panthers (0-1) face off in Week 2 of the NFL season Sunday.

The basics 

When: Noon CST, Sunday, September 18, 2011

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

TV: FOX, Ron Pitts and Jim Mora, Jr.

Radio: 620 AM WTMJ (Milwaukee); Packers Radio Network

Series: Packers lead, 6-4 (Panthers won last regular season game, 35-31, in Nov. 2008 at Lambeau Field)

Five things to watch

Cam vs. the doubters

In the past year or so, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has been doubted about everything from the authenticity to his smile to his ability to pick up a simple NFL offense. While his 422-yard NFL debut emphatically silenced most of those critics, they’ve been replaced by new doubters who think there’s no chance he’ll do well against a more talented Packers defense Sunday afternoon.

I, for one, hesitate to doubt Newton, who has risen to nearly every football challenge laid before him. There’s just something special about Newton that’s hard to attribute with stats or scouting terms. He has that “it” factor.

This will arguably be the biggest test of his football career, however, as Newton has never seen a defense as talented or multi-faceted as the Packers team he will face Sunday. Can he rise to this task as well? He might not lead the underdog Panthers to an upset win, but it’s hard to bet against Newton playing well, especially with Tramon Williams potentially on the sidelines.  Read more... (1067 words + 1 image, estimated 4:16 mins reading time)

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