Packers vs. Panthers score: Aaron Rodgers cashes in red zone, Packers defense carries Green Bay over Panthers

Follow the action as Aaron Rodgers looks to keep his team atop the NFC with another big performance

It wasn't always pretty, but the Green Bay Packers came away with a victory on Saturday Night Football. Aaron Rodgers had one of his least-efficient games of the year, averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt, and the offense as a whole sputtered after halftime, but Green Bay ultimately held on for a 24-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers. 

The Packers very nearly blew a double-digit lead in the second half, allowing the Panthers to score on three of their first four post-halftime drives. Carolina even had an opportunity to drive for the tie with 55 seconds remaining after the Packers' own clock-killing drive failed to produce a first down, but the defense managed to secure a stop before Teddy Bridgewater could engineer his way to the end zone. 

The win improved the Packers' record to 11-3, while it dropped Carolina's to just 4-10. The NFC North champions remain in first place in the conference and have an opportunity to secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs if they can take care of business in each of the next two weeks. 

Why the Packers won

Their hot start was too much to overcome. The Packers scored touchdowns on each of their first three drives, and that was all they needed for the victory. Aaron Jones got things started with a 46-yard run that set up an eventual short touchdown catch by Robert Tonyan. Jones kept things rolling throughout the rest of the first half, getting the Packers into the red zone to set up a short touchdown run by Rodgers, then finding the end zone himself on the team's third drive. It didn't much matter that Green Bay then punted on five consecutive possessions. An early 21-3 lead essentially put the game away, even if it did eventually get a bit closer. 

Why the Panthers lost

They just made everything a bit too hard on themselves. Curtis Samuel had two drops. Teddy Bridgewater had a fumble and took three sacks. The defense got gashed by Aaron Jones several times in the first half. All of those things combined to put the Panthers in an early hole, and it was ultimately just too deep for them to climb out of given their style of offense, which emphasizes short, quick passes and doesn't create very many big plays. Beyond an early 37-yard completion to D.J. Moore on a jump-ball down the sideline, the Panthers didn't have a play gain more than 16 yards until Moore ripped off a 40-yard catch-and-run just before the two-minute warning in the fourth. (Matt Rhule also made a couple of questionable decisions to kick field goals when he could and arguably should have been trying for touchdowns.)

Highlight play

This was the run that got the early-game offense started for the Packers. 

Carolina stacked the box to stop the run on third-and-1, but a simple jump-cut by Aaron Jones enabled him to scoot through the one open hole in the line and scamper 46 yards downfield. Green Bay got into the end zone a few plays later, setting the stage for the win. 

Turning point

Midway through the second quarter, the Panthers were trailing 14-3. They matriculated the ball down the field, even converting a fourth-and-1 from the Green Bay 13-yard line. On first-and-goal from the Packers' 1-yard line, Teddy Bridgewater tried to take a page out of his former teammate Drew Brees' book. It didn't work out so well. 

Packers linebacker Krys Barnes met Bridgewater at the top of the pile and swatted the ball out of the QB's hands before he could reach it out over the goal line. Kevin King scooped it up and returned it to the Panthers' 47-yard line. Seven plays later, Aaron Jones found himself in the end zone, and instead of trailing 14-10, the Panthers went down 21-3. And that was all she wrote. 

What's next

The Packers are now 11-3, and they'll maintain their hold on first place in the NFC North and the NFC overall no matter what happens on Sunday. Their two remaining games are home against the Titans (Dec. 27, Sunday Night Football) and on the road against the Bears. They control their own destiny, so winning both will secure home field throughout the NFC playoffs. 

The Panthers, meanwhile, drop their record to 4-10. For the moment, they have the fourth-worst record in the NFL, though they could be tied by the Falcons, Texans, and/or Cowboys on Sunday. They're headed toward a top-10 pick in the draft; the only question is exactly where it will land. Their two remaining games are on the road at Washington and then at home against the Saints. 

Relive the action with our live blog below.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:20 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Green Bay will move to 11-3 and maintain control of first place in the NFC. Carolina is 4-10 and for the moment has the worst record in the conference. The Falcons and Cowboys can both drop to 4-10 tomorrow as well, though.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:19 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Bridgewater overshoots Anderson on the deep out and that'll do it. Packers hang on.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:18 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Carolina will get one more chance here on fourth-and-4.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:18 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

As every coach at every level will ever say, "If you can touch it, you can clutch it."

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:17 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Oh Curtis Samuel!!!!! Use both hands!!!!

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:17 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Can the Panthers go 79 yards in 30 seconds with no timeouts?

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:15 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Well that almost ended it right there. Is Teddy about to get called for grounding, too?

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:13 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

What a play by Brian Burns... who looked like he came up lame after getting the sack on Rodgers. Not great.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:07 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Now the Packers just need to pick up 4-ish yards to come away with a win. Carolina has just one timeout left.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:05 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

The Panthers could have easily taken a couple shots at the end zone there before kicking the field goal. Really do not get that decision.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:04 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

DJ Moore heating up...

[Dec 19, 2020 at 11:02 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Za'Darius Smith finally gets home, and it's not that surprising that he did given that he was working on a tight end and then just got chipped by the tackle on his way around.

[Dec 19, 2020 at 10:59 pm ET · Jared Dubin]

Carolina is going to have to do a whole lot offensively that it has not been able to do so far this game, in order to get a comeback win. They've created very few big plays, and they need several right here down the stretch.