The Green Bay Packers enter Thursday night's Week 8 NFL game as 3.5-point favorites against the Carolina Panthers, with multiple projection models and analysts backing Green Bay to cover the spread. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates each game 10,000 times, identifies value in the under 46.5 total points and a player prop on Panthers receiver Jalen Coker under 61.5 receiving yards.
Green Bay's defense has allowed just 13.5 points per game over its last four contests, including holding the Detroit Lions — the league's second-highest scoring offense at 30.7 points per game — to 20 points last week. The under has hit in four straight Packers games and in five of seven overall this season. Carolina's offense has been inconsistent; quarterback Bryce Young threw for 163 yards with two interceptions in a 13-point output against Tampa Bay last week.
SportsLine expert Sia Nejad cited the Packers' offensive addition of Josh Jacobs and a vulnerable Panthers defense as reasons to back Green Bay. "The Packers have been recently victimized by some self-inflicted wounds and some questionable officiating, and they get a Panthers squad that just got exposed by the Bucs," Nejad said. "Look for the Packers to roll offensively and to do enough on defense to cover the spread."
On the player prop side, expert Alex Selesnick (PropStarz) highlighted a difficult matchup for Coker against a Packers pass defense ranking fifth in EPA allowed per dropback. "Coker has been frequently on the injury report, and this seems like a natural spot to fade him," Selesnick said. Combining the three picks — Packers -3.5, under 46.5 total points, and Coker under 61.5 receiving yards — into a same-game parlay would pay approximately +425 odds.
The SportsLine model entered Week 8 on a 58-51 run on top-rated NFL picks dating back to the 2024 season, with a reported profit of more than $5,000 for $100 players on betting sites since inception. Kickoff for Panthers vs. Packers is scheduled for Thursday night as the opening game of the Week 8 slate.
