Packers' Matt LaFleur, Jordan Love address possible trap game vs. Panthers

Before the Green Bay Packers host the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles for a "Monday Night Football" showdown on Nov. 10, the 5-1-1 Packers will welcome the 4-4 Carolina Panthers to Lambeau Field this coming Sunday. 

Carolina is coming off a crushing 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, which has many wondering if the Nov. 2 matchup will prove to be a so-called "trap game" for the Packers. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur addressed concerns related to the upcoming contest. 

What Packers "should only be worried about" ahead of Panthers game

"I'm not worried about it," LaFleur said about his players possibly sleepwalking into Sunday's game, per Ashley Washburn of Milwaukee's TMJ4 News. "Like, we've got enough to worry about just within ourselves and a lot of growth in front of us if we want to play our best football. We should only be worried about today and this game. Nothing else outside of that."

As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the Packers as massive 13.5-point favorites over the Panthers. That's all well and good, but many expected Green Bay would notch a blowout win at the Cleveland Browns back in Week 3. The Browns ultimately earned a 13-10 overtime victory that Sunday afternoon, and they went on to enter their Week 9 bye at 2-6. 

Jordan Love remembers the lessons of the loss to the Browns

Quarterback Jordan Love understands that he and others inside the Green Bay locker room can't take an opponent lightly in the "Any Given Sunday" world of the NFL. 

"I think just keeping the main thing the main thing, trying to take it one week at a time like we talk about," Love said on Wednesday. "I think we've been in this position before. We've learned coming off a two-game win streak and then lose one on the road. I think we've learned that you can't ever look past any team. You've got to take it one week at a time, and you've got to be your best on Sunday."

Green Bay will enter the weekend holding a slight lead over the 5-2 Detroit Lions in the race for first place in the NFC North. Thus, Love and Co. need to do all they can to ensure Packers players aren't already thinking about the game versus the Eagles before the first Sunday of November arrives. 

"I think we're going to have a great week of prep," Love added. "I think that's the message that everyone's talking about. We've got a good Panthers team who's been winning coming in, so we've got to handle business."