Fresh off a come-from-behind win in the Florida sun, the Green Bay Packers (4-2) will return home to welcome the visiting Carolina Panthers (3-2-1) to Lambeau Field for a Week 7 matchup. 

Here's five things to watch and a prediction:

1. Clay's Comeback

Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews has just two multi-sack games over his last 27, which is a shockingly low total given his immense pass-rushing ability. Green Bay would be fine with just one Sunday. Dating back to Thanksgiving of last year, or a span of 10 games, Matthews has delivered only 2.5 sacks, including a single sack in 2014.

The pressures are still there—Matthews has 18, while Julius Peppers has 19—but you'd expect such an accomplished finisher to start a season better, especially when he's previously burst out of the gates with six sacks in both 2010 and 2012. Six games certainly do not make a season, but the Packers paid Matthews to a big-time player. He hasn't been that guy enough early on in 2014. Matthews really should dominate Panthers left tackle Byron Bell Sunday.

2. Reading the Option

The Packers claim to be more prepared against the read-option, but roll back the tape of the Miami game and that's a hard argument to sell. Teams are still using Clay Matthews' overaggressiveness against him, and neither the inside linebackers nor Morgan Burnett saw the play well against the Dolphins. You can only wonder about the final result had Cam Newton been the ball-carrier on Ryan Tannehill's 40-yard dash to open the second half.

Few quarterbacks are more dangerous in the read option than Newton, who has a tight end's body and running back-like athleticism. The Packers might have to dust off the old Colin Kaepernick defense (Week 1, 2013 version), which asked the read defender to attack and hit the quarterback, regardless of what happened at the mesh point. Green Bay also has to be cognizant of Newton's scrambling ability, which might lead to more zone coverage looks (eyes on the quarterback). Sunday should be a good barometer for where the Packers currently are against a quarterback in the Kaepernick mold. 

3. On the Edges

The Packers will be without cornerback Sam Shields (knee), and Tramon Williams (ankle) is scheduled to be a game-time decision. On the other side, Panthers leading receiver Kelvin Benjamin is questionable with a concussion. It's possible we could see plenty of Davon House and Casey Hayward vs. Jerrico Cotchery and Jason Avant Sunday. Opposing quarterbacks have targeted the Packers' potential starting duo Sunday 25 times in 2014, completing 11 for 129 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions (40.2 passer rating).

A more important matchup can be found inside, where Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has game-breaking ability. The Packers need to do better vs. Olsen than the job they did back in Week 4, when Bears tight end Martellus Bennett caught nine passes for 134 yards. Taking away Olsen (five receiving touchdowns) will likely have a bigger say on the game's outcome than how the two backup cornerbacks play Sunday.

4. Time to Run

Like Green Bay, Carolina is in the discussion for worst run defense of 2014. While the Packers are giving up 154.5 yards per game on the ground, the Panthers are allowing 5.5 yards per carry. Both rank last in the NFL. The Bengals went to town on the Carolina run defense in Week 6, rushing for 193 yards on 31 carries (6.2 yards per attempt)—including 137 from Gio Bernard, who broke off an 89-yard touchdown run.

It's time for the Packers to find some consistency on the ground. While Eddie Lacy rushed for a season-high105 yards against Minnesota, his five other games in 2014 have ended south of 50. Keep an eye on playing time splits Sunday: Lacy and James Starks have seen the exact same number of snaps over the last two weeks (67). The two have an opportunity to get back on track against Carolina. 

5. Points-a-plenty

Since allowing just 21 total points during a 2-0 start, the Panthers have surrendered 136 in the four weeks since, at a 34-point clip per game. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (165) and Washington Redskins (139) have allowed more over the last four weeks.

A couple of factors can be blamed on the defensive collapse. For starters, the Panthers are missing defensive end Greg Hardy, who had 15 sacks and 25 quarterback hits last season. A team that led the NFL with 60 sacks in 2013 is on pace for just 34 this season. Behind a weakened pass rush, Carolina's new-look secondary simply hasn't played well. Opposing passers are completing 69.1 percent of their attempts with 12 touchdowns (allowed only 17 total in 2013) against the Panthers, who have new starters at three out of the four starting secondary positions. Unless Carolina's pass-rush suddenly comes alive, the Packers—a team averaging 35.7 points since Week 4—should light up the scoreboard Sunday.

Prediction: Packers 34, Panthers 28 (4-2)

A red-hot Aaron Rodgers (10 touchdowns, 130.5 passer rating the last three weeks) against a lost Carolina defense has the possibility for some serious fireworks. Cam Newton has similar potential, but I'd expect him to be the sparkler to Rodgers' grand finale in this potential battle of football pyrotechnics. 

Zach Kruse contributes to Cheesehead TV. He is also the Lead Writer for the NFC North at Bleacher Report. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].