Packers look to break through and end Arizona’s perfect season
The Packers put their six-game winning streak on the line as they prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals on the road this Thursday night.
The Packers are 6-1 after their 24-10 home win over the Washington Football Team on Sunday. The Cardinals are a perfect 7-0, the NFL’s lone undefeated team, after they took care of the Houston Texans 31-5 late Sunday afternoon.
Kyler Murray faces the Packers for the first time in his career. If receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, and A.J. Green aren’t enough to worry about, they added TE Zach Ertz to the lineup. It will take a tremendous effort to shut down this offense. The Packers need to get after the quarterback, get off the field, and turn the ball over to the offense with good field position.
Aaron Rodgers will likely play with a depleted receiving corps. Davante Adams and Allen Lazard have both been placed on the COVID-19 list. They might have some good news as Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been activated although it is unclear whether he will play. They still have Randall Cobb and Equanimeous St. Brown will probably be counted on to make plays as well. Both Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis got involved in the game vs Washington, so hopefully they can contribute again in this game. They need to get their running game going. I can’t imagine they would stack the box and dare Rodgers to throw. Depleted offense or not, that is hardly a successful gamble when Rodgers is the opposing QB.
Arizona has come a long way from what they used to be. It wasn’t too long ago when they were one of the most poorly run franchises in the NFL, if not the worst. Simeon Rice, one of their former players, once referred to them as the armpit of the NFL. The last 15 or so years have probably been their most successful stretch in team history, at least since they won it all in 1947. Their current stadium getting built might have contributed a great deal to their success.
We know that Rodgers and the Packers own the Bears, but in little over a decade, you could say the Cardinals own us. They have won three straight and four of the last five over the Packers, including two playoff games. That includes their last matchup, a 20-17 win for the Cardinals in Green Bay, the first time the franchise has ever won at Lambeau Field. A few hours after that game, Mike McCarthy got fired.
This game was going to be tough enough for the Packers. It will be a tall order for them to go on the road after a short week with what is likely a roster with a lot of inactive players and come away with a victory. The odds are against them but they are more than capable of doing it. They have won six straight games after all. They are playing on a short week but are also facing an Arizona team playing on a short week as well. A lot of crazy things have happened on Thursday night games over the years. Just come out ready to play and hopefully get a score or two early. If nothing else, don’t fall too far behind. Stick with your game plan and keep your foot on the gas pedal.
Anything can happen on any given day. If the Packers can win this game, both teams will have the same record but Green Bay will own the tiebreaker. It would be a huge advantage to have them come to Lambeau Field in January as opposed to playing in Arizona. Let’s get after them from the opening kickoff to the final play of the game. We can do this. Let’s get it done Green Bay!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
