Mike Morbeck FF Swami- Flickr
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, AZ
Kickoff: 8:00 pm Eastern Time
Line: AZ -7
TV: NBC (Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth)
Radio:
Green Bay: WTMJ (Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren)
Arizona: Arizona Cardinals Radio Network (Dave Pasch and Craig Wolfley)
The Divisional round of the NFL playoffs is finally here. After a crazy, wild card round of the playoffs last week, the dust has settled and the final eight teams are playing for a spot in the Super Bowl. One of the match-ups taking place this weekend is Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona as Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals will play host to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are coming into this match-up after defeating the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card round last week. The win was probably the teams’ most complete performance of the season and it came at the most important time. However, now they have to play the number two seed in the NFC side of the playoff bracket this week. They are hoping that the result will be different this time around from when the two teams played in week 16 of the regular season when the Cardinals laid them to waste 38-8.
KEYS TO THE GAME: GREEN BAY PACKERS
Last week, the Packers played their most complete game and it was thanks to a very strong performance from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers will need to have a repeat performance like that Saturday night against a very strong Arizona Cardinal defense. In fact, in order for Green Bay to even have a chance of winning this game, their offense, led by Aaron Rodgers needs to have a huge impact.
While the offensive performance of the Packers will be crucial Saturday night, the way the defense plays against Carson Palmer and company will also be crucial. The good thing for the defense is that their secondary appears to be completely healthy after Sam Shields finally practiced this week, after missing the wild card game last week. This is great news for a defense who ranked sixth against the pass during the regular season.
Eddie Lacy didn’t have a very good regular season, but near the end he began to turn things around and carried that momentum into the second half of the game last week to help lead his team to victory. Lacy ran for 63 yards and one touchdown against the Redskins defense and he hopes to at least come close to that again against the Cardinals’ sixth ranked rushing defense who has allowed just over 91 yards a game at 91.3.
KEYS TO THE GAME: ARIZONA CARDINALS
While the Green Bay Packers have a lot of things they need to do on Saturday night, the Arizona Cardinals have their own issues. The Cardinals had a bye week last week, but in week 17 they were demolished at home by the Seattle Seahawks 36-6. Their defense couldn’t stop Russell Wilson and company, so they will need to hope that the Green Bay Packers didn’t learn a thing or two by watching the video footage from that game. The absence of free safety Tyrann Mathieu could have a huge impact and Rodgers is sure to try to exploit the mismatch. The defense will need to step up Saturday night against Rodgers and company who will be out looking for revenge of their week 16 defeat.
Carson Palmer struggled mightily week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks at home. He completed only 12 of 25 pass attempts for 129-yards with one touchdown and one interception before being replaced by backup quarterback Drew Stanton. Palmer will no doubt need a better performance against the Packers defense who appears to be the healthiest they have been all season.
Running back David Johnson has become the workhorse of the backfield ever since Chris Johnson went down with an injury. Johnson finished the season with 581-yards and eight touchdowns in the backup role. He will need to improve on his 39-yard and one touchdown performance the last time he faced the Packers if he wants to help his team win Saturday night.
IMPACT PLAYER: GREEN BAY PACKERS
Aaron Rodgers – With the absence of Davante Adams Saturday night, Aaron Rodgers will be missing yet another play-maker this week. Aaron has seen what the Cardinals can do once already this season, so he should be able to bounce back Saturday night. Look for him to be the impact and elite player everyone has come to know during his career out in the desert.
IMPACT PLAYER: ARIZONA CARDINALS
Michael Floyd – The last time the Cardinals faced Green Bay, Michael Floyd had himself a great game. He caught six passes for 111-yards. If he wants to repeat his success, he will need to contend with a strong and healthy Packers secondary. None the less, look for Floyd to be the impact player for the Cards on Saturday night.
PREDICTION:
The Packers played their most complete game of the season last Sunday in Washington D.C. and they will look to carry that momentum into the desert on Saturday night. With Aaron Rodgers with momentum on his side, look for him to run the show for the Packers and try to get them over the hump and into the NFC Championship game. As far as the Cardinals are concerned, they hope to have the same or similar success in the teams’ week 16 encounter. If they can control the clock with the running game, the Cardinals should come away with the victory and put themselves within one game of a Super Bowl birth. Putting aside the fact that I’m a Packers fan and not trying to be biased, but if Green Bay can continue their momentum from last week and the secondary that is expected to be healthy can cause Carson Palmer problems, they can steal a victory over the “Team of ATL (NFL Around The League)” favorite Cardinals. Expect points to be put up in this one and for the Packers to upset the Cardinals in a shootout.
GREEN BAY – 31 ARIZONA – 28
Ryan Cole is a Writer for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on Facebook or twitter
