The Green Bay Packers take their show on the road this week to challenge the Cardinals in Arizona, which is a place they have had some interesting matchups.
The Cardinals are a conference opponent, a week after facing an uncommon opponent in the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Packers are not in a bad position in terms of the postseason and hold all of the cards they could ask for.
They do, however, need to keep stacking wins, and they do have a possibility of doing that this week against a team that has had their struggles this season.
In addition, they could be playing without some very important players.
More on that and some other points with our weekly six pack.
1. Buckle Up
Last week, we told you that Green Bay and Cincinnati have usually played wild games when the two teams meet up.
The Packers and Cardinals have had their fair share of drama as well, especially in Arizona.
In 2021, the Packers, ravaged by injuries and COVID-19 related absences, went into Arizona facing an undefeated Cardinals group that looked like the best team in football to that point of the year.
Behind a big night from Randall Cobb and Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ offense was able to do just enough to give the defense a 24-21 lead late in the game when Kyler Murray had the Cardinals in scoring position, looking to extend their unbeaten streak.
Instead, a dramatic interception from Rasul Douglas in the corner of the end zone saved the game, and the Packers escaped with a huge victory.
The 2009 playoffs also represented the highest scoring playoff game, and arguably one of the best games of Aaron Rodgers’ career, even if it ended on a sour note.
2. Another Backup?
The Packers have had some good fortune early in the season in terms of quarterback play.
Joe Flacco has faced them twice, and one time he was traded to the team he was playing for just three days prior to kickoff.
This week, Jacoby Brissett could be the starter for Arizona. Murray missed last week’s game with a foot sprain. Brissett is an admirable backup who has had a long career, but he’s not as dynamic as Murray.
The Packers have gotten everything they could ask for from a quarterback standpoint over the last two weeks. Their defense should be set up to have another dominant performance on Sunday.
3. That’s not all
Of course, Murray is not the only player with an injury concern coming into Sunday’s game.
Arizona’s former first-round phenom, Marvin Harrison Jr., left Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with a concussion.
Concussions are tricky, so that puts his availability in question.
Facing a backup quarterback, potentially without his best weapon, the Packers’ defense could focus more of their resources to Arizona’s top pass catcher.
4. Tight End Showdown
Tucker Kraft said earlier last week that one of the best ways to use him in the offense was to ensure he touches the ball on every possession.
Kraft was Green Bay’s leading receiver coming out of the bye week and has really come into his own in his third season as a pro.
On the other side, Arizona boasts one of the best tight ends in all of football.
Trey McBride was a standout a season ago and rewarded with a lucrative contract extension, which undoubtedly will be used in future negotiations for Kraft when it comes time to review his contract.
McBride had a big game last year against the Packers, catching eight passes for 96 yards to lead all receivers on the day.
Whether Brissett starts or Murray returns from an injury, they’ll be relying on their big tight end.
5. Ageless Wonder
Brian Gutekunst has an outspoken policy that the NFL is a young man’s league. His team is always one of the youngest in all of football.
The only players on the roster over the age of 30 are specialists.
Apart from that, the Packers have always trended young.
On the other side, the Cardinals have one of the oldest players in the NFL, defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
Campbell has bounced around the NFL but has always been productive wherever he has been.
Campbell had three sacks on the year coming into Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Packers’ offensive line, which has struggled this season, will need to figure out a way to keep Arizona’s pass rush at bay, and that starts on the interior with Campbell.
6. Look Ahead?
Players are human, so it’s natural to wonder if this is a game the Packers could be overlooking.
No, the Pittsburgh Steelers, next week’s opponent, are not a division rival or anything of that sort.
They do, however, have a guy on their roster by the name of Aaron Rodgers.
The former Packers’ quarterback is off to a nice start this season, with the Steelers sitting atop the AFC North.
Rodgers is not the player he was in his prime, but he still has some tricks up his sleeve.
The Packers have plenty of players on their roster who played with Rodgers, and those guys could be looking, especially on defense, to make their mark against their former quarterback.
