The Arizona Cardinals’ schedule is brutal going forward. Taking it one game at a time is all they can do at this point. The remainder of the division is all 4-2-0, so another Cardinals loss will get them
that much further behind.
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The Green Bay Packers were a playoff team last year, and appear to be headed in that direction again this season. They are currently 3-1-1 and sit atop the NFC North Division. Every team in this division has a winning record.
The Packers’ defense is pretty solid and has allowed the fifth-lowest points in the league with just 102. They bend but don’t break. And they can run the ball.
Everyone seems to be in agreement that Green Bay should win this game.
Packers vs Cardinals odds
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday)
- Point spread: Packers by 6.5
- O/U: 44.5
- Moneyline: Packers -325, Cardinals +260
ESPN is giving the Packers a 60.8% chance to win the game. But consider that the Cleveland Browns have just a single win this year, which was against the Packers. The Pack tied the Dallas Cowboys, who have looked atrocious this year, and barely defeated a trash team like the Cincinnati Bengals, where the score was 10-7 entering the fourth quarter. So, a win over Green Bay can happen.
This team won’t be easy to take down, regardless.
The Cardinals have plenty of assets of their own and can capture a victory. But most likely, they will have to fight all game and keep the score low going into the fourth quarter. Then, don’t fail in the final stanza and break that trend.
Arizona has lost four straight games, but those losses are by a combined nine points. How can the Cardinals defeat a division leader?
Stop the run
Easier said than done.
Going into the game last weekend against the Indianapolis, it was stated here on ROTB that the Cardinals had to contain the league’s leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor. That didn’t happen as Taylor gashed his way to 123 yards on 21 carries and scored once. At one time, he gained 30 yards and was down inside the five-yard line.
And now, Arizona faces another running beast in Josh Jacobs. He has 359 rushing yards and is ranked #2 in rushing touchdowns with six. When Green Bay gets inside the 10-yard line, they look for Jacobs.

The Cardinals’ defensive front must dig deep to stop Jacobs. The interior of Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson must keep their gaps plugged, because that is one of Jacobs’ favorite places to run. He has the speed to get to the corner and take it upfield, but he enjoys going up the middle. The Packers will use the guard and center to push their men out, then have the tight end pull and head into the hole just as Jacobs gets there, thus taking out the middle linebacker. Then all the running back has to do is avoid is both outside linebackers reading the play, plus the two safeties.
Maybe rookie DT Walter Nolen will be ready to play. The other part of this equation involves MLB Mack Wilson. He must think run first on every down, stay home, and then react.
Keeping Jacobs to around 70 yards rushing should do the trick. But if he is allowed to gain seven-to-nine-yard clips, it will be a long game.
Avoid the pass rush by getting the ball out quickly
The Packers are going to come on passing downs. We all know this.
EDGE rusher Micah Parsons isn’t even listed at a position. He just lines up wherever he likes. The New York Football Giants used to do this with Lawrence Taylor. Just get somewhere, and go wreak havoc.
Adding to this irritation is DE Rashan Gary. This season alone, Gary has nine QB hits, 4.5 sacks, 10 pressures, four knockdowns, and one hurry. He is a menace.
How should the Cardinals address this? They have to get the pass out in a hurry and go through as few progressions as possible. Two is plenty. Look at the primary, the secondary, and then fling the ball. The pass rush will already be knocking, and this Cardinals offensive line is not going to be able to keep out the rush for very long.
Getting OG Will Hernandez back is helpful. He has played 96 snaps and already has allowed one sack. During the off-season, Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him one of the top underrated players entering the open market. His 2024 season was cut short due to an injury, but his 3,281 regular-season snaps since the start of the 2021 campaign rank 24th among guards. His PFF pass blocking grade before signing with Arizona was a respectable 69.9.
And with Parsons lining up everywhere, every Cardinals fan can see him going against LG Evan Browns and RT Jonah Williams for most of the contest. Those are the weak spots along this offensive line.
Last year, when these two teams played in Week 6, the Packers did a great job containing QB Kyler Murray at Lambeau Field and came away with a convincing 34-13 victory. They most likely will be leaning on some of those same plans.
Arizona can switch that up by inserting Jacoby Brissett instead, who almost beat the Indianapolis Colts on the road and threw for 100 more yards than Murray has in any game this year. Brissett can make plays when the pocket crumbles.
Use your weapons on offense
The run game isn’t getting it done so far after losing both James Conner and Trey Benson. In their place, both Michael Carter and Bam Knight have been productive in spurts, but overall, the offensive line isn’t creating enough holes to run through. By the way, Green Bay is ranked #1 against the run, allowing just 365 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
So, Arizona must rely on the passing game. If Marv Harrison can come back out of concussion protocol, he needs to see double-digit targets. At the same time, use TE Trey McBride more. McBride is the only TE this season with 20+ first-down receptions.
And in the Red Zone, nobody is going to reach the catch point if the pass is thrown high and outside, other than McBride. He will outjump everyone and has excellent timing. Remember, he is a former star basketball player.
The Colts were weak against covering tight ends, yet the Cardinals only threw to McBride 11 times, to which he caught eight for 72 yards. His touchdown catch was spectacular. He can adjust his catch position and contort his body to off throws.

Carter is a very good receiver out of the backfield and can be utilized for his hands. Keep him in to block, then flare him out for short gains that still move the ball downfield. And now that Zay Jones is back, along with Michael Wilson, why isn’t this offense blowing up defenses?
It won’t be an easy ask since the Packers are ranked #6 against the pass. But they are averaging allowing 1.3 touchdown passes a game and are middle of the pack in first downs converted by the pass.
Nothing wrong with playing the intermediate dink and dunk passing game. That is how you beat a defensive unit like the Packers have when they will not give any time to throw.