For those who appreciate defensive prowess or old-fashioned viciousness on the football field, don't expect any of that with this game. The Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals are all about the flashiness and the offensive bravura. Their desire, first and foremost, is to outscore their opponent because they are seemingly incapable of stopping their opponent from scoring as well. This is a game that could easily turn into a offensive shootout very early. Both teams are dynamic enough on the offensive side of the ball to cause havoc through the air and on the ground. And even though the Packers ripped apart the Cardinals last week, one must take that victory with a grain of salt. If you thought the Bengals weren't trying last week against the Jets, then just look to the Cardinals and you'll see a team that said "Hey Packers, take your victory, we'll see you next week." The Cardinals wanted no part of the Packers last week because they knew they would be facing them in this week's Wild Card round. The Packers know this and understand how they cannot read into anything they did last week. Their second season begins now. Everything is on the line. Will they step up and bring their A-game?
Let's think about the intangible for a moment. This is Aaron Rodgers's first playoff game as an NFL quarterback. And even though Mark Sanchez buffed the trend yesterday by having a good game in Cincinnati, one still has to respect history and understand that quarterbacks making their first playoff start tend to struggle. Now, Rodgers certainly has enough weapons around him to ensure that he survives Arizona in one piece. And I think Mike McCarthy and the rest of the Green Bay coaching staff have enough confidence in Rodgers to know that he will be able to get the job done. Still, nervousness is an underrated factor when analyzing players with playoff inexperience. But then again, Rodgers has been operating under the radar ever since #4 left Cheesehead Nation. He is certainly the most underrated quarterback in the NFL right now and quietly put together an MVP season for the Packers with 30 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He has not turned the football over in the last four games and is one of the more precise quarterbacks playing in the NFL today. These are two important factors that cannot be ignored, especially when it comes to winning in the playoffs. If Rodgers can manage the game well and avoid turnovers, then he will absolutely destroy a Cardinals secondary that is depleted by injury. The Cardinals may not have their best cover corner in this game in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, which means the Packers will have a tremendous advantage along the edge. Look for Rodgers to expose the Cardinals over the middle for big plays as their secondary will look to double cover either Greg Jennings or Donald Driver. Rodgers may be making his first playoff start, but he will look like a seasoned veteran on Sunday as he will make good decisions with the football and power the Packers up and down the field against the Cardinals.
In order for the Cardinals to sustain any kind of Packers drive on Sunday, they will need to get a heavy pass rush on Rodgers consistently. They will need to disrupt his fixture inside the pocket and they will need to get him scrambling for his life. They will need to throw him off his rhythm, which will lead to plenty of incompletions and put a stop to many drives. The Cardinals boast one of the tougher run defenses in the entire league. They are quick to their gaps and have the ability to shore up the middle of the field. Ryan Grant will have a rough day running between the tackles. But since the Packers are not a run-oriented team, then it shouldn't be much of a problem. The Cardinals have a ton of issues in their secondary right now and the Packers will look to take advantage of that. The Packers offensive line needs to protect Rodgers as much as possible. They need to get him comfortable in the pocket so he can connect with his receivers and rip apart the Cardinals secondary. But if the Cardinals are able to disrupt his rhythm in the pocket, then the Packers will have a hard time generating any kind of production. I don't expect the Cardinals to be very successful getting to Rodgers. I think Rodgers will have plenty of time in the pocket to make things happen. He will find Jennings, Driver, and Jermichael Finley for some big plays over the middle as the Cardinals will be unable to stop the Packers all day long.
But if the Packers are going to win this game on Sunday, then their defense has to step up and make some key stops against that Cardinals offense. Sources are reporting that this could be the last hurrah for Kurt Warner, which means that he will treat this second season as the final note on his NFL legacy. He will be pumped up and ready to win this game, which could spell doom for the Packers. In order for the Packers to be successful defensively, they will need to blitz Warner all day long and make him react quickly in the pocket. Clay Matthews has had a stellar rookie season at linebacker for the Packers. He has to be a beast in the middle of the field in this game, using his quickness and agility to brush past the Cardinals offensive line and collapse Warner in the pocket. The Packers may have a distinct advantage in their secondary if Anquan Boldin doesn't play for the Cardinals. Boldin is a vital part to the Cardinals' offensive success. He had over 1,000 yards receiving during the regular season to go with 4 touchdowns. But the reason he is so important to the Cardinals is because it takes pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald. Secondaries have to adjust to both receivers because they are both capable of causing havoc over the middle and along the sidelines. Without Boldin, the Cardinals will be limited in their offensive production. Charles Woodson and Atari Bigby will seek to double cover Fitzgerald all day long, which means that Warner will seek other alternatives through the air. Look for Warner to spread the ball out to receivers like Steve Breaston and Jerheme Urban if Boldin doesn't play. The Cardinals will also try to establish the run with Beanie Wells, which means that their offensive line must open up the running lanes to allow for Wells to gain some momentum when he touches the ball. The Cardinals need to protect Warner in the pocket. If the Packers get a hefty pass rush and disrupt Warner's comfort zone, then they will be able to control the tempo of this game and be able to dictate how they want it to go. The Cardinals are the more experienced team on the field. Will that make a difference against a Packers team yearning to make a statement against the defending NFC Champions?
This game will be extremely competitive all day long. It is really hard for me to envision anything other than an offensive shootout between these two teams. This is not a game that will glorify the defensive side of the ball. However, I'm a firm believer in the old adage that defense wins championships. Whichever defense is able to stop the opposing offense at the end of the game will win. The Cardinals have home-field advantage in this game and certainly bare the wealth of experience. It will show very early when Warner leads them down the field to score the first points of the game. The key will be how well Rodgers responds to Warner's production and in the end, I think we could be seeing a terrific quarterback duel that will result in a lot of points being scored. The loss of Boldin will make it very tough on the Cardinals to establish consistent momentum in this game. All signs are pointing to him not playing on Sunday, which will certainly help the Packers defensively. The Packers are riding high into this showdown with Arizona. They are an unstoppable force on the offensive side of the ball and are certainly capable of distancing themselves from the Cardinals in this game. However, I think their defense is very susceptible in this game with or without Boldin, especially if they're unable to generate a pass rush. I think the benefit of playoff experience will show in this game. And I think a late turnover costs the Packers a victory in this game, which is a shame because they may very well be better than the Cardinals this year. The Cardinals survive another week as the defending NFC Champions on the wings of Kurt Warner and, what will ultimately be the difference in this game, the legs of Beanie Wells.
FINAL SCORE: CARDINALS 27, PACKERS 24
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