The Green Bay Packers will go into tomorrow’s game against the Arizona Cardinals as a seven-point underdog but not without confidence following last week’s demolition of the Washington Redskins. We all know the Redskins are not in the same class as the Cardinals and we all know how bad the Packers were beaten in Arizona three weeks ago. Yet, the Packers’ coaches and players think things will be different this time around.
For one, the Green Bay Packers know how to play in playoff games, they are there every year. Granted, they don’t win them all but they have won their fair share the last seven years including a Super Bowl. The Cardinals haven’t been this far since the Kurt Warner days and quarterback Carson Palmer doesn’t have the playoff experience Aaron Rodgers has. Like last week, that could be huge.
And it is not like the Packers aren’t going in with any momentum. They have won four of their last six games. Two ugly losses notwithstanding, they did enough to get this far. I think the loss to Minnesota was by far the most disappointing because in all reality the game at Arizona meant nothing. Everything came down to the Vikings’ game for the division title. The Packers made up for that loss in Washington and are one game away from a chance at redemption in the NFC Championship game. Wouldn’t that be something if they won and it was against Seattle in Green Bay? Only Hollywood could write that script I’m afraid.
With all that said, I am just having a very hard time finding a way the Packers can outscore the Cardinals. The Packers’ defense did hold the Cardinals to 24 points three weeks ago and I think they will need to do that again for the Packers to have any chance of winning. The question is, can the Packers’ offense score more than 24? As much as I want to believe it, I can’t see it happening. Arizona 27, Packers 20.