PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's Playoff Total of the Year
(NFL) Green Bay vs. Arizona,
01/16/2016 3:15 PM, Score: 20 - 26
Total: 49.50 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 49.50 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
First off this isn't Minneapolis in January. The game is in the Arizona desert Saturday night with a weather forecast of about 60 degrees, no rain and very little wind.
Now the matchup. I see both teams scoring at least 24 points. If that occurs, this game does not go under.
The Cardinals are the No. 2 scoring team in the NFL averaging 30.6 points per game. They rank No. 1 in total yards and No. 2 in passing yards. Only three times all season have the Cardinals been held to fewer than 22 points in a game.
The Packers' defense isn't nearly dominant enough to stop Arizona's offense especially given that the Cardinals have had two weeks to game-plan being idle last week and Green Bay is likely to be missing its top cornerback, Sam Shields, a fifth consecutive week. These teams just met less than three weeks ago and Arizona scored 38 points.
Carson Palmer, surrounded by weapons and the aggressive play-calling and schemes of coach Bruce Arians, has never played better putting up MVP-caliber numbers. Larry Fitzgerald is the most physical slot receiver the Packers have faced all season. The Packers don't have a defensive back who can handle him. MIchael Floyd is another tall, physical wide receiver. Both Fitzpatrick and Floyd are 6-foot-3. The Packers struggle against these type of receivers. The Packers also have trouble defending athletes with speed. The Cardinals have this, too, among their weapons with John Brown and running back David Johnson, who also is dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield and in the return game.
The key in making this over work is Green Bay putting up its share of points. I see that happening. The Packers' offense regained their rhythm and comfortable fast tempo against the Redskins. The parts always were in place. No quarterback is better than Aaron Rodgers. Even when the Packers' offense was struggling, Green Bay still put up 27 or more points in five of its last eight games.
The Packers know the Cardinals well now from having just played them. It's a huge plus if left tackle David Bakhtiari returns. But even if he doesn't I'm fine with JC Tretter replacing him. Tretter filled-in well for Bakhitari last week after giving up a first-quarter safety. He's helped by the Packers knowing they must play the Cardinals using a quick rhythm style rather than rely on long-developing option routes, which didn't work in the first meeting.
Rodgers and Co. are helped by the Cardinals missing the emotional leader of their secondary and maybe their best defensive player, safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is second on the team in tackles despite missing the past two games. This week the Cardinals also found out they will be without linebacker Alex Okafor, one of their best run defenders.
Then there are intangibles. Arians is the most aggressive play-caller the NFL has seen during the past few years. Mike McCarthy isn't going to be conservative either knowing he hurt the Packers big time with his conservative decisions during last season's championship loss to Seattle on the road.
Now the matchup. I see both teams scoring at least 24 points. If that occurs, this game does not go under.
The Cardinals are the No. 2 scoring team in the NFL averaging 30.6 points per game. They rank No. 1 in total yards and No. 2 in passing yards. Only three times all season have the Cardinals been held to fewer than 22 points in a game.
The Packers' defense isn't nearly dominant enough to stop Arizona's offense especially given that the Cardinals have had two weeks to game-plan being idle last week and Green Bay is likely to be missing its top cornerback, Sam Shields, a fifth consecutive week. These teams just met less than three weeks ago and Arizona scored 38 points.
Carson Palmer, surrounded by weapons and the aggressive play-calling and schemes of coach Bruce Arians, has never played better putting up MVP-caliber numbers. Larry Fitzgerald is the most physical slot receiver the Packers have faced all season. The Packers don't have a defensive back who can handle him. MIchael Floyd is another tall, physical wide receiver. Both Fitzpatrick and Floyd are 6-foot-3. The Packers struggle against these type of receivers. The Packers also have trouble defending athletes with speed. The Cardinals have this, too, among their weapons with John Brown and running back David Johnson, who also is dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield and in the return game.
The key in making this over work is Green Bay putting up its share of points. I see that happening. The Packers' offense regained their rhythm and comfortable fast tempo against the Redskins. The parts always were in place. No quarterback is better than Aaron Rodgers. Even when the Packers' offense was struggling, Green Bay still put up 27 or more points in five of its last eight games.
The Packers know the Cardinals well now from having just played them. It's a huge plus if left tackle David Bakhtiari returns. But even if he doesn't I'm fine with JC Tretter replacing him. Tretter filled-in well for Bakhitari last week after giving up a first-quarter safety. He's helped by the Packers knowing they must play the Cardinals using a quick rhythm style rather than rely on long-developing option routes, which didn't work in the first meeting.
Rodgers and Co. are helped by the Cardinals missing the emotional leader of their secondary and maybe their best defensive player, safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is second on the team in tackles despite missing the past two games. This week the Cardinals also found out they will be without linebacker Alex Okafor, one of their best run defenders.
Then there are intangibles. Arians is the most aggressive play-caller the NFL has seen during the past few years. Mike McCarthy isn't going to be conservative either knowing he hurt the Packers big time with his conservative decisions during last season's championship loss to Seattle on the road.
