Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Cardinals: Glory and Gory Games

Two of the NFL’s oldest teams take center stage tonight when the Green Bay Packers visit the Arizona Cardinals. Little known fact, but the Cardinals have actually been around longer as a football franchise than the Packers.

Whether the Cardinals have called Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix or the entire state of Arizona home, the Packers have dominated the series 45-26-4. The Cardinals claim the postseason advantage with a 2-1 record—which we will get to shortly.

Overall the series has been pretty bland but there have been a couple games that meet the glorious criteria and gory criteria as well.

Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Cardinals: Glory Game

January 8th, 1983, the Packers and Cardinals—who were calling St. Louis home at the time—faced off at Lambeau Field in a First Round playoff game. It was significant because the Packers has not been to the playoffs in almost a decade and not hosted a playoff game since the Ice Bowl in 1967. It was just the second playoff appearance since Vince Lombardi left the sidelines.

Green Bay marked its return to the playoffs by dominating the Cardinals for a 41-16 victory. If it was a boxing match, they would have called the fight after the first half as Green Bay was up 28-9 at the half.

The Cardinals got on the board first with an early field goal. Lynn Dickey responded with a 60-yard TD pass to John Jefferson. He then hit James Lofton for a 20-yard TD.

Eddie Lee Ivory added two scores and the Packers never look backed. It was also the Packers first playoff win since Super Bowl II.

Titletown literally went an entire decade plus without a playoff victory. Green Bay certainly took out its frustrations on the Cardinals that day.

Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Cardinals: Some Heartbreakers the Cardinals Hand Out

Our friends at LombardiAve.com pointed out Arizona has put some pain on the Packers recently…

The McCarthy final game is one I would not consider a gory game among them as the era needed to end. The offense had become stale and Rodgers was going to win the feud.

The Green Bay Packers went into that 2015 playoff game with Jeff Janis being the featured receiver after Randall Cobb went out with injury. Aaron Rodgers still led an amazing comeback with the Hail Mary TD to Janis just to tie the game and force overtime.

Really, the Packers were just playing with house money at that point.

38-8 game in 2015 meets one of my gory games as I am also going with the 2009 Wild Card playoff matchup that Arizona took in controversial fashion.

Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Cardinals: Gory Game 2009 Playoff Wild Card Round

January 10, 2010, defense was clearly optional. Kurt Warner and Aaron Rodgers, in his first playoff appearance, lit up the scoreboard at will. It was a shock as the Packers defense was the second ranked defense that season.

Although, the defense did struggle against the better quarterbacks that season. The Green Bay Packers could have ran out 11 Reggie Whites and they were still not going to deny Kurt Warner.

Warner threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns. Rodgers countered with 423 yards and four touchdowns despite being sacked five times.

The heartbreak came in overtime when Michael Adams’ sack caused Rodgers to fumble. Karlos Dansby scooped up the loose ball and raced in for the winning score.

The pain comes as the score should not have counted. The referees blew a call worse than the Fail Mary.

The Arizona Cardinals would go onto the Super Bowl that year. Rodgers played so well and had the refs called a facemask penalty, maybe the Packers pull out a win and they are the ones going to the Super Bowl. Oh, what could have been?

Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Cardinals: Gory Game 2015 Week 16 38-8 Cardinals Win

It was a whooping. Well, the whooping happened in the second and third quarter when the Cardinals went off for their 38 points.

Michael Floyd had a day with 111 yards receiving. Carson Palmer tossed two touchdown passes. It was Arizona’s defense that put the shackles to Rodgers and company.

The Cardinals had nine sacks as Rodgers took eight of them (Scott Tolzien felt the turf for number nine). The Packers gained 178 total net yards and had just an average of 2.8 yards per play and they ran 64 plays.

It was the least points scored of the season for Green Bay. The Packers offense faired better in the rematch but still had the same result–a loss.