Green Bay Packers v. Arizona Preview: What to watch for

The Green Bay Packers are winners of six straight—taking their winning streak to the desert as they get set for a Thursday Night primetime matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

After a victory over the Washington Football Team Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Packers quickly turn their attention and are back on the road, looking for their first win at Arizona since 2009.

The Green Bay Packers have won five of the last seven games on Thursday nights, including a 34-17 win over the San Fransico 49ers last season.

Let’s take a look at 3-things to watch for Thursday when the Green Bay Packers clash with the undefeated Arizona Cardinals.

The Packers will be without Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

The Packers barely had enough time to enjoy their victory over the Washington Football Team before things turned upside down at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

Short week, injury-riddled, and now the Packers have been ravaged by the covid train.

Monday afternoon, news broke that Freen Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry tested positive for covid, followed up hours later; All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams was also placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

If that wasn’t enough, the Packers announced they had added wide receiver Allen Lazard late Wednesday afternoon to that list.

Look, the odds are stacked against the Packers this week; There is no doubt about it.

If the offensive line can provide some solid protection, watch for Aaron Rodgers to spread the ball out and look for guys we haven’t seen much of—guys like Amari Rodgers, Malik Taylor, Equanimeous St. Brown, and camp darling Juwann Winfree could see some targets.

Watch for Rodgers to play more within the offense, getting the ball out quickly and on time.

Without question, they are going to need all hands on deck for this one. Things could undoubtedly look different for the Packers’ offense on Thursday.

The Cardinal’s rushing defense is exploitable. 

With the Packers’ top pass catcher sidelined, the Packers will have to lean on others to carry the offensive workload Thursday night in the desert.

With that being said, this could be the week the Packers and head coach Matt LeFleur use a high dose of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, especially with All-Pro defensive end JJ Watt ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Maybe this is a matchup where we could see both Jones and Dillon on the field simultaneously. Keep your eyes open for it.

Last week, when the Green Bay Packers faced Washington, we witnessed a somewhat surprising offensive approach—only rushing the two featured backs for a combined nine times for twenty-five yards.

The Cardinals come into Thursday’s matchup giving up 115.7 yards per game and five yards per carry to opposing offenses on the ground, which ranks 31st in the NFL.

Look for Jones and Dillon to carry the load for the offense with multiple wide receivers on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

If the Packers can establish the run and take some pressure off these young wide receivers, good things could happen for a depleted offense who will be down their All-Pro wide receiver.

Can the Packers slow down and put pressure on Kyler Murray?

Kyler Murray is the real deal.

There is no question about it—this will be the toughest test to date for a Packers defense that is still missing multiple key players and on a short week of rest.

The Cardinals offense is explosive, with weapons spread out all over the field—they rely heavily on the big play.

According to Pro Football Reference, the Cardinals are averaging 32.1 points per game, only behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL.

Murray presents problems the Packers haven’t been tested with much at all this year. His arm is not only elite, but he can move in and out of the pocket better than any quarterback this Packers team has faced.

So who steps up this week?

Last week, we witnessed Rashan Gary completely dominate the line of scrimmage against the Washington Football Team. The Green Bay Packers will need a big game from their defense, containing Murray both through the air and on the ground, while limiting the explosive scoring plays their offense thrives on.

Watch the attention the Packers defense gives to Murray. Expect a ton of zone defense, and it’s possible the Packers may deploy a spy for Murray. It will be vital to get to Murray and not allow him to extend any plays.

The bottom Line:

The Green Bay Packers have a severe uphill battle come Thursday in the desert. Heading into this matchup at full health would’ve been a tough test. Now, you take away the second-best player on the team, multiple injuries and losing the defensive coordinator only adds to this complicated equation.

The Packers recipe for success is much more complicated this week, but they’ll have to limit Murray and the explosive plays, establish the run early and often, and control the clock.