Green Bay Packers v. Arizona: 3 Big Things from Thriller Out West
By Paul Bretl
Green Bay Packers control the time of possession
Prior to this contest, I discussed in my Final Thoughts article how controlling the time of possession and turning this game into a slog was a must for the Green Bay Packers to win. Against this loaded Arizona offense and strong secondary, getting into a high-scoring back-and-forth battle was not going to be a recipe for success–Green Bay had to win ugly.
By winning the time of possession battle, it limited the number of opportunities for Arizona’s offense to put up points–something that they’ve done a lot of this season averaging over 32 points per game prior to this contest. The Cardinals also ranked seventh in explosive pass plays, showcasing their ability to put up points very quickly–again, something Green Bay needed to eliminate.
Of the 60 minutes, the Packers held the ball for 37:35 of it. As a result, Arizona had the ball for only 22:25, which is far less than the usual 32:52 that they hold on to the ball for this season. The Cardinals also ran just 55 plays compared to their average of almost 67.
Green Bay’s ability to find success on the ground and put together long sustaining drives allowed the offense to be on the field for 37:35 minutes while keeping Kyler Murray and those Cardinal weapons on the sidelines.