The Packers fly out to Arizona on Sunday as heavy favorites to pick up a fourth win, one week ahead of taking on Aaron Rodgers and the AFC North-leading Steelers in Pittsburgh.
On paper, this could be an opportunity for quarterback Jordan Love and rookie receiver Matthew Golden to bolster their already emerging chemistry, for Josh Jacobs to pedal down and continue being Green Bay’s force multiplier on offense and perhaps even a chance for Micah Parsons and the pass rush to get right after a lackluster showing against Joe Flacco in a win over the Bengals.
However, even the reeling Cardinals could pick themselves off the mat if they are able to capitalize on what has become a character flaw of head coach Matt LaFleur’s team this season.
What Packers must fix in order to knock off the Cardinals
As the Packers prepare for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, the defense’s inability to get off the field could be a concern to watch for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and head coach Matt LaFleur.
“It always starts with protecting the football,” Packers insider Mike Spofford writes. “But the biggest key to me given these last two games is the defense being able to rebound from a bad possession. Can’t let things snowball on that side.”
For Green Bay to avoid a trap game scenerio, the defense avoiding the kind of long scoring drives like Joe Flacco led at the start of the second half of last weeks’ game could prove critical.
As for protecting the football, the Packers haven’t exactly been takeaway kings, and are entering Sunday’s game with a minus-1 turnover differential.
Figuring out how to get off the field and creating turnovers could play a major role both in Green Bay’s chances of holding serve against the Cardinals, but making the kind of run to turn this into the championship-caliber season the Packers believe it can be.
