Revenge of the Birds
The Arizona Cardinals’ schedule is brutal going forward. Taking it one game at a time is all they can do at this point. The remainder of the division is all 4-2-0, so another Cardinals loss will get them that much further behind.
RELATED: CARDINALS OPEN PRACTICE WINDOW FOR WALTER NOLEN
The Green Bay Packers were a playoff team last year, and appear to be headed in that direction again this season. They are currently 3-1-1 and sit atop the NFC North Division. Every team in this division has a winning record.
The Packers’ defense is pretty solid and has allowed the fifth-lowest points in the league with just 102. They bend but don’t break. And they can run the ball.
Everyone seems to be in agreement that Green Bay should win this game.
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday)
ESPN is giving the Packers a 60.8% chance to win the game. But consider that the Cleveland Browns have just a single win this year, which was against the Packers. The Pack tied the Dallas Cowboys, who have looked atrocious this year, and barely defeated a trash team like the Cincinnati Bengals, where the score was 10-7 entering the fourth quarter. So, a win over Green Bay can happen.
This team won’t be easy to take down, regardless.
The Cardinals have plenty of assets of their own and can capture a victory. But most likely, they will have to fight all game and keep the score low going into the fourth quarter. Then, don’t fail in the final stanza and break that trend.
Arizona has lost four straight games, but those losses are by a combined nine points. How can the Cardinals defeat a division leader?
Easier said than done.
Going into the game last weekend against the Indianapolis, it was stated here on ROTB that the Cardinals had to contain the league’s leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor. That didn’t happen as Taylor gashed his way to 123 yards on 21 carries and scored once. At one time, he gained 30 yards and was down inside the five-yard line.
And now, Arizona faces another running beast in Josh Jacobs. He has 359 rushing yards and is ranked #2 in rushing touchdowns with six. When Green Bay gets inside the 10-yard line, they look for Jacobs.
The Cardinals’ defensive front must dig deep to stop Jacobs. The interior of Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson must keep their gaps plugged, because that is one of Jacobs’ favorite places to run. He has the speed to get to the corner and take it upfield, but he enjoys going up the middle. The Packers will use the guard and center to push their men out, then have the tight end pull and head into the hole just as Jacobs gets there, thus taking out the middle linebacker. Then all the...
