Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals: NFL Week 16 Pick
By Erik Lambert
Jan 25, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin wide receiver Randall Cobb of the Green Bay Packers (18) runs with the football against Team Carter cornerback Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals (21) in the 2015 Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Two of the top teams in the NFC offer a possible playoff preview as the Green Bay Packers look to improve their position by knocking off the red hot Arizona Cardinals. Who claims a key victory?
Backdrop:
The Cardinals and Packers are both in the playoffs, so now the question over the final two weeks is how high they can position themselves in the standings to maximize their home games. Arizona sits at 12-2 and still hold out hope of catching the Carolina Panthers for home field advantages. Green Bay is 10-4 and have a slim chance to gain a 1st round bye if they can win out and the Cardinals lose out.
It comes down to who has adjusted best to their injury problems. Aaron Rodgers still has shown the effects of missing wide receiver Jordy Nelson, as well as a nicked up offensive line. Arizona is about to find out just how much they’re going to miss defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, who was lost to a torn ACL a week ago.
Matchup To Watch:
WR Randall Cobb vs. CB Patrick Peterson
In Nelson’s absence, the Packers have really needed receiver Randall Cobb to step up in 2015. He leads the team with 777 yards on 70 catches for six touchdowns and is their most dangerous deep threat. So it’s not hard to believe that the Cardinals will put their best cover corner on him most of the game. That will be Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson, who is having perhaps the best season of his career having allowed just one touchdown pass and a 55.2 quarterback rating when throwing his way.
Key Stat:
Teams who have beaten the Packers this years have typically done so by exploiting their biggest weakness on defense, which is stopping the run. They are allowing 116.6 yards per game on the ground, good for 22nd in the NFL. Arizona could look to exploit that with surging rookie running back David Johnson who is averaging 4.9 yards per carry for the year and hung 187 yards a week ago on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Prediction: Cardinals win 28-27
The loss of Mathieu will hurt, but few teams have proven better able to adjust to injuries than the Cardinals. They still have a lot of talent on that roster and a quarterback in Carson Palmer who went to the Pro Bowl for a reason. Green Bay will make it interesting but Arizona will pull it out late.