Packers-Cardinals: Green Bay Dominates Early, Almost Blows Lead

On Friday, the Green Bay Packers continued their success in the preseason, beating the Arizona Cardinals 44-37.

Unlike the first two games, won by a combined score of 48-21, this game provided considerably more scoring. There were also considerably more areas in which the team showed it needed improvement.

True, the first team jumped out to a dominating 38-10 halftime lead. The first team success in exhibition games is much more important than the final score. Moreover, Arizona’s comeback was due in large part to them leaving starters in well into the second half, whereas the Packers sat theirs at halftime.

However, the Cardinals, who came into the game struggling offensively in the preseason, did gain over 200 yards in the first half. Moreover, Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells generated 84 yards on 13 carries (6.5 average) with two touchdowns.

Finally, Mason Crosby has gone from needing to fine-tune his kicking to downright worrisome, as he missed two of his three field goal attempts, including a 29-yarder that was the first-team offense’s only failure to score. Even his extra points hooked badly to the left.

Otherwise, the first team looked great. Defensively the Packers generated two sacks (both by Charles Woodson) and two turnovers (one fumble forced by Woodson—my game MVP—was returned for a touchdown by Aaron Kampman) with the first team, helping to hold the point total to 10.

In all, the Packers defense has now forced 13 turnovers in three exhibition contests.

Aaron Rodgers has still not been sacked all preseason, and was 14 of 19 for 258 yards and three touchdowns with no picks. He has a 151.1 passer rating so far in the preseason, with six scores and no turnovers.

In all, he has led the first team to 66 points in 12 possessions. Friday, JerMichael Finley was a favourite target in the red zone. He should certainly be the front-runner for the tight end position now with his three-catch, two-touchdown performance.
In the second half, Matt Leinart drove the Cardinals through the second-team defense like a hot knife through butter. He was 24 of 38 for 360 yards with three touchdowns and a pick. Jerheme Urban and Early Doucet accounted for 11 catches for 196 yards and one score.

One of the few bright spots for the second team was again Jarius Wynn, who had a sack and a forced fumble. Free agent safety pickup Anthony Smith also got another interception.

This lack of defense and the inability of the second team offense to score at all, albeit against the first-string Cardinals defense for the third quarter, led to the team squandering its 27-point lead.

Brian Brohm played the entire second half and was an impressive 4-5 for 45 yards. The running game was also adequate, but they just could not get on the scoreboard.

The special teams were awful all night. Aside from Crosby’s misses, they allowed the Cards to recover an onside that they should have been ready for before the score that could have tied it; the Cardinals went for two and missed.

Kick returns were averaging fewer than 15 yards apiece until Ruvell Martin picked the ball out of the air on the final onside kick and took it the distance. The lone bright spot on the unit was both punters averaging over 50 yards per kick, with just two return yards and one kick inside the 20.

The Packers final preseason game is at Tennessee on Thursday, Sept. 3.

I originally wrote this article for SportsScribes.net.