Cardinals vs. Packers: TV Schedule, Radio and Online Live Streaming Info

Friday night presents a tale of two NFL clubs. The Green Bay Packers are taking initial steps in their title defense, and the Arizona Cardinals are hoping to skirt another year as league fodder. Both will be making their case Friday in a vital affair.

The Cardinals come into the 2011 NFL season with little to no expectations of competing. If they aren't aged in one position, that are immature in another.

The next couple of games will be crucial in gaining momentum that will see them surprise the NFC West with a playoff berth.

For the Packers, it is all about chemistry and roles. The Super Bowl champs took home Lombardi for the simple fact that they were the better team.

They may not have had the best roster in the postseason, but they got hot when it mattered and everyone knew their role. The same formula begins to get mixed immediately.  

Let's delve deeper into the upcoming clash.

Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

When: Friday, 8:00 p.m. EST

Watch: KNXV ABC 15 in Phoenix, WFRV and State Preseason Network in Green Bay; online at NFL.com (must pay $19.99 for league-wide package), live look-ins on NFL Network; game replay: 4 p.m. EST Saturday, NFL Network.

Listen: KTAR 620 AM in Phoenix and Sirius 137 in Arizona; WTMJ 620 AM in Milwaukee, Statewide Radio Network and Sirius 113 in Green Bay 

Cardinals' Key Addition

There is no question about it, Kevin Kolb gives this team a proven arm. The only hiccup is that Kolb has not taken a great deal of consistent snaps as a perennial backup.   

He has shown flashes of brilliance, but there is no way of knowing if he can maintain that for 16 games.  

Packers' Key Addition

The Packers were relatively quiet in free agency. That makes sense for a club that lives and dies by the NFL draft. 

However, rookie Derek Sherrod continues to impress, and may be the left guard of the present when the season starts.  

Cardinals' Biggest Loss

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Nabbing Kevin Kolb from the Eagles meant they had to deal with one of the hardest teams to trade with. 

The ended up losing a huge asset in the secondary in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. It will he hard to imagine a stout defense without him.  

Packers' Biggest Loss

The Packers lost running back Brandon Jackson, who will now be taking third-down snaps for the Cleveland Browns.  

The biggest loss has to be Cullen Jenkins whose seven sacks in 11 games will be missed by the defending champs.  

What They're Saying

Tom Silverstein of The Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel seems to think that the fight for the left guard is already well in-hand. He seems to think T.J. Lang has a leg up on rookie Sherrod as the team plays their second preseason game. 

While some vets changing teams this summer are having trouble with new offenses, that doesn't seem to be the case for Kevin Kolb. The Washington Post paints a comfortable picture of the Cardinals' newest gunslinger.  

Cardinals' Player To Watch

The Arizona Cardinals have more than just a new quarterback, they have a fresh young corner. Patrick Peterson will lace them up and try to beat out A.J. Jefferson for the starting role on the left.

It will be interesting to see how he handles an initial drive by Aaron Rodgers. That may be the telling sign of whether he is ready to be a rare rookie starter under Ken Whisenhunt.  

Packers' Player To Watch 

I have my eyes firmly planted on rookie Randall Cobb. The first-year receiver was very good in the first week of the preseason, having three receptions for 60 yards. His success will prove just how deep the Packers receiving corps can go.  

Matchup To Watch

There is no question the Cardinals will be tested all over the field. I am giddy to see how Kolb fares against one of the best defenses in the league.

If he really is going to lead the Cardinals to a few more wins in 2011, it will be evident on Friday.   

Packers' Position Battle

The biggest battle remains the one at left guard. There are some that are very much in Lang's camp to supersede the wet-behind-the-ears rookie Sherrod. Look for both to get a great many reps against the Cardinals. May the best man win.  

Cardinals' Position Battle

This will be a rarity in the preseason, an inventive creative game. Look for the Cardinals to bomb the ball all over the field as they try to find the receiver to sit right behind Andre Roberts in the two slot.  

Key Storyline

Proven versus rebuilding.

The further we get into the preseason, the more these subplots start to unfold. The Arizona Cardinals are attempting to put a positive spin on a forgettable season last year.

We are about to see how detrimental their less-than-spectacular stable of arms was to them last year. My worry is that their defense will be their missing link in 2011.

The Green Bay Packers will skirt common wisdom and toss away with the need to reload after a title. The defending champs are staying pat with what they have, and it is the wise move.

This team motors on chemistry, and they have loads of it. They may not win 16 games, but that is not what these guys do. They play the game the right way, and employ a winner in quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.   

Prediction: Packers, 27-17

For more coverage on your favorite team's first preseason game, visit the Bleacher Report NFL Page.