Packers vs. Cardinals 2016: Time, TV schedule and team news for NFL playoffs
The Green Bay Packers are looking for redemption this week after their 38-8 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16.
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
When the Green Bay Packers face the Arizona Cardinals in the Divisional round of the playoffs, they'll hope it goes better than the first time the two teams met. The Packers were embarrassed, 38-8, in the Week 16 loss. But they get a shot at redemption Saturday night on NBC.
Three weeks ago, it wasn't pretty for the Packers' offense. They were missing starting left tackle David Bakhtiari, and starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga went down with an injury during the game. The Cardinals sacked Aaron Rodgers a staggering eight times. Green Bay turned the ball over four times, and two of Rodgers' three fumbles were recovered by the Cardinals and returned for touchdowns.
The Packers started the season 6-0 but struggled after their bye, losing six of their last 10 games. Despite a rocky offensive start, Green Bay is coming off a big win in the Wild Card round against Washington. The Packers gave up a safety and punted three times on their first four possessions, and Washington jumped out to an 11-0 lead. Green Bay’s line protected Rodgers well, allowing just one sack, and the Packers surged back to win, 35-17.
The Cardinals should be well rested after a first-round bye, and they likely have a chip on their shoulder after their abysmal Week 17 performance against the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle dominated throughout the game, beating the Cardinals 36-6. The quarterback combination of Carson Palmer, who sat out the second half, and backup Drew Stanton threw three interceptions.
Overall, though, the Cardinals' offense has been excellent throughout the season. They're ranked second in the league in scoring with 30.6 points per game. The passing offense, thanks in part to the chemistry between Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, is ranked second in the league with 288.5 yards per game.
Palmer said this week that the Green Bay pass rush stands out on film, calling it “a very, very solid group with no weaknesses,” via ESPN. The Cardinals offensive line has only allowed 27 sacks this season. Coincidentally, that’s the same number of sacks Washington allowed during the regular season. This Packers’ pass rush was able to get to Kirk Cousins six times in their Wild Card win.
The Cardinals, of course, will try to get to Rodgers and disrupt him the way they did the last time these teams met. The Packers have allowed 47 sacks this season, and 27 of those came in the team’s six losses. Green Bay’s pass protection was better against Washington, and the Packers will need to protect Rodgers adequately to have a chance.
The Packers are coming into this game looking to not only keep their Super Bowl hopes alive, but also looking to prove they're better than their earlier showing against Arizona. Packers guard T.J. Lang said the Packers have to keep the underdog mentality that helped them prevail against Washington last week.
“We’ve got to have the same attitude that we came into (last) week with, that nobody outside this locker room believes in us,” Lang told Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports. “We seem to be everybody’s underdog right now.”
And the Cardinals are also looking for redemption after their Week 17 loss at the hands of the Seahawks. Head coach Bruce Arians called the loss a “valuable lesson” as the team looked toward the postseason. The Cardinals spent the bye week preparing for each of their potential opponents in the Divisional round, including the Packers.
How to watch
When: Saturday, Jan. 16, 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Online: NBC Sports
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