2024 Week 6 — Cardinals at Packers

PACKERS, CARDS BOTH HEAD INTO LAMBEAU FIELD MATCHUP WITH MOMENTUM FROM ROAD WINS

Associated Press

Arizona (2-3) at Green Bay (3-2)

DAY/TIME/TV: Sunday, 12:00 p.m. CDT, FOX

SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 46-26-4

LAST MEETING: Packers beat Cardinals 24-21 in Arizona on Oct. 28, 2021

LAST WEEK: Cardinals won 24-23 at San Francisco; Packers won 24-29 on the road over Los Angeles Rams

CARDINALS OFFENSE: overall (14), rush (4), pass (T-24), scoring (12)

PACKERS OFFENSE: overall (T-4), rush (3), pass (10), scoring (8)

CARDINALS DEFENSE: overall (25), rush (28), pass (18), scoring (27)

PACKERS DEFENSE: overall (21), rush (11), pass (23), scoring (14)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Cardinals plus-1; Packers plus-7

CARDINALS PLAYER TO WATCH:

WR Michael Wilson caught five passes for a team-high 78 yards in last weekend’s win over the 49ers. The second-year player out of Stanford doesn’t get the same hype as rookie teammate Marvin Harrison Jr., but the more attention Harrison receives from opposing defenses, the more room Wilson has to operate. At 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds, he combines speed, strength and athleticism that are all excellent for a No. 2 option.

PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH:

S Xavier McKinney has intercepted a pass in each of his first five games with the Packers. He actually has an interception in six straight games, if you include the pass he picked off while playing for the New York Giants in their 2023 season finale. The only other players since 1990 to have an interception in six straight games were Carolina’s Doug Evans (2001), Minnesota’s Brian Russell (2003) and Dallas’ Trevon Diggs (2021).

KEY MATCHUP:

Cardinals running game vs. Packers run defense. The Cardinals rushed for 169 yards in their upset of the 49ers, with James Conner gaining 86 yards on 19 carries and Kyler Murray running for 83 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts. Run defense has been one of the Packers’ biggest weaknesses for most of the past few years, though they’ve shown progress in that area so far this season. The Packers allowed 134 yards on 28 carries against the Rams, with Kyren Williams rushing for 102 yards on 22 attempts.

KEY INJURIES:

Cardinals OL Will Hernandez (knee) was put on injured reserve this week and is out for the season… Cardinals rookie DL Darius Robinson (calf) was activated from IR this week and the No. 27 overall pick could make his NFL debut… Cardinals starting right tackle Kelvin Beachum has been battling a sore hamstring for multiple weeks and didn’t practice on Wednesday… Packers CB Jaire Alexander (groin) has missed two games but was practicing on a limited basis this week… Packers WR Christian Watson (ankle) also was practicing on a limited basis this week after he didn’t play against the Rams… Packers DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle) didn’t play against the Rams and wasn’t practicing early this week… Packers OL Jordan Morgan (shoulder) has missed three straight games… Packers TE Luke Musgrave didn’t practice Thursday and isn’t expected to play Sunday.

SATURDAY INJURY REPORT:

ARIZONA: OUT: DL Darius Robinson (calf), WR Zay Jones (NIR/return from suspension). QUESTIONABLE: OL Kelvin Beachum (hamstring), OL Christian Jones (ankle), K Matt Prater (left knee), CB Garrett Williams (groin).

GREEN BAY: OUT: DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: CB Jaire Alexander (groin), T Jordan Morgan (shoulder), WR Christian Watson (ankle), DL Arron Mosby (shoulder), T Rasheed Walker (knee).

SERIES NOTES:

The Packers’ 2021 victory in Arizona snapped the Cardinals’ three-game winning streak in this series, which included a 26-20 overtime triumph in a divisional playoff game on Jan. 16, 2016. In that 2021 game, Murray was 22 of 33 for 274 yards with two interceptions and Conner rushed for 22 yards and two touchdowns on five carries. The Packers got two touchdown completions from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb, who both are no longer with the team. The previous time the Cardinals visited Lambeau Field, they won 20-17 on Dec. 2, 2018.

STATS AND STUFF:

Murray ran for a 50-yard TD for the Cardinals’ first TD in last week’s win over the 49ers. According to NFL NextGen Stats, he hit 21.27 mph on the run, which is the fastest speed recorded for a QB over the past eight seasons… The Cardinals have been called for just 19 penalties through five games, which is the fewest in the NFL… The Packers rank third in the NFL in rushing yards while the Cardinals are No. 4… Murray has thrown 101 TD passes, which ranks fifth in franchise history. He recently passed Kurt Warner on the team’s list… Cardinals S Budda Baker had a team-high 12 tackles vs. the 49ers. It was the 29th game of his career with 10 or more tackles… Cardinals DL Bilal Nichols will play his 100th career game on Sunday. He’s played four seasons with the Bears and two for the Raiders before coming to Arizona over the offseason… The Packers had 96-yard drives the past two weeks against Minnesota and the Rams. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it’s the first time in the past 45 seasons that the Packers had a drive of at least 95 yards in back-to-back weeks… Packers RB Josh Jacobs has 402 yards rushing to rank fourth in the NFL… The Packers’ plus-7 turnover margin puts them in a tie with Buffalo for the best in the league… Packers WR Jayden Reed has 414 yards receiving and 110 yards rushing. He’s the sixth player ever to have at least 400 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in the first five games of a season. The others are Washington’s Wilbur Moore (1943), the New York Giants’ Frank Gifford (1959), Philadelphia’s Timmy Brown (1965), San Francisco’s Paul Hofer (1980) and San Francisco’s Roger Craig (1985)… Packers TE Tucker Kraft has three TD catches to match San Francisco’s George Kittle and Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely for the most among tight ends. Kraft’s 66-yard score against the Rams matched the third-longest touchdown catch by any Packers tight end in the Super Bowl era, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The only longer ones were a 78-yarder by Paul Coffman in 1979 and a 72-yarder from Tom Crabtree in 2012. Jackie Harris also had a 66-yarder in 1993.

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Cardinals-Packers TV and radio information.

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The Green Bay weather forecast for game time at Lambeau Field.

The Cardinals-Packers Game Capsule provided by the NFL.

The history of the Cardinals at Packers series.

The team rankings for the Cardinals and Packers going into Week 6.

The NFL officiating crew that will work the Cardinals-Packers game.

Week 6 NFL Schedule

Thursday, October 10
San Francisco 49ers 36, Seattle Seahawks 24

Sunday, October 13
Jacksonville Jaguars 16, Chicago Bears 35
Washington Commanders 23, Baltimore Ravens 30
Arizona Cardinals 13, Green Bay Packers 34
Houston Texans 41, New England Patriots 21
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 51, New Orleans Saints 27
Cleveland Browns 16, Philadelphia Eagles 20
Indianapolis Colts 20, Tennessee Titans 17
Los Angeles Chargers 23, Denver Broncos 16
Pittsburgh Steelers 32, Las Vegas Raiders 13
Atlanta Falcons 38, Carolina Panthers 20
Detroit Lions 47, Dallas Cowboys 9
Cincinnati Bengals 17, New York Giants 7

Monday, October 14
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, 7:15 p.m., ESPN
 

10 reasons Green Bay will never host a Super Bowl

Packers quarterback Brett Favre (4) runs a play as heavy snow blankets Lambeau Field during the 2008 NFC divisional playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. The game the following week against the New York Giants, with a game-time temperature of 1 below zero, was the third coldest in Lambeau Field's history. USA Today Network-Wisconsin

10 reasons Green Bay will never host a Super Bowl

Richard Ryman

Green Bay Press Gazette

January 30, 2019

INTRO: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard fans, shareholders, and season ticket holders ask “When will Green Bay get a Super Bowl?” If they search and find this article from 2019, they’ll likely not ask again (or just keep cluelessly dreaming). We’re getting the NFL Draft in 2025, and that’s the best the league will do for us. Hosting the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field during any season is entirely up to the Packers.

GREEN BAY –  Green Bay will never host a Super Bowl.

The reason is simple: The event is too big and Green Bay is too small.

For the 2018 Super Bowl in Minneapolis, the league had a 154-page demand/wish list of things it would like, most of them for free, and any one of which would be a deal breaker for Green Bay. To be clear, not all of them are requirements, but a few select categories give a hint of the enormity of the event.

So, here are 10 reasons Green Bay will never host a Super Bowl:

• The headline says 10 reasons, but I can give you 30,000, as in hotel rooms, or 35,000, as in the NFL's exclusive use of free parking spaces. Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy told shareholders in 2017 that the NFL would like 30,000 hotel rooms within an hour's drive of Lambeau Field. If you aren't particular (and when is the NFL not particular?) we could probably come up with 8,000 hotel rooms. As to the parking: "Hi. I'm Roger Goodell. Can I park in your yard?"

• Full tax exemption from city, state and local taxes. And you thought Foxconn was demanding. In fact, the words "at no cost to the NFL" come up a lot, as do "will control and receive 100% of the revenues from" whatever will be sold. You're getting the picture, right?

• Imagine, if you will, a Super Bowl fan paying $4,000 to sit on an aluminum bench in the snow in, at best, 25-degree cold. Yeah, the NFL can't imagine it either. Among its minimum requirements are seats at least 19 inches wide with seat backs and arm rests. And a dome if you've got one.

•  Budgets for Super Bowl host committees were as high as $50 million before the 2018 game. Green Bay's entire proposed city budget for 2019 is $107 million. Good luck getting those potholes filled, though that's probably an NFL requirement, too. OK, this one could go both ways.

• Minneapolis raised $53 million in private fundraising to help cover the costs to the city, but unless they name it the Super Bowl Presented by Dick Resch, Green Bay could not come up with that bankroll. Pregame events could be held in the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay, named after Resch's company, at the Resch Center in the shadow of Lambeau Field, and maybe even at the Resch Miracle Field in Allouez. Maybe we could get the Richard J. Resch School of Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to design a way to stack 35,000 cars in 3,000 parking spaces.

• The league wants exclusive access to two first-class bowling centers and three golf courses. This is Wisconsin. We can do bowling. That the best-available golf courses in February might be 900 miles distant could be a sticking point.

• This: (see photo above)

• The weather here can be, shall we say, variable. Take this week, Super Bowl week, for example. We had 10.5 inches of snow on Monday, and it was 17 degrees below zero with a minus-42 wind chill on Wednesday morning. Even the "neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow" people are taking the day off. But on Super Bowl Sunday, it's supposed to be near 40 degrees above zero. That's too many things the NFL can't control, to say nothing of the paralyzing effect it would have on "the big week."

• The Host Community must be able to provide a minimum of the following types of rental and for-hire vehicles: 750 buses, 500 limousines. 1,000 taxis and 10,000 rental cars. We are only short by about 720 buses, 480 limousines, 960 taxis and 9,700 rental cars. For reasons beyond understanding, pedicabs aren't included.

• This one makes me laugh. The NFL requires written proposals from local newspapers, television and radio stations, and outdoor advertising (billboard) companies to provide significant advertising and promotional time and/or space for the NFL Experience during the month leading up to the Super Bowl game at no cost to the NFL.

So, there you have it. There'll be no Super Bowl game in Green Bay.

All in all, my guess is Green Bay fans would much rather attend a Super Bowl than host one. And the sooner the better.

2024 Week 5 — Packers at Rams

 

Packers get next chance to feast on Rams’ struggling defense

Associated Press

Green Bay (2-2) at Los Angeles Rams (1-3)

Date/Time/TV: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, FOX
Series record: Packers lead 50-47-2.
Last meeting: Packers beat Rams 20-3 at Green Bay on Nov 5, 2023.
Last week: Packers lost to Minnesota 31-29; Rams lost to Chicago 24-18.
Packers offense: overall (3), rush (2), pass (7), scoring (T-6).
Packers defense: overall (20), rush (11), pass (24), scoring (20).
Rams offense: overall (18), rush (28), pass (8), scoring (T-22).
Rams defense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (21), scoring (31).
Turnover differential: Packers plus-6; Rams minus-1.

Packers player to watch

WR Jayden Reed caught seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. He has 17 receptions for 336 yards and three total touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) this season. He’s the only player since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to have at least 80 catches, 1,000 yards receiving, 10 touchdown catches and 200 yards rushing over his first 20 NFL games.

Rams player to watch

DT Kobie Turner. It has been a slow start to Turner’s second NFL season, picking up one sack and one tackle for loss through four games. He had nine sacks and eight tackles for loss during a solid rookie campaign, though Turner had the good fortune of playing alongside Aaron Donald. With Donald now enjoying retirement, the Rams need Turner to step up for their languishing defense to find its footing.

Key matchup

Packers RB Josh Jacobs vs. Rams defensive front. Jacobs has been solid in his first four games away from the Raiders, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Where Green Bay needs the bruiser to step up is in the red zone, where the offense is operating at 46.7% efficiency in scoring touchdowns, and Jacobs getting his first score in a Packers jersey might help unlock a turnaround. The Rams are struggling at stopping the run, giving up 4.98 yards per carry. The defensive line is getting pushed around, though linebackers Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom have done a decent job of minimizing the damage after contact. If they can’t stabilize and unleash a talented pass rush, it is going to be a long season in Los Angeles.

Key injuries

WR Christian Watson and DL Devonte Wyatt left the Vikings game with ankle injuries. Watson seems unlikely to play against the Rams but will avoid having to go on injured reserve because of the high ankle sprain… Packers CB Jaire Alexander (groin) didn’t play against the Colts and didn’t practice Wednesday… Packers CB Carrington Valentine (ankle) has missed Green Bay’s past two games but was practicing on a limited basis this week… Packers DL Kenny Clark (toe), LG Elgton Jenkins (knee) and TE Luke Musgrave (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday, leaving their status uncertain for Sunday… Packers OL Jordan Morgan (shoulder) has missed two games but was practicing on a limited basis Wednesday… Packers QB Jordan Love played against the Colts after missing two games. He was practicing on a limited basis Wednesday and should be ready to go for the Rams… Rams WR Cooper Kupp will miss his third straight game because of an ankle injury… WR Demarcus Robinson is dealing with a hip injury, putting his status in question… CB Darious Williams (hamstring) and DL Larrell Murchison (forearm) have resumed practicing after sustaining training camp ailments.

Series notes

The Packers have won four straight over the Rams, including an NFC divisional playoff game in the 2020 season which marked QB Jared Goff’s last appearance for Los Angeles before he was dealt to Detroit as part of the blockbuster trade for Matthew Stafford… Stafford was not available in last season’s loss to the Packers because of a thumb injury. Brett Rypien started in his absence and was 13 of 28 passing for 130 yards and one interception… Green Bay has won nine of the past 10 games against Los Angeles.

Stats and stuff

The Packers have an NFL-leading 12 takeaways. They have intercepted eight passes to tie Minnesota for the league lead… Packers S Xavier McKinney has intercepted a pass in each of his first four games. The only other NFL players since 2000 to intercept a pass in each of their teams’ first four games are Minnesota’s Brian Russell in 2003, New England’s Devin McCourty in 2019 and Dallas’ Trevon Diggs in 2021… Packers K Brayden Narveson went 0 for 2 on field-goal attempts against the Vikings with misses from 37 and 49 yards. He has missed four field-goal attempts in his rookie season… The Packers have an NFL-leading 40 explosive plays (a run of 12-plus yards or a pass of 16-plus yards)… Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks is coming off a two-touchdown performance against the Vikings… Packers QB Jordan Love had career highs in yards passing (389), touchdown passes (four) and completions (32) against the Vikings. He also threw three interceptions to match his career high… Packers P Daniel Whelan averaged 60 yards on his three punts against the Vikings, the highest single-game average for any Packers punter with at least three attempts since Boyd Dowler averaged 62.0 against San Francisco in 1962. Wheland’s net average of 56.7 was the best for a single game by any NFL punter with at least three attempts since Michael Dickson averaged 57.5 yards on six punts against Denver in 2018… When Sean McVay’s offense was held to three points in Green Bay last year, it marked the lowest output in 119 regular-season games for him as a head coach… Stafford wasn’t the only star skill player missing for the trip to Lambeau Field in 2023. RB Kyren Williams was out because of a high ankle sprain… Rams OLB Byron Young had 10 tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble against the Packers last season. It was the one multi-sack game of Young’s rookie year… Rookie K Joshua Karty missed his first career field goal wide left from 43 yards in the last minute of the first half of the defeat in Chicago… The Rams scored one touchdown in four red zone possessions versus the Bears. They have seven touchdowns in 17 trips this season… Williams has scored 21 touchdowns from scrimmage since the start of 2023, which is tied with Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers and Raheem Mostert of the Dolphins for most in the NFL.

Week 5 NFL Schedule

Thursday, October 3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30, Atlanta Falcons 36

Sunday, October 6

New York Jets vs Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 8:30 am, NFLN

Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears, 12:00 p.m., FOX

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, 12:00 p.m., CBS

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans, 12:00 p.m., CBS

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars, 12:00 p.m., CBS

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots, 12:00 p.m., FOX

Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders, 12:00 p.m., FOX

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos, 3:05 p.m., FOX

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers, 3:05 p.m., FOX

Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS

New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks, 3:25 p.m., CBS

Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:20 p.m., NBC*

Monday, October 7

New Orleans Saints at Kansas City Chiefs, 7:15 p.m., ESPN

2024 Week 4 — Vikings at Packers

Packers host undefeated Vikings in key early NFC North showdown

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Minnesota (3-0) at Green Bay (2-1)

When/TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS

Series record: Packers lead 66-58-3

Last meeting: Packers won 33-10 in Minnesota on Dec. 31.

Last week: Vikings beat Houston Texans 34-7 at home; Packers won 30-14 at Tennessee

Vikings offense: Overall (12), rush (13), pass (16), scoring (3)

Vikings defense: Overall (t13), rush (t2), pass (26), scoring (2)

Packers offense: Overall (5), rush (1), pass (22), scoring (t7)

Packers defense: Overall (20), rush (10), pass (22), scoring (12)

Turnover differential: Vikings plus-2; Packers plus-7

Vikings player to watch

RB Aaron Jones. The former Packers standout, in his first season with Minnesota rushed for 102 yards on 19 carries with five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown last week against Houston. After declining to accept a pay cut for the second straight year, Jones was released before free agency and quickly signed with a division rival.

Packers player to watch

S Xavier McKinney has intercepted a pass in each of his first three games with the Packers. The former New York Giant is the first NFL player to have an interception in each of his first three games with a team since Cortland Finnegan did it for the St. Louis Rams in 2012. The only other Packers to have interceptions in their first three games with the team were Doyle Nix (1955) and John Anderson (1978).

Key matchup

Green Bay’s running game against Minnesota’s run defense. Green Bay signed Josh Jacobs to replace Jones as the Packers’ top running back, and he has responded by rushing for 278 yards. With Jacobs leading the way, the Packers are rushing for 204 yards per game to rank first in the NFL. The Vikings are allowing just 71.3 yards rushing per game, putting them in a tie for second in the league. The Packers are gaining 5.5 yards per carry, while the Vikings allow just 3.6 yards per rush.

Key injuries

Vikings WR Jordan Addison (ankle) has missed the past two games. Vikings LB Ivan Pace Jr. (ankle, quadriceps) and OLB Dallas Turner (knee) were also sidelined for the Houston game. Addison and Turner practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday. Pace did not participate… Packers QB Jordan Love has been practicing on a limited basis for a second straight week as he attempts to return from a knee injury that has caused him to miss two straight games. Malik Willis has been filling in for Love… Packers OL Jordan Morgan (shoulder) didn’t play against the Titans and wasn’t practicing early this week… Packers CB Carrington Valentine (ankle) has been practicing on a limited basis this week after missing the Titans game.

Series notes

This is Minnesota’s first September game at Green Bay since consecutive early season trips to Lambeau Field in 2018 and 2019… The road team won each of the two matchups last season, with the Vikings winning 24-10 in Green Bay and the Packers winning 33-10 in Minnesota… QB Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon during Minnesota’s victory at Green Bay last year, and that ended up being the last game he played for the Vikings… The Vikings and Packers have split their past eight meetings.

Stats and stuff

The Vikings are 20-0 under coach Kevin O’Connell in games with an even or plus turnover margin… The Vikings have a plus-55 scoring margin, the second highest in franchise history over the first three games. They were plus-67 in 1975… Vikings QB Sam Darnold, who leads the NFL with eight TD passes, has his first three-game winning streak since 2021 with Carolina. He has never won four in a row as a starter in his seven-year career… Vikings WRs Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor are the first pair of teammates in the NFL with a TD reception in each of their team’s first three games of a season since 2018 when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin did so for Tampa Bay… The Vikings are the third team in the NFL since 1990 with at least five sacks in each of their first three games of a season, joining New Orleans (2001) and Tampa Bay (2000). … The Vikings are the first team in the NFL to allow an average of 10 points per game or fewer and have the NFL’s outright passing TD leader through three games since Green Bay in 1996 with Brett Favre. The Packers won the Super Bowl that season… The Packers have 612 yards rushing, their highest total through the first three games of a season since 1949… The Packers have gained at least 375 yards in each of their first three games. That’s the first time they’ve accomplished that feat in the first three games of a season since 2013… Packers WR Jayden Reed had 10 catches for 172 yards and two TDs in Green Bay’s two games with the Vikings during his rookie season last year… Packers DL Preston Smith has six sacks over his past six games against the Vikings. The two active players with the most career sacks against the Vikings are Smith (8½) and Packers DL Kenny Clark (8)… The Packers already have intercepted nine passes, matching their 2023 season total.

NFL Week 4 Schedule

Thursday, Sept. 26

Dallas Cowboys 20, New York Giants 15

Sunday, Sept. 29

New Orleans Saints 24, Atlanta Falcons 26

Cincinnati Bengals 34, Carolina Panthers 24

Los Angeles Rams 18, Chicago Bears 24

Minnesota Vikings 31, Green Bay Packers 29

Jacksonville Jaguars 20, Houston Texans 24

Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Indianapolis Colts 27

Denver Broncos 10, New York Jets 9

Philadelphia Eagles 16, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33

Washington Commanders 42, Arizona Cardinals 14

New England Patriots 13, San Francisco 49ers 30

Kansas City Chiefs 17, Los Angeles Chargers 10

Cleveland Browns 16, Las Vegas Raiders 20

Buffalo Bills 10, Baltimore Ravens 35

Monday, Sept. 30

Tennessee Titans 31, Miami Dolphins 12

Seattle Seahawks 29, Detroit Lions 42