THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
GREEN BAY (6-1) at ARIZONA (7-0)
Today, 5:20 p.m., FOX/NFL Network
OPENING LINE: Cardinals by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Packers 6-1, Cardinals 6-1. SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 45-26-4.
LAST MEETING: Cardinals beat Packers 20-17 on Dec. 2, 2018 in Green Bay.
LAST WEEK: Packers beat Washington 24-10 in Green Bay; Cardinals beat Texans 31-5 in Arizona.
PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (24), RUSH (19), PASS (18), SCORING (17)
CARDINALS OFFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (5), PASS (11), SCORING (4)
PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (22), PASS (6), SCORING (7-T)
CARDINALS DEFENSE: OVERALL (4), RUSH (18), PASS (3), SCORING (1)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Packers plus-5; Cardinals plus-8.
PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH: LB De’Vondre Campbell. The former Cardinal has flourished in his first season with the Packers. He has a team-high 67 tackles to rank fifth in the NFL. Indianapolis’ Darius Leonard is the only other defensive player to have at least two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery this season. CARDINALS PLAYER TO WATCH: TE Zach Ertz. The veteran tight end had a terrific debut for his new team last week, making a one-handed grab over the middle and scoring on a 47-yard reception, which was the longest touchdown of his career. Ertz was acquired by the Cardinals in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 15. KEY MATCHUP: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Arizona’s defense. The Cardinals have had one of the NFL’s best defenses this season, particularly when stopping the pass. CB Byron Murphy Jr. has three interceptions while Budda Baker is one of the league’s best all-around safeties. Rodgers comes into the game on a roll, throwing 15 TDs and just one interception during Green Bay’s six-game winning streak.
KEY INJURIES: Packers WR Davante Adams went on the COVID-19/reserve list Monday and isn’t expected to play. WR Allen Lazard went on the COVID-19/reserve list Tuesday. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has missed four games with a hamstring injury, but the Packers are hoping he could be available Thursday. CB Kevin King (shoulder) and OLB Preston Smith (oblique) have practiced on a limited basis this week after missing the Packers’ victory Sunday over Washington. OT David Bakhtiari (knee) is eligible to return after beginning the year on the physically unable to perform list, but he hasn’t yet been added to the active roster . ... The Cardinals are thin at center. Starter Rodney Hudson (ribs) is on injured reserve and backup Max Garcia (achilles) hasn’t practiced this week. DE J.J. Watt (shoulder) didn’t practice this week and won’t play. WR DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) was limited in practice. LB Chandler Jones and DE Zach Allen are expected to play after missing time with COVID-19.
SERIES NOTES: Green Bay had dominated the series though Arizona has won the past three meetings. The Packers last beat the Cardinals 31-17 in 2012. The two teams met in a classic playoff game in 2015, which the Cardinals won 26-20 in overtime. Rodgers completed a desperation pass to tie the game and send it to overtime. Larry Fitzgerald accounted for all 80 yards in the Cardinals’ game-winning drive in OT.
STATS AND STUFF: Two of the past three games (including postseason) between the two teams have gone into overtime . ... The Packers have won six straight since opening the season with a 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Jacksonville, Florida. … According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the fourth time Green Bay has ever played a game in which both the Packers and their opponent entered with winning streaks of at least six games within that season.