Sports360AZ
The best way to get over a loss like the Cardinals endured is to have “amnesia.”
As tough as it is to move past it [your body for one will continue to remind you that you were in a war with the 49ers], you have no choice but to, because Aaron Rodgers, the Packers and Packer Nation could care less that you were humiliated on Monday Night Football.
They’d like to see you buried even further in the ground on Sunday.
These two teams meet for the first time since that memorable Wild Card playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium back in January 2010, a game in which the Cardinals won 51-45 in overtime.
The conditions will definitely be different in Green Bay, Wisc., than it was that day in Glendale, Ariz., then you factor in the fact that the Packers have only lost at Lambeau Field twice since 2009, and it figures to be yet another tough outing for the Cardinals.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt says the game will carry some historical importance, being that it’s the second oldest rivalry in the NFL behind the Bears and Packers.
Beyond that, Whisenhunt says it’s all about preparation.
“We’ve got to be focused on executing our plan better,” Whisenhunt said. “This is a hostile environment, much like New England and much like Minnesota. It’s a challenge, but we’ve got an opportunity to meet that challenge.”
The Packers go by way of their quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, and who has his offense clicking on all cylinders right now [their offense has scored 20 or more points in three straight games, all of which the Packers have won].
Rodgers has 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions on the season. With those kind of numbers, Whisenhunt knows his defense is in for a heap of trouble on Sunday.
“They have a quarterback that’s playing at a high level, and they operate very well in the pass game,” Whisenhunt said. “You’ve got to be able to make sure you know what we’re in and how we’re going to match up, and you’ve got to play with discipline.”
The Packers defense, overall, is currently ranked 13th in the league, which is not too shabby.
Quarterback John Skelton sees a lot of things in their defense that could frustrate the offense on Sunday.
“They’ve got pass rushers, they’ve got some guys in the secondary that fly around,” Skelton said. “But, same thing I’ve said every week, if we execute, if we do what we’re supposed to do, if we block the man we’re supposed to block, or catch the balls or throw the balls, we should be alright.”
Guard Daryn Colledge spent five seasons as a Packer, winning a world championship in his final season, the 2010 season, before coming to the Cardinals.
Colledge says, to him, it’ll be just “a football game,” as he makes his return trip to Lambeau.
“It’ll be good to see some people,” Colledge said. “There’s been some turnover, most of the guys I played with on the offensive line are gone, so for me it’ll be another football game.”
