Three Reasons Why Packers Will Beat Cardinals

“It feels good,” Jacobs said after the game. “It feels good as a runner to be able to feel like you’re dominating, and that’s always a thing that you can always feel, especially on offense when the defense starts to get tired of you hitting them, starts to get tired of you going right at them. That’s something that we definitely felt.”

Arizona’s run defense, which features linebacker Mack Wilson, safety Budda Baker and ageless defensive tackle Calais Campbell, is decent. It ranks 13th in rushing yards allowed per game and 15th in rushing yards allowed per carry. However, they’ve given up 20 runs of 10-plus yards, the 11th-most.

Assuming Jacobs plays, this could be another game where the run game imposes its will.

3. Fourth Quarters ... Really!

There’s been a lot of talk about fourth quarters this season. Green Bay’s defense, which has been impenetrable in the first quarter and is giving up less than eight points per game in the first three quarters, is allowing a league-worst 12.0 points per game in the fourth quarter.

Green Bay’s defense faded late in the upset loss at Cleveland and couldn’t get a stop in the tie at Dallas. Last week against Cincinnati, the Bengals had 21 net yards and one first down on its first four possessions. In the second half, the Bengals went touchdown, field goal, touchdown to hang around far too long.

“The first half … was awesome, watching our guys fly around. It was really, really inspiring football,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “I think they went three-and-out three of their first four drives. We’re getting the ball back to the offense like that (snaps his fingers). That’s what we need to do in all four quarters.”

Could this be the week in which the Packers slam the door with that elusive four-quarter performance? Arizona’s offense ranks 29th in fourth-quarter scoring with just 4.3 points per game.

The reality is the Packers’ defense is too talented let what’s happened late in games be a recurring issue.

“I just feel like there’s a drop of level of play towards the end of the game,” defensive end Micah Parsons said. “I hit on that with the guys and I’ll keep that private, but we alone have to be better at that point. We emphasized it this week. We had a great practice week. I’m excited to see it in the game.”

For safety Xavier McKinney, the key is starting the second half fast so opponents can’t build momentum.

“Sh**, we’ve just got to execute better coming out of the half,” he said. “I think definitely the biggest thing, I think kind of what teams have been doing if they win the toss, they’re trying to get the ball coming out of the half, so our defense is out there coming out of the half, because we haven’t been that great coming out of the half all year.

“We just got to make sure that we go out there and execute what’s being called and just having that energy. Somebody got to pop it off, somebody got to get us going. That’s what it is.”

On the other side of the ball, Arizona’s defense also ranks 29th in the fourth quarter with 10.3 points allowed per game. Bad on offense and bad on defense, the Cardinals have the worst fourth-quarter scoring differential. With their four consecutive losses by a total of nine points, the fourth quarters are why they are in dire straits.

“We’re doing a lot of good things, hence why we’re not getting blown out,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said this week. “We’ve been in these close games now. To win them, we have to do it a little bit better than we’ve been doing it, all three phases.”

Offensively, Green Bay is second in fourth-quarter scoring. If the defense finally follows suit, it could be the pathway to a lot more than a victory on Sunday.

Said Parsons: “I’m excited to try and go prove it on the road.”