Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Xavier McKinney calls out Packers after win over Cardinals: 'Can’t do this against good teams'

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Robin M Adams | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 9:33 AM ET

In Week 7, the Green Bay Packers finally scored their first win away from Lambeau Field in the 2025 NFL season. But it nearly did not happen, as the Arizona Cardinals went toe-to-toe against Green Bay.

The Cardinals had a 10-point lead in the first half and took a seven-point advantage into the half. Green Bay tied it up with a Josh Jacobs touchdown in the third quarter, but Arizona later answered with a Trey McBride score to grab the lead back. Tucker Kraft evened the score early in the fourth quarter with a touchdown grab before Chad Ryland put Arizona ahead by three points with a field goal.

Jacobs rumbled into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game with under two minutes left in regulation, which ultimately gave Green Bay the win.

The Packers also had to fend off a Hail Mary pass attempt by Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett to preserve the lead and enjoy their fourth win of the season.

Packers DB expresses strong take on Green Bay winning close games

Although the Packers will take a win any way they could, Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney would still love to see his team come away with more convincing victories.

“It shouldn’t even come down to the fourth quarter. I think we have a better team, and I don’t think we played really up to our standard as much,” McKinney said of Green Bay’s performance in the close win against the Cardinals, via Ryan Wood of USA TODAY. "We’ll get back to the film room and find ways to be better, but we for damn sure can’t do this against good teams, because it’s not going to work. I think the guys know that. Yeah, we’re happy about the win, but we’ve got to be a lot better.”

On paper, the Packers should have won by more than just four points against Arizona, which didn’t even have its regular starting quarterback with Kyler Murray on the shelf with an injury for the second week in a row. Arizona also came into the contest on a four-game losing skid. If Green Bay is as good as what its collection of talented players suggests, the Packers should not have let the Arizona game come down to the wire like it did.

Perhaps the Packers can pull off a bigger statement victory in Week 8 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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