Packers Wire managing editor Zach Kruse gives Cardinals faces an inside scoop on their Week 7 opponent.
The Arizona Cardinals hope to snap a four-game losing streak when they face the 3-1-1 Green Bay Packers, who are in first place in the NFC North, Sunday afternoon at State Farm Stadium. They hope to beat the Packers for the first time since 2018, when Josh Rosen was starting for Arizona.
To get ready for this game, Packers Wire managing editor Zach Kruse takes Cardinals fans “behind enemy lines” to give us insider perspectives on injuries, fantasy, matchups and predictions.
Green Bay Packers injuries of note
Are there any injury updates to key players this week?
Yes. The Packers will be without DT Devonte Wyatt and DE Lukas Van Ness, two of the best players on the defensive front, and WR Christian Watson isn’t yet ready to return. Also, K Brandon McManus probably won’t play, and RT Zach Tom is battling through a painful oblique injury. The Packers have 10 players with status designations on the final injury report, so it’s a hurting roster — despite having the early bye — entering Sunday.
Green Bay Packers fantasy advice
Who are this week’s must-starts in fantasy on the Packers?
While he picked up a calf injury on Friday, RB Josh Jacobs has back-to-back games with at least 150 total yards and is a must start every week. He’s the offense’s focal point. In the passing game, the best bets are TE Tucker Kraft, who is excellent but needs more target, and rookie WR Matthew Golden, who is really starting to catch fire. The Packers spread the ball around in the passing game, making it difficult to pinpoint obvious plays in fantasy. QB Jordan Love is having a terrific year, but the Packers are a slow, run-based offense.
Cardinals vs. Packers key matchups
Which matchups in this game are you most excited to watch or pay attention to?
Micah Parsons vs. Paris Johnson Jr. could be an excellent matchup on the edge. I was really impressed watching Johnson this week — he’s a terrific young tackle. A can’t-miss rookie matchup is Matthew Golden vs. Will Johnson. Golden has been a go-to player the last three games, while Johnson looks like a potential lockdown perimeter corner. And while it’s not a one-on-one matchup, I’m excited to see which tight end — Tucker Kraft or Trey McBride — has a bigger impact on the game Sunday. These are two of the NFL’s best tight ends.
NFC North favorites
The Packers are in first place in the NFC North. Does this feel like a first-place team? Who do you believe should be the favorites to win it?
The NFC North is going to be very difficult to win again this year, but the Packers and Lions have to be viewed as the favorites, and Matt LaFleur’s team already has a head-to-head win over the Lions. The Packers haven’t played a complete game yet, but they have only one loss and two excellent wins over the Lions and Commanders. This is a good football with great potential, but they need to keep building week to week. It’s probably going to take 12 or 13 wins to take the NFC North this year.
Cardinals vs. Packers picks and predictions
What is your prediction for this game?
The Packers have three wins when scoring 27 points. The Cardinals play nothing but close games. So I’m going Packers 27, Cardinals 24 in a back-and-forth game. I think the potential of the Packers’ pass-rush against a backup quarterback (most likely), and Green Bay has been the better team in terms of producing explosive plays. Those factors allow the Packers to escape with a one-score win late.
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