Cardinals sack Rodgers 8 times, rout Packers 38-8

Green Bay Packers fans watch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz.

There were multiple similarities in the way the Green Bay Packers began their matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 and their miracle comeback against the Detroit Lions in early December. It was also his fifth receiving touchdown in four career games against the Packers, including the postseason.

Green Bay was without starting left tackle David Bakhtiari with an injury and lost starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga with an ankle injury during the game.

Arizona opened as a 4.5-point favorite over Green Bay but the number jumped to 6 according to oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI. His two lost fumbles were returned for touchdowns.

In the third quarter of this one with the Cardinals already up 31-7.

James Starks fumbled on Green Bay’s first play, Arizona recovered at the Packers 28-yard line and David Johnson ran in for a 14-yard touchdown two plays later.

Rodgers was under duress throughout the game, completing just 53 percent of his passes.

Rodgers was 15-of-28 for 151 yards and a touchdown.

Aaron Rodgers dropped back and cocked his arm, ready to throw the ball downfield.

On the other hand, the Cardinals have won their last eight and are looking to get a win over the Packers before facing off against their division rivals in the Seahawks.

RB Eddie Lacy had 12 carries for 60 yards for the Packers, while WR James Jones had five catches for 46 yards. The Packers rank No. 5 in scoring defense (18.9) and have given up more than 20 points just once in the last six games. Rodgers has expressed frustration in a passing game that has missed top receiver Jordy Nelson for the entire season, and he has just cause for that frustration-when the coaches aren’t scheming around their personnel, it’s a serious problem. “You don’t get rings for byes; you only get T-shirts and hats”.

Even NBC couldn’t wait to look ahead from this one, announcing more than halfway through its broadcast that the Week 17 showdown will be flexed as the network’s regular-season primetime finale. It is not created to survive an injury at one position, let alone three or four of them.

Yes, the line was a disaster; yes, the receivers are maddeningly inconsistent; and yes, Rodgers needs to play more consistently.