Odds, Spread, TV Channel, Kick Off Time, Arizona defense faces Aaron Rodgers

The Cardinals sacked Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers eight times and backup Scott Tolzien once. That will be Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson, who is having perhaps the best season of his career having allowed just one touchdown pass and a 55.2 quarterback rating when throwing his way. Those two games are the match-up at Lambeau Field between the Vikings and the Green Bay Packers, and the other is the game at University of Phoenix Stadium between the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals. Three of those were by resurgent veteran Dwight Freeney and Calais Campbell had 2 1/2. Cory Redding rambled 36 yards with one of the fumbles for a score. Then after the Packers answered with their first score of the day, Jerraud Powers returned another Rodgers fumble for another touchdown by the Arizona defense. Next up is the regular-season finale at home against Minnesota for the NFC North title after the Vikings cruised to a 49-17 victory against the New York Giants on Sunday night. A enormous football game in which the Packers and the Cardinals have to play with such determination for it clears up some of the questions in the playoff scenarios. Sunday’s game marks the second Green Bay-Minnesota matchup during that stretch. The Packers are coming off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

The Packers keep trying to correct those things, but they never seem to get it done.

“We just didn’t play well”, Manning said, “and they did”.

If one wants to discuss good fortune, the Packers had some luck of their own when Carson Palmer was intercepted by Mike Daniels at point-blank range on a screen pass. – Matthew Slater on the much-questioned coin toss call – after which the Jets scored a winning touchdown on the first possession of the extra session.

The ultimate disgrace for McCarthy appeared to be the fumble, on the first play of the second half, by James Starks, his fourth in the last four games and fifth of the year.

The Arizona Cardinals battered Aaron Rodgers and earned a week of rest to start the playoffs. James Jones led in receiving with 82 yards and one touchdown in six catches. The Cardinals had 10 interceptions sitting on the bench without defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu and Rashad Johnson but hardly missed a beat in holding the Packers to a mere 77 net passing yards.