Cardinals Win, No Defense in the Desert

Today the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Green Bay Packers 51-45 in overtime. It was a great, high-scoring game, and officially eliminated Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers from Super Bowl contention and the Arizona Cardinals will head to New Orleans to face the Saints.

The score of the game tells all. There was absolutely no defense! None! Both defenses should be embarrassed as they were both unable to stop the opposing offense. In fact, the defenses were so bad that this game had the most combined points in playoff history! Coming into the game the Packers had the second best defense in the NFL. Well, it sure didn't look like it tonight. In fact, they only forced the Cardinals to punt one time. Just one time in the whole game! That is embarrassing. There is no way they are one of the best defenses in the league. You could say, oh the Cardinals are just a really good offense. Well, even though that is true, that still doesn't explain giving up 51 points! That is ridiculous! But give the Packers credit, they didn't roll over. Aaron Rodgers played well in his first career postseason game, but the Cardinals were just too much for the Packers.

The Cardinals' defense wasn't much better, giving up 45 points to the Green Bay Packers. But when they needed a play, they sure got one, a fumble recovery for a touchdown in overtime. If you would have told me that this high scoring offensive game with two terrible defenses would end in a defensive touchdown in overtime I would have thought you were crazy. But that is just how this game ended. How can the Packers lose when they score 45 points! That just shouldn't happen. It just shows that the Packers defense needs improvement because they can't ask much more from their young quarterback and their offense that plays great like they did tonight.

I have to admit, this was a great game to watch. Warner played unbelievable and Rodgers didn't play too bad himself. But the real story was the cruddy defensive efforts of both teams. They both showed huge weaknesses and the Cardinals will have to fix those problems if they are to have any chance of beating the New Orleans Saints next week.

Everyone gave the Cardinals no chance of beating the Packers; no one but me and Frank Caliendo. But they showed just how good they really were, and if they can get their defense to play a little better, they will be a very dangerous team this postseason.