Green Bay Packers (11-6) at Arizona Cardinals (13-3): NFC divisional playoff preview
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz. - TV: NBC
*TV announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
*Keys to the game: Any confidence the fifth-seeded Packers picked up from beating Washington in the wild-card round could be tempered reviewing film of the Week 16 whipping at Arizona in which QB Aaron Rodgers was roughed up.
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Much of their swagger rests on the status of LT David Bakhtiari, who hasn't played in a month, as the Packers are desperate to get their starting front five on the field together for the first time in eight games to keep Rodgers upright. He was hit 17 times in the past three games with three different starting offensive line combos.
A heavy dose of RBs Eddie Lacy and James Starks is likely to be part of the scripted first 15 plays as the Packers attempt to establish the offensive line. But if that bid goes south, the game will fall squarely on Rodgers, who said this week he plans to "throw caution to the wind."
That approach from opponents trying to keep pace with the NFL's No. 2-ranked pass offense became all too common, and the Cardinals' defense preyed on the pass-only attacks during the regular season.
The Packers' defense figures to stay fast and furious with its pass rush after knocking around Redskins QB Kirk Cousins for six sacks last weekend. Green Bay didn't disrupt the Cardinals' Carson Palmer much in the earlier meeting, hitting the 36-year-old only four times and sacking him twice. Getting top CB Sam Shields back after a four-game absence because of a concussion would be huge in allowing Green Bay to be aggressive attacking Palmer from all angles against a suspect offensive line and take away his effective quick release for getting the football to his playmaking receivers.
The Packers, though, can't let their guard down against the run after they gave up a cumulative 121 rushing yards to the Cardinals last month.
*Matchup to watch - Cardinals RB David Johnson vs. Packers ILB Jake Ryan: The Packers will adjust their game plan but he won this matchup of rookies Week 16. Ryan had trouble covering Johnson, who had 88 yards on three catches in the first half.
*Player spotlight - Packers WR Jared Abbrederis: He'll take most of the snaps injured WR Davante Adams (knee) cannot this week, as he did most of the second half at Washington. Rodgers said he expects Abbrederis, a 2014 fifth-round pick, to be more than just a body in the formation.
"You look at the tape, and he's open a lot of times even if the ball doesn't go his way. So, we've got to find ways to put him in position to do what he does best and find a way to get him the ball," Rodgers said.
*Fast facts: The Packers' 11 road playoff wins is the most all-time. Baltimore is second with 10. ... Packers PK Mason Crosby has made 18 consecutive field goals on the road. His long this season was 48 yards. ... Cardinals PK Chandler Catanzaro missed three extra points in the final six regular-season games. ... Palmer is 0-2 in his career in the playoffs.
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
Arizona will stack the box and challenge Aaron Rodgers to be perfectly precise on every single throw. He has aced this type of test before, but Arizona has home field and a hot hand of its own with QB Carson Palmer and a dynamic weapon in rookie RB David Johnson to advance to the NFC title game.
*Our pick: Cardinals 27-23.
