Three pressing questions surrounding the Green Bay-Arizona wild-card matchup on Sunday:
1. Can Green Bay slow Arizona's passing attack?
The Cardinals' passing game got them to the Super Bowl last year and it is the main reason they have a chance this year. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson will probably man up Larry Fitzgerald, which is a critical matchup. Fitzgerald has had four straight games with fewer than 50 yards receiving but don't forget what he did in last year's postseason: Fitzgerald was impossible to cover in four playoff games, grabbing 30 passes for 546 yards (18.2 average) and seven touchdowns.
Anquan Boldin was injured last week but should play. As Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said of Boldin, "he's the most physical release wide receiver of the Cardinals." Boldin is capable of a 10-reception day against the Packers if the pass rush doesn't affect Kurt Warner.
Look for the Cardinals to spread out the Green Bay defense and reduce the chance of outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Brad Jones (14 sacks between them) reaching Warner. The Packers must figure out how to handle the four-receiver package that includes Steve Breaston and Jerheme Urban. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers will blitz on passing situations, but they may not get there enough.
2. Can the Cardinals get to Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers has been sacked 50 times this season, or once every 12 attempts, but most of those sacks came earlier in the season. Rodgers has been sacked just two times in the last three games as Mark Tauscher was added to the lineup at right tackle and left tackle Chad Clifton returned to the lineup from injury. The Cardinals have two very unique pass rushers in Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett. The two have combined for 14 sacks and are as disruptive as any pair in the league. When you study the Packers' five losses this season, the common thread is getting to Rodgers. He was sacked 27 times in the five losses -- five times a loss, as compared to two sacks per game in their victories.
Rodgers will not throw interceptions -- he only throws the ball to the other team once every 77 passes -- so sacks are the key to breaking up the Packers' passing game. We all know about the wide receivers on the Packers -- Donald Driver and Greg Jennings have combined for 138 receptions and 10 touchdowns -- but the new threat over the past few weeks is tight end Jermichael Finley, who has 38 receptions and four touchdowns in the last seven games.
3. Which running attack can close out the game?
Both teams need to answer this question: "Can they close the game out with a running game or a four-minute drill if they have the lead in the fourth quarter?"
A year ago, I would have given Green Bay a definitive edge because of Ryan Grant. But after drafting Beanie Wells in the first round this year and making a dedicated effort to run the ball, Arizona can compete with Green Bay when it comes to running the football.
