Run game at forefront of Cardinals’ minds in more ways than 1 vs. Packers
If the Cardinals hope to snap their four-game losing streak ahead of the bye week, it starts with shutting down the Packers run game.
Josh Jacobs #8 of the Green Bay Packers carries the ball against Mack Wilson Sr. #2 of the Arizona Cardinals during the first quarter at Lambeau Field on October 13, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell didn’t beat around the bush when talking about the “challenge” the Green Bay Packers offense presents.
Seeing the scouting report on Green Bay littered with high rankings is one thing. Seeing what the Packers have done on tape to opposing defenses is another.
And with the Cardinals desperately needing a win to snap a four-game losing streak — that’s been decided by nine combined points — before hitting the Week 8 bye, the magnitude of a victory this week is mighty to say the least.
If that’s going to come to fruition this week, it starts with keeping Green Bay’s run game in check, especially after what Jonathan Taylor did to Arizona’s defense a week prior.
“This is going to be a tough matchup, but it’s also a game that we need,” Campbell said Wednesday. “We have to be really good. … It starts in the run game. And if I’m them, and I see that we gave up 150 yards rushing last week, they’re going to come in here and try to run the ball.
“If we want to win this game, we can’t let them run the ball. That’s got to be the No. 1 focus. … Like this is the biggest challenge we’re going to have all year. And for us to win this game, we have to do that.”
After averaging just 92.4 yards to opposing rushing attacks, the Cardinals were gashed by Taylor and the Colts to the tune of 150 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-27 loss to fall to 2-4.
That performance has the Cardinals defense outside the top 10 in rushing yards allowed per game at 102 and is up to five rushing scores given up through six weeks.
The Packers, meanwhile, are tied for ninth in the league with six rushing touchdowns to go along with the 122.2 yards per game. That’s good enough for 12th.
They’ve also done so in five games of work, having already had their bye week, and are coming off their best two outings on the ground this year.
And it all starts with running back Josh Jacobs.
Trailing only Taylor (seven) in rushing scores with six, Jacobs is averaging 3.7 yards per carry on his way to 359 yards in five games.
His touchdown totals shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, with Jacobs up to 21 since Week 5 of last year (18 games played).
The running back’s past two games were easily his best of 2025, though, with Jacobs racking up 179 yards and four touchdowns on 40 carries (4.5 yards per carry). He added another 128 yards on nine catches (nine targets).
Stopping the Green Bay Packers’ run game is at the forefront of the Cardinals’ minds this week. pic.twitter.com/aQZsdw6umc
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) October 17, 2025
“If you can’t stop the run versus Green Bay, they’re just going to keep on running it, and running it, and when they need to throw it, (Green Bay quarterback) Jordan Love’s going to make all those passes,” safety Budda Baker said Thursday.
“We understand the No. 1 goal is to stop the run game this week. Being able to hold Jacobs to a lower number will be good for us.”
Even more Cardinals emphasis on the run game in Week 7
While Green Bay’s run offense has been among the league’s best, its run defense is on another level.
Pacing the league with an impressive 73 yards allowed per game and tied for fifth in touchdowns allowed with three.
Only one team has put up more than 100 yards (117) and multiple touchdowns (two) against the Packers’ stout defense. That would be the Cowboys, where former Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams is operating as Dallas offensive coordinator.
Outside of that matchup, which ended in a tie, it’s been slim pickings for opposing run games.
For a Cardinals team still searching for a semblance of its dominant run game from the past two seasons, Arizona won’t face a tougher test on the ground. And that’s with or without James Conner and Trey Benson.
Instead, Arizona will likely turn to a committee of Michael Carter and Bam Knight this week with Emari Demercado missing his second consecutive day of practice on Thursday.
But whoever is carrying the load, it starts with Arizona’s offensive line doing its job up front and improving upon a 17th-ranked rushing attack.
“We got to do our thing,” Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. said Wednesday. “We respect their defense a lot, but at the same time, it’s about just the toughness down there.
“When you’re down with your hand in the ground, you’re not thinking about the stats, what they did the week before. It’s about what am I about to do right now. So, we’ll make sure we handle that on Sunday.”
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Comments
5 Comments
It won't matter what the strategy is, if it's Kyler Murray under center, Arizona will be doomed, because the NFL in general knows how to defend him. The Packers will force him to revert to hero ball, where the offense is guaranteed to struggle, and after a while the Defense will get discouraged by the lack of Kyler keeping up his part of the bargain. Arizona fans are going to have a very short fuse on Sunday. The reality is, they'll be completely, totally miserable if Kyler is deemed the starter, and can be counted on to direct their displeasure/ wrath at the Cardinals early, often and loudly, specifically at Kyler and Gannon, for choosing to make Kyler the starter.
If Brissett starts, and I truly hope he will, his philosophy will be to "play smart football", namely "Taking what the Defense Give them". Following any other philosophy is both moronic and doomed to fail.
Forget emphasizing the run, because it won't be there until Brissett is able to gash the Packers defense repeatedly with the Passing Game. Makes no sense to run the ball and only get 1-2 yards, when Brissett can stay in safety of the pocket and consistently get between 6 to 30 yards in the passing game. To accomplish that, Arizona will need MHJ to play. Packers like the Colts are primarily as Zone coverage team. That means the Packers can really only take away one large receiver (McBride) with superior abilities to separate from Defenders. In the Zone they play that scheme isn't designed to be able to take away 2 (MHJ). Micah Parson's was supposed to transform the Packers pass rush, but that hasn't materialized, plus more and more opponents have exposed Parson's as a one-trick pony, who struggles to defend the run because he prioritizes his pass rush over defending the run.
IMHO, there is no reason if Brissett starts, that Arizona can't put up a 30 Burger or even higher, but they're only going to do that by first establishing the passing game. That should make them competitive, regardless of how hot Jordan Love might get. IMHO, the key to controlling Green Bay on the scoreboard, will be getting Darius Robinson back. Robinson's return gives Arizona the ability to not only defend against the Packers Inside Running game, but more importantly, adding Robinson, pairing him with Calais and Arizona's ability to bring pressure off the edge with Josh Sweat, Browning and Jordan Burch, should result in Arizona, especially Will Johnson, being able to get some picks off of Jordan Love. Forcing Green Bay to settle for FGs instead of TDs could be the difference.
In a world full of strife, hatred and poverty, the common people can always depend on the Arizona Cardinals to provide a few hours of comic relief every week from late summer to December. They remind us that failure is part of being human, and comedy is rooted in pain and embarrassment.
Don’t worry Calais, the Cardinals stadium will be transformed into Green Bay West Stadium. So there’s no really home field advantage this Sunday. All you all can do is hope for a miracle…