How is Arizona feeling?

[mission]

Jesus H Keyrist. It appears some don't ever learn.

We kicked the "crap" outta them in the preseason. Meant nothing. We went on to look like shit for weeks after. They went on to make the playoffs.

Warner played 2 series. Yes, we were up 14-0, but 2 series is 2 series.

You guys really think Coach Wiz is gonna show you how he is going to attack our depleted secondary.

Once the Vikes won, the game was meaningless for the Cards..just as Ty predicted weeks ago. A packer victory over a team that had clinched their division.

We looked pretty vanilla today too. Turn off your local radio, Ty.

We'll take care of business next week.

[ND72]

Want to know how Arizona is feeling? Scared....but I'm not talking about the football team. I talked to my wifes grandpa who lives out in Sun City West, Arizona in the winter, not too far from the stadium (you can actually see it from their house). He said their news channels out there are already broadcasting that the team doesn't know what to do since there are so many packer fans that live in Arizona, and they figured around 60% of todays attendance was Packer fans. They said the team is worried next week could be worse since Packer fans travel well.

[Lurker64]

I think a more important question is "How are the Packers feeling".

What we don't want is McCarthy & co. to be thinking "we'll just roll over them, who do we play in week 2 of the playoffs?" At the same time though, this team should feel very good about what it accomplished this year. 11 wins is a significant accomplishment for a team and a lot of units put together some pretty good performances this season.

[ND72]

I think a more important question is "How are the Packers feeling".

What we don't want is McCarthy & co. to be thinking "we'll just roll over them, who do we play in week 2 of the playoffs?" At the same time though, this team should feel very good about what it accomplished this year. 11 wins is a significant accomplishment for a team and a lot of units put together some pretty good performances this season.

Did you see the post game in the locker room? McCarthy said right away, "be humble".

[pack4to84]

I think Arizona is thinking about if DRC and Bolden would play. DRC injury look pretty bad on replay. Bolden sprained his ankle and knee.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I think the AZ players are damn happy they don't have to get on a plane to this below zero weather.

[channtheman]

All I know is that I would rather be on the winning end of a blow out with the playoffs coming up the next week.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Ty, you are the genius of this message board!! Always right and on point. All of us scrubs bow down to your superior intellect

Finally, a loyal subject.

I shall call you Sacto Panza.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Jesus H Keyrist. It appears some don't ever learn.

We kicked the "crap" outta them in the preseason. Meant nothing. We went on to look like shit for weeks after. They went on to make the playoffs.

Warner played 2 series. Yes, we were up 14-0, but 2 series is 2 series.

You guys really think Coach Wiz is gonna show you how he is going to attack our depleted secondary.

Once the Vikes won, the game was meaningless for the Cards..just as Ty predicted weeks ago. A packer victory over a team that had clinched their division.

We looked pretty vanilla today too. Turn off your local radio, Ty.

We'll take care of business next week.

Didn't say we weren't vanilla. But, arod played much more, and they put in leinart after 2 series.

Making no statement on who wins next week.

Cards had nothing to play for and it showed. Same thing for the Bengals.

It was clear, or should be clear, to anyone who watches football that the Cards weren't running their full offense. And, why would they? Instead of implementing a game plan for this week, they are perfecting it...giving themselves 2 weeks to get it right. Not saying the pack can't do the same thing.

Just 2 different philosophies. If the pack won with the same score, but Arod and collins got nicked up..would you be feeling the same way. Doubtful.

This game, like the preseason meant nothing.

P.S. Local radio wasn't on.

[Bossman641]

I saw a quote from Rodgers where he said the Cardinals didn't blitz once after their starters left. Still, I think the Packers will take it to them next week.

[MadScientist]

Just 2 different philosophies. If the pack won with the same score, but Arod and collins got nicked up..would you be feeling the same way. Doubtful.

The Cards had important players nicked up (or possibly worse than nicked) despite resting several and not trying that hard. The philosophy wasn't all that useful for keeping the Cardinals healthy.

Other than the injuries, I tend to agree that this game has minimal significance. I like the idea of playing well going in to the playoffs instead of tanking in a game with no real meaning, but how much effect that really has, I don't know.

Does anyone have some stats on how teams that tanked the last game or two have done in the playoffs?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Just 2 different philosophies. If the pack won with the same score, but Arod and collins got nicked up..would you be feeling the same way. Doubtful.

The Cards had important players nicked up (or possibly worse than nicked) despite resting several and not trying that hard. The philosophy wasn't all that useful for keeping the Cardinals healthy.

Other than the injuries, I tend to agree that this game has minimal significance. I like the idea of playing well going in to the playoffs instead of tanking in a game with no real meaning, but how much effect that really has, I don't know.

Does anyone have some stats on how teams that tanked the last game or two have done in the playoffs?

Agreed. They did get some players hurt, but not severely. DRC is expected back and well Q, dude is warrior. Ty is guessing Q will be playing.

It is a balancing act. You have to play your players a bit to keep them sharp. Ty thinks Wiz did a good job with this. Ty really only counts DRC as an injury as Q has been hurt all year...remember the game day roster imbroglio...so, Ty thinks Q needs to be out there to get some work.

There is no way to ensure total non injury. It is football. Injury can happen anytime. But, we can certainly say that the fewer plays participated in should result in less injuries.

Would you be happy right now if Arod was injured in the cards game? He was playing in the second half of a 26-0 game. A game that meant nothing.

The strategy is the correct one, as evidenced by the packers doing the same thing. The only real question is how much work is needed by each team to keep them on track for winning.

I do think winning and keeping momentum is important for the pack and certain other clubs. The pack is young. Getting to the playoffs, playing a playoff game, winning a game, winning a playoff game on the road, etc. are all learning experiences. We need to stay focused and sharp.

The Cards had some reasons for playing their guys..stay sharp, have been inconsistent the past 6 games....but, really the cards are in the opposite situation. They are a veteran team who has been to the playoffs and are led by 2 professionals (in the best sense) in Warner and Fitz. The cards are more mature team than the pack as such they differ in their approach to the playoffs.

Ty knows this, if Ty was coach wiz, going against a hot packer team with a pretty darn good defense, Ty wouldn't be showing any cards to Capers.

[Fritz]

I agree with the poster who said that this game was good for the Pack but really means nothing to the Cards. It doesn't mean anybody is in anybody'd head or anything. It means little, and what little it does is that a young Packer team gained a bit of confidence.

I did not care for some of G. Bedard's comments in his live game blog - and one from M. Hunt, too - which suggested that somehow the Packers were pissing off the Cards by playing their starters and putting a sting on the Cards. What? From all I've read, the Packers didn't do much that was exotic - basic defense and offense - and there seemed to be no attempt to show anyone up. It's just that MM decided to play his starters longer. So Bedard's comments about riling up the Cards seemed foolish to me.

[sheepshead]

I thought the body language was pretty interesting yesterday. If we blow the cards out this weekend, i'll have to give it to MM for sure. The announcers used the word swagger for the Pack and I agree. I don't think all the players were in agreement with Whisenhunt.

[Pugger]

MM said after the game he was crossing off plays here and there so we didn't go all out either. Yes, we kept our starters in longer but we played it conservatively too. We got up by 14 with their starters in. The Cards are gonna downplay the game cuz they lost by a good margin. If the score was the other way around they would've talked just like MM did after the fact.