Packers try to get first road win
of season vs. Cardinals, who have dropped 4 straight tight games
[October 17, 2025]
By DAVID BRANDT
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals are in the midst of a
four-game losing streak like few others in NFL history.
The Cardinals (2-4) have lost those four contests by a combined nine
points and the first three setbacks all came on last-second field
goals — the first time that's happened in NFL history. Now Arizona
has to try to find answers in Sunday's home game against the Green
Bay Packers, who have looked like one of the league's better teams.
“You take emotion out of it and you solve problems," Cardinals coach
Jonathan Gannon said. "You have to find solutions. You have to have
a steady mind to do that. I think our guys are trained that way, our
coaches are.
“If you want to turn it around with a lot of ball left here — we’re
mid-October — you have to find solutions and you have to play
better.”
The Packers (3-1-1) are coming off a 27-18 win over the Bengals.
Green Bay hasn't won on the road this season, falling to the Browns
13-10 on Sept. 21 and tying the Cowboys 40-40 on Sept. 28.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw for 259 yards against the
Bengals, helping Green Bay score 17 points in the fourth quarter to
hang on for the win at Lambeau Field.
Now they're ready to close a game on the road.
"It’s something we’re going to have to find a way to get past,” Love
said. "Like you said, we haven’t won yet. An ‘L’ and a tie. We’ve
got to find a way to go out there and be our best on the road and
get over that hump.”
Lack of turnovers
Green Bay forced three turnovers in its 34-13 victory over Arizona
last year and finished that season with 31 takeaways to rank fourth
in the league.
The Packers haven’t been nearly as effective taking the ball away so
far this year. They have only two takeaways all season.
“We put more focus on turnovers this year than I’ve probably ever
had in my career,” Packers safety Evan Williams said. “For them not
to show up, just proves that sometimes it’s just a random thing. It
doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with your process that you’re not
getting turnovers. Sometimes the opportunities aren’t (there), or
maybe the offense is being taught during the week to really cradle
that ball.”
QB shuffle
Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett played well in place of the
injured Kyler Murray last week, completing 27 of 44 passes for 320
yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the 31-27 loss to the
Colts.
Murray (foot) has been limited in practice this week, so it wouldn't
be a shock if Brissett gets his second start of the season on
Sunday.
The 6-foot-4 Brissett doesn't have Murray's uncanny ability to
scramble out of trouble, but showed a willingness against the Colts
to stand in the pocket and deliver balls downfield.
“Obviously, we tailored a little bit of the scheme going into this
week with the possibility of Jacoby starting, I would say,” Gannon
said. “I thought it was a good job by (offensive coordinator) Drew (Petzing)
and his staff to make sure that we’re putting, just like all our
guys, Jacoby in spots that he does well with.”
Brissett's performance was even more impressive considering the
Cardinals were without top receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion)
for more than half of the game. Harrison has been limited in
practice this week ahead of Sunday's game.
[to top of second column] |
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs out of the
pocket against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of an NFL
football game, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry
Gash)
Kicking concerns
Packers kicker Brandon McManus didn’t play against the Bengals due
to a quadriceps injury that also kept him from practicing early this
week.
The Packers have reason to feel good about their backup plan if
McManus can’t play. Lucas Havrisik filled in for McManus against
Cincinnati and went 2 of 2 on field-goal attempts with kicks from 43
and 39 yards away.
Clutch defense
Arizona's defense has been a strength over the first three
quarters of games this season. The fourth quarter has been a
different story.
Arizona had a 24-17 lead entering the fourth quarter against the
Colts, but gave up two touchdowns down the stretch, surrendering
more than nine yards per play. The Cardinals' defense also coughed
up a 21-6 fourth-quarter lead against the Titans in Week 5.
“The last touchdown they put on the board, we have to do a better
job there,” Gannon said. “We’re all trying to find solutions
together because you have to keep points off the board there.”
Parsons sounds off
Green Bay’s Micah Parsons has six quarterback pressures per game
to tie Pittsburgh’s Nick Herbig for the NFL lead, according to Next
Gen Stats. But he’s only been credited with 2 ˝ sacks so far this
season.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said this week that opponents have been
getting away with some “egregious” holds against Parsons. For his
part, Parsons said he believes there are about two or three of those
egregious examples per game as he discussed his belief there’s a
double standard in officiating to reward offense.
“They don’t call offside for offense, but they call it on defense,”
Parsons said. “They won’t call offensive pass interference, but
they’ll call defensive pass interference. We know what they’re
trying to do. They’re trying to load the points up so fans can be
happy. They’ll call defensive holding, but they won’t call offensive
holding. Let’s just wake up. It’s one of those things like we know
what the higher-ups are trying to do.”
Parsons said he got poked in the eye during the Packers’ victory
over Cincinnati last week, causing him to change his facemask to
protect himself midway through the game.
___
AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee contributed to this story.
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