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The Arizona Cardinals would like to wrap up the number two seed with a win over the Green Bay Packers, but if things go like they went on our Madden simulation, it will be a disappointment. According to Madden, Eddie Lacy rushes for 110 yards and a score, Aaron Rodgers throws for a touchdown and scrambles for a 40-yard score, giving the Packers a 26-17 win in which Carson Palmer got hurt on a sack and left the game early in the third quarter.
Arizona had an opportunity early after a Patrick Peterson interception, but it was Green Bay who got on the board first with a 47-yard Mason Crosby field goal in the first quarter to take a 3-0. Green Bay converted on fourth down during the drive to keep it alive.
Arizona struggles offensively until the second quarter, when they finally get on the board. They were moving the ball well, but Michael Floyd dropped his second pass of the game and they had to settle on a 37-yard field goal from Chandler Catanzaro.
Each team went three-and-out twice after the score was tied, but then Green Bay marched down the field and Eddie Lacy scored from two yards out to give the Packers a 10-3 lead they would take into halftime.
Arizona ties the game with their first possession of the half, but it comes with a cost. Carson Palmer gets sacked and is injured. He leaves the game and Drew Stanton comes in to hit Larry Fitzgerald on a 45-yard touchdown pass to make the game 10-10.
Palmer would not return to the game.
Two Green Bay possessions later, it is the feet of Aaron Rodgers that hurt the Cardinals. He scrambles for 40 yards to make it 17-10.
Arizona cannot answer until the fourth quarter.
The deep passing game works for Stanton and he is able to tie the game at 17, hitting J.J. Nelson for a 26-yard touchdown.
But Eddie Lacy gives Green Bay the lead for good when he scores on a 13-yard run. Drew Stanton picked off on the next Cardinals possession. After Green Bay punts the ball away and pins Arizona inside the five, David Johnson is tackled for a safety, closing the door for good and giving Green Bay a 26-17 win on the road, snapping Arizona's eight-game winning streak.
For Arizona, David Johnson struggles, rushing for only 50 yards on 17 carries. Carson Palmer was only 9/15 for 63 yards before he left the game. Stanton was 10/17 for 213 yards, two scores and the one crucial interception.
Larry Fitzgerald had 131 yards on five catches and a score. John Brown had seven for 76.
Defensively, they sacked Aaron Rodgers twice.
Rodgers was 28/19 for 344 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed nine times for 54 yards, 40 of which came on his touchdown run.
Eddie Lacy was a workhorse, carrying the ball 26 times for 110 yards and his touchdown.
Randall Cobb had six receptions for 88 yards and James Jones had six for 87.
Green Bay sacked Palmer twice and Stanton once.