Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals clash on Thursday Night Football

With 32 teams in the NFL, there is always something new to talk about. With new storylines coming into each and every game, the NFL is like the world’s best television show, where you get 16 episodes every weekend.

On Wednesday’s The Rod Pedersen Show, we had the chance to sit down and chat with Zig Fracassi, who talks NFL over on Sirius XM NFL Radio, and was a Buffalo Bills reporter for over 20 years.

One of the biggest games of week 8 also happens to be the first. On Thursday Night, the Green Bay Packers take on the Arizona Cardinals in Arizona, as the Cardinals Look to go 8-0, while the Packers are aiming for a 7-1 start.

Unfortunately, Green Bay will likely be missing some of its biggest playmakers, including star receiver Davante Adams and Allen Lazard  who were put on the COVID-19 reserve list earlier this week.

“Green Bay right now unfortunately may have their top three receivers out for this game,” said Fracassi. “Even as the magic man Aaron Rodgers is, I’m not sure he’ll be able to survive that.”

Fracassi said he expects this game to be more about the Cardinals, and them having a chance to prove themselves, rather than Green Bay.

“I think for them it is more of a prove it type of game than it is for Green Bay because the Packers have been to the NFC championship game in recent years,” said Fracassi. “Whereas Arizona, this is their chance on a national stage to show that they are legit, hungry, and that they are really as good as the record suggests.”

Perhaps the most exciting part of the game will be seeing Kyler Murray and Aaron Rodgers take each other on at the quarterback position.

Murray is coming off a blowout win against the Houston Texans where he threw for 261 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in their 31-5 win. Murray has been one of the most electrifying players to watch all year, and someone Fracassi said is in the early MVP discussion.

On the other sideline, you have the veteran Aaron Rodgers, who last week threw for 195 yards, two touchdowns, as well as rushing for 19 yards and a touchdown.

“We are playing a great football team,” said Rodgers during a press conference on Tuesday. “A lot of times when you are playing a divisional opponent, it comes down to tiebreakers like this. This is one of those Thursday night games the league loves.”

The game will certainly be a fun one and will feature two offenses capable of putting up large amounts of points very quickly. The question will be how the Packers can manage without arguably their second most important player Davante Adams.

It will certainly be a challenge, and it’s one Rodgers needs to be up for on prime time television on Thursday Night Football.