The Arizona Cardinals (10-5) and Green Bay Packers (10-5) are facing off on Sunday and it looks like it will be a preview of the first round of the playoffs.  Both teams have clinched a spot in the playoffs, and it is very likely that the NFC West champion Cardinals will be playing the Wild Card Packers in the first round.  The Cardinals have an outside shot of getting a bye, but a lot of things need to happen including a tie between the Cowboys and Eagles so it is very unlikely.  That means Ken Whisenhunt may be resting his starters, especially the 38-year-old Kurt Warner.  Whisenhunt has not really said whether or not he will be resting his starters, so I am expecting them to play a decent amount.  Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin have had success all season in the passing game, but they would like some help from Beanie Wells, Tim Hightower, and the rest of the Cardinals’ running game that averages just 96 rushing yards per game.

The Packers have a pretty good offense, which is led by their talented young quarterback Aaron Rodgers.  Rodgers has done very well for the Packers after replacing Brett Favre last season, and has passed for over 4,000 yards for the second straight season.  That means the Cardinals secondary needs to be ready for a lot of passing plays and they cannot get beat deep.  Rodgers has a very strong arm and is a good quarterback, so the Packers do have the ability to keep up with Warner and the Cardinals offense.  The Cardinals defense will really need to step up.  The Packers have a solid running game too, so the Cardinals need to hold the Packers under the 113 yard average they are giving up on the ground.  Although the Cardinals have clinched the NFC West, they cannot afford to have a let-down going into the playoffs and need to get hot like they did last year which brought them to the Super Bowl.  With an older team, Whisenhunt will likely rest them some though, so I will give the Packers a slight edge.

PREDICTION:  Arizona Cardinals 28, Green Bay Packers 31