Shredded cheddar in the desert: Why the Green Bay Packers lost to the Arizona Cardinals

Dec 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker

(54) sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) and strips the ball during the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Fumble-itis

Usually, Green Bay tends to be one of the better teams in terms of turnovers; their coach despises them and their QB has been allergic to them his whole career. It shouldn’t be a surprise to know that the team was the best in the league coming into the game in terms of total giveaways (11).

This game was the polar opposite of everything they have tended to still be, even with the offense playing the game trapped in a trash compactor.

There were 4 turnovers on the day for the Packers, and it could have been more.

They did have a total of 5 fumbles, but managed to recover 2 of those themselves (how lucky!). Unfortunately, those three they didn’t get back turned immediately into 21 points for Arizona.

Those don’t even account for the interception, which directly stopped what should have been a quick Green Bay touchdown — and wasted an awesome Mike Daniels interception in the process.

If there is any small glimmer of hope to come away with, it may be right here. The high number of turnovers for an offense that usually doesn’t commit any — even in their current dire straits — and the subsequent scores off them (especially the fumble-return TDs) are the kind of lucky bounces that tend to not happen all that often, much less all in the same game.

But before you get too excited…

Next: After The Half