Green Bay, Wis. — The Arizona Cardinals wrapped up their preseason Friday night, putting together another impressive offensive performance but ultimately falling to the Green Bay Packers 42-38 in a high-scoring finale.
With the preseason now complete, Arizona and the rest of the NFL turn their attention toward the regular season and the difficult roster decisions that must be made over the next several days.
The Cardinals’ offense once again provided plenty of encouragement. Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis combined for 309 passing yards and two touchdowns, although Slovis also threw two interceptions during an important audition as he looks to continue his NFL career.
Arizona’s ground attack was arguably the biggest bright spot of the night.
The Cardinals’ running backs combined for 166 yards on 32 carries, finding the end zone twice. Evan Hull led the way with an outstanding performance, carrying the ball 16 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Hull’s production gave Arizona another reason to consider his role heading into the regular season.
Turnovers Prove Costly
Despite the offensive success, Arizona’s defense struggled to protect a late lead, allowing Green Bay to rally for the victory.
The Packers repeatedly took advantage of turnovers and special-teams mistakes to create favorable field position and scoring opportunities.
One of the biggest turning points came when Slovis threw an interception inside the Arizona 30-yard line. Green Bay quickly converted the mistake into a touchdown by Will Sheppard.
Special teams then produced another major swing.
Sheppard returned Jake Browning’s first punt as a Cardinal 81 yards for a touchdown, giving Green Bay another short-field opportunity and adding to Arizona’s problems.
The Cardinals ultimately couldn’t hold their advantage in the closing minutes.
McCord Leads Packers Comeback
Green Bay quarterback Kyle McCord delivered a strong performance, throwing for 226 yards and four touchdowns.
His biggest throw came late in the game when he connected with Kisean Johnson for the game-winning touchdown, completing the Packers’ comeback and handing Arizona a frustrating preseason defeat.
For the Cardinals, the loss overshadowed what was otherwise another productive night offensively.
Regular Season Is Next
The preseason is now officially in the books, meaning the focus shifts from individual performances to roster construction.
Teams around the league have roughly 48 hours of difficult decisions ahead as they determine which players will make their initial 53-man rosters.
For Arizona, the final preseason game provided plenty of positives to evaluate, particularly in the running game, while also exposing areas that will need attention before the regular season begins.
Green Bay, meanwhile, enters the next phase of preparation with its own roster decisions to make.
The preseason may be over, but the real work is just beginning.
The Cardinals now turn their attention toward the regular season and the challenge of translating their preseason offensive production into meaningful wins when the games begin to count.
