The first half was an ugly mess, in which all the highlights were running plays (granted, some awesome ones). The second half was at least closer to what we expected to get throughout, but it also ended with ugliness, contributed heavily to by a player we've been dogging for more than a year now. Another fortuitous finish for Green Bay.

I talk some times about the fine line between winning and losing, and I usually think of long field goals missed or made, miracle completions, great offensive or defensive plays or turnovers. But last night the difference between winning and losing was as simple as A.J. Green not turning around on what should have been the game-winning touchdown. The play was there. The throw was perfect. Green instead opted to throw a block in the end zone for an invisible receiver. It was really weird.

QUARTERBACKS

Aaron Rodgers was his usual excellent, accurate self, made more impressive by working without his best wideout. (I'm aware that in addition to Davante Adams he didn't have Allen Lazard or Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but let's not act like those guys would actually be starters anywhere else in the league, or in Green Bay if the Packers front office had done their job the last few years. But sure, being without his 2 and 3 or 2 and 4 guys, however you want to rank those wideouts, is also worth mentioning.) Rodgers threw for just 184 yards in a run-based game plan against a defense that impressed me all game. But 2 TDs, was ridiculously close to completing a halftime Hail Mary, and got the ball to his running backs quickly and accurately. He also lost another key receiver during the game. Rodgers could stand to be a little less intolerant of miscues by former 6th-round picks who were seeing passes thrown their way for the first time in their NFL careers, but nobody has ever accused the guy of being a charmer.

Kyler Murray didn't have a great game (and my lofty ranking in the Blackout competition will no doubt be jeopardized by my last-minute decision to switch out Kirk Cousins for Murray; sigh). All Arizona's touchdowns were runs (save for an unbelievable long pass early that would have been a touchdown but for a penalty I've seldom seen called), and Green Bay controlled the clock for nearly 40 minutes of the game. That held Murray down early and may have led to him pressing some when they did have the ball. But: he had his team in position to win in the final seconds, and arguably neither of his interceptions were his fault. If Green turns around, the Murray for MVP talk would be even louder today. A disappointing fantasy outing, to be sure, but that fine line between winning and losing was pretty fine (or unfine) for Murray last night.

RUNNING BACKS

Given the injuries to Green Bay wideouts and also to Arizona's top receiver, it's not surprising the running backs had big games. All of them, with arguably the best one being the only one not to score. AJ Dillon was maybe the story of this game, both for usage (he played 40 percent of the time and finished with one more carry than Aaron Jones) and simply how impressive he was. The highlight play was a 4th-down run on Green Bay's first touchdown drive where he was met in the backfield with a bone-shattering hit by Jordan Hicks. Dillon was initially stopped in his tracks but bounced off it and used a second effort to pick up the first. One of the most impressive short yardage runs you'll see, and a critical one (I think) in the eventual outcome of the game. Arizona was up 7-0 and the time and who knows, if they stop Dillon there maybe they use that momentum to drive the field to go up two scores...anyway. Dillon had plenty more good runs and wound up at 4.9 per attempt, a yard better than Jones, who had the much better fantasy game because he scored (just barely; looked iffy to be honest) and caught 7 passes. But Dillon (who fumbled twice last week and put another ball on the turf last night, though it was a ground-caused one) was really impressive. I don't want to say one-two punch backfield going forward, and I won't, but I do think we'll see Dillon getting double-digit carries in a lot of games going forward. Too good not to use him.

James Conner and Chase Edmonds both gave you strong fantasy performances, Conner for his 2 TDs, again, and Edmonds for an easy score out of a Wildcat formation that totally confused Green Bay's defense, plus his receiving work. Edmonds was really close to having a lousy day (that touchdown wouldn't have happened but for the aforementioned penalty on a long pass play), so count your lucky stars if you started him. The fact that Edmonds had twice as many fantasy points as Dillon (and Jones three times as many) doesn't speak well of our game. But whatever.

WIDE RECEIVERS

DeAndre Hopkins made a great adjustment on an early bomb to haul it in and catch what initially looked like a 61-yard touchdown. Would have been a good fantasy game for that one play, but he was penalized for grabbing the face mask of the defender at the end of it, setting up the Edmonds score. I...don't remember often seeing the offensive player penalized for that kind of play? Not dissimilar to a Najee Harris play against the Raiders that was celebrated the next week. Hopkins apparently aggravated a hamstring injury on that play and wound up playing a quarter of the snaps, which definitely affected the outcome (but the Packers can say the same about not having Davante Adams).

If we can agree that Green Bay's wide receivers look bad without Adams, what can be said about Arizona's presumably deep group without Hopkins? Christian Kirk had a quiet game, and A.J. Green and Rondale Moore made their noise in a bad way. Green's miscue in the end zone lost the game. Apologies in advance for saying we told you so but we've basically ripped Arizona's investment in Green all along and it cost them last night. Great player once. Hasn't looked like it for two years. Not everyone ages the same. Moore, obviously, did more than his own part to lose the game long before that. Can be said that he gave the Packers 10 points by muffing a punt and acting like he didn't touch it (surely he knew he touched it and is aware instant replay exists, so he's got to go after that ball...and it's not clear what exactly he was doing by touching it but not coming close to catching it in the first place. You have one job.). And then let a ball bounce off his hands for an interception to set up a Green Bay touchdown. That play I think is only partially on him...it wasn't a great throw, and maybe he was slightly screened by a defender. But those frustrated by Moore not playing more the past few weeks didn't get much evidence on his behalf last night. He got 2 carries and 5 targets and most of them didn't go well. The Cardinals will hope the extra time enables Hopkins to get healthy.

Congrats if you started Randall Cobb. Turning 3 receptions into 16.5 fantasy points is pretty great. I picked up Equanimeous St. Brown in a league yesterday just in case, and he's a wasted roster spot until I can drop him next Tuesday. St. Brown, Juwann Winfree, Amari Rodgers -- safe to say we won't see any of those guys getting meaningful offensive snaps the rest of the way barring an injury or illness outbreak of biblical proportions for the Packers.

TIGHT ENDS

Robert Tonyan had a nice little resurgence the last two games after we published something here expressing confusion at his diminished role. But he suffered a knee injury late in the fourth quarter which postgame comments suggested might be season-ending. I think we'll see the position disappear from relevance in the Green Bay offense with Marcedes Lewis and Josiah Deguara getting reps. Yes, Lewis made a pretty great one-handed catch in the back of the end zone last night, aside from not getting any of his second foot down in bounds. Maybe Green Bay will trade for someone before next week's deadline? But probably not, it's not how they usually operate.

Zach Ertz caught all 4 passes thrown his way for 42 yards. I wish I had Ertz in a TE-premium league (or anywhere), because I think he'll have some 7- to 8-catch games in the future as the de facto No. 3 receiver in this excellent passing game.

DEFENSES

Particularly considering the quality of these quarterbacks, a word must be said about the defenses. Nothing special to say about Green Bay, which benefitted from only having to be on the field about a third of the game, but they made a couple of big plays and got you good fantasy numbers -- a nice outing considering being shorthanded, as they've been most of the year. The Cardinals Defense, though, really impressed me, getting lots of pressure in the backfield and at the line, with a couple of big plays near the goal line and in short-yardage where full credit has to be given to Green Bay running backs for converting anyway. But if I had Arizona in a fantasy league I'd have no problem sending them out there almost every week the rest of the season, even with J.J. Watt headed for IR. Good defense.

MISCELLANEOUS

So the '72 Dolphins can crack their champagne, not that anyone believed the Cardinals were going 20-0. I do think we saw two of the NFL's best teams last night -- a case can be made that 4 of the NFL's 5 best teams right now are all in the NFC. But Green Bay has been fortunate on a few of their wins, and maybe their next game (at Kansas City) will be the one that ends their streak, although Kansas City isn't what it was either. Arizona's not going undefeated, but this looks like a potential 14-3 team to me. If they get Hopkins back healthy, anyway.