Packers 42, Cardinals 38: McCord Hits Johnson Twice in the Last 3:19

August 28, 2026 - Green Bay - Arizona led 38-27. Kyle McCord still had the ball, and Kisean Johnson still had a step.

The Green Bay Packers beat the Arizona Cardinals 42-38 at Lambeau Field. Jordan Love sat. Tyrod Taylor sat. McCord played every snap: 22 of 35, 226 yards, four touchdown passes, no interceptions.

Matt LaFleur opened his news conference by asking if that was the most entertaining preseason game anyone had ever seen. Arizona piled up 492 yards. Green Bay had 238. The Packers still left with the win.

Johnson twice, Mosby in between

McCord threw a 28-yard strike to Johnson with 3:19 left. Damien Martinez ran in the two-point conversion. 38-35.

Arron Mosby intercepted Kedon Slovis and returned it to the Arizona 44. Six plays later McCord found Johnson from 10 yards with 20 seconds remaining. 42-38. Arizona reached the Green Bay 48. The Hail Mary fell incomplete.

Johnson finished with four catches for 52 yards. J. Michael Sturdivant caught six for 112, including a 29-yard touchdown, the first of McCord's four scores. Will Sheppard scored on an 81-yard punt return and a 12-yard catch. Nyjalik Kelly intercepted Slovis to set up a touchdown and added a sack. Trey Smack made field goals of 36 and 37 and closed the preseason 9 for 9, including three from 50-plus.

Love called plays in the second half. McCord said Love told him before the break that the staff was going to let him do it, and that Love had not done it before.

Arizona's yards, Green Bay's answers

Gardner Minshew II went 7 of 9 for 126 yards and left after a 41-yard touchdown to Simi Fehoko on the first play of the second quarter. Slovis went the rest of the way: 21 of 35, 223 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions. Evan Hull rushed for 107, including a 47-yard score in the second quarter and a 1-yard run in the third. Fehoko scored twice and finished with five catches for 94. Jalen Brooks had four for 57 in the first quarter. Ihmir Smith-Marsette left with an ankle injury in the third.

McCord, a 2025 sixth-round pick who spent last season on Philadelphia's practice squad, said it was out of his control and that he did everything he could to make a case. LaFleur praised how poised he was in the pocket. Green Bay closed the preseason 2-1. Arizona visits the Chargers on Sept. 13. The Packers visit Minnesota the same day.

This was also the first game with Matt LaFleur and his brother, Arizona coach Mike LaFleur, as opposing head coaches. Packers receiver Bo Melton and Cardinals corner Max Melton met at midfield for the coin toss.

AthX Engine, if this were a regular-season card

AthX Engine NFL scoring on Friday's verified lines:

McCord's four passing touchdowns are 24 fantasy points before yards. Johnson's two scores are receiving 6s. Sturdivant's 29-yard TD and 112 yards count. Sheppard's punt-return touchdown is a special-teams 6, plus the receiving score. Hull's two rushing touchdowns and 107 yards score on the RB card. Slovis's two interceptions are minus-2 each. Preseason games are not stored as AthX Engine weekly lines yet.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay when Love is in September plans.

Track Love and the Packers and Cardinals on the marketplace.

*Sources: AP recap, ESPN recap, Packers.com recap, NFL.com schedules. Information only; not financial advice.*