Cardinals get wild OT win over Packers to reach NFC title game
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Snap reactions from the Arizona Cardinals’ 26-20 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers in Saturday night’s NFC divisional playoff game.
What a finish! This will go down as one of the wildest finishes in NFL playoff history. After the Packers staged an incredible rally to force overtime, the Cardinals won the coin toss — on the second try, after the coin failed to flip the first time — and took the ball. Carson Palmer escaped the Packers’ rush on first down and found wide-open Larry Fitzgerald, who sprinted and stiff-armed his way down the field for a 75-yard gain. Two plays later, Palmer shoveled the ball to Fitzgerald for a 5-yard touchdown to end it. This, six years after the Cardinals won the last playoff meeting between the teams, also in overtime — Arizona’s last playoff win before Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers throws another miracle Hail Mary to send Packers-Cards to wild overtime
Hail Aaron: Just rename it the Hail Aaron. For the second time this season, Rodgers connected on a desperation heave with no time on the clock — and that was only half of what he pulled off in the final minute of regulation. On fourth-and-20 from the Packers’ 4-yard line, Rodgers bought time and hit Jeff Janis down the sideline for a 60-yard gain. Then, with five seconds left, Rodgers heaved the ball again to Janis, who pulled it down over two defenders for a 41-yard touchdown, and Mason Crosby hit the extra point to force OT.
Another weird one: Palmer didn’t make things easy on himself in the first playoff win of his 13-year NFL career, throwing two interceptions and several other balls that could’ve been picked off. But the Cardinals’ veteran quarterback got a big stroke of luck when he needed it. On first-and-goal from the 9-yard line — three plays after Packers cornerback Sam Shields dropped a pass — Palmer threw a slant for Larry Fitzgerald that Damarious Randall deflected. The ball bounced over two other players and into the hands of Michael Floyd for a 9-yard touchdown that gave the Cardinals a 17-13 with 3:44 to go.
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Carson Palmer shows it's better to be lucky than good on insane, go-ahead tip-drill touchdown
One wild drive: Penalties wiped away a big play for each team on the same drive in the first half — one that cost the Packers one of their best players, too. An illegal shift on right tackle Bryan Bulaga erased an incredible 51-yard catch to the Arizona 3 by Packers receiver Randall Cobb, who suffered what the team called a chest injury and didn’t return. Eight plays later, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson intercepted Rodgers’ pass for James Jones on third-and-4 and raced 100 yards for a touchdown — only for the score to be called back because of an illegal use of hands penalty on teammate Frostee Rucker. It all ended up with a Packers field goal, and they kicked another before halftime to cut Arizona’s lead to 7-6.
Up next: The Cardinals will visit the Carolina Panthers or host the Seattle Seahawks for the NFC championship next Sunday, Jan. 24.
Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.
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