Cardinals Fly Past Packers After Hail Mary Shocker

The NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers will go down as one of the most exciting games the football world has witnessed.

After a first half that saw a touchdown by the Cardinals and two field goals from the Packers, the momentum of the game would drastically change for the better. With wide receivers Randall Cobb and Devante Adams out of the game, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers turned to reserve Jeff Janis to throw a touchdown to take an early lead. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer answered with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Floyd, who caught a touchdown in the first quarter. With the score at 20-13 with two minutes to go, the Packers would go on an 86-yard drive that showed Rodgers playing with efficiency. On a fourth-and-20 play, Rodgers scrambled in the end zone and threw a 60-yard pass to Janis to be at the 36-yard line. With five seconds to go on the next play, Rodgers spun his way out of being sacked and found Janis catching the ball in the end zone to tie the game up and send the game to overtime.

After a coin toss that needed a second flip because the first toss never flipped, the Cardinals were granted the ball and wasted no time in marching down the field in winning fashion. On the first play, Palmer threw to veteran receiver Larry Fitzgerald who would run for 75 yards and breaking tackles at the same time. On the next play, Palmer pitched the ball to Fitzgerald who ran the ball in for the game-winning touchdown and advancement to the NFC Championship, their first since 2009. Fitzgerald finished the night with 176 yards receiving while Palmer threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns. “It was a roller coaster on the sidelines,” Arizona coach Bruce Arians said. “You’ve just got to keep all your emotions in check and go to the next play. No matter what happened on the last play, you’ve got to go good, bad or ugly on the next play, and that’s basically what our football team did.”

The Cardinals will travel to Charlotte next week where they will face the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship game with a chance for a Super Bowl berth.

Photo: GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 16: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals stiff arms strong safety Morgan Burnett #42 of the Green Bay Packers during overtime of the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 16, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Cardinals beat the Green Bay Packers 26-20. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)