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 Carson Palmer, who connected with Fitzgerald on a five-yard pass for
the winning score, earned the first playoff win of his 12-year
National Football League career and sent the second-seeded Cardinals
into next week's NFC championship.
But Arizona first had to withstand a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown
pass by Aaron Rodgers as time expired on regulation that sent the
game into overtime.
The coin toss prior to overtime was initially flubbed by the
official, who watched it fall to the ground without turning over and
had to flip it a second time, but once play started the Cardinals
struck on the opening drive.
"We’re a resilient team and we believe," said Fitzgerald, who
finished the game with eight catches for 176 yards.
"We found a way to win. We're glad to get this one behind us. We
have to keep on fighting next week."
The Cardinals, who had not won a playoff game since the 2009 season,
will play the winner of Sunday’s game between the top-seeded
Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks for a trip to the Super Bowl.
The Packers defeated Washington 35-18 last week to reach the
divisional round of the playoffs and fought until the end despite a
critical loss with an injury to leading receiver Randall Cobb in the
opening quarter on Saturday.
That left Green Bay and Rodgers with little-used wide receivers but
he still managed to produce 261 yards and two scores.
Rodgers’ miracle throw at the end of the fourth quarter was
reminiscent of his Week 13 Hail Mary winning pass against the
Detroit Lions.
The Green Bay QB scrambled and flung a bomb that found the leaping
arms of receiver Jeff Janis.
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"Most teams would’ve probably played prevent (defense on the last
drive). I said ‘hell no, blitz him,’" said Cardinals coach Bruce
Arians.
"And he made a great throw. I loved the way our guys responded."
Palmer recorded 349 yards passing for three touchdowns to offset two
interceptions.
He was the benefactor of an improbable bounce late in the fourth
quarter of a back and forth affair.
Palmer put the Cardinals ahead 17-13 on a pass that looked to be an
interception when it was deflected by Green Bay’s Randall Damarious
and ricocheted into the hands of Michael Floyd.
The Cardinals added a field goal prior to Green Bay’s last drive of
regulation.
"It’s tough. We’ve lost a few of these over the years where you
don’t touch the ball in overtime,” Rodgers said. “It comes down to a
coin flip sometimes. There were bizarre plays made by both teams."
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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