Aaron Rodgers and Packers pull off Hail Mary II
Larry Fitzgerald sent them home.
The experts and Las Vegas are not predicting such a blowout in Saturday night’s NFC Divisional Playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium, but Arizona is favored.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, on the other hand, acknowledged his teams underdog status, but said the pressures all going to be on Arizona.
The 32-year-old Fitzgerald, who had eight catches for 176 yards, left to chants of “Larry!” The Packers are coming off an impressive victory over the Redskins in the wild card round, but they know first hand how hard it is to play the Cardinals in Arizona.
Arizona beat Green Bay 51-45 in a 2009 wild-card game, the highest-scoring playoff game ever. However, this matchup was full of catches to remember. But Shields also had three dropped interceptions, including one that would have prevented Floyd’s go-ahead score.
The Cardinals secondary will get torched a couple of times by Rodgers.
And Jeff Janis went up and got it. The Cardinals have already beaten the Packers this season, so will this National Football League playoff match be Green Bay’s redemption or a heartbreaking repeat?
Instead, the Packers got the ball back and, after a 17-play drive that lasted 7:31, they had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. The Packers receiver injured his chest and has been ruled out for the rest of the game.
How much have the Packers gone back to look at that film from 19 days ago? The interception was upheld upon review and Eddie Lacy broke free for a 61-yard run up the middle two plays later to set up Janis’ TD. Chris Johnson’s power on the ground is evidently promising with his 814 yards and three touchdowns.
The 2014 seventh-round pick, in the game because of injuries to Davante Adams and Randall Cobb, out-leaped five-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson and came down with the unbelievable 41-yard touchdown reception. The Cardinals own a plus-176 score differential this season as well, which is second best in the league behind only Carolina. He dropped one near the goal line on the Cardinals’ go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals were poised to take the lead back, but Palmer was picked off in the end zone by Randall.