Aaron Rodgers Miracle Rally Falls Short: Cardinals Win 26-20 in Overtime!

Tonight’s Green Bay Packers vs Arizona Cardinals Divisional Playoffs game is a rematch of Week 16 where AZ destroyed the visiting Packers en route to securing a first-round bye.

The Patriots were involved in a coin flip-related controversy in Week 16, when they lost to the Jets 26-20 in overtime.

On the first play of OT, Fitzgerald turned a short catch from Carson Palmer into a 75-yard gain by zig-zagging his way down the field.

Fitzgerald’s touchdown moved the Cardinals (14-3) into the NFC championship game against Carolina or Seattle, and sent the Packers (11-7) to another what-could-have-been offseason.

With less than four minutes remaining, the Arizona leads the Green Bay Packers 17-13.

The Cardinals thought they had won until Rodgers, in a play reminiscent of Green Bay’s win over Detroit this season, took the snap with 5 seconds to play, scrambled and threw to the end zone.

Jeff Janis, a 6-foot-3 receiver pressed into extended duty because Green Bay’s top two receivers were hurt, outjumped defenders Patrick Peterson and Rashad Johnson and clutched the ball to his chest as he fell to the turf in the silence of University of Phoenix Stadium, except for the Packers fans, who went nuts.

Arizona won the overtime coin toss — after the referees declared the first toss hadnt flipped — and on the first play, no one was covering Fitzgerald, who caught and ran through defenders to the 5-yard line.

Randall made another good defensive play late in the fourth quarter, sticking his arm out to deflect a Palmer pass away from his receiver. Larry Fitzgerald has another fruitful season with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns in 109 receptions. The quarterback was sacked three times, hit twice more, and was overthrowing or underthrowing receivers on touchdown passes. A penalty pushed it back to the 41 and Rodgers threw incomplete before getting off his last completion. That game will either be indicative of their flaws or a dose of humility that will have them ready to go against the Packers.

“That’s Aaron Rodgers”, Arizona linebacker Kevin Minter said. Alex Smith completed 29 of 50 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown. “We believe, we believe… you just have to keep fighting”. Arizona rushed for just 40 yards….

After Floyd’s 9-yard receiving score, the Packers still had a chance.