It was, as they say, one for the ages in Arizona tonight as the Cardinals took on the Green Bay Packers in what turned out to be the most exciting post-season match-up thus far this season. When all was said and done, the Cardinals pulled off a victory in an offensive slug-fest that dragged into overtime and ended with a staggering final score of 45-51.
It appeared as though this game would have as clear a winner as the three Wild Card games before it as the Cardinals opened up with a 17 point lead in the first quarter. However, Green Bay clawed back by scoring ten points to Arizona's seven in the second quarter. The half ended with the score 24-10, but early in the third quarter Arizona showed their resolve and put up another touchdown with a 33-yard touchdown pass from poised passer Kurt Warner to sure-handed Larry Fitzgerald.
With a 31-10 lead, it seemed clear that the Cardinals were in control of the game. Green Bay, led by post-season newbie Aaron Rodgers, was not quite ready to admit defeat. In a ten play, 80 yard drive that ate only 3:55 off the clock Green Bay marched down the field. Aaron Rodgers capped off the drive with a 6-yard strike to Donald Driver making the score 31-17.
On the ensuing kick-off, a text book onside kick left the Packers with the ball and a chance to narrow the gap between them and the Cards to just one touchdown. Rodgers' post-season inexperience did not show as he led his offense down the short field in eight plays and tossed a ten yard touchdown to Jordy Nelson. The score now stood at 24-31 and things were heating up in Arizona.
On the very next drive, Beanie Wells brought the Cardinals into the red-zone with a 42-yard dash that placed the Cardinals in scoring position on the Green Bay sixteen yard line. After a 5-yard penalty, it was veteran QB Kurt Warner's turn again as he hit Larry Fitzgerald for another touchdown - this one for 11 yards. Green Bay closed out the third quarter and opened the fourth in an eight play, 80-yard drive that ended with Aaron Rodgers heroics when he hit James Jones for a 30-yard touchdown on a fourth down play.
The score now stood at 31-38 and the Green Bay Packers defense had to do what seemed to be the impossible in this game: make a stand against the Cardinals' dominating offense. Thankfully for the Packers, they were able to do just that; Aaron Rodgers and his offense finally had a chance to tie the game.
A confident Rodgers took the field, ready to stop playing from behind. The Packers cleared 67 yards in three plays with Rodgers backing a 38-yard pass to Jermichael Finley with a 28-yarder to Donald Driver. John Kuhn finished off the drive, pounding up the middle for the final yard and the touchdown.
Arizona put themselves back on top 45-38 in the waning fourth quarter on the back of a 17-yard Kurt Warner strike to Steve Breaston for a touchdown, but Rodgers answered with a touchdown pass to Spencer Havner- tying the game up 45-45 with 1:52 left to play. The high power Arizona offense did their job once more by getting their team into field goal range, but Neil Rackers was unable to hit a 34-yard field goal as his kick sailed wide left.
The overtime coin toss saw the Packers with the football and a chance to put the final nail in the Cardinals' coffin. However, a Packers win was not in the cards as Aaron Rodgers was hit by Arizona's Michael Adams who forced a fumble that was recovered by Karlos Dansby and brought into the endzone for the OT score and a Cardinals win. It appeared that Rodgers had made the final mistake in the game by coughing up the football in overtime, allowing the Cardinals to take advantage and win the opportunity to play on in the post-season.
All the same, things are not always as they seem and yet another post-season controversy was born. The Rodgers fumble that led to the game winning defensive score was accompanied by a potential penalty as Michael Adams clearly had a nice hold of Rodgers' face-mask as he jarred the ball free. Questions abound regarding the face-mask: Did it occur after the fumble, making it a non-issue as it would've been assessed after the recovery? Was it actually supposed to be called roughing the passer because defenders are not allowed to make contact with the head of a quarterback? At this point, these and other questions are merely academic since the game is now in the history books.
The fact remains that the officiating crew never saw or called any penalty. Had a flag been thrown, it may have resulted in a personal foul and 15 yards for the Packers, who could have then tried to regroup and mount a successful drive. Instead, the face-mask no-call essentially ended the Packers season, who are left to wonder what might have happened had they been given fifteen yards and one more chance.
Photograph taken by Matt York, 2010
Keywords: 2009, 2009 Wild Card, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers face mask, Aaron Rodgers fumble, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, face mask, face mask penalty, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Green Bay vs. Arizona, Karlos Dansby, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Adams, missed face mask, NFC, NFC Wild Card, NFC Wild Card overtime, no-call, overtime, Rodgers, Steve Breaston, Warner
