Cardinals Still Triumph Over Packers Despite Squandering 21 Point Lead

NFL News - January 11th, 2010 - Written by Bryan

For all of the offense generated between the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, irony reared it's head in a game-ending fumble returned for a touchdown in over-time by the Cardinals' defense. Arizona defensive lineman Karlos Dansby, propelled the Cardinals to a 51-45 overtime win, allowing Arizona to advance in the playoffs. For the Green Bay Packers, the dream will be on hold for another season.

To start the week, NFL oddsmakers had the Cardinals listed as 3 point home favorites, but by kickoff, Green Bay had reversed the roles now being favored by 3. Despite the 6 point line swing, the Cardinals proved to be the better team in the end.

Other NFL Betting Lines listed the over/under for the contest at a mere 48 points. At halftime, both teams had combined for 34 points, but the second half points tsunami was on the way. 28 points in the 3rd quarter plus another 28 points in the 4th put this game at 90 points at the end of regulation. Tack on the 6 points that won the game, and the combined total for both teams was doubled at 96 total points, definitely to the over. (odds courtesy of Bodog Sportsbook)

Both QBs, Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner, put on passing clinics throughout the game. Arizona QB Kurt Warner was nearly perfect on the night, completing 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and five touchdowns. He had more touchdown passes than interceptions. His counterpart, Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers threw 42 times, completing 28 of them for a total of 422 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Arizona started the game white hot, jumping out to a 17-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Cardinal offense was moving the ball at will through the Packers' normally stout defense, while the Cardinal defense was capitalizing on mistakes made by the Green Bay offense.

That quickly changed QB Aaron Rodgers one-yard touchdown plunge in the second quarter, finally getting positive momentum and the Packers on the board. Another score, this time a Mason Crosby field goal would give the Packers the 10 points they entered the intermission with.

Arizona leads at halftime, 24 to 10.

Coming out in the third quarter, Cardinals' WR Larry Fitzgerald hauled in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Warner, seemingly put the game out of reach for Green Bay.

The Packers would not be deterred despite being down 21 points.

On the very next drive, a 7 yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to wide-out Greg Jennings to cut the lead to just 14 points. On the ensuing kick-off caught Arizona off-guard with a successful onside-kick. Then, Green Bay would eventually capitalize on another Rodgers touchdown pass, this time a 10 yard throw to WR Jordy Nelson.

Arizona would get the ball back, and answer quickly (1:40) with an 11 yard touchdown pass/reception combo between QB Kurt Warner and WR Larry Fitzgerald. The score would rebuild the Cardinal lead to 14 points.

Quick strike offense was the flavor of the day, and Green Bay was just as capable as Arizona.

On the Packers' next possession, Rodgers led the pack back down the field scoring on a 30 yard touchdown pass to WR James Jones, cutting the lead to 7. Just 3:14 later, the Packers would be crossing the goal line again, this time on FB John Kuhn 1 yard run which tied the game.

With the game knotted at 38 points a piece in the fourth quarter, and less than five minutes to play, Arizona orchestrated another crucial touchdown drive. Kurt Warner would connect on his 5th TD pass of the day with WR Steve Breaston, leading to the Cardinals 45-38 lead.

Needing to answer, Rodgers and the rest of the Green Bay offense trotted back onto the field and moved the ball effectively. Driving on Arizona, Rodgers was methodical in his assault, capping off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown strike to WR Spencer Havner.

With just 1:52 to go in a tied game, the Arizona offense took the field with what was an eternity of time to them.

The Cardinals moved down the field, getting deep into Green Bay territory to the 16 yard line. Everything looked perfect for an easy Neil Rackers 34 yard field goal to win the game, but the attempt was pulled far to the left, allowing for overtime.

Before the extra period began, Green Bay won the coin toss, and obviously elected to receive the kickoff.

Up to this point, the Arizona defense had been completely helpless to stop Rodgers from tossing the ball all around the yard. However, in just the 3rd play in overtime, the Cardinals kept their dreams of winning the Super Bowl alive. Arizona lineman Michael Adams blitzed on the play, forcing Aaron Rodgers to fumble the ball. The opportune moment to win the game was capitalized on by LB Karlos Dansby as he picked the ball out of the air, finishing the play with a 17 yard jaunt to the end-zone.

"He made a sack, the ball went in the air, I just made a play on the ball," Dansby said in the post-game interview.

Dansby was rushed by all his teammates in the end-zone as the they celebrated with the fans and each other.

"We knew how tough it was going to be on our defense with all the weapons they have offensively and how they've been playing," said Cardinals QB Kurt Warner after the game. "It was just one of those games where I felt great. I loved our playing. I felt like I was seeing everything well and it accumulates to 51 points."

On the other sideline, Green Bay is left wondering what could have been.

It's clearly one of the toughest losses I've been a part of," Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy told the AP after the game. "I'm very proud of our football team and fight. This is a hard game to swallow."

In the other locker room, the mood was clearly different. "That's probably one of the best games ever played in the playoffs," Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt said after the very exciting win.

This NFC Wildcard matchup was the most points ever allowed by a Packers team in the postseason, leading to an early exit from the 2009 NFL Playoffs.

Up next for the Arizona Cardinals, the #1 seed New Orleans Saints which also boasts a potent passing attack. Fans may be in store for another offensive explosion this Saturday when the teams meet.