After Rodgers’ Hail Mary forces OT, Fitz gives Arizona win

The Cardinals responded with a field goal, closing the gap to 13-10, and then regained the lead midway through the fourth quarter with a TD drive covering 80 yards.

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.

But the Packers weren’t through. Internal injuries are another scary aspect of the game that can occur from big hits and it was clear right away that the talented wide receiver was not in a good place physically.

Defending Super Bowl champions New England snapped Kansas City’s 11-game winning streak, while Arizona fought off an astonishing Green Bay comeback on Saturday to advance in the National Football League playoffs.

Rodgers said when the Cardinals called timeout before the play, “I figured they were going to bring an empty pressure look, which teams hadn’t done”.

He changed all that Saturday, catching two passes for 101 yards on the final drive alone, including the Hail Mary that is sure to endure him to Packers fans across the globe.

Ultimately, it was Arizona that earned the coveted bid to next week’s bout, outlasting Green Bay, 26-20, late Saturday night.

Unlike the Lions, though, Arizona had the opportunity to bounce back and they did so superbly in OT, with Carson Palmer completing this pass to legendary receiver Larry Fitzgerald that set up the game winning touchdown for Fitzgerald moments later. And the second-down pass in the final minutes after the Cardinals stopped the Packers on fourth down, a play that essentially gave the Packers a chance at the Hail Mary, was to Fitzgerald.

The Cardinals had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson called back because of a hands-to-the-face penalty on defensive tackle Frostee Rucker.

Early in the fourth quarter, Palmer was intercepted by Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

The NFL tweaked its overtime rules slightly after the 2012 campaign, eliminating the strict sudden death format in favor of a system in which both teams would get the ball at least once if a touchdown isn’t scored on the first possession.

In the ninth, however, Palmer, back and playing well after missing three games with a shoulder injury, was sidelined with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, suffered while being sacked. Floyd also had an 8-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.

Brady was 28 of 42 for 302 yards.

GB-Crosby 34 yard field goal, 0:57.

After moving steadily backward following the kickoff, Rodgers threw his miracle completions to Janis.

ARI-Mi. Floyd 9 yard pass from C.Palmer (Catanzaro kick), 3:44.

Not only did he return, but Palmer posted career highs in the regular season in touchdown passes (35) and passing yards (4,671).

RUSHING- GB, Lacy 12-89, J.Starks 7-23, A.Rodgers 2-21, J.Kuhn 1-2. Rodgers scrambled and threw 60 yards to Janis at the 36.