Packers - Cardinals Notes: Second Half

> I miss the start due to Kid Meal Coverage, but come back in time to see Surgeon Warner complete the dissection with a strike to Fitz to make it 31-10, and honestly, it's hard to see how the Pack has the extra two possessions they need to catch up. Rodgers and the Pack are hitting on enough cylinders to provide Mild Drama, with Rodgers hitting Jennings for a ramshackle run into the red zone, but TE Donald Lee can't keep for the touchdown, but on third and goal, Jennings shows some serious talent with a one handed catch of a laser. Halfway through the third, it's Cardinals 31, Packers 17, and I hope you bet the over.

> The Pack then execute a perfect onside kick that the Cardinals are somehow not expecting, and Hey, We Might Have A Game After All. Crosby could not have done that better on 100 tries. Rodgers throws it away on first, then finds Grant for nine on second. A very big third and one finds Rodgers to Havner, and he just drops it. The Pack go for it on fourth and one at midfield, and the play call is Green, up the gut, and he converts. Huge play by the fullback and interior line to keep the game going. Rodgers to Finley as the CB misses the gamble -- a lot of that going on from the undisciplined Cardinals defense -- and the play is mitigated somewhat by Driver holding downfield. Finley is just a weapon.

> First and ten from the Red 21 is a give to Grant for seven, then three more for the first. The Green Bay offensive line is really having its way now, and the Red defense is gassed. From the gun, Rodgers evades two blitzers to hit Nelson in the flat, and the spare WR gets into the end zone for the score. With four minutes left in the third quarter, it's Cardinals 31, Packers 24, and if the Packer defense can hold the momentum, I'm going to feel a lot better about my Packer pick.

> Red preps fpr an onside kick that doesn't happen, and Stephens-Howling gets a good return anyway. Surgeon Warner to Doucet for a first, and it looks like nothing has changed, especially after Wells goes for 42 yards around the left side. Kudos to Breaston for the block in space there. Warner goes quick to Doucet for an easy five yard flag, and it says something that even though the Pack had extra men on the field, they still couldn't stop Doucet or put pressure on Warner. From the Pack 11, Warner from the gun floats it to Fitz for the touchdown, and the Pack compound the error with a weak roughing the passer call. Great catch by Fitz, and so much for Pack Momentum. It's Cardinals 38, Pack 24, and we're in Pinball Time as Aikman lobbies for Red flags that never comes. Rackers puts the short kickoff through the uprights, and it's all on Rodgers again to keep this a game.

> From the gun against a three man rush on first, Rodgers pumps twice and takes the Jennings checkdown for nine yards. On second, it's Grant from the gun for the first. Jennings again for 20 yards over the middle, and the track meet continues. Driver for 10 as the Red blitz doesn't get to the QB. The last play of the quarter is Green for a yard, and that's the third. It's Cards 38, Pack 24, and unless the Pack tie or win the turnover battle (it's 2 to 1 Red right now), I don't see them winning this game.

> From the Red 34, it's Jackson on a delay for four, and I'm not sure why you'd that with him. On third and five, designated goat Donald Driver can't hold on, and rather than try another 50+ yard field goal, the Pack decide to go for it on fourth and five. From the gun, a Red blitz doesn't get there, and Rodgers hits Jones, who watches the CB whiff, then outraces the LB to the end zone. Cardinals 38, Packers 31, and while the Fox heads are loving the game, and I'm certainly appreciative of anything with drama after the first three turd games this weekend, it's not exactly exciting to see which team hold serve.

> Packer S Atari Bigby will watch the rest of this one with a hamstring injury. Hard to see how that hurts, given how badly the Pack are playing; it continues with Warner to Breaston for the usual big chunk. Wells for three, and you get the feeling that both teams are running just to keep the QB's shoulders from burning up. Warner is merely throwing 90% completion right now, and Red does Green a favor with a give to Hightower. Third and six, just the third time today that Red has a third down... and from the gun, Warner tries Fitz on a deep ball, and it's tipped by Collins. Red's first punt of the day is nearly blocked, and wow, a defensive stop.

> Rodgers with his first chance to tie the game since early in the first quarter, and he hits Finley for another huge chunk on first. That could not have been easier, and Rodgers just broke 300 yards for the day; we're going to pass 800 yards in total offense the next time Rodgers throws it, in all likelihood. Tackle Kyle Clifton goes down, which gives Red Fan some hope. Rodgers smartly pump fakes, giving Driver all kinds of room, and he's knocked out at the two. Fullback John Kuhn gets in on second effort, and after the Crosby PAT, the game is tied, 38-all. Great Googly Moogly. Eleven minutes left, and the scale of the Packer comeback here is kind of staggering.

> Stephens-Howling takes a jittery knee on a powered squib kick. Warner from the gun on first misses Breaston high and away, and that might be his worst effort of the day. On second, he finds Fitz, but Woodson gets him down before the sticks, and it's third and four and Utter Gut Check Time for Red. From the gun, Warner stands in against heat to find Hightower in the flat, and the RB does an odd pirouette to get the first. If nothing else, that lets the Red defense get some air, but in this game, only touchdowns matter.

> Wells for a couple as MLB Nick Barnett hangs on for a stop. Rodgers waving a flag at Packer Fan, who is clearly heard in this stadium. Warner to Hightower, who does a nice dance to catch it, and can't stay in bounds for all of the yards he'd hope for, but the sticks do move. A give to Hightower is eaten by the Pack defense, which is showing signs of a pulse, but just not enough of one. Red is burning some clock here; we're at the 7:30 mark as Warner takes Patrick for 11 yards, setting up a measurement on the Packer side of the field. On third and a foot, Wells gets the conversion, then Warner throws a perfect ball to Breaston down the line; the wideout was in no way open, but it goes for 27. With the Pack run blitzing, Wells can't get through all of the trash, and is stopped after three yards. Fox Moron Joe Buck talks about field goal range, as if this game is about field goals; instead, Warner hits Breaston on a great spinning catch in open space. How someone argues aginst Warner's Hall of Fame credentials, given his playoff record, I have no idea; that's his fifth touchdown of the day. Cardinals 45, Packers 38, and Rodgers has just over five minutes left to hold serve.

> A pedestrian kickoff return to the Pack 29. Rodgers from the gun to Jones for five as the QB gets rid of it quickly to avoid the blitz. On second from the gun, the Pack not hurrying, Jennings draws the flag, and that's a first down for holding. From the gun again, Rodgers escapes pressure for a 13 yard scramble, nearly stumbling in the process. Clock running below 3:30. On the Red side of the field, and Jennings make an astonishing catch down the sidelines; just ridiculous body control. Good gracious. From the Red 25, the Pack take too much time and have to call time to avoid the delay of game. 3:12 left, and the Pack might want to run it a little, just to avoid scoring too early.

> From under center, it's Grant for five as the Pack read my blog. On second, Rodgers nearly ends the game with a bad idea over the middle, with the tipped ball just falling away from a prone defender. A very big third and five here, and of course it's four down territory; I'd think about a draw here myself. From the gun, Rodgers takes Finley on an out instead, and the clock runs as Rolle and Finley get into each other.

> After the two minute warning, Rodgers from the gun on first finds Havner, and he stupidly goes into the end zone, tying the game at 45 with 1:52 left and three Arizona timeouts. Rodgers now has 408 yards and not an even chance at winning the game. The Packers play conservatively -- i.e., no onside kick -- and Stephens-Howling goes out with pain at the 20.

> From the gun at the 21, Arizona takes a timeout in dismay at the unique formation, then has Warner to Patrick for nine. Warner to Breaston with time, 24 yards, and as the Pack try all kinds of exotic non-defenses on the line, it's Warner to Fitz to the Pack 35. Stephens-Howling gets a few more, and with 22 seconds left, Red takes its second timeout. Long field goal from here, but Warner and Doucet make it a lot easier with a slant as the Pack all go for the strip, rather than the tackle. It goes all the way to the Pack 16. That's the last Red timeout, and the Cards bring Rackers in to try from 34, on the idea that a bad snap here can be thrown away for an incomplete and fresh try... but Rackers pulls it very badly, just never a chance, and wow. No part of that was in any way, um, good. The Pack kneel on it, and that's regulation.

> The Packers win the toss in overtime, and I think their chances for winning the game just went up by 80%. NFL Fanhouse on Twitter wonders about the first overtime onside kick. Rackers makes up for nothing with a touchback kickoff. Rodgers misses Jennings, who was open by five yards out of play action; that would have ended the game easily. On second from the gun, Rodgers dumps to Grant for a first down, but a hold brings it back as DE Bertram Berry barely avoids a Touching The QB flag. On second and 20 against a 3-man rush, Rodgers takes the Jones checkdown for 15, setting up third and five. Not too much to say this is the ballgame right here... and, well, it is, as Rodgers takes a sack, fumble, and Arizona touchdown recovery for the win. From out of the blue, pure freakish heat lightning as Dansby collects the ball in the air off Rodgers' foot, and I can't believe what I just saw, really.

Cardinals 51, Packers 45, and all I have to say is... that's a hell of a way for me to lose my first gambling pick of the playoffs. The Cardinals move on, and the Packers move off. What a game.