Cardinals oust Packers after exchange of amazing plays

LOS ANGELES -- In one of the most dramatic finishes in NFL playoff history, the Arizona Cardinals outlasted the Green Bay Packers 26-20 in overtime Saturday to advance in the post-season.

Arizona will face the winner of Sunday's Carolina-Seattle game on January 24 in the National Conference final to determine a berth in Super Bowl 50 next month.

A back-and-forth thriller featuring one astonishing play after another at the finish was not decided until Carson Palmer threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a five-yard "shovel pass" up the middle to Larry Fitzgerald a minute into extra time.

A scrambling Palmer earlier eluded Green Bay defenders to find an unguarded Fitzgerald on a 75-yard pass play that set up the winning score, but only after the Packers forced overtime with two of the most amazing plays ever made.

Trailing 20-13 in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter, the Packers needed 20 yards merely to keep the ball on a fourth-down play when Aaron Rodgers hurled a long pass downfield and unlikely hero Jeff Janis caught it for a 60-yard gain to sustain Green Bay's slim hopes.

Janis, who had only four career catches before Saturday, then followed with another miraculous grab for an equalizer touchdown.

Rodgers launched a desperate pass into the end zone at double-covered Janis, who leaped into the air and pulled down the ball for a stunning TD with no time left on the clock.

Kicker Mason Crosby followed with an extra point to level the score at 20-20.

Overtime produced drama even before it started as the first attempted coin flip failed, forcing a repeat that ended up giving Arizona the ball and setting up their response to Rodgers' miracle.

Palmer completed 25-of-41 passes for 349 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Michael Floyd to open the scoring and a 9-yard TD toss to Floyd with 3:44 remaining in the fourth quarter to give Arizona a 17-13 lead.

Rodgers, who went 24-for-44 for 261 yards that included an earlier 8-yard touchdown throw to Janis, failed on a fourth-down pass and the Packers surrendered the ball deep in their territory, setting up a Cardinals' field goal that produced a 20-13 lead and set the stage for the closing spectacle.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Brady powers Patriots in playoff win over Chiefs

WASHINGTON -- Tom Brady threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to spark defending Super Bowl champion New England over Kansas City 27-20 Saturday, advancing the Patriots in the NFL playoffs.

With Brady completing 28-of-42 passes for 302 yards, the Patriots reached their fifth consecutive American Conference championship game and will fight for a Super Bowl berth on January 24 against the winner of Sunday's playoff matchup between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was four-time Super Bowl winner Brady's ninth career playoff 300-yard passing game, matching Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history.

Kansas City saw an 11-game win streak snapped. The Chiefs were thwarted in their bid to reach the conference final for the first time since 1993.

It was in last year's conference final that controversy erupted over the Patriots using under-inflated footballs, one that led the NFL to issue Brady a four-game suspension only to have the superstar quarterback take the issue to federal court.

A judge threw out Brady's suspension, citing a lack of fair due process, and the NFL has appealed that decision, a hearing set for after next month's Super Bowl so it will have no impact on New England's title repeat quest.

Cairo Santos kicked a 32-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter to pull Kansas City within 14-6 at half-time.

But Knile Davis fumbled after a reception and New England recovered at its own 31-yard line. Five plays later, Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski on a 16-yard touchdown pass and the Patriots seized a 21-6 edge.

Kansas City answered with Alex Smith connecting on a 10-yard touchdown pass to Albert Wilson to lift the Chiefs within 21-13.

But New England responded with a 40-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal and then defensively forced the Chiefs to punt from their own end zone, setting up a 32-yard Gostkowski field goal that gave New England a 27-13 lead with 10:20 remaining.

The Chiefs closed within the final margin after Charcandrick West scored on a 1-yard run around right end with 73 seconds remaining.

New England's Gronkowski recovered Kansas City's onside kick attempt and the Patriots ran the final seconds off the clock.

New England grabbed a 7-0 lead only 4:37 into the game as Brady capped an 11-play, 80-yard march with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski.

Santos answered for the Chiefs with a 34-yard field goal, but Brady had more magic up his sleeve.

Brady went 6-for-6 for 63 yards passing in a 98-yard drive that ended when he scored on a 1-yard touchdown dive up the middle just 3:23 before half-time.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com