Cardinals, Packers stage another postseason classic

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dear Roger Goodell,

Can the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers play a mandatory game every postseason?

Packers fans might not be in support of that suggestion initially, but after the sting of this year’s playoff elimination after a 26-20 loss at University of Phoenix Stadium subsides, they’ll even appreciate this game.

Six years after the Cardinals knocked off Green Bay in the Wild Card round in Glendale in a game that featured over 1,000 yards of offense and 96 points, the two teams got together on another absolute “put-it-in-the-time-capsule” affair.

Saturday night’s festivities featured a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass on the final play of regulation, a botched coin flip and a ridiculous catch-and-run that led to another Cardinals’ victory.

Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell, one of only a handful of players who played in both games, compared the two.

“That was a long time ago, but this one definitely was sweeter,” he said. “That one was definitely special — we were up 21 points in that game and ended up letting them score 45 points in the second half, that just shows you how good Aaron Rodgers is.

“This game, wasn’t nearly the same — there was a lot less scoring — but the whole second half Aaron Rodgers played lights out, even the first half, and he found a way to get his team back in the game. I respect him for that. I’m just happy we found a way to win it.”

Back in 2010, the Cardinals advanced to the Divisional Round after the Green Bay win, only get humbled by the eventual Super Bowl-champion New Orleans Saints, 45-14.

This year’s win over the Packers pushes the Cardinals to the NFC Championship Game for only the second time in franchise history.

Larry Fitzgerald, who scored the game-clinching touchdown for Arizona, also participated in both, but just took the opportunity to appreciate this game as opposed to comparing it to the previous playoff pairing against the Packers.

“I’ve been in some fun games, but that was great,” he said. “The energy, man, that’s what you love about playoff football — you never know. Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers and leading a 99-yard drive to get to overtime.

“Something went crazy at the coin toss, I don’t know. I saw the coin get tossed twice and I don’t know what happened out there. It was nuts. It was nuts.”

Yes, it was. But that’s just par for the course when these two longtime franchises get together in the playoffs, apparently.

Here’s a look back at the 2010 Wild Card game between Arizona and Green Bay.

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