Sports Illustrated says the Cardinals-Packers game was one of the best all year
Dec 20, 2016, 3:20 PM
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) scores the game winning touchdown as Green Bay Packers defensive end Mike Daniels (76) defends during overtime of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 26-20 in overtime. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
We knew this was a good one 11 months ago, but now it seems it was an all-time classic.
The Arizona Cardinals’ thrilling victory over the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of last year’s playoffs was just about as good as it gets. According to Sports Illustrated, only three games across all sports, spanning the entire year, were better.
In that 26-20 Cardinals victory, Aaron Rodgers tossed up his second Hail Mary touchdown of the season at the end of the fourth quarter and the packed house at the University of Phoenix Stadium couldn’t believe it.
Luckily for them, they wouldn’t have to be stunned in a bad way too long. Larry Fitzgerald took a pass from Carson Palmer 75 yards to the 5-yard line to kick off the overtime period, and the Cardinals were able to score two plays later.
Even though Arizona won, the game was just flat-out exhilarating for everybody involved, and surely Packers’ fans will remember it forever as well.
The three games ranked higher than that game were all national championship clinchers. Villanova’s college basketball championship win over North Carolina thanks to a Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater was No. 3. The Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals Game 7, featuring “The Block,” was No. 2. The NBA Finals’ finale also beat out Villanova’s win and the Cardinals-Packers game in the July ESPY awards.
The Best Game of the Year title was given to Game 7 of the World Series, where the Chicago Cubs ended their 108-year championship drought in an extra-inning affair over the Cleveland Indians.
