azdad1978
Championship!!!!
The Arizona Cardinals mounted a fourth-quarter comeback to overcome a 28-3 deficit and tie the game with 59 seconds remaining to send the game against the San Francisco 49ers to overtime. Fullback Femi Ayanbadejo scored two rushing touchdowns to narrow the Niners lead to 28-17. An 8-yard run by Emmitt Smith with 2:40 remaining followed by a two-point conversion by quarterback Josh McCown closed to within three. A forced fumble by James Darling, recovered by David Macklin led to a 22-yard field for the tie.
But, the Niners persevered in overtime, driving to the Cards 13-yardline to set up kicker Todd Peterson for a 31-yard game-winning field goal.
1st Quarter
Cardinals 0 – 49ers 7
With QB Josh McCown back at the helm, the Cardinals were held to a quick three and out by the 49ers defense.
The Cards defense held the 49ers to a quick three and out also, but a rolling punt hit the leg of returner Karl Williams, and the loose ball was recovered by the Niners at the Cards 11-yardline.
The Cards held the Niners in the redzone to a 26-yard field goal by Todd Peterson but a leverage penalty on the field goal against the Cards gave the Niners a first down. On 3rd and goal, rookie quarterback Ken Dorsey hit Brandon Lloyd for a 5-yard touchdown.
A penalty on the kickoff started the Cards offense in poor field position at their own 9-yardline, but they picked it back up after a Niners 15-yard face mask penalty on first down. Quarterback Josh McCown went long for Larry Fitzgerald along the sidelines, but officials ruled that the rookie receiver didn’t have two feet in bounds. The Cards challenged the ruling but the officials upheld the call. On 3rd and 7, McCown hit receiver Bryant Johnson, who made a great play on the ball despite having double coverage for a 40-yard gain at the 49ers 15-yardline. Two run attempts and a dropped pass by Johnson led to a 34-field goal attempt by Neil Rackers that was wide left.
At their 34-yardline, the Niners went for it on a 4th and 1, picking up the first down with a quarterback keeper. Running back Maurice bounced it outside to pick up 15yards on the next play to move the Niners into Arizona territory. Another 10-yard run by Hicks advanced the Niners to the Cards 31-yardline. Another carry by Hicks, this time for only one yard ended the quarter for San Fran.
2nd Quarter
Cardinals 3 – 49ers 21
The Niners got another quick score at the start of the quarter with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Dorsey to Cedrick Wilson. The Cardinals used up another challenge on the touchdown, but officials again upheld their call. The drive covered 75 yards in 11 plays and used up 6:05 off the clock.
The Cards offense neared midfield before McCown was picked off by safety Tony Parrish. Parrish returned the interception 25 yards to the Cards 44-yardline with 11:24 to go in the second quarter.
A 30-yard pass to tight end Aaron Walker set the Niners up at the Arizona 1-yardline. On 3rd and goal, Hicks ran it in for a one-yard touchdown and a Niners 21-0 lead with just over eight minutes to go in the half.
A 13-yard pass from McCown to Fitzgerald got things rolling for Arizona. Tight end Eric Edwards broke a tackle to pick up a 19-yard pass completion and a first down in Niners territory. On a key 3rd and 7, McCown hit Boldin for a 16-yard strike over the middle for a first down at the Niners 23-yardline. The Cards offense stalled there, but the drive resulted in a 44-yard field goal by Rackers with 3:21 to go.
Both teams traded punts before the half.
3rd Quarter
Cardinals 10 – 49ers 28
The Niners opened up the third quarter with a 9-play, 69 yard scoring drive ending in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Dorsey to Wilson.
After trading punts, the Cards picked up a first down with an 18-yard catch by Boldin. A 15-yard penalty against the Niners aided the Cards efforts to move them to their 46-yardline. A 12-yard catch by Edwards picked up another first down in Niners territory, but on 1st and 10, McCown sacked by Andre Carter for an 8-yard loss. McCown fumbled but recovered the ball on the play. On 3rd and 10, McCown’s pass hit Fitzgerald but Boldin came up with the reception, catching the tipped ball between his knees, at the 14-yardline. Facing another 3rd and 9 from the 14, McCown hit Boldin for a first down to set up Femi Ayanbadejo for a 4-yard touchdown run with 1:59 to go in the third. The 9-play drive covered 87 yards.
The Cards defense followed up the offense’s score with a quick three and out.
A 15-yard punt return by Duane Starks gave the Cards offense good field position. A 17-yard catch by Boldin and a 3-yard run by Smith ended the third quarter.
4th Quarter
Cardinals 28 – 49ers 28
Ayanbadejo scored back-to-back touchdowns with a 1-yard run, set up by a 16-yard run by Emmitt Smith. The opening drive of the fourth quarter covered 53 yards in eight plays.
The Cards defense held the Niners, but a running into the kicker penalty by Gerald Hayes gave the Niners a first down at the Cards 40-yardline. The Cards defense held again and the Niners punt rolled into the endzone for a touchback.
With 7:52, the Cards offense took over again at their own 20 and picked up two first downs with completions to Boldin and tight end Freddie Jones before throwing three incomplete passes and having to punt.
Scott Player’s 49-yard punt pinned the Niners back at their own 4-yardline. On 3rd and 1, safety Adrian Wilson made a huge play, coming up with a tackle for a 3-yard loss.
Following the punt, the Cards started at their own 44-yardline with just over 4 minutes to go. On 3rd and 13, McCown scrambled and hit Fitzgerald for a 22-yard completion at the Niners 36-yardline. A 13-yard pass to Johnson picked up another first down at the Niners 18. A 10-yard pass to Jones picked up another first down before Smith took it on 1st and 8 for an 8-yard touchdown run. The Cards went for the two-point conversion and McCown took it on the keeper.
On 3rd and 22, linebacker James Darling forced Terry Jackson to fumble. The ball was recovered by David Macklin at the Niners 20-yardline.
On 1st and ten, Smith picked up 11 yards to the Niners 9 at the two-minute warning. Smith lost two yards on his next carry, McCown scrambled to the 4 on second down, and his pass to Jones on 3rd and goal was knocked down in the endzone to bring on Rackers. Rackers’ 22-yard field goal tied the game with 59 seconds remaining.
Time ran out on the Niners offense, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime
The Niners started off with the ball in overtime from their own 20-yardline and drove to the Cards 37-yardline before punting the ball. The Niners pinned the punt down at the Cards 3-yardline.
The Cards went long on first down, but McCown’s pass to Fitzgerald along the sidelines was incomplete. Smith’s carry on second down went for no gain. On 3rd and 10, his pass to Josh Scobey went for only four yards, forcing Arizona to punt from their own endzone.
Following the punt, the Niners had the ball at their own 49-yardline. On 1st and 10, defensive end Bertrand Berry sacked Dorsey at the Cards 44-yardline. On 3rd and 15, Dorsey hit Wilson for a 19-yard completion at Arizona’s 37. Hicks ran for 7 yards to the 30 to bring up 2nd and 3, before busting loose for 17 yards to the Cards 13-yardline. The Niners brought on Peterson for a 31-yard game-winning field goal.
http://azcardinals.com/gameday/?iid=96
But, the Niners persevered in overtime, driving to the Cards 13-yardline to set up kicker Todd Peterson for a 31-yard game-winning field goal.
1st Quarter
Cardinals 0 – 49ers 7
With QB Josh McCown back at the helm, the Cardinals were held to a quick three and out by the 49ers defense.
The Cards defense held the 49ers to a quick three and out also, but a rolling punt hit the leg of returner Karl Williams, and the loose ball was recovered by the Niners at the Cards 11-yardline.
The Cards held the Niners in the redzone to a 26-yard field goal by Todd Peterson but a leverage penalty on the field goal against the Cards gave the Niners a first down. On 3rd and goal, rookie quarterback Ken Dorsey hit Brandon Lloyd for a 5-yard touchdown.
A penalty on the kickoff started the Cards offense in poor field position at their own 9-yardline, but they picked it back up after a Niners 15-yard face mask penalty on first down. Quarterback Josh McCown went long for Larry Fitzgerald along the sidelines, but officials ruled that the rookie receiver didn’t have two feet in bounds. The Cards challenged the ruling but the officials upheld the call. On 3rd and 7, McCown hit receiver Bryant Johnson, who made a great play on the ball despite having double coverage for a 40-yard gain at the 49ers 15-yardline. Two run attempts and a dropped pass by Johnson led to a 34-field goal attempt by Neil Rackers that was wide left.
At their 34-yardline, the Niners went for it on a 4th and 1, picking up the first down with a quarterback keeper. Running back Maurice bounced it outside to pick up 15yards on the next play to move the Niners into Arizona territory. Another 10-yard run by Hicks advanced the Niners to the Cards 31-yardline. Another carry by Hicks, this time for only one yard ended the quarter for San Fran.
2nd Quarter
Cardinals 3 – 49ers 21
The Niners got another quick score at the start of the quarter with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Dorsey to Cedrick Wilson. The Cardinals used up another challenge on the touchdown, but officials again upheld their call. The drive covered 75 yards in 11 plays and used up 6:05 off the clock.
The Cards offense neared midfield before McCown was picked off by safety Tony Parrish. Parrish returned the interception 25 yards to the Cards 44-yardline with 11:24 to go in the second quarter.
A 30-yard pass to tight end Aaron Walker set the Niners up at the Arizona 1-yardline. On 3rd and goal, Hicks ran it in for a one-yard touchdown and a Niners 21-0 lead with just over eight minutes to go in the half.
A 13-yard pass from McCown to Fitzgerald got things rolling for Arizona. Tight end Eric Edwards broke a tackle to pick up a 19-yard pass completion and a first down in Niners territory. On a key 3rd and 7, McCown hit Boldin for a 16-yard strike over the middle for a first down at the Niners 23-yardline. The Cards offense stalled there, but the drive resulted in a 44-yard field goal by Rackers with 3:21 to go.
Both teams traded punts before the half.
3rd Quarter
Cardinals 10 – 49ers 28
The Niners opened up the third quarter with a 9-play, 69 yard scoring drive ending in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Dorsey to Wilson.
After trading punts, the Cards picked up a first down with an 18-yard catch by Boldin. A 15-yard penalty against the Niners aided the Cards efforts to move them to their 46-yardline. A 12-yard catch by Edwards picked up another first down in Niners territory, but on 1st and 10, McCown sacked by Andre Carter for an 8-yard loss. McCown fumbled but recovered the ball on the play. On 3rd and 10, McCown’s pass hit Fitzgerald but Boldin came up with the reception, catching the tipped ball between his knees, at the 14-yardline. Facing another 3rd and 9 from the 14, McCown hit Boldin for a first down to set up Femi Ayanbadejo for a 4-yard touchdown run with 1:59 to go in the third. The 9-play drive covered 87 yards.
The Cards defense followed up the offense’s score with a quick three and out.
A 15-yard punt return by Duane Starks gave the Cards offense good field position. A 17-yard catch by Boldin and a 3-yard run by Smith ended the third quarter.
4th Quarter
Cardinals 28 – 49ers 28
Ayanbadejo scored back-to-back touchdowns with a 1-yard run, set up by a 16-yard run by Emmitt Smith. The opening drive of the fourth quarter covered 53 yards in eight plays.
The Cards defense held the Niners, but a running into the kicker penalty by Gerald Hayes gave the Niners a first down at the Cards 40-yardline. The Cards defense held again and the Niners punt rolled into the endzone for a touchback.
With 7:52, the Cards offense took over again at their own 20 and picked up two first downs with completions to Boldin and tight end Freddie Jones before throwing three incomplete passes and having to punt.
Scott Player’s 49-yard punt pinned the Niners back at their own 4-yardline. On 3rd and 1, safety Adrian Wilson made a huge play, coming up with a tackle for a 3-yard loss.
Following the punt, the Cards started at their own 44-yardline with just over 4 minutes to go. On 3rd and 13, McCown scrambled and hit Fitzgerald for a 22-yard completion at the Niners 36-yardline. A 13-yard pass to Johnson picked up another first down at the Niners 18. A 10-yard pass to Jones picked up another first down before Smith took it on 1st and 8 for an 8-yard touchdown run. The Cards went for the two-point conversion and McCown took it on the keeper.
On 3rd and 22, linebacker James Darling forced Terry Jackson to fumble. The ball was recovered by David Macklin at the Niners 20-yardline.
On 1st and ten, Smith picked up 11 yards to the Niners 9 at the two-minute warning. Smith lost two yards on his next carry, McCown scrambled to the 4 on second down, and his pass to Jones on 3rd and goal was knocked down in the endzone to bring on Rackers. Rackers’ 22-yard field goal tied the game with 59 seconds remaining.
Time ran out on the Niners offense, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime
The Niners started off with the ball in overtime from their own 20-yardline and drove to the Cards 37-yardline before punting the ball. The Niners pinned the punt down at the Cards 3-yardline.
The Cards went long on first down, but McCown’s pass to Fitzgerald along the sidelines was incomplete. Smith’s carry on second down went for no gain. On 3rd and 10, his pass to Josh Scobey went for only four yards, forcing Arizona to punt from their own endzone.
Following the punt, the Niners had the ball at their own 49-yardline. On 1st and 10, defensive end Bertrand Berry sacked Dorsey at the Cards 44-yardline. On 3rd and 15, Dorsey hit Wilson for a 19-yard completion at Arizona’s 37. Hicks ran for 7 yards to the 30 to bring up 2nd and 3, before busting loose for 17 yards to the Cards 13-yardline. The Niners brought on Peterson for a 31-yard game-winning field goal.
http://azcardinals.com/gameday/?iid=96
