L. Fitzgerald's Overtime Catch and Run
L. Fitzgerald's Overtime Catch and Run
January 16, 2016

L. Fitzgerald's Overtime Catch and Run

"Carson, he's much more athletic than you'd think. He just did what he was trained to do." - Larry Fitzgerald

A January 16, 2016 NFC Divisional Playoff matchup between the 13-3 Cardinals and the 10-6 Packers was decided in overtime by the extraordinary play of veteran Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals had won the NFC West and earned a first-round bye, but after Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers’ threw a 41-yard TD pass as regulation play expired, tying the game at 20, the momentum belonged to the Packers. Then came Fitzgerald’s heroics: on the first play of overtime, from their own 20, Cardinals QB Carson Palmer spun away from pressure and lofted the ball to a wide-open Fitzgerald, who secured the ball at the Cardinal 35. The long-haired Fitzgerald broke toward the left sideline, faked out three defenders and sprinted diagonally downfield, breaking tackles before getting stopped at the Green Bay 5 – a 75-yard reception. On 2nd and Goal, Palmer flipped the ball to Fitzgerald, who ran in for the winning score. It was his only touchdown of the game, and he finished with eight receptions for 176 yards, the most receiving yards in a playoff game in Cardinals history.