Cardinals couldn't be stopped against the Eagles

For the Arizona Cardinals, it was a day when Larry Fitzgerald couldn’t be stopped and Tim Hightower wouldn’t be stopped. As a result, the Cardinals’ next stop is a long-awaited trip to the Super Bowl.

The fabulous Fitzgerald caught three touchdown passes from Kurt Warner during the first half Sunday and a determined Hightower scored the game-winner on an 8-yard reception and run with 2:53 remaining as the Cardinals continued their stunning march through the playoffs with a 32-25 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

For second-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s underdog Cardinals, an expedition now awaits to Tampa, Fla., where they will line up on Feb. 1 against the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 43.

How did Arizona defeat the favored Eagles on Sunday? How did the Cardinals earn the franchise’s first-ever invitation to the Super Bowl?

The following chronology of the afternoon’s 12 biggest plays for the Cardinals begins with Fitzgerald’s first-half heroics, proceeds to Hightower’s fourth-quarter dramatics and concludes with the Arizona defense’s game-clinching dynamics.

1. The situation: The Cardinals drove across midfield on their opening possession and had a first down at the Philadelphia 40-yard line. The play: Edgerrin James took a handoff on a draw play, stiff-armed a defender and rumbled for 16 yards. It was an early statement for the Cardinals, who would finish with more yards rushing than their opponent for the third consecutive playoff game.

2. The situation: On the next snap, a 12-yard run by James gave the Cardinals a first down at the Philadelphia 12. The play: On second-and-7 from the 9, Warner threw a pass over the middle to Fitzgerald, who made the catch at the 5, bounced off two tacklers and broke the plane of the goal line for a 9-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 7-0 lead with 9:20 left in the first quarter.

3. The situation: With the Cardinals ahead 7-3 early in the second quarter, they took possession at their own 38 after Philadelphia’s David Akers missed a field goal. The play: On first down, J.J. Arrington received a pitchout and tossed the ball back to Warner on a flea-flicker. Warner proceeded to launch a pass deep over the middle for Fitzgerald, who caught the football at the Eagles 13 and galloped into the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown. It was the second of three scoring catches on the day for Fitzgerald, who finished with nine receptions for 152 yards.

4. The situation: After a 33-yard field goal by Akers drew the Eagles to within 14-6 with 9:02 left in the second quarter, the Cardinals began their ensuing drive at their own 27. The play: On first down, Warner stumbled and fell as he handed the ball off to James, but the Cardinals running back was able to dash through the middle for a 22-yard gain.

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5. The situation: The Cardinals would advance on the drive to the Philadelphia 1. The play: On first down, Warner lofted a pass in the left side of the end zone over defensive back Sheldon Brown and into the hands of Fitzgerald for the All-Pro receiver’s third touchdown of the game. With 3:06 remaining in the second quarter, the Cardinals increased their lead to 21-6.

6. The situation: On their next possession, the Cardinals faced a third-and-15 from their own 31. The play: Warner hit Jerheme Urban for an 18-yard gain which set up a 49-yard field goal by Neil Rackers as time expired in the first half.

7. The situation: Philadelphia came roaring back after halftime, scoring on a 6-yard pass from Donovan McNabb to Brent Celek with 4:08 left in the third quarter and on a 31-yard strike from McNabb to Celek with 49 seconds remaining in the third. After the Eagles took a 25-24 lead on a 62-yard touchdown bomb from McNabb to DeSean Jackson with 10:45 left in the fourth, the Cardinals began their ensuing possession at their 28. The play: On fourth-and-inches from the Philadelphia 49 with less than eight minutes left in the game, Whisenhunt opted to go for the first down. Hightower ran for 6 yards on a sweep around right end to keep the chains moving.

8. The situation: After an 18-yard reception by Fitzgerald produced another first down, the Cardinals gained 9 yards on the next two plays and faced a third-and-1 at the Philadelphia 14. The play: Hightower bulled his way up the middle like a battering ram for 5 yards, giving the Cardinals a first-and-goal.

9. The situation: After two running plays netted 1 yard, the Cardinals faced a third-and-goal from the 8. The play: Warner, who completed 21 of 28 passes on the day for 279 yards and four touchdowns, tossed the ball to Hightower on a middle screen. Hightower caught the ball at the 13, ran to daylight across the 5 and lowered his shoulder to pinball off of a defender at the 2 on his way to the end zone for the go-ahead 8-yard touchdown. The ensuing two-point conversion pass from Warner to Ben Patrick gave the Cardinals a 32-25 lead with 2:53 remaining.

10. The situation: Needing a touchdown with the clock winding down, the Eagles converted two first downs on their ensuing possession. Following two incomplete passes from the Arizona 47, the Eagles faced a third-and-10. The play: McNabb threw over the middle for Hank Baskett, who could not make the catch.

11. The situation: Following the timeout at the two-minute warning, the Eagles faced a fourth-and-10 from the Cardinals 47. The play: McNabb avoided the pass rush and threw a pass for Kevin Curtis on the right sideline at the 30. Curtis had a productive game with four receptions for 122 yards, but he could not catch this one, as the ball bounced off his hands to end the Eagles’ last realistic scoring opportunity.

12. The situation: After the Cardinals gained 9 yards in three plays, Ben Graham punted the ball out of bounds at the Philadelphia 7. The play: Needing to gain 93 yards in the seven remaining seconds, the Eagles resorted to the lateral play. McNabb threw a short pass to Jackson. Three laterals later, the ball was caught by Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who was tackled at the 7-yard line as the clock ran out. As the confetti began flying and the fans began celebrating, the Cardinals players and coaches began to soak in the reality and significance of what they had accomplished.

For an Arizona Cardinals team that continues to defy predictions and exceed expectations, the next destination is the Super Bowl.

By Tom Kessler
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer