Jan 03 2009
Arizona Cardinals Wildcard Playoff Game
I watched the NFC Wildcard playoff game this afternoon between the Arizona Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons. The game was being played in Glendale Arizona at the Cardinals home stadium. I’m working to become a Cardinals fan now that we live in Arizona. Football fever is running high, even in this remote northwestern corner of the state.
After a turnover by the Falcons, the Cardinals made the first score of the day, with a touchdown less than 5 minutes into the game. That was the only score of the first quarter.
Atlanta started the second quarter with a field goal. Arizona scored next with a 71-yard touchdown run by Anquan Boldin. After the run, Boldin was being checked out on the sidelines, looked like he may have pulled a muscle.
The Falcons retaliated with a 77-yard touchdown, but Arizona was still ahead by 3 points, 14-10. Atlanta intercepted a Cardinal pass, and with 23 seconds left in the first half, the Falcons scored another touchdown to take the lead.
Less than a minute into the second half, the Cardinals picked off a mid-air Falcon fumble and took the ball to the end zone, putting Arizona back in front.
Atlanta got away with a couple of penalties that should have been called and weren’t.
At this point, I had to leave to go pick up my husband at work. I figured I’d be back home in time to see the end of the game, but he was in the middle of a sale, so I had to wait on him. I had to wait over an hour, so I missed seeing the end of the game. I did try and listen to it on the radio (poor reception), but the essence of the game gets lost in translation, even with good reception.
Arizona did win, 30 – 24, and will play either the New York Giants or the Carolina Panthers next weekend. Today’s game marked the first playoff game for the Cardinals since 1947, when they were the Chicago Cardinals.
