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Another Amazing Play By Rodgers For Not As Cardinals Beat Packers in OT; Broncos, Panthers Win Sunday

After being forced into overtime by another Hail Mary from Aaron Rodgers, the Arizona Cardinals wasted no time calling for the ''Hail Larry'' to get to the NFC title game.

On the first play of overtime, Carson Palmer spun away from a defender and throw across his body to an uncovered Larry Fitzgerald. The 32-year-old darted through tacklers for 75 yards as the screaming Cardinals fans finally drowned out the visiting Cheeseheads. He was tackled at the 5. On the next play, Palmer shoveled the ball to Fitzgerald who ran it in to give the Cardinals a 26-20 victory over the Packers Saturday night.

He finished with eight receptions for 176 yards.

 width=Rodgers, in a play reminiscent of his final-play heave against Detroit this season, took the snap with 5 seconds to go in regulation, scrambled around and heaved it 41 yards to the end zone.

Jeff Janis, a 6-foot-3 receiver pressed into extended duty because Green Bay's top two receivers were hurt, outjumped defenders Patrick Peterson and Rashad Johnson and clutched the ball to his chest as he fell to the turf in the silence of University of Phoenix Stadium, except for the Packers fans, who went nuts.

Arizona won the overtime coin toss - after the referee declared the first toss hadn't flipped - took the ball and scored a touchdown, denying the Packers a chance to touch the ball in the extra period.

The Packers, already without wide receiver Davonte Adams, lost Randall Cobb in the first quarter to a chest injury. James Jones was neutralized most of the game with All-Pro Peterson on him, forcing Rodgers to go to Janis, who had seven catches, five more than he had all year.

Packers runningback Eddie Lacy had 90 yards, 61 on a ramble to set up the first Green Bay TD.

Rodgers completed 24 of 44 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Palmer, in his first playoff victory (in three tries) was 25 of 41 yards for 349 yards and three scores with two interceptions.

>>Broncos Beat Steelers

The NFL's only five-time MVP, Peyton Manning, earned one more and possibly final game against his rival by leading the Denver Broncos to a come-from-behind 23-16 win over Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers on a blustery Sunday.

With Denver down 13-12 with less than 10 minutes left, cornerback Bradley Roby, burned time and again, punched the ball from Fitzgerald Toussaint's arms and teammate DeMarcus Ware recovered at the Denver 35-yard line.

After Toussaint's fumble, Manning went to work, driving Denver to its only touchdown, a 1-yard run by C.J. Anderson, followed by Demaryius Thomas' catch on the 2-pointer that put Denver ahead 20-13 with three minutes left.

That was Manning's 55th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, extending one of the dozen NFL records he owns.

Roethlisberger completed 24 of 37 passes for 339 yards despite playing with a sore right shoulder and missing his top receiver - Antonio Brown (concussion) and rusher - DeAngelo Williams (foot). Martavis Bryant had nine catches for 154 yards.

Manning completed 21 of 37 passes for 222 yards.

That set up an AFC championship game next weekend in Denver against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

>>Carolina Survives Seahawks Comeback

The Panthers, winners of 12 straight at home, made all the right plays in building a 31-0 lead, then were dominated by the two-time defending NFC champs in the second half. So if Carolina wins its first NFL championship, it can credit the lesson learned from the Seahawks (11-7) after Carolina's 31-24 victory over Seattle on Sunday.

Jonathan Stewart, returning from a foot injury, scored two touchdowns after jumpstarting the Panthers with a 59-yard sprint on their first play. Newton threw for a touchdown.

Russell Wilson, who was sacked five times, made some big throws, particularly to Kearse, who had 11 catches for 110 yards. Wilson went 31 for 48 for 366 yards, but the early turnovers - Seattle had an NFC-low 16 in the regular season - and spotty defense were too much to overcome.

Stewart finished with 106 yards on 19 carries and extended Carolina's string of 100-yard rushing games to 28 and made it 21-0. Seattle hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 27 games.

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