OT again for Arizona

Cardinals win yet another game in overtime to sign off with a win

Last Updated: January 2, 2012 10:04am

Image text here

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald turns upfield

Sky Bet

The Arizona Cardinals left it late yet again as they beat divisional rivals Seattle 23-20 in overtime in their season finale.

Larry Fitzgerald's spectacular one-handed grab set help up a 28-yard field

goal by Jay Feely to give Arizona their fourth overtime victory at home in the last nine weeks of the season.

Arizona (8-8) finished the season 7-2 after a six-game losing streak left it 1-6. Seattle (7-9) had rallied to tie the game after trailing 20-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 149 yards after one reception for two yards in the first half. John Skelton completed 22 of 40 for 271 yards and a touchdown with one interception for Arizona. Tarvaris Jackson was 21 of 35 for 222 yards and a touchdown with one pick for the Seahawks.

The Cardinals earlier had overtime victories over St. Louis, Dallas and Cleveland. The Seahawks finished with the same record as a year ago, when 7-9 was good enough to win the NFC West.

Pro Bowl

Arizona's Patrick Peterson, who made the Pro Bowl on special teams as a rookie, returned a punt 42 yards to set up a field goal, then blocked Steven Hauschka's 24-yard field goal attempt. It was the NFL-leading fifth blocked field goal for the Cardinals, two of them by Peterson.

Seattle won the toss heading into overtime, and Leon Washington's 47-yard kick-off return gave the Seahawks the ball at their own 40, but they failed to move it and had to punt.

Arizona's game-winning drive started at the 19. On third-and-three at the 26, Skelton threw over the middle to Fitzgerald, who caught it between two defenders for a 26-yard gain to the Seahawks 48.

Skelton's quarterback sneak on fourth and less than a yard gave Arizona a first down at the Seattle 37.

Fitzgerald then somehow gathered in the ball with one hand before LaRod Stephens-Howling, filling in for the injured Beanie Wells, rushed three times to the Seattle nine, and Feely's third field goal of the game gave the Cardinals the win.

Comeback

After Washington's 48-yard touchdown run tied it at 10-10 with 10:56 to go in the third quarter, the Cardinals went 80 yards in eight plays.

Skelton was six for six for 70 yards, capped by a 13-yard TD toss to Todd Heap, the tight end's first score in an injury-plagued first season with Arizona, putting the Cardinals up 17-10.

Skelton's 42-yard pass to Fitzgerald led to Feely's 43-yard field goal that boosted the lead to 20-10 12:18 to play.

Seattle responded, driving from its 20 to the Arizona six. But the offense stalled, and Peterson broke free from the end to block the short field goal try.

Arizona scored a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time since week two, going 81 yards in nine plays. Chester Taylor scored with a leap over the pile from the one.

The teams traded turnovers in the second quarter. Arizona rookie tight end Rob Housler fumbled near midfield and Seattle's K.J. Knight returned it 30 yards to the Cardinals 20. But after Arizona's third sack of the game.