This week the Cardinals started well, with a touchdown in the first minute and then their defence showed why they had conceded a record score the week before. The Saints ran rampant, chalking up effortless touchdowns as they swept the battered and depleted Arizona defence aside.

The records again tumbled, worst defensive effort in the playoffs amongst them, and the New Orleans Saints progressed comfortably through to the championship round next week.

Final Scores : New Orleans Saints 45 , Arizona Cardinals 14

The Cardinals flew out of the blocks and grabbed a 17-0 lead at quarter time.

The Packers then slowly clawed their way back into the game, with both sides defensively poor and the points scoring ticking over at a furious rate.

In the final quarter, the Green Bay Packers added 21 unanswered points to draw level, but with seconds to go the Arizona Cardinals gave their kicker the chance to seal the match – but Rackers missed sending the game into overtime.

Green Bay won the toss and had first use of the ball, but the Cardinals defence were able to trap the visitors in their own half and then on the third down, Green Bay quarter back Rodgers was stripped of the ball as he was sacked, and in the highest scoring playoff game in history, it was the Cardinals defense that walked the ball into the end zone for the game winning touchdown.

What a match!

Final scores: Arizona Cardinals 51, Green Bay Packers 45.

Stats:

Arizona have been impressive- up against the odds each week, yet they have managed to fight their way through to the big game. Pittsburgh have been steady, building confidence every week.

The brain says Pittsburgh should win, but what the hell – Im going for the fairytale ending, so its Arizona for me.

ET’s prediction – Arizona 25, Pittsburgh 22.

Good luck to all

All the experts had expected this to be a one sided game – and it was, but it was the Cardinals who did the thrashing as they overran a limp and error prone Panthers.

The home team started well with a touchdown in the opening minutes, but that was the end of their day as the Cardinals piled on the scores to run away convincing winners.

The Panthers QB Jake Delhomme suffered 6 turnovers in a performance he would like to forget, whilst Arizona now march forward to another game looking very aggressive, very controlled and very much in control.

Scoring sequence…
1st Quarter
TD Jonathan Stewart, 9 yd run (John Kasay PAT), 12:00. Drive: 5 plays, 50 yards in 3:04
TD Tim Hightower, 3 yd pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers PAT), 02:47. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards in 3:39
TD Edgerrin James, 4 yd run (Neil Rackers PAT), 01:51. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards in 0:50
2nd Quarter
FG Neil Rackers, 49 yd field goal , 10:21. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards in 4:32
FG Neil Rackers, 30 yd field goal , 05:32. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards in 3:39
TD Larry Fitzgerald, 29 yd pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers PAT), 03:41. Drive: 3 plays, 44 yards in 1:39
3rd Quarter
FG Neil Rackers, 33 yd field goal , 04:44. Drive: 6 plays, 11 yards in 3:12
4th Quarter
FG Neil Rackers, 20 yd field goal , 03:14. Drive: 13 plays, 48 yards in 7:37
TD Steve Smith, 8 yd pass from Jake Delhomme pass failed, 00:57. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards in 2:20

Well done to the Cardinals, they now face either the Giants or Panthers next week.