The Arizona Cardinals advanced to their first NFC Championship Game with a 33-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium.
Kurt Warner threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns while Arizona's defense picked off five passes and held Carolina's vaunted rushing attack to just 75 yards. Larry Fitzgerald caught eight passes for 166 yards and one score, pacing an offense that totaled 360 yards and owned the ball for nearly 40 minutes.
With the Eagles 23-11 victory over the Giants, the Cardinals will host the NFC Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium at 1:00pm MST Sunday.
Cardinals Inactives
QB Brian St. Pierre (3rd QB)
CB Eric Green
LB Victor Hobson
T Elliot Vallejo
T Brandon Keith
DT Alan Branch
WR Anquan Boldin
TE Ben Patrick
The Panthers won the toss and elected to receive to start the game.
1st QUARTER
Panthers
DRIVE START: Midfield after 39-yard return by Jones
KEY PLAY(S): Hoover 7-yard reception on 3rd and 7. Williams 31-yard run on next play.
FINAL PLAY: Steward 9-yard touchdown run
DRIVE TOTALS: 5 plays, 50 yards, 3:04
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 40-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Fitzgerald 31-yard reception on 3rd and 7. Warner sacked by Lewis for -5 yards. Arrington tackled for -7 yards on next play.
FINAL PLAY: Graham 30-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 6 plays, 21 yards, 3:26
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 9-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Cards defense forces quick three and out
FINAL PLAY: Baker 43-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 3 plays, 8 yards, 2:08
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 40-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Fitzgerald 41-yard reception on 3rd and 1 to bring Cards down to Panthers 10-yard line.
FINAL PLAY: Hightower 3-yard touchdown reception
DRIVE TOTALS: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:39
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 20-yard line
FINAL PLAY: Antonio Smith sacks Delhomme, forces fumble and recovers it
DRIVE TOTALS: 1 play, -7 yards, :06
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Panthers 13-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): James 9-yard run
FINAL PLAY: James 4-yard touchdown run
DRIVE TOTALS: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:15
Cardinals 14 - Panthers 7
2nd QUARTER
Panthers (continued from 1st quarter)
DRIVE START: Panthers 23-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Muhammad 15-yard reception. Rolle called for pass interference at 15-yard line (45-yard penalty)
FINAL PLAY: Rodgers-Cromartie interception, returned 19-yards
DRIVE TOTALS: 4 plays, 18 yards, 1:59
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Panthers 20-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Delay of game penalty on first down. Lewis encroachment penalty to move the chains for the Cards. Marshall called for unnecessary roughness for another Cards first down.
FINAL PLAY: Rackers 49-yard field goal
DRIVE TOTALS: 9 plays, 49 yards, 4:32
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 22-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Dansby tackles Williams for -2. Robinson batted down Delhomme's 3rd down pass attempt to force punt
FINAL PLAY: Baker 47-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 3 plays, -2 yards, 1:09
CardinalsDRIVE START: Cardinals 38-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Fitzgerald consecutive receptions for 25 and 17 yards. Panthers defense stuffs T. Smith on 3rd and 1.
FINAL PLAY: Rackers 30-yard field goal
DRIVE TOTALS: 8 plays, 49 yards, 3:39
Panthers
DRIVE START: Carolina 38-yard line
FINAL PLAY: Hayes intercepts Delhomme on first down and returns the ball 6 yards to Carolina 44-yard line
DRIVE TOTALS: 1 play, 0 yards, 0:17
CardinalsDRIVE START: Panthers 44-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Hightower 14-yard run
FINAL PLAY: Warner 29-yard touchdown pass to Fitzgerald
DRIVE TOTALS: 3 plays, 44 yards, 1:44
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 26-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Berry 4-yard sack of Delhomme.
FINAL PLAY: Delhomme incomplete bomb broken up by DRC
DRIVE TOTALS: 3 plays, minus-2 yards, 1:40
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 27-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Arrington 8-yard pass to Warner on 3rd-and-5. Arrington 10-yard pass from Warner.
FINAL PLAY: Rackers 53-yard field goal attempt short
DRIVE TOTALS: 9 plays, 37 yards, 0:52
Cardinals 27 – Panthers 7
3rd QUARTER
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 26-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Urban 8-yard catch on 3rd and 5.
FINAL PLAY: Graham 46-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 7 plays, 12 yards, 2:55
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 11-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Williams 15-yard run on 1st down. Hayes tackles Williams for -3. Smith QB pressure on 3rd and 9 to force punt.
FINAL PLAY: Baker 48-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 4 plays, 16 yards, 1:59
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 25-yard line
FINAL PLAY: Warner picked off by Beason and returned 4 yards to the Cardinals 31-yard line
DRIVE TOTALS: 2 plays, 6 yards, 0:54
Panthers
DRIVE START: Cardinals 31-yard line
FINAL PLAY: Rolle intercepts Delhomme and returned the ball 47 yards to Carolina 26-yard line
DRIVE TOTALS: 2 plays, -1 yards, 1:20
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Panthers 26-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Fitzgerald 9-yard reception for first down.
FINAL PLAY: Rackers 33-yard field goal
DRIVE TOTALS: 6 plays, 11 yards, 3:12
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 33-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Jarrett 20-yard reception.
FINAL PLAY: Delhomme incomplete pass intended for Muhammad on 4th and 5.
DRIVE TOTALS: 5 plays, 25 yards, 1:16
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 43-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Doucet tackled for -4 on 3rd and 2 to force punt.
FINAL PLAY: Graham 53-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 3 plays, 4 yards, 2:09
Cardinals 30 - Panthers 7
4th QUARTER
Panthers (continued from 3rd quarter)
DRIVE START: Panthers 20-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Smith 35-yard reception. Rosario consecutive catches for 14 and 12 yards. Delay of game on 3rd and 8.
FINAL PLAY: Brown picks of Delhomme in the end zone.
DRIVE TOTALS: 7 plays, 68 yards, 2:11
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Panthers 20-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Panthers force quick three and out
FINAL PLAY: Graham 45-yard punt
DRIVE TOTALS: 5 plays, 13 yards, 2:35
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 31-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Stewart 12-yard reception.
FINAL PLAY: Hood intercepts Delhomme's pass intended for Muhammad
DRIVE TOTALS: 3 plays, 12 yards, 0:42
CardinalsDRIVE START: Midfield
KEY PLAY(S): Hightower 5-yard run on 3rd and 1. Hightower 17-yard run.
FINAL PLAY: Rackers 20-yard field goal
DRIVE TOTALS: 13 plays, 48 yards, 7:37
Panthers
DRIVE START: Panthers 21-yard line
KEY PLAY(S): Muhammad 11-yard reception. Muhammad 20-yard reception.
FINAL PLAY: Smith 8-yard touchdown reception. Failed 2 point conversion
DRIVE TOTALS: 10 plays, 79 yards, 2:20
Cardinals
DRIVE START: Cardinals 46-yard line.
Warner takes a knee twice to end the game.
Final Score Cardinals 33 – Panthers 13
