NFC Championship Game Eagles @ Cardinals Live Blog 2nd Half

Congrats guys on setting a Fire Andy Reid Now! comments record. Not that it's really saying much considering this blog's only been around for a few months, but nonetheless, congrats.

Second half kickoff in a few, and if the Eagles can't come back, let's hope this half is at least entertaining. Second half after the break.

Rackers kick is taken by Buckhalter who takes it to the 39. McNabb's pass is tipped at the line and incomplete. McNabb under pressure, somehow gets away and finds Klecko who gets out of the back field, down the sidelines, and he has a first down! But it will come back on the holding call and it's 2nd and 20 after all that. McNabb finds Avant who makes a nice catch for 14 yards and this is a huge 3rd down! McNabb finds Jackson and he has the first down! Westbrook gets the carry and he gets a couple. McNabb overthrows a wideopen Kevin Curtis! That would have been the play they needed!

Another 3rd down for the Eagles. McNabb is SACKED! FUMBLE! RECOVERED BY THE CARDINALS!

And executives at NBC are jumping off cliffs as we speak. James turns a loss of 2 into a gain of 4. And I'm surprised Andy Reid did not challenge that fumble.

"That's why McNabb thought he would have his backside protected." - Troy Aikman

False start on the Cards will move them back 5. Edge stumbles for a couple. Warner on 3rd down misses a wide open receiver! He missed a chance to put this one on ice permanently. Graham's punt is fair caught by Jackson at the 10.

Eagles would still have a chance if they would pull their heads out of their a$$es. The Cards will definitely let their foot off the throttle, that's just who they are. I've been subjected to a lot of their games this year. (Andy)

Best analysis of the day. Westrbook gets 7 on the carry up the middle. McNabb misses DeSean Jackson and it's 3rd down. Celek catches it on the underneath route and that's a gain of 7 and an Eagles first down. McNabb's pass is tipped and incomplete. Westbrook gets 8 on the carry.

"Good job of at least getting it into a pretty manageable 3rd down." - Troy Aikman

3rd down and 2 is more than just pretty manageable. Play action fake (Fire Andy Reid Now!) but McNabb's pass is caught by Celek for the first. Not quite sure what Reid/Mornhinweg was thinking but it worked, I guess. McNabb is SACKED FOR A LOSS OF 9! Baskett drops an easy repection and it's 3rd and 19 now for Philly.

McNabb just launches one over the middle on 3rd and long and IT'S SOMEHOW CAUGHT BY CURTIS! INSIDE THE 20! Jackson gets 4 on the catch. And wow, that catch by Curtis may have just saved the season for the time being. McNabb takes it off himself on the QB draw and he's at the 5! Eagles need more of that McNabb. As much as he wants to be a pocket passer, he is at his best when he is a threat to run the ball. Westbrook gets stuffed at the line.

2nd and goal, McNabb looks to the endzone and throws to CELEK WHO COMES DOWN WITH THE CATCH! TOUCHDOWN EAGLES! The extra point is good and it's 24-13 Arizona.

A running into the kicker penalty will in all likelhood the Cardinals will start this drive at their own 20 after a touchback (assuming the Eagles don't go with the surprise onside kick, that is).

It's amazing how many times you make a big play like that, it turns into something really positive." - Troy Aikman. (Via Secor314)

McNabb uses his legs on the run!" I prefer when he uses his elbows. (Via Rev)

Oh yeah, I forgot about the kickoff out of bounds. That's been one of the themes of the day thus far. Cards ball at the 40.

Wait, the 35? Did I miss something? Or is that a result of the penalty?

Akers funked that kick out of bounds. (Via Mal)

Joe Buck has a new word attached to his name. Warner misses his first two passes. 3rd down and KURT WARNER IS SACKED! LOSS OF 4 AND THAT'S A 3-AND-OUT!

Jackson takes the ball to the 38. Is it just me or does the Fox score graphic at the bottom of the screen that is shown before commercial look really awkward with the set up of the colors? That blue, green, red, and gray and gold do not look good together.

McNabb finds Curtis on the underneath route for a gain of 15. And this one is starting to have a different feel to it (*knocks on wood*). McNabb overthrows Curtis on the deep route. Westbrook gets the carry and picks up 4. Eagles need to convert here. McNabb finds DeSean Jackson for the first down! 10 yard completion and the Eagles are in field goal range, which is all they may need at this point. Westbrook gets 3. That little spot of sun at around the 40 yard line looks really weird, if for no other reason because the roof is closed.

Andy Reid blows his first timeout of the half. The only thing worse than Reid blowing that time out (Fire Andy Reid Now!) is that we get an extended shot of Joe "The Funk" Buck and Troy Aikman. McNabb throws it to Celek and HE MAKES THE CATCH AND RUNS INTO THE ENDZONE! TOUCHDOWN PHILADELPHIA! The extra point is NO GOOD! A bad hold from Rocca who was unable to get the laces turned around and it's 24-19 Arizona.

I guess it's just like the Eagles went for 2 and missed, as that's probably what I would have done.

As an aside, you should have seen me jump 5 feet out of my seat as Celek made the catch and score the touchdown.

Kickoff is kneeled down in the endzone by Arrington for a touchback. James picks up 3 on the carry. Warner's pass is TIPPED RIGHT BACK INTO HIS OWN HANDS! WARNER MAKES THE CATCH AND PICKS UP 3 ON THE ENSUING RUN! Scramble for the ball ensues, but the refs rule he was down.

That's the end of the 3rd quarter and I think we all need to catch our breaths, 24-19 Cards in what's shaping up to be a thriller.

"A good play was made in the hole."--Joe Buck
Not the first time he's said that, I'm sure (Via Rev)

James makes the catch out of the backfield and picks up 16 for the first down! James gets 5 on the carry. Hightower is tripped up in the backfield by Dawkins and it's another critical 3rd down. The pass for Fitzgerald is incomplete! Fair catch by Jackson on the punt at the 14.

Buckhalter makes the catch and picks up 12! McNabb's pass to Avant picks up 9. It's getting harder and harder for me to just sit still and watch this. I feel like jumping. Handoff to Westbrook and he has a first down. McNabb's looking deep......DESEAN JACKSON MAKES THE CATCH OF A LIFETIME!!!!!!!! TOUCHDOWN EAGLES!!!!! Eagles are going for 2. No good, but there's a penalty down. Holding on the Eagles. 25-24 Eagles lead the Cards.

I am officially pumped for my laryngitis diagnosis later in the week.

Did Larry Fitzgerald get traded at halftime? Did David Copperfield show up and make the wrong the man disappear? (Via Secor314)

Kickoff is taken to the 28 by Breaston. James loses a yard on the carry. Warner finds Fitzgerald for a first down at the 41. Pople makes the completion at midfield. James gets stuffed at the line and it's 3rd and short. Hightower with the carry and oh my this is going to be close.

"The line is unofficial." - Joe Buck

Drink! HIGHTOWER'S SHORT! 4th and inches! Biasness aside, if I were a coach, I'd go for it. And the Cards are! HIGHTOWER BOUNCES IT TO THE OUTSIDE, ESCAPES A TACKLE, AND HAS A FIRST DOWN!

Does this stadium have some wild post-season games or what? Edge picks up a couple. Fitzgerald makes the catch and he has a first down at the 23! Edge gets a couple. Fitzgerald makes the catch and he gets 7 yards and is just short of the marker! 3rd and short coming up. Hightower with a first down inside the 10! Edge is stood up at the line for no gain. Hightower goes nowhere and the Eagles will call a timeout. 3rd and goal coming up.

Buck: "The new series that has lying down to a science."Like Joe Buck being #31 on the top sportscasters list? (Via RJBO)

Asante Samuel showing the world his anatomical impression of the Liberty Bell on that last tackle of Fitzgerald. (Via Secor314)

You guys crack me up. 3rd and goal coming up for the Cards. Warner from the gun, pumps, screen to Hightower, HIGHTOWER BREAKS FREE AND SCORES! TOUCHDOWN ARIZONA! Cards are going to try for 2 and make it a 7-point game. WARNER CONVERTS TO PATRICK! 32-25 Cardinals!

What a game.

Buck: "The Little Engine That Could, the Arizona Cardinals, keeps on chuggin." (Via RJBO)

Buck must love children's books. Demps takes a knee in the endzone for the touchback. And here we go. Chance for the Eagles to make something happen again. McNabb's pass is off the hands of Westbrook and incomplete. 2:46 to go. 2nd and 10. McNabb finds Jackson along the sidelines for a gain of 9. 3rd and 1, we've seen this before. McNabb finds Celek for the first down! Westbrook makes the catch and has a ton of room to run and he picks up 19! 2:09 to go. Ball at the AZ 47. McNabb's pass is incomplete for Baskett.

It's worth noting that the Eagles have not had a big 4th quarter comeback win this year. Just saying. McNabb's pass is too high for DeSean Jackson! 3rd and 10. 2:01 to go. McNabb's pass is incomplete for Baskett! 2-minute warning. 4th and 10 coming up after the break.

Are we headed for OT? Will McNabb drive for a TD in the last 3 minutes? If he does someone has to explain the playoff OT rules to Donovan, I'd love to hear that conversation. "Wait a minute, but you guys told me before that there was only one OT!" (Andy)

That would truly the season coming full circle. MCNABB UNDER PRESSUER, THROWS, HAS CURTIS BUT HE DROPPED IT! INCOMPLETE! CURTIS WANTS A FLAG BUT HE WON'T GET IT AND THE CARDS ARE A FIRST DOWN AWAY FROM A TRIP TO TAMPA!

Hightower gets 7. Eagles call a timeout. That's their last. Hightower is just short of the marker.

"Hightower...keeps chugging." - Joe Buck

Short of the marker. 3rd and NFC Title Game (sorry for that channeling of Matt Vagersian). Cards will let the clock wind down and then call a timeout. 59 seconds to go. Hightower slips and he's short of the marker! And the Eagles will have a shot at a Boise State miracle.

The punt goes out of bounds at the 7. 9 seconds to go. And for once, I won't fault Andy Reid for trying something funky here. Anything has a chance in this stadium.

The Eagles go with the laterals! Jackson downs the sideline! LATERALS IT INTO THE HANDS OF DARNELL DOCKETT AND THAT'S IT! THE ARIZONA CARDINALS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! 32-25 is the final score in yet another memorable NFC title game and another crazy football postseason game in University of Phoenix Stadium.

My sincerest congrats to the Arizona Cardinals who have certainly worked for it. They weren't picked coming in, but time and time again they proved themselves in this post-season and Warner came through when they needed it the most.

32-25 Cardinals over the Eagles. The AFC title game is being live-blogged by SSR. I'll be there and I hope everyone else joins him. Thanks for all the hilarious comments today/tonight.