Cardinals stun fading Packers for win at Lambeau
Mike McCarthy fired after loss
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Arizona Cardinals were joking and yelling in the visiting locker room at Lambeau Field as if they didn’t believe what had just happened.
“We did that! We did that,” some emotional players yelled.
Zane Gonzalez kicked a 44-yard field goal with 1:41 left, Green Bay’s Mason Crosby missed a 49-yard attempt as time expired and the Cardinals braved wintry conditions to hold on for a 20-17 win over the Packers on Sunday.
“It’s hard to win in this league and it’s been a long time since we won a football game,” coach Steve Wilks said.
It was October 28, to be exact, when the Cardinals (3-9) beat San Francisco at home. Until Sunday, their only other victory this season came on the road
ARI: GBP:
against the 49ers.
Consider the stunned.
Crosby pushed his kick wide right, with the flags atop Lambeau blowing in toward the field at the time of the play. Green Bay’s playoff hopes took another significant blow.
“It was clearly a very disappointing loss, it was a game we needed to win,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Cardinals rookie Josh Rosen struggled for much of the afternoon, but hit Larry Fitzgerald for a sliding 32-yard completion on third-and-23 to help set up Packers Gonzalez’s winning kick.
Gonzalez just joined the team this week after Phil Dawson was placed on injured reserve. The Cardinals had a patchwork offensive line, which didn’t bode well for what had been the league’s worst offense coming into the day.
“All the things that were said on the outside, these guys circled the wagons and came together,” Wilks said.
The season is falling apart in Green Bay (4-71), which has lost three straight and five of six.
Aaron Rodgers was 31 of 50 for 233 yards and a touchdown. A couple throws looked off, especially in the first half, and receivers had a few drops.
The offense regained some swagger after Rodgers orchestrated a 95-yard drive that led to Aaron Jones’ 8-yard touchdown run with 5:26 left, tying it at 17. Davante Adams tip-toed the sideline for a 19-yard catch to extend that drive.
But too many missed opportunities and drops caught up with the Packers in the end. They struggled on third down, going 3 for 14 in the continuation of a season-long theme.
“We’re just not executing well, it’s the same things