The most violent of all major sports is the only sport to use part-time referees. Go figure.

NFL fined Berry $5000 for the helmet to helmet hit on AR that wasn't called. Also the head of officials, Periera said yesterday that there was no grab, twist or tuen of the facemask on the final play. However, later in the interview he said Adams had hooked AR's face mask with his fingers. Whew - thanks for the clarification NFL - you can hook your fingers in an opposing player's face mask, you just can't grab it.

If not a face masking penalty what hands to the face, what about the rule that you cannot hit a quaterback in the head?

Get these people a tissue!

Got to love ref controversy in the NFL!!!...
WELCOME TO THE 21st CENTURY!! WHAT EVER changes? It all started with the implementing of instant replay. The worse decision ever made, and one that would award many bogus teams a championship after bad replay calls were made (Burt Emmanual, or tuck rule, ring a bell?)!
Now the refs don't watch for anything, knowing they can blow any call, and have replay look at it. Most of the NFL refs are white collar corporate millionaires....Executives at fortune 500 companies, or law firms, and they work the Sunday games as a part time job. Lets face it, they are AWFUL! They should at least have a system like MLB where you start off like a player in A ball, and work yourself up on merit, and actually do the job full time as your profession, and not just some weekend hobby!! If you look at the errors made in the NFL and compare them to MLB, it blows your mind. It's amazing how many times you have a bang bank play in baseball, and the ump is DEAD ON when they show it in super slow motion! In the NFL it's almost certain to be blown. Makes a huge difference when you have professionals who have done something all their life over some weekend warriors who constantly rely on the joke of replay!

skeptical1, actually his arm was moving alittle bit forward. ( a pump fake move )

916WI,You know what was an incidental play is when Jenkins got knocked into Warner and was called for roughing the passer, that was crap and a bad call, also the call that was not called, is when there was helmet on helmet to Rodgers, now if that was the Packers doing that to Warner we would of been called on it.

lovethemidwest, my bad, i guess all we could of wished for is that the ball would of been broght back and hold them all 3 downs and hope for Rackers would of missed it again.

Localguy1 is incorrect. It was a fumble - a fumble doesn't have to hit the ground (how many times have you seen a running back or receiver fumble and a defender picks it out of the air - it's still a fumble). Rodgers' arm wasn't moving forward which is required for it to be called a pass. Had the ball hit the ground it would still be a fumble and not called an incomplete pass because it wasn't a pass, therefore it couldn't be intercepted.

The ref made the right decision--it was incidental contact and definitely DID NOT cause the fumble. It's not like Rodgers got whipped around in circles by his face mask until the ball came out. The entire moment from the fumble until the time that contact ended was about a second or two in real time. The ref followed the ball(as he should have done) and the Packers lost the game......Easy peasy--move on.......

The face mask was before the change of possesion. The ball was in the air when he had the facemask. Packer ball and a first down.

And the video shows it clearly, the natural motion of the Cardinals player arm went through the ball, knocked the ball out, and hit Rodgers facemask. Once the ball is loose, the likelihood of getting a penalty called is nil. How do you determine possession? The refs have to make a judgement based on a boom-boom play where the time between when the ball leaves Rodgers hand and is picked up by the Dansby is less than 1/2 second. The ref made the right decision by not throwing a flag on a play that determined the outcome of the game, especially when the penalty itself does not affect the outcome. The NFL already made a statement that it believes the official made the correct call in not throwing the flag. We can sit here and watch the video over and over in slow motion, but when the natural motion of the defenders arm carried his hand through the ball and into Rodgers facemask, a flag should never be thrown.

I hate to beat a dead horse here, the game is over. However, lovethemidwest, your statement is incorrect. It was not a fumble. The ball never hit the ground. The face mask penalty would have been enforced and it should have been Pack ball 1st and 10 on approx 32 yd line. The ball falls out of Rodgers hand and somehow he kicks it up in the air a bit. AZ defender INTERCEPTS the pass as it never hit the ground. Ref's blew that call (along with a bunch of others). Rotten way to lose a game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZCbmc0II...

Familyof4, here is the play. Watch it carefully on the slow mo. You can clearly see that the defenders hand knocks the ball loose before his hand grabs the facemask. Therefore the penalty if called would have been after the fumble and would not have been green bay ball. It wouldnt have been a TD but AZ would have had the ball.

Pretty brutal game to watch.
If the pack was not caught like a deer in headlights to start the game, i think they win pretty easy. After the horrific 1st quarter, they were simply chasing the entire game, and really made a game into what looked like a cardinal blowout.
.
I really hate these kisses of death who announce these games, and make their picks in the pre game hype. I mean you KNOW it's trouble when you see all of them picking the Packers in the pre-game show. Then when the game went to OT, and the big consensus was "who ever wins the coin toss will win the game" you just KNOW that when the packers won the toss, it was over. That's one of those deals where if you are betting through an off shore exchange like matchbook, and can bet "in game", you just lay substantial $$$ on Arizona as soon as green bay wins the coin toss, as they would be HUGE dogs at that point, as the public would be mass panic selling on Arizona, and mass impulse buying on Green Bay.
.
The "scalpers" did real good in the game. Few friends I talked to bet Green bay on the moneyline early in the week at +130, and then bet Arizona on the moneylineat the same +130 on game day, after the huge line move. So they scalped 30% profit regardless of the outcome of the game. I was not so fortunate:-(...
I played the Packers early in the week at +2.5, and of course bought up to the key number of +3. Looked like I made the right move, and was going to push out, but that clown Rackers botched ANOTHER crucial kick .......Remember the famous "THE BEARS ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE game" when Arizona pissed away a HUGE lead to the Bears (who would go on to the super bowl that year), and Arizona had a chance to salvage that 2nd half melt down with a Rackers chip shot kick to win? That game cost me a ton, as I had Arizona on the moneyline at something like 6/1! That guy is my nemesis!
Oh well, on to next week!

Tough loss for the pack. This was one of the best offensive teams I have ever seen them have. I think they could have beat New Orleans, or anyone in the NFC. Hopefully there is not a "carryover" effect going into next season! As people have noted on here, they have the nuclease of a good team, with many young players, and or in their prime.

And by the way I say the Packers are America's team. Texas thinks it is its own country so I am not calling Dallas America's team.

I am still upset about the facemask, however I do not know it would of changed the outcome. However I am looking forward to next season cannot wait for September. Go Pack

Things are looking up for 2010.
Rodgers continues to improve and is already one of the best QBs in the NFC and should be for the next 10 years.
Woodson is defensive player of the year.
Young players like Matthews, Finley, Jennings, Raji and Jones showed that they have the potential to be great players.
If we can add some secondary help either by getting guys healthy or adding some better players to the mix we can improve that area that was torched by Arizona.
Clifton and Tauscher were very solid in the second half of the year but we need to still find some long term tackle help.
The future looks promising but we need to keep improving because we won't have the cupcake schedule next year that we had in 2009.
The loss to the defending NFC champs in OT was heartbreaking but I hope it is foreshadowing of better things to come.

Please let it go--you can analyze every call and play in the game......what it comes down to is that THEY LOST!!!!

lovethemidwest, I watched the replay on the 9:00 pm news and it clearly shows that his hand was on Rodgers facemask seconds before the ball came out,therefore a penalty.and if you watch the play closely the ref was reaching for his flag, but never pulled it.

lovethemidwest, your 7:29 post is excellent, the 7:23 one is factually wrong. If the facemask was called, it would have been 15 yards and a first down for the Packers.

maybe they should start to fine the refs for there stupidity. for crying out loud they fined a player $10,000 for using the wrong colored chin strap.

timewas: Read through all of the comments. You will see that I am not alone in being both a Packer fan and a Favre fan. No resentment in me. How about you? Definition of resentment: You taking the poison but waiting for the other person to die. I want none of that.

I am VERY impressed with Rodgers. The way he handled the Favre fiasco, the way he bounced back from that int on the first play, etc... He is one classy kid. I was particularly impressed that, unlike most pro athletes, he didnt blame the fumble on bad officiating. He blamed himself, took full reponsibility. Dont see that to often from overly egotistical athletes. Glad to have him leading the Pack for many years to come.

jvldss, it would have still been AZ ball regardless. Watch the replay, the "facemask" happened AFTER the ball was out of his hands. Therefore, the fumble would stand and it would be AZ ball. As far as the no call, Im glad they didnt call it. Im a Packer fan but they need to let little things like that go, let the players play. The Pack should have never been in that position with the way our offense played.

DwightKSchrute - The NFL said on Monday that a replay review was not warranted since facemask penalties are a judgment call for officials.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...

DwightKSchrute, explain to me how that rule applies to this situation? Adams was not trying to get the ball.

This was a flat out facemask penalty. Watch the clip again on youtube. Rodgers head is clearly twisted, and it doesn't appear as if Adams ever lets go till Rodgers is on the ground...

DwightKSchrute – Rules are made to be broken, or in the case of the NFL, not applied consistently. You of all people should know that the rule book is subjective based on the interpretation of the official who views the infraction.

# A defensive player may not contact an opponent above the shoulders with the palm of his hand except to ward him off on the line. This exception is permitted only if it is not a repeated act against the same opponent during any one contact. In all other cases the palms may be used on head, neck, or face only to ward off or push an opponent in legal attempt to get at the ball.
-------------------------------------
There you go, from the NFL rule book, once the ball is fumbles, the Arizona player can legally use his hands against Rodgers facemask.

Another thing too, once Rodgers lost the ball, the refs are required to watch the ball to find the recovering team, thus no longer looking for penalties. If the refs eyes were on the ball which was on the ground (or Rodgers foot), its easy to see how he could have missed the hand hitting the facemask.

Warcraft - that facemask penalty would have been a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down.

In Capers zone scheme who is supposed to cover the middle of the field? That was so wide open all game yesterday. Disappointed they made no halftime adjustments on defense. I know we were down three cornerbacks and two safeties but c'mon, somebody man up and make a play.

skeptical1, that's exactly why Green Bay had such a "good" secondary...on paper. Just like the rest of the NFC north, the Packers schedule was filled with pushover teams lacking decent passing games. As you noted, when Green Bay played teams with decent passing games, their secondary got destroy, the only exception being Dallas.

Go Vaqueros! (Cowboys too!)

Also, look for A. Peterson to fumble at least once.

I'm trying to think of a top flight quarterback the Packers beat all year. Certainly not anyone with the Lions, Bears, Browns, 49'ers, or Ravens. I guess Tony Romo with Dallas was the best they beat all year. That lofty defensive rating was a bit misleading as folks like Favre, Big Ben, and Warner proved. A good regular season but one and done is about where they belong.

I'm with jvldss, GO COWBOYS.
If da boyz can make it past the vikes, they have a good shot at winning it all against the Colts.
Should be a good game to watch next weekend when America's team, Cowboys, set the sail and let the Vikes drift out to sea, dead sea that is and then Brett will be put out to pasture once and for all.

Yeah, they really got screwed. They gave up 51 points, and the Refs "jobbed" them.
How about Aaron Rodgers not overthrow Greg Jennings? Twice.
Packers need hire a new defensive coordinator for next season.
Oh and even with the penalty it would have been
4th down.

Brees vs Warner could be a repeat of yesterday except the Saints defense isn't as porous as ours. I hope AZ wins and the Cowboys win. I want AZ back in the Superbowl vs the Ravens but I think it will be Dallas.

The weekend proved one thing. The Jets, Ravens and Cowboys proved that come playoff time it is all about great defense and a strong running game. The Pack and AZ have neither.

You must not be a Packer fan, or a little Karma would be ok

So karma is a Packers fan? Haha, what a joke! karma doesn't even exist!

I am all for Karma

There were some bad choices by the Refs but really the last play was a facemask, the Woodson hit come on it was not fair, would it have changed the outcome I do think so but fair is fair. Can the NFL do anything about that?

Fear not. The Pack will be back. See you next year.

"packers missed an easy field goal"
.
Since when is 54 yards an *easy* field goal?

Oh...and go Cowboys!

Yah, packers missed an easy field goal, but so did the Cardinals at the end of regulation. So, it is equal. What ticked me off is the refs NOT either calling holding on the offensive line or offensive pass interference when their star receiver pushed down Woodson in the end zone to score a touchdown and instead called defensive roughing the passer on our defensive line guy who was held and pushed into Warner. That score should have never have counted, but Arizona might have scored anyways. Great game to watch, but where was the defensive rush from the Pack and the defensive backs NOT playing bump and run coverage and instead slacking off the line and playing so crappy. I thought the Pack would have a good game defensively rushing Warner and some picks from the D-back. That is what lost the game for the Packers, not Rodgers 2 miscues in the game -1st play and last play of game.

The youngest team in the NFL just took the NFC defending champions to overtime after mounting an incredible comeback after being down 31-10. That was a pretty good performance for a young team whose QB was playing in his first playoff game.
The defense only forced one punt the entire game and had no answer for Warner who is second to Bart Starr as the highest rated playoff quarterback of all time. Not having three of our corners and two of our safeties for this game didn't help this performance. The offense played pretty well. Rodgers was good but his two turnovers and missing Jennings on two TD bombs did take away from his tremendous performance.
And the refs inexplicably missed two critical calls in overtime - the helmet to helmet hit by Berry on Rodgers on the Colledge holding play and the flagrant face mask (grab and turn the head) on the final play.

After watching three dud playoff games before this one, this game was entertaining and thrilling to the end. Good job Packers. If we can improve the offensive line and defensive secondary in the offseason and find a kick returner and kicker in the process I think we could have a great 2010 season.

A great game to watch, though unfortunate that GB didn't pull it off. I was also amazed that there was no facemask called on that final play. So many cliff-hangers to this game. I am very glad I had the opportunity to watch.

And say what you will, but I still enjoy watching Favre play ball.

I too have no problem watching Favre play on Sunday. It should be another cliff hanger. The man can play and entertain. I think deep down that Favre was pulling for A-Rod, and I think the hatchet has been buried, because Favre has had the best ending his career could offer. He is in his happy place. Just my opinion, as I think he has had good sportsmanship in his successful career. His bitterness was for Ted Thompson, I dont blame him for his grudge.

Matthew516, God had nothing to do with it...it was because I was wearing my soon to be discarded bad luck Packer sweatshirt!

Oh My gosh, I was on the end of my seat the whole second half. It was a fantastic show to watch. I cannot say enough about that Rodgers, "Cool Calm Collected". He did a hell of a job reaching the first time highest score in play offs. I think when Favre retires, and Warner retires, our A-Rod will be the man to watch. Favre gave Rogers alot of cues while watching him work from the sideline. Our time will come before you know it.

Great game, great outcome.....God is awesome!

Just a thought...Is that the kind of game the NFL want? Given the DB's being handcuffed...is this the new and improved NFL?
.
If it is, count me out! 51-48 by two playoff teams. Whatever happened to a little thing called DEFENSE?
.
The game was entertaining because it was close not because of the overall product.
.
Agree, Disagree?

Seriously, Favre is gone. Get over it. I can't believe people are still talking about that. Fact of the matter is, the same Packers defensive we've been watching that has been unstoppable for the last eight weeks, never showed up yesterday. That was one of the most sad displays defensively ever witnessed. I lost count of the missed tackles. You cannot play against the Cardinals like that and expect to win. Did the Packers come back? Sure, and it was great, but it never should have came down to that.
It amazes me how a team can play so great for months and then play like that. I think over confidence got the best of them. It's too bad.

Favre is playing with the Vikings because he wanted to play on a championship caliber team after leaving the Packers and he knew the Vikings had all the pieces there except a good QB.

916WI, Why don't you put your lower lip over your head and swallow,you know Favre is a good liar.

I wonder what team will pick up Favre next year. hahahahahahaha maybe a nursing home team, now thats funny right there now. we will call it the NNHL, National Nursing Home League.

Resentment??? Yeah...he showed so much resentment when he was laughing and joking with all of his former teammates. The guy is in his 40's, still competitive and led the first place team in his division--he has so much to be resentful for--huh???:) Rodgers rocks? How is his playoff season shaping up this year? Oh--it's not--it's kinda over........

I wonder what team will pick up Favre next year. hahahahahahaha maybe a nursing home team, now thats funny right there now.

prove you right Sarah? NO one has done that. You must have a Packer hangover.

Thanks for continuing to prove me right.

better off without Brett , Rodgers Rocks.

mis posted before.

casey it was 51 to 45

casey it was 51 to 45

I said all along it would depend on what defense for the Packers showed up.

That should of went back to the Packers, they face masked Rodgers when they knocked the ball out,the ref is blind. Other then that the Packers looked awsome, but the def could of done alittle better. Always next year, can't wait.

We are better off with Brett, Rodgers Rocks.

Brett has show resentment ever since Greenbay cut him loose. Playing for the vikngs was just a 'in your face ' move by him. He should have played for the Bears.

Good grief! Enjoy the "almost" of this game and quit complaining about Brett Favre. To turn your focus toward him is an insult to today's Packers. Some of you people must eat resentment for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Get over it; Brett did long ago.

It was a facemask and it should have been called, however in a 54-45 point game I don't think it went down to one missed call. I think Aaron Rogers is a great quarterback and has a great future in Greenbay.

Thank you to Aaron Rodgers for a great year, for being a hard worker and humble person. In the two seasons that you have been our fulltime QB, you are already ahead of Brett in Stats.

916WI,,EXCUSE US ALL,, BUT WHO gave Mr.Diva his chance to play pro ball after being after being booted from Atlanta. Green Bay treated him very well, and he would not have broken a lot of those records with out the cast around him. I do not like Ted Thompson, however I don't like getting jerked around season, after season. He is Diva .. He is full of himself. I like how he DID NOT get MVP again this year, I think alot of people thought he would, I am sure Brett thought he would. But first you have to be deserving of it. Brett owes Green Bay alot and has shown he has no loyality to anyone but himself. Wait unitl after the game, on Sunday when Dallas pounds them. Then those nasty viking fans will see just exactly what Brett is all about.

After all that Favre did for the Packers, it still amazes me that amount of animosity many fans hold toward him. So what if there was a year or two when he went back and forth on whether or not he wanted to play. Everyone of us has been indecisive at one point in our lives--the two facts that cannot be disputed are 1) that he obviously loves playing the game and 2) that he was a huge asset to the Packers organization while he played for Green Bay. The games when the Packers played the Vikings, it was extremely cool to see how his former teammates and Favre joked around and still held their friendships close......I feel bad for the fans that just can't thank him for all he had done for the team and wish him well!!!! Go Brett!!!!:)

FACEMASK...Geez...It was clear as day on that last play!!!

What are people doing on here bxxxxin about? Face it by game 5 of this year, no one expected them to even go to the playoffs. We are all disappointed by the outcome. They climbed back into that game. The on side kick was brilliant, regardless if they did not win or not. They could have been like the almighty Patriots and looked like fools and given up. But they looked the like the talented team they are, a team with pride that kept fighting. I am also so glad Minnesota is going to have to play Dallas, they are going to get run out of their own 'house' by Dallas. I am not a Dallas fan, but I will enjoy watching the Dallas boys beat up on the viking girls, and especially Mr.Diva a.k.a. Brett Favre.
Go Dallas

"It was only right for mikies boy to screw it up,..."

You must have been watching a different game. The Packers defense gave away the game. The Cards should have won with the 35 yard field goal in the 4th quarter.

It was only right for mikies boy to screw it up,a.r. aint payed his dues yet,and not for many years. But then again i would've LOVED to see favre spank the pack again! "GO VIKINGS"

Just a game. Not a bad first playoff game for Rodgers. To bad the defense didn't show up. Exciting game to watch though. Brent who?

So much for the genius, Dom Capers!!

Great game once the Packers got down to it. Unfortunately, the Cardinals were able to make good off of every Green Bay mistake in the early going. It was amazing, however, to see the comeback that almost took the Packers to the next level of the playoffs.

Bummer!

What an awesome game! Woulda been better had the Pack won. Was hoping for another Pack-Vikings matchup. Oh well. Maybe next year. :)

M-E-L-T-D-O-W-N, meltdown meltdown meltdown. Nice comeback by the Packers, but face it, if that was Favre and the Vikings who fumbled the game away, every Packers fan in the world would be screaming meltdown! So long, enjoy the flight home! I wish I had enough fingers on my hands to count the number of Packers fans who said Arizona didn't stand a chance after last week. DwightKSchrute attempted to correct them by letting them know that last weeks game meant nothing and the Cardinals would be back. Now off to tend to my beets!