The Internet Exploded With Memes And Reactions After The Wild Packers-Cardinals Ending

Most of Saturday night’s game between the Packers and Cardinals was a bore, a ho-hum affair where neither team did much of anything outside of playing a close, tight contest. To be fair, there were were two exciting plays in the first three quarters, both of which didn’t count- a Randall Cobb one-handed grab that was called back for a penalty, and a 100-yard INT return by the Cards that was, you guessed it, also called back on a penalty. But other than that, kinda blah, a game most fans wouldn’t remember.

Then the fourth quarter happened – and all hell broke loose

It started when Carson Palmer threw one of the most inexplicably dumb passes in the end zone, a ball that seemingly floated in the air for 10 seconds. It was picked off by the Packers and that almost seemed like it would be the end of Arizona’s magical run.

Not even close.

With under 4 minutes left, Palmer (again) threw a questionable pass in the end zone, a dart in between a throng of humanity. And it was tipped and it was deflected, and it somehow ended in the arms of Michael Floyd. Touchdown Cards! And things started to get good.

The Packers got the ball back and couldn’t get out of their own way. A 4th down attempt fell short and Arizona all but sealed the game (after some questionable decisions) with a field goal.

But it wasn’t over for Aaron Rodgers who somehow, someway (and perhaps by “divine intervention” according to Al Michaels) completed two Hail Mary’s on the same drive, the second falling into the arms of Jeff Janis in the end zone with no time remaining.

https://twitter.com/oliviamunn/status/688588061794537472

And that was crazy, that was nuts. People on the Internet immediately made comparisons to Rodgers’ Hail Mary this year against the Lions, a 65-yard bomb that was arguably the greatest throw in NFL history.

It also, basically killed Calvin Johnson. But I digress.

Folks didn’t have time to celebrate the Hail Mary because moments later, the most bizarre thing happened. The coin flip didn’t, um, flip. In a move that defied the laws of physics and probably had Isaac Newton rolling over in his grave, the coin didn’t move. It just hung there, perfectly parallel to the ground. Unbelievable.

https://twitter.com/WorldofIsaac/status/688580514207240193

And just as people were getting over that, just as the Internet was wrapping their collective head around a deflected pass TD, two Hail Mary’s and a coin that didn’t flip, Larry Fitzgerald all but ended the game on the first play of overtime. A rumbling, bumbling 75-yard catch and run to the 4-yard line. Two plays later, the Cards moved into the NFC Championship game.

And the Internet exploded.

https://twitter.com/AdrianPeterson/status/688585042327519234

https://twitter.com/thecultureofme/status/688582216629260288
https://twitter.com/kimmiexj/status/688583512241274880

https://twitter.com/BobbyBigWheel/status/688587833293033472

https://twitter.com/Denlesks/status/688581258683658241

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/688581857705734144