Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald argues that he scored a touchdown on his final catch Sunday in Philadelphia, a play that set up the game-winning score.
Larry Fitzgerald really wanted that third touchdown Sunday against Philadelphia, when he slid across the goal line after he was called touched down at the Eagles' 1-yard line with a little more than two minutes left in the game.
"You know, we got the win and that's all that really matters," Fitzgerald said. "But as a competitor you always want to make the play that puts you over the top and I came up a little short."
The Pro Bowl wide receiver may have come up a yard shy on that play, but he didn't come up short for the Cardinals. In fact, he came up with his most productive game of the season – seven catches, 146 yards and two touchdowns – as the Cardinals toppled the Eagles, 21-17, and it earned Fitzgerald the NFC Offensive player of the week award.
Amazingly, it is the first time in his career Fitzgerald has been named offensive player of the week, and only the second time the Cardinals have won the award in the last decade. Quarterback Kurt Warner earned the award in Week 13 of the 2009 season. Before that, the last Card to win it was QB Jake Plummer during the 2000 season.
In an even more amazing twist of fate, the last Cardinals wide receiver to win the award was Roy Green, the man whom Fitzgerald tied and then surpassed for the franchise record for touchdowns Sunday with Fitzgerald's 69th and 70th career scores.
The date of the game for which Green won his award? It was Nov. 13, 1988 -- 23 years to the Sunday Fitzgerald lit up the Eagles.
Fitzgerald averaged more than 20 yards a catch in Philadelphia, and currently averages 17.6 yards a reception this season (45 catches for 792 yards), which would smash his previous career-high.
"We always knew where No. 11 was and tried to contain him," Eagles safety Kurt Coleman said after the game. "He's a Pro Bowler and he's one of the best for a reason. He got paid 'x' amount of bucks for that reason."
Fitzgerald's biggest play was that 37-yard grab at the end, tracking it directly above his head and hauling it in. Touchdown or not, it was the No. 1 reason the Cardinals came away with the victory.
"Larry's Larry and like anyone else he wants the ball in his hands," quarterback John Skelton said. "You know, we dial up a lot of plays specifically for him and we try to get him the ball and touches as much as you can. I mean, it's just Larry being Larry, that's what it is."
