Arizona Cardinals 2015 postseason awards

Cardinals Play of the Year

As you will see staff say, it is a hard choice to narrow this to just one play.  Dwight Freeney’s spin move to shut down the Minnesota Vikings.  J.J. Nelson’s 64-yard touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. However the one play I keep thinking of is the 48-yard touchdown run by Andre Ellington against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday Night Football.  After blowing a large lead and then taking it back, they extended a 32-29 lead to a 39-29 lead with a run that really pumped up the Cardinals players and probably the first time all season they felt like they could win the NFC West. – Scott 

There are so many plays that defined this season, that will end up on highlight reels and be shown for greatness that was this season, even with coming up short in the playoffs. To cheat a little bit, I’m going to vote for a series, the final series in the Week 11 matchup between the Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bengals. With 0:58 seconds left in the game, scored tied at 31, Carson Palmer completed passes of 19 yards (Nelson), 18 yards (Fitzgerald) and 20 yards (Fitzgerald) before a penalty made the winning field goal much closer than it was originally intended to be. That series of passes when the Cardinals offense made one of the best defenses in the game look like a second string high school team was simply amazing. The icing on the cake was winning at home, (Chandler) Catanzaro’s first game winning field goal, and Palmer defeating his old team. Honorable mentions go to Tony Jefferson’s pick to end the Monday Night Football game vs. the Ravens and Dwight Freeney’s spin-move-special to end the Vikings matchup. – Erich

This one is easy. The Cardinals play of the year is Larry Fitzgerald’s 75 yard catch and run in the playoffs against the Packers. In a game that was crazy all through out, this play cemented its status as one of the greatest, if not the greatest playoff game every played. The Cardinals just gave up a Hail Mary to force overtime, and all the momentum was on the Packers side. In the first play of overtime, Palmer channeling his inner Ben Roethlisberger, avoided the Packers pass rush and after a spin move, threw across the field to a wide open Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald weaved his way through the Packers defense, and 2 plays later took a 5 yard screen pass to the end zone and moved the Cardinals to their second NFC Championship game in franchise history.

Honorable Mention: David Johnson’s beast mode run against the Eagles, Andre Ellington’s 48 yard run against the Seahawks. – Vijay

David Johnson takes a punt return the distance, showing his incredible deceptive speed along the edge. I don’t know if that was the key to the Cardinals possible emergence as the NFL’s cerebral playoff edge, but it gave me the sense of this isn’t the same old Cardinals who struggles. That was a day were offense, defense, and special teams clicked. My favorite play. – Johnathan

Next: Cardinals Offensive Player of the Year