Arizona Cardinals: Remembering Week 17 of the 2003 season
By Sion Fawkes
Nate Poole goes down in Cardinals history
This time, McCown had time. He scrambled up in the pocket and launched one toward the corner of the end zone, where Poole caught the ball, but was pushed out of bounds. However, the push-out rule was not yet a factor, allowing NFL officials to rule the catch a touchdown, improving the Arizona Cardinals record to 4-12 while the Vikings went home.
Before the game began, the Vikings only needed either a win or a Packers loss to secure the NFC’s fourth seed. Had the Vikings and Packers both won, the Vikings still would have gone to the playoffs over Green Bay because they would have held the advantage in common opponents.
Instead, the snakebitten Vikings watched their rivals win a thriller at Lambeau Field the following week in the, “We want the ball, we’re going to score” game. While the Cardinals finished the season 4-12 and well out of the NFC Playoffs, their 2004 season started with a bang when they drafted Larry Fitzgerald, who would go on to become one of the best receivers in NFL history.
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Just five seasons later, the Cardinals played in their first Super Bowl in a losing effort to the Pittsburgh Steelers in what is regarded as one of the best Super Bowl finishes ever. The Vikings have fielded some solid teams, but they are one of just four in the NFC (Cowboys, Commanders, Lions) yet to reach the big game in the 21st century.
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