Cardinals trick Eagles defense with gadget play to Fitzgerald

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Larry Fitzgerald tied an NFL conference championship game record with his three touchdown receptions, of 9, 62 and 1 yard, yesterday against the Eagles.

The 62-yarder came on a gadget play, after quarterback Kurt Warner lateraled the ball to halfback J.J. Arrington on an apparent sweep around the right end before Arrington stopped and passed back to Warner, who had drifted deep to the left. Warner lofted a pass toward Fitzgerald, who made the catch after the Eagles' Quintin Demps fell down while trying to find the ball.

"It's made for that defense they play against two tights, but it's a scary play," Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley said.

"There are a lot of variables. You can't call it against the blitz. It's obviously a lot of ball-handling. Protection is the hard part. The hard part isn't getting Larry one-on-one with the safety. That part you feel good about. You give Larry a chance to make a play."

Fitzgerald joined Gary Collins (Cleveland, 1964) and Preston Pearson (Dallas, 1975) as the only players with three touchdown receptions in a conference title game.

"That was a play we had seen on tape that got past Philadelphia in past years," Fitzgerald said. "We know their safeties like to hit it hard on the run, coming up and supporting."

Fitzgerald had nine catches for 152, in the process setting an NFL playoff record with 419 yards in three games. Jerry Rice had 409 with the 49ers in 1988. *

- Jack Magruder