Story by Brad Friedman
This week's *Madden 17 *simulation produced some last minute heroics, courtesy of one Michael Thomas.
Thomas's leaping 27-yard grab in the game's waning moments vaulted the New Orleans Saints to a 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals. [
His touchdown came as a result of Arizona retaking the lead, but doing so too quickly. Chandler Catanzaro sent through a 47-yard field goal with 2:15 remaining to put Arizona up 23-20. With a timeout and the two-minute warning in tow, New Orleans had enough time to make its way into Arizona territory to set up Thomas's dazzling touchdown grab over an outstretched Patrick Peterson.
Thomas's game-winning grab put a bow on what was literally a back-and-forth game: the two teams alternated the game's 10 scoring plays, the first four of which occurred in the first half. Touchdowns from Thomas and Mark Ingram bested Arizona's David Johnson 11-yard receiving touchdown and Catanzaro's 33-yard field goal, giving New Orleans a 14-10 halftime advantage.
The Cardinals surged back in the third quarter, retaking the lead thanks to another Catanzaro field goal and a 1-yard Larry Fitzgerald touchdown grab. Wil Lutz's 20-yarder in the beginning of the fourth tied things up at 20, sending the game towards the aforementioned crazed finish.