Larry Fitzgerald Fined for Illegal Crack-Back Block vs. Packers

The NFL has fined Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald $23,152 for an illegal crack-back block during last week's divisional-round win over the Green Bay Packers, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Friday.

The penalty came midway through the third quarter and forced the Cardinals to settle for a field goal after Arizona drove to the Green Bay 9-yard line.

If Fitzgerald doesn't commit that crack-back block, the game may not have turned out as dramatic as it was.

Fitzgerald's block gave the Cardinals a goal-to-go situation. Arizona would've had the ball inside the 10-yard line and a chance to take a 14-13 lead. Instead, the ball was taken back to the 20, and Arizona settled for a field goal and trailed 13-10.

All was well in the end for the Cardinals, especially Fitzgerald. He made up for it by making the two biggest plays of the game in overtime: the 75-yard catch and run on the first play of the extra period and then catching Carson Palmer's shovel pass for the game-winning score and sending the Cardinals to the NFC Championship Game.

Fitzgerald can't afford to make those mistakes on Sunday when the Cardinals play the Carolina Panthers with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.