Aug 30, 2008 - 1:54 AM
0 shoutsGLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Matt Leinart is making Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt's decision on a starting quarterback very difficult.
The product of Southern California was impressive in leading the Cardinals on a pair of touchdown drives, but the Denver Broncos emerged with a 28-14 victory in the preseason finale for both teams on Friday.
After Kurt Warner started and completed 4-of-4 passes for 48 yards, Leinart was 10-of-14 for 177 yards and engineered two scoring drives in the second quarter. The first, a seven-play, 90-yard march, was capped with a 17-yard touchdown strike from Leinart to tight end Leonard Pope.
After turning over the ball with a fumble during his second possession, the 10th overall pick in 2006 guided the Cardinals to an eight-play, 64-yard drive that was capped by J.J. Arrington's 26-yard TD run that opened a 14-10 lead for Arizona, which visits San Francisco for its season opener on September 7.
The Broncos, who open the season at Oakland on September 8, went ahead midway through the fourth quarter on an 87-yard touchdown strike from Darrell Hackney to Keary Colbert.
Hackney played the entire game for the Broncos, completing 17-of-26 passes for 208 yards and a score.
Rookie running back Anthony Alridge was a workhorse for Denver, carrying the ball 23 times for 110 yards. Michael Pittman had six carries for just eight yards but had a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Jack Williams finished off the scoring by returning an interception 87 yards for a score for the Broncos, who did not play any starters on offense or defense.
From the Bleachers
-
DENVER: 28
ARIZONA: 14
Final
Aug 30 1:10 AM -
NFL
TD DEN
JACK WILLIAMS 89 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN
(MATT PRATER KICK)
DENVER 28
ARIZONA 14 5:42 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Aug 30 12:55 AM -
NFL
TD DEN
KEARY COLBERT 87 YD PASS FROM DARRELL HACKNEY
(DARRELL HACKNEY RUN FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
DENVER 21
ARIZONA 14 8:51 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Aug 30 12:42 AM -
Broncos 21, Cardinals 14 4th Quarter - 8:51
RUWTbot
Took away 18 roots (Close Finish)
Aug 30 12:42 AM -
NFL
FG DEN
MATT PRATER 38 YD
DENVER 13
ARIZONA 14 12:06 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Aug 30 12:29 AM -
DENVER: 10
ARIZONA: 14
End of 3rd
Aug 30 12:22 AM -
DENVER: 10
ARIZONA: 14
Halftime
Aug 29 11:32 PM -
NFL
TD ARI
J.J. ARRINGTON 26 YD RUN
(NEIL RACKERS KICK)
DENVER 10
ARIZONA 14 1:28 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Aug 29 11:28 PM -
DENVER: 10
ARIZONA: 7
Halftime
Aug 29 11:23 PM -
NFL
TD DEN
MICHAEL PITTMAN 1 YD RUN
(MATT PRATER KICK)
DENVER 10
ARIZONA 7 6:14 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Aug 29 11:02 PM -
NFL
TD ARI
LEONARD POPE 17 YD PASS FROM MATT LEINART
(NEIL RACKERS KICK)
DENVER 3
ARIZONA 7 11:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Aug 29 10:49 PM -
DENVER: 3
ARIZONA: 0
End of 1st
Aug 29 10:41 PM -
NFL
FG DEN
MATT PRATER 32 YD
DENVER 3
ARIZONA 0 4:34 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Aug 29 10:27 PM
