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Blocked punt gives Cardinals OT win over Cowboys

Oct 13, 2008 - 2:35 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Kurt Warner had never seen such a crazy finish. Neither has the NFL.

Sean Morey blocked a punt and Monty Beisel returned it for a touchdown in overtime as the Arizona Cardinals avoided a monumental collapse by pulling out a 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Warner threw for 236 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Arizona (4-2), which blew a 10-point lead with just over three minutes left in regulation, only to be bailed out by Morey.

It was the first time in NFL history that an overtime game ended with a blocked punt for a TD.

"I can't remember one that was this crazy, especially towards the end," Warner said.

"It was almost a miracle finish for us," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said. "I thought our guys fought back. We didn't have a good game until then but our guys made some tremendous plays at the end of the game."

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo threw for 321 yards and three scores and Nick Folk hit a game-tying 52-yard field goal as time expired in regulation.

The Cowboys won the coin toss, but it didn't matter. After Dallas failed to get a first down, Morey burst through the line untouched and blocked Mat McBriar's punt, which Beisel recovered at the 3-yard line and stepped into the end zone for the touchdown.

"That topped off an incredible game," Beisel said. "Special teams stepped up and we made the difference."

"I was really fortunate to get the opportunity," Morey said. "They don't come around too often and I wanted to make sure I smothered it and finish the play."

The huge special teams play helped the Cardinals avoid a potentially devastating loss. Arizona also saw. J.J. Arrington return the opening kickoff 93 yards for a score.

"They won it for us," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said of his special teams. "It made a big difference.

"I challenged our kickoff team last night to have a big return for us. I didn't really expect us to have a touchdown on the first play but our guys have been working hard. We were also close on the other punt, too. That is the reason Sean came here. That is why he is the captain on special teams. Big players step up in big games."

Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett was the man responsible for blocking Morey on the play.

"This is how I earn my money," said a remorseful Burnett. "Yeah, I want to play defense but right now this is how I earn my money and to lose a game on my dime, it hurt."

"Two special teams' plays were the big plays in the ballgame," Phillips said. "The kickoff that ran back for a touchdown and the block punt. We had guys who had opportunities to make play but they didn't do it."

Cowboys running back Marion Barber was held to 45 yards on the ground, but caught 11 passes for 128 yards - including a 70-yard TD catch-and-run that began the comeback.

Dallas (4-2) pulled within 24-21 with 2:17 remaining on Barber's score. Arizona's ensuing drive stalled when DeMarcus Ware sacked Warner on 3rd-and-7, giving him a sack in nine straight games - one shy of an NFL record.

The Cardinals were forced to punt with 1:01 remaining, and Adam "Pacman" Jones' return gave Dallas the ball at the 30-yard line. On 3rd-and-11, Romo hit Jason Witten for 30 yards to the Arizona 40, and the Cowboys spiked the ball with three seconds left.

Because Arizona had an injured player on the field during the spike, the officials ruled that it was offside and the ball was moved up five yards to the 35. The Cardinals blocked Folk's initial 52-yard attempt, but Arizona had called a timeout before the play.

In a scene eerily similar to Dallas' win over Buffalo last season, Folk then drilled the game-tying field goal.

Warner's 11-yard strike to Steve Breaston put Arizona up, 21-14, and Neil Rackers kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it a 10-point game with 3:21 remaining.

After a sluggish first half, Romo capped a 12-play, 72-yard drive with a 14-yard TD pass to Miles Austin that put Dallas ahead, 14-7 with 8:11 left in the third.

Romo said the Cowboys did not play poorly despite the fact that they totaled just 75 yards before a 91-yard drive at the end of the first half.

"I don't think we were sluggish or slow I think they were good," said Romo, who snapped his NFL-high streak of eight straight games with at least one interception. "They played an outstanding football game."

Larry Fitzgerald's fifth TD catch of the season capped an 11-play, 60-yard drive and tied the game at 14-14 with 4:11 left. He beat Jones, who played despite being involved in a hotel fight with his team-appointed bodyguard on Tuesday.

Jones was starting for Terence Newman, who had surgery to repair a sports hernia on Friday. The troubled cornerback may still be punished by the league, which is reviewing the matter.

Arizona took a 7-0 lead when Arrington returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a score. Dallas tied it on a 55-yard TD pass from Romo to Patrick Crayton.