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Cardinals take another step toward NFC West title

Nov 17, 2008 - 2:51 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- J.J. Arrington scored two touchdowns and Neil Rackers kicked four field goals to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a 26-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Arizona led, 26-7, after three quarters but Seattle pulled within six on a pair of short touchdown runs by T.J. Duckett.

Seattle saw its last chance end when Matt Hasselbeck was intercepted for the third time.

"I wanted to throw Deion (Branch) a home run post. I felt like Deion, for some reason, had taken a flat angle, so I tried to throw it, probably late, on a flat angle, and he said he was going deep, so that's on me," Hasselbeck said. "I got caught in between throwing it flat or throwing it deep, and I threw it flat and the corner undercut it and picked it off."

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie picked off Hasselbeck at the Arizona 48 with 1:55 to play and the Cardinals ran out the clock from there.

"It was great to see us be able to finish a game off and make some plays to win it," "Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "There was a little too much drama at the end for me, especially two weeks in a row."

"It felt especially good as it is my first game getting an interception," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "It felt really good. And to end that drive, it felt like a dream come true and will be something that I remember for a long time."

Kurt Warner completed 32-of-44 passes for 395 yards for the Cardinals (7-3). Anquan Boldin had 13 receptions for a career-high 186 yards and Larry Fitzgerald added 10 receptions for 151 yards.

"We wanted to go out and earn it and we definitely earned it today," Warner said. "Maybe made it a little tougher than we needed to, but guys stepped up and and that's the fun thing. Guys continue to step up. Different guys different games. It's fun. We are really starting to come together as a team."

Arizona has been expected to break through in the NFC West for a few seasons, but have come up short every time. Things look to be a bit different this season.

The Cardinals are 7-3 for the first time since 1977 when they were still in St. Louis. Arizona can clinch its first division title since 1975 when it hosts the New York Giants next week and San Francisco plays at Dallas.

Arizona had a seemingly comfortable 19-point lead entering the fourth quarter and Karlos Dansby appeared to end a Seattle scoring threat with an interception of Hasselbeck in the end zone.

But Dansby fumbled on the return, and tackle Walter Jones recovered at the 11. Duckett scored on a 1-yard run to cut the lead to 26-13.

"I made a bone-head decision. I was trying to get down to the end zone and make a big play and even bigger play," Dansby said. "It was a selfish situation and I know better. I can't make those kinds of mistakes; I can't make those kinds of decisions."

On Arizona's next drive, Warner fumbled on the second play after getting hit from behind by Brandon Mebane. Darryl Tapp recovered the fumble at the Cardinals 14, leading to a 2-yard TD by Duckett that pulled the Seahawks to within 26-20 with 9:41 to play.

Hasselbeck played for the first time since missing six weeks with a bulging disk in his back. He was 17-for-29 for 170 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions.

"I think I'll be OK," Hasselbeck said. "I'm exhausted. I wish I could have finished the game stronger. It's disappointing, because I feel like my team really needed me to finish it strong. I feel like I let my teammates down that way."

"This game was decided, like most games, on turnovers, and they got a couple of very, very important turnovers," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said.