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Closing in on division title, Cardinals visit Seahawks

Nov 11, 2008 - 7:49 PM Arizona (6-3) at Seattle (2-7), 4:05 pm EST

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Arizona Cardinals appear headed to the playoffs this season and can make it all but a formality on Sunday.

Already holding a comfortable four-game lead in the NFC West, the Cardinals seek their third straight win when they visit the Seattle Seahawks.

Arizona has not won a division title since 1975, but took a huge step to ending the drought with Monday night's 29-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

A goal-line stand in the final minute preserved the victory and gave the Cardinals a season sweep of San Francisco. It was Arizona's first win on a Monday night in 20 years, since the franchise relocated from St. Louis in 1988.

"In this league, wins are hard to come by and there really are no givens," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "I am really proud of our defense especially with that goal-line stand. The team fought back and never got down. These are games that you look back on that make huge difference for your football team."

While the defense saved the game, Kurt Warner continued his MVP-caliber campaign, completing 32-of-42 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns.

With the Cardinals utilizing a no-huddle offense, Warner connected on his first 10 passes of the second half. He has 19 scoring passes and just six interceptions on the season.

"It gives us confidence," Warner said. "When we get into those packages and we have success early we feel like we're invincible and can't be stopped."

Warner spread the ball around liberally. Anquan Boldin had seven catches for 92 yards and two TDs, Larry Fitzgerald had eight receptions for 49 yards and a score and speedster Steve Breaston pulled in seven balls for 121 yards.

That adds up to a daunting task for a Seattle defense which has allowed fewer than 20 points on just two occasions.

The Seahawks, who have lost two straight games and five of the past six, hope to get quarterback Matt Hasselbeck back for Sunday's game.

Hasselbeck has missed the past five games with a bulging disk in his back but is expected to practice this week and start. He has not played since hyperextending his knee in a 44-6 loss to the New York Giants on October 5.

"I think anytime you get back a key player who has been injured, it gives you a boost," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.

Seattle also may get back wide receiver Deion Branch, who has played in just one game this season due to to knee and heel injuries.