Posted at 3:06 p.m., Sunday, December 30, 2007
NFL: Cardinals earn first non-losing season since 1998
By BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer
Larry Fitzgerald caught 11 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns, and Arizona finished an 8-8 season with a 48-19 victory over the St. Louis Rams today, the Cardinals' highest-scoring game in 30 years.
The .500 record under first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt is Arizona's best since going 9-7 and making the playoffs in 1998. The Cardinals' only other non-losing season in 23 years was 8-8 in 1994, Buddy Ryan's first year as Arizona coach.
Kurt Warner threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted twice. Oshiomogho Atogwe returned one of the picks 52 yards for a score that cut the Cardinals' lead to 31-19 with 1:48 left in the third quarter.
On the next possession, Anquan Boldin's 20-yard touchdown reception, his career-best ninth scoring catch of the season, boosted the lead to a comfortable 38-19 with 13:37 to play.
The Rams (3-13), plagued by injuries most of the year, finished with a four-game losing streak after opening 0-8.
Antrel Rolle intercepted two of Marc Bulger's passes, returning the first 47 yards for a touchdown. It was Rolle's third return of a pick for a score this season. Gerald Hayes picked off Gus Frerotte's pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 3:09 left.
Warner, who took over from injured Matt Leinart against the Rams five games into the season, threw for 27 touchdowns, one shy of the Cardinals' season record shared by Charley Johnson (1963) and Neil Lomax (1984).
Arizona finished 6-2 at home in the franchise's biggest scoring output since the then-St. Louis Cardinals of coach Don Coryell beat New Orleans 49-31 on Oct. 23, 1977.