BIG PLAYS, BIG WIN, CARDINALS BIG THREAT
Two old quarterbacks with golden resumes and ageless arms took the field Sunday night. Kurt Warner was marvelous, Brett Favre was miserable. Warner, back after missing a game with a concussion, threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns and the Arizona Cardinals' defense stifled Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in a stunningly one-sided 30-17 victory. ''They played like they were in the Super Bowl last year,'' Favre said, ''and we obviously have to play better if we want to be the team that's in the Super Bowl this year.'' Favre set an NFL record for consecutive appearances, but game No. 283 in a row was no night to remember for him or the rest of the Vikings (10-2). The 40-year-old quarterback, with just three interceptions in the first 11 games, was picked off twice and sacked three times. ''I made some decisions that I haven't made up to this point,'' Favre said, ''and I'm disappointed about it.'' Even more startling, Arizona (8-4) held Adrian Peterson to a season-low 19 yards in 13 carries and outrushed Minnesota 113-62. The victory, coupled with San Francisco's loss at Seattle, gives Arizona a three-game lead in the NFC West. The Cardinals can clinch the division title with a victory at San Francisco a week from Monday night. (NY Times)