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Antrel Rolle had three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, as the Arizona Cardinals fended off the Cincinnati Bengals, 35-27, at Paul Brown Stadium. Rolle's third pick of the day came in the closing moments to seal the win, and nearly put him in the record books. The first-round pick out of Miami took Carson Palmer's errant pass and sprinted into the end zone, seemingly giving him an NFL-high three TD interception returns in one game. Antonio Smith was whistled for a personal foul on the return, however, to nullify the score.
Nevertheless, the Cardinals (5-5) picked up their second straight win to stay in the hunt in the NFC West. Kurt Warner went 16-of-28 for 211 yards with a pair of touchdown tosses in a winning effort. Palmer ended 37-of-52 for 329 yards with a career-high four interceptions to two touchdown passes for Cincinnati (3-7), which has dropped three of four. The Bengals appeared to have momentum on their side after scoring 14 points in less than two minutes in the latter stages of the third quarter. After Palmer and Chris Henry hooked up for a 37-yard touchdown strike, DeDe Dorsey came up with a blocked punt and scooped it up for the score to move Cincinnati within one at 28-27. Rolle, though, intercepted Palmer with under a minute to play in the third stanza and darted 54 yards for the touchdown to turn the tide. The scoring went silent for both parties in the fourth quarter, and Rolle's third interception of the game on Cincinnati's final drive sealed the win. The Bengals started at the Cards' 36 on their first possession after Antonio Chatman was interfered with while fielding a punt. The Cincinnati offense quickly cashed in, as Palmer found T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard strike. Arizona tried to respond in the next sequence, but the drive stalled and Neil Rackers' 54-yard field goal attempt was off the mark. The defense picked up the slack, however. On second down of the Bengals' ensuing possession, Rolle jumped his receiver's route for an interception then wove his way downfield for a 55-yard TD return. Cincinnati regained the lead early in the second quarter on Shane Graham's 41- yard field goal, making it 10-7. Warner, though, countered with a 44-yard touchdown toss over the middle to Anquan Boldin moments later that put Arizona in front for the first time. Graham again connected for the Bengals, this time from 38 yards out, to pull his team within one. Following that field goal, Warner orchestrated a nine-play, 85-yard march that culminated with a five-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 13 ticks on the clock for a 21-13 edge at the half. Palmer was intercepted on the very first play of the second half, leading to Edgerrin James' three-yard run to pay dirt. Game Notes: Houshmandzadeh ended with eight receptions for 87 yards, while Chad Johnson hauled in eight for 86...Fitzgerald had eight grabs for 93 yards...The Bengals had 396 total yards to Arizona's 247. Sports Network http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=nfl/news/abn4113349.htm |
