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Arizona In Driver's Seat

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The Associated Press

Published: November 12, 2008

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Arizona Cardinals will have a tough time missing the playoffs now.

The team that has been pro football's biggest loser for decades escaped with a 29-24 victory over San Francisco on Monday night to open a four-game lead in the NFC West with seven to play.

"We had to scrap and fight for everything that we got," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "I'm extremely excited that we came out with a win and we broke that Monday night curse."

It was Arizona's first Monday night win in six tries since the franchise moved to the desert 20 years ago.

At the finish, only a couple of yards were the difference.

The Cardinals (6-3) stopped Michael Robinson up the middle from the 2-yard line as the game ended to preserve their sixth consecutive home victory and fourth this year.

"It would have been nice to have a blowout but hey, those games are sweet when you win," Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner said. "Man, it's fun. It's fun to pull these out. It would have been a heartbreaker to have lost it."

The 49ers (2-7) lost their sixth in a row, and second since Mike Singletary took over as interim coach from the fired Mike Nolan.

Warner finished 32-of-42 for 328 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Shaun Hill, replacing the benched J.T. O'Sullivan for his third career start in seven NFL seasons, threw two touchdowns in the first half but lost a fumble and threw two interceptions in the second. He finished 19-of-40 for 217 yards.

Allen Rossum returned the opening kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown and the 49ers never trailed until Arizona's late score.

BEARS: The team terminated safety Terrence Holt's contract and elevated rookie defensive end Ervin Baldwin from the practice squad.

BRONCOS: The injury-riddled team has signed free-agent running back Tatum Bell to his second stint in Denver.

The fifth-year pro played three seasons for the Broncos before he was traded to Detroit in March 2007. The Lions released him on Sept. 2.

JETS: Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law passed his physical and practiced Tuesday after signing a one-year deal to rejoin the team he played for three seasons ago.

Law, 34, spent the last two seasons with Kansas City. He sat out the first 10 weeks as a free agent, but Coach Eric Mangini said Law was in excellent shape and could play Thursday against the Patriots.

The Jets released cornerback Justin Miller, a Pro Bowl kick returner in 2006, to make room for Law.

RAVENS: Cornerback Chris McAlister and strong safety Dawan Landry were placed on injured reserve, ending their seasons.

McAlister had surgery to repair his posterior cruciate ligament and cartilage damage on his right knee. Landry is still experiencing tingling sensations in his neck after sustaining a spinal cord concussion against the Browns in the third game of the season.

SEAHAWKS: Wide receiver Keary Colbert was released following a disappointing stint with the team. Colbert caught only seven passes in seven games, with one touchdown.

STEELERS: Running back Willie Parker will return to practice today, and Coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic Parker will play Sunday against the Chargers.

Parker has played only once since spraining his knee Sept. 21 in Philadelphia, running for 70 yards in a Monday night win over the Redskins on Nov. 3 in which he dislocated his shoulder.

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