49ers Beat Cardinals in Wild OT Shootout

BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer

Kurt Warner had a big day that ended very badly for him and triumphantly for the embattled San Francisco 49ers. Warner was hit by Ronald Fields and fumbled in the Arizona end zone, and Tully Banta-Cain recovered for a touchdown and a wild 37-31 overtime victory over the Cardinals that ended the 49ers' eight-game losing streak on Sunday. Neil Rackers, whose 19-yard field goal as regulation ended forced the overtime, missed a 32-yarder that would have given Arizona the victory moments before the decisive play.

Warner completed 34 of 48 passes for 484 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice early. His completions included a desperation 48-yarder to Larry Fitzgerald to put the Cardinals (5-6) ahead 21-17 as the half ended. San Francisco is 3-8 this season, but 2-0 against Arizona. Warner's 62-yard pass to Sean Morey helped set up the field goal try that Rackers pulled to the left. The attempt was pushed back 5 yards by a delay-of-game penalty, even though Arizona had two timeouts remaining. Arizona outgained San Francisco 552 yards to 374, but the Cardinals had four turnovers to none by the 49ers. Arizona stopped the 49ers on three overtime possessions, but twice the Cardinals were pinned deep in their territory, with the help of a pair of blocking-in-the-back penalties against rookie Ben Patrick. Andy Lee's punt, combined with the penalty, pinned the Cardinals at their 3. On first down, Warner dropped back to pass, but hesitated. That's when he was hit by Fields and dropped the ball.

Frank Gore, looking like the powerhouse player of last year, ran for 116 yards on 21 carries and caught 11 passes from Trent Dilfer for 98 yards. There were three lead changes in the second half. Gore, slowed by a sore ankle much of the season, ran 35 yards virtually untouched to put San Francisco 31-28 with 1:15 left in regulation. But Warner completed five straight passes for 84 yards in the final 1:11. His last went 30 yards to Bryant Johnson, who slid out of bounds inside the San Francisco 1 with 6 seconds left.

After using their final timeout of regulation, Warner threw an incomplete lob to Johnson, then — with the ball inches from the goal line — Rackers kicked the tying chip shot. Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He broke Larry Centers' franchise record with 30 touchdowns as a Cardinal. He also topped 1,000 yards receiving for the season. It was his 12th career 100-yard receiving game, third this season. The 49ers took a 24-21 lead in the fourth quarter on Dilfer's 57-yard pass to Arnaz Battle.

But Arizona rallied. On fourth-and-1 at the San Francisco 2-yard line, backup quarterback Tim Rattay retreated to avoid the rush, then found Patrick deep in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Cardinals committed three early turnovers, two of them interceptions of Warner. The turnovers led to both first-half San Francisco touchdowns. Joe Nedney's 19-yard field goal was set up by Michael Lewis' 51-yard punt return. The 49ers led 17-10 when Warner scrambled to his left and lofted the ball to the end zone with the final seconds of the half ticking away. The 6-foot-3 Fitzgerald outjumped the crowd, grabbed the ball for the TD, then ran for the tunnel.

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