NFL

Cards bid stadium adieu in odd manner: with win

By wire services
Published December 25, 2005

TEMPE, Ariz. - Even the Arizona players got a kick out of the sign in the stands that read "Thanks for the memories, both of them."

Maybe Saturday's game will rank as a third.

The Cardinals ended 18 years of mostly unremarkable football at Sun Devil Stadium by beating the depleted Eagles.

Josh McCown, probably in his last home game as a Cardinal, threw touchdowns to Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Karlos Dansby returned an interception 11 yards for a score and Neil Rackers hit field goals of 37 and 32 yards in Arizona's final game at the stadium that has been its "temporary" home since the franchise moved from St. Louis in 1988.

The Cardinals move to their $370-million new stadium in the western suburb of Glendale next fall.

"We believe we're a better football team and we didn't show it, not even close," Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said.

NOTABLE: With 38 field goals, Rackers needs two in the finale at Indianapolis to break the league record of 39 shared by Olindo Mare of Miami (1999) and Jeff Wilkins of St. Louis (2003). ... Eagles defensive end Jevon Kearse left with a sprained right knee in the first quarter.

[Last modified December 24, 2005, 23:43:13]