Rackers kicks Cards past Falcons in OT

Neil Rackers gained a measure of redemption and sent the Atlanta Falcons to another loss in their demoralizing season.

Rackers kicked a 29-yard field goal as the fourth quarter ended to force overtime, then booted one from 31 yards on the first possession of the extra session to give the relieved Arizona Cardinals a 30-27 victory Sunday.

Rackers celebrated by sliding on his knees across the grass. He had missed what would have been a game-winning 32-yarder in a loss to San Francisco a month ago.

The Falcons (3-12), who had rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to take the lead, lost their sixth in a row in a season that has included the loss of star quarterback Michael Vick in a dogfighting scandal and the abrupt departure of coach Bobby Petrino.

Kurt Warner completed 36 of 53 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns, two to Anquan Boldin, who caught 13 for 162 yards. Boldin became the fastest to reach 400 catches in NFL history.

Chris Redman, starting for the third straight week, engineered Atlanta's comeback, going 28-for-42 for a career-high 315 yards and two scores with one extremely costly interception.

With a victory at home next Sunday against St. Louis, Arizona (7-8) would have its best record since going 9-7 and making the playoffs in 1998. It would be just the third time since 1984 that the Cardinals have not had a losing record.

Boldin had catches of 25 and 9 yards, and Larry Fitzgerald had a 19-yard reception, in the game-winning drive.

Boldin passed 400 career catches in his 67th game. The previous quickest was Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow, who did it in 72.

Atlanta used up more than seven minutes of the fourth quarter on a 16-play, 83-yard drive that stalled at the Arizona 5. Morten Andersen's 23-yardd field goal cut the lead to 24-17.

After Arizona's three-and-out, Redman went 6-for-7 on a 48-yard drive capped by his 7-yard TD pass to Alge Crumpler and it was tied at 24 with 4:50 still to play in regulation.

Again, Arizona couldn't move the ball, and the Falcons methodically moved down the field. That drive ended at the Cardinals 8, and Andersen's with 1:51 left in regulation gave Atlanta a 27-24 lead in front of the booing home crowd.

The Cardinals' offense revived just in time. Warner completed a 19-yard pass to Bryant Johnson, an 18-yarder to Boldin and a 16-yard pass to Fitzgerald. The Cardinals almost ran out of time after Fitzgerald's catch. But Warner was able to spike it with 4 seconds to go to set up Rackers' tying kick.

Boldin had touchdown catches of eight and 13 yards, then set up a third TD with a spectacular one-handed grab in the first half.

Atlanta threatened on its first possession but Rod Hood intercepted in the end zone. The Cardinals subsequently went 80 yards in 10 plays, Warner tossing a 4-yarder to Boldin from the score.

On their next possession, the Falcons gained 43 yards on a fake punt. Corey McIntire took the snap, then handed off near the line of scrimmage to Travis Williams, who rambled to the Arizona 23. Three plays later, rookie Jason Snelling got his first NFL touchdown on a one-yard run to tie it 7-7.

Boldin's tackle-breaking 13-yard touchdown catch put Arizona up briefly, 14-7, with 8:10 to play in the half. But on the next play from scrimmage, Laurent Robinson beat the Cardinals' Antrel Rolle badly and was wide open on a 74-yard touchdown play that tied it 14-all 7:54 before the break.

Notes:@ Warner's performance gave him 24 touchdown passes for the season, third-most in franchise-history. Only Neil Lomax (1984) and Charley Johnson (1963) have thrown more at 28. ... The Cardinals punted twice rather than have Neil Rackers try field goals between 50 and 54 yards. ... Hood's fifth interception of the season was the game's only turnover.