Warner guides Cards past his former team

ST. LOUIS -- Matt Leinart's broken collarbone put Kurt Warner back on the first string. It also gave him a chance to relive the glory days.

Warner produced 3 touchdowns against his old team, 1 in his typical relief role and 2 more after Leinart was hurt late in the first half of the Arizona Cardinals' 34-31 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

"You never like to see anybody go through that stuff and be put into a position because of an injury," Warner said. "But at the same time, I love to play, I'm excited to play, and I have to pick up where he left off and try and keep the seat warm for a while."

Rod Hood returned an off-target pass by Gus Frerotte 68 yards for an easy go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Warner and Edgerrin James scored controversial touchdowns on short runs, helping the Cardinals (3-2) win for the third straight season in their former home base.

Frerotte made his first start since the end of 2005 in place of Marc Bulger, who has two broken ribs, and threw 3 touchdown passes for the Rams (0-5). St. Louis entered the game with only four opening-day starters in their usual spots and went 32 drives without a touchdown before Frerotte's 16-yard TD pass to Drew Bennett on the first play of the second quarter.

But Frerotte also threw 3 interceptions and his gaffe on a pass intended for Randy McMichael led to Hood's jaunt with 13:47 to go.

"That was a backbreaker for us," Frerotte said. "I think our team wins the game if I don't make that mistake."

Another pick by Al Wilson on a leaping deflection that he gathered in and returned 20 yards led to a clinching 7-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 3:11 to go that made it 34-23.

Warner closed the first half with a 1-yard sneak for a 17-13 lead, a bonus play after the clock had expired. Officials ruled a defender kicked the ball as the Cardinals hurriedly lined up for another play after James was stopped short on first-and-goal from the 1 on a play that began with 14 seconds to go.

James scored on a 5-yard run, lunging with the ball in one hand and fumbling into the end zone after apparently getting stopped short. Officials first ruled Cardinals lineman Reggie Wells recovered a fumble in the end zone, wresting it from St. Louis cornerback Jonathan Wade.

Rams coach Scott Linehan challenged the play, which was later reversed to a James touchdown. Referee Gerry Austin told a pool reporter that a subsequent replay angle showed that James' elbow was down before the ball came out and that play should have resumed with a third-and-goal from 1.