Warner knocked out of game, but Cards still win

Published Nov. 23, 2009 3:53 a.m. ET

foxsports

A blow to the head turned Kurt Warner into a spectator in the second half, still in uniform but shut down for the day.

The Arizona Cardinals quarterback said it was just a precaution for what the team termed concussion-related symptoms. In any case, he'd already done enough to make it three straight victories over his former team in the stadium where he rose to stardom.

Warner threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns while building a 21-3 cushion, and the NFC West leaders hung on late, remaining unbeaten on the road with a 21-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. Arizona had a season-high 183 yards rushing, including 110 on 14 carries by Tim Hightower for the Cardinals' first 100-yard game of the season.

"I felt pretty good coming out right after halftime, but I just wanted to be smart," Warner said. "It was one of those situations where I didn't feel perfect."

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Warner doesn't recall having a concussion since 2003, when he was hurt in the Rams' opener. That also was his final start with St. Louis.

"I've had a couple of minor concussions, very minor, nothing that's been prolonged," Warner said. "So not a state of panic. I feel good. I think I'm going to be just fine, but we'll take it day by day and we'll see."

The Rams drove to the 7 late in the game needing a TD and a 2-point conversion to tie. Marc Bulger threw incomplete for Donnie Avery in the end zone on fourth-and-4 after some jostling from Arizona's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

"We'll just go with the ref's call and hopefully next time it'll go our way," Bulger said.

The Cardinals (7-3) have won six of seven.

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