5 things to know as Cards beat Titans 37-34 in OT


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Arizona Cardinals are getting so comfortable on the road that not even blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter bothers them anymore.

"Well, these are not your old Cardinals," Arizona kicker Jay Feely said.

Antoine Cason got his second interception of the game in overtime, and Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal, helping the Cardinals edge the Tennessee Titans 37-34 Sunday to stay close in the NFC's playoff chase.

The Cardinals (9-5) won for the sixth time in seven games and improved to 3-4 on the road this season. With San Francisco and Carolina winning, they remain a game back of both in the chase for a NFC wild-card berth. The Cardinals will have a chance to even their road record this season and improve their playoff hopes when they visit Seattle next Sunday.

Then Arizona hosts the 49ers on Dec. 29 in a season finale that could decide whether the Cardinals are still playing in January.

The loss is the third straight for the Titans (5-9) and the eighth in 10 games. They have lost five consecutive home games for the first time since moving to Tennessee in 1997 and now have their second losing record in as many seasons.

"Nobody in our building has tanked it, and that is a good example that guys are going to keep fighting," left tackle Michael Roos said. "We're going to keep fighting and working, and that is the attitude in the building. We're just going to keep doing that as much as we have to and find that little bit to get over the hump."

Five things to know about the Cardinals' overtime win and another Titans' loss:

FABULOUS FEELY: The Cardinals brought in Dan Carpenter for a few days in August to try to challenge the 37-year-old kicker. Feely matched his season-high kicking three field goals against the Titans, including the game-winner. Feely said the key in the NFL is production and it doesn't matter what a player has done in the past. Feely is 25 of 29 on field goals and topped 100 points for the ninth time in his career and the fifth time in six seasons.

"After a poor game last week, you want to come back and help your team win," Feely said. "Right now it doesn't matter how you win."

ARIZONA DEFENSE: The Cardinals came in having played the NFL's stingiest defense since Week 8 and had held six opponents under 15 points. The Titans scored 17 points in the final 3:12 of regulation and gained 460 yards, the most Arizona had allowed all season. But Cason personally ended two drives with his first interceptions this season, returning his first for a TD with his second finally ending the Titans' rally. Arizona came into the game tied for third in the NFL with 17 interceptions.

MORE TURNOVERS: The Titans opened the season 3-1 when they didn't turn the ball over even once. Against Arizona, they lost a fumble on the opening kickoff of the third quarter when the Cardinals kicked short. Fitzpatrick was intercepted twice, and the Cardinals scored 13 points off the mistakes.

"We're finding a way to hurt ourselves in games that create this kind of situation," Tennessee coach Mike Munchak said.

PUNISHING RECEIVERS: Munchak deactivated both rookie Justin Hunter and Damian Williams for violating team rules. The Titans coach wouldn't say what they did and were only going to dress four receivers anyway. That meant Kenny Britt, deactivated last week and without a catch since Oct. 20, got to play and he caught three passes. Michael Preston also benefited, catching the first two TDs of his NFL career during the Titans' comeback attempt.

Williams wouldn't discuss what he did, saying only that he violated a team rule and took it up with Munchak.

AFC SOUTH DOMINANCE: The Cardinals finished 4-0 against the AFC South, their first interconference sweep since realignment in 2002.

___

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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