ASHBURN, Va. — Veteran free agent kicker Neil Rackers has signed with the Washington Redskins.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday that Rackers will compete with Graham Gano to be this season’s kicker.

Rackers has played 12 seasons with Cincinnati, Arizona and Houston. He made 32 of 38 field goal attempts — including 4 of 5 from 50-plus yards — last year with the Texans.

Gano went 31 for 41 for the Redskins last year, but he had five attempts blocked.

All three Cardinals specialists who entered unrestricted free agency have re-signed with the team.

Punter Dave Zastudil was the last of the trio to come to terms, agreeing to a two-year deal, the team announced on Wednesday. Financial terms were not released.

Zastudil joins kicker Jay Feely (two-year contract) and long snapper Mike Leach (three-year deal) in returning to the Cardinals.

Zastudil joined the Cardinals last season, taking over for Ben Graham. Zastudil finished with a 45.2-yard gross average and a 37.5-yard net average. He missed one game with a knee ailment and played through a torn biceps tendon late in the season.

Arizona Cardinals update:

Former Bills tackle Demetress Bell reportedly has agreed to a five-year deal with the Eagles. Bell used the occasion to inform everyone that his first name is not spelled Demetrious.

Bell visited the Cardinals last month, but a deal with him never seemed imminent. Shortly after Bell’s visit, Levi Brown re-signed. Coincidence? Maybe.

The Cardinals paid Brown a $7 million signing bonus. Earlier in free agency they signed guard/tackle Adam Snyder to a five-year deal that included a $5 million signing bonus. The Cardinals remained interested in Bell, but it was questionable if they were going to write another big check for an offensive lineman.

The Eagles needed to replace Jason Peters, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last week and will miss the season. What happens to Bell after this season will be interesting. Peters is expected to return to his starting job when he’s healthy.

In other free agent news, safety James Sanders, who spent 2011 with the Falcons, visited the Cardinals on Tuesday. I’m hearing the two sides are trying to work out a one-year deal.

Sanders started six games last year for the Falcons and played in 15. He spent the previous six seasons with the Patriots, where he was a regular starter in 2007 and ’08.

The Cardinals top backup safeties from a year ago, Rashad Johnson and Hamza Abdullah, are not under contract. Johnson, a restricted free agent, has been tendered at $1.26 million but he has not signed it. Abdullah is an unrestricted free agent.

Johnson is expected to return.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 09:42 AM

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The Cardinals kept themselves busy Wednesday while awaiting a decision from quarterback Peyton Manning, who spent the day in Nashville, visiting the Titans.

The Cardinals brought three offensive linemen in for visits as they seek to improve upon the group that will protect whomever the quarterback will be this season.

Jake Scott, a right guard last with the Titans; Adam Snyder, a guard/tackle last with the 49ers; and Demetrius Bell, a left tackle last with the Bills; toured the team’s Tempe headquarters and met with coaches and management.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals waited another day for Manning to consider his options. The Titans are the fourth team he’s met with since being released by the Colts last week. Manning traveled to Denver and Arizona last weekend, and met with the Dolphins in Indianapolis on Monday.

He was expected to spend a good portion of Wednesday at the Titans facility.

It’s impossible to handicap the pursuit of Manning, and the Cardinals believe they remain under consideration.

But they need Manning to make a decision soon. The Cardinals have until Friday at 1 p.m. to decide if they are going to keep quarterback Kevin Kolb and pay him a $7 million roster bonus. It’s doubtful they would pay the bonus if they came to terms with Manning.

Cardinals officials have declined comment about their pursuit of Manning.

Scott turns 31 next month and hasn’t missed a game the past seven seasons. He was with the Colts from 2004 through 2007 and with the Titans from 2008 through last season.

Snyder, 30, has played every position on the offensive line in his career. He opened training camp as the 49ers center last year but was moved to backup guard before the season started. He replaced Chilo Rachal at right guard midway through the third game and started every game after. He played some snaps at center, too, registering regular-season action at the position for the first time in his career.

Snyder’s value is in his versatility. He could compete for starting jobs at right guard and right tackle. And he would be a valuable backup at every other position.

Bell’s career has been defined by unfulfilled potential. He was a seventh-round pick in 2008 and started eight games in 2009 before suffering a torn knee ligament. Bell, who turns 28 in May, started every game in 2010 and played well. Big things were expected of him last year, but a shoulder injury limited him to six starts.

The Bills would like to re-sign him but at a reasonable price. There are obviously questions about Bell’s durability. If there weren’t, he would probably be making $6 million to $8 million a year by now. Bell is 6-5, 307 and is regarded a finesse tackle with good pass-blocking skills.

The Cardinals have been trying to work out a long-term deal with Levi Brown, their incumbent at left tackle. Bell gives them an alternative and perhaps a little bit of leverage in talks with Brown.

Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has maintained since the end of last season he wants competition for every position on his team.

That includes quarterback, where Whisenhunt said last week he will let Kevin Kolb and John Skelton compete for the starting job.

Whisenhunt believes that eventually a front-runner will emerge.

“Both guys are going to get opportunities because John certainly deserves it from the way that he played over the back half of the season and Kevin certainly deserves it from the reason that we went out, got him, and brought him in,” Whisenhunt told KTAR-AM in Phoenix.

Kolb started nine games last season, leading the Cardinals to a 3-6 record while completing 57.7 percent of his passes for 1,955 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. He missed significant time with a foot injury and then a concussion, which held him out the final three games of the season.

Arizona went 5-2 with Skelton under center, including wins in two of its final three games. Skelton, though, had similar numbers to Kolb, completing 54.9 percent of his passes for 1,913 yards with 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

“Well, the easiest thing to say right now is that we are in a heck of a lot better position at the quarterback position right now than we were a year ago today,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ve got two guys that we feel like can play. They’ve shown at times that they can do things very well, they’ve shown at times that they are knuckleheads and it’s our job to get the players that are there on our team to play better. That’s what we’re going to do and we’re excited about that.”

Kolb, who has recently said he is feeling healthy and confident in his status with the team, will receive a $7 million bonus if he is still on the team’s roster on March 17. General manager Rod Graves has said Kolb will likely be back with the team.

Two things are certain about the 2012 Cardinals:

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They will stage a riveting quarterback competition in Flagstaff. And when they leave training camp, they’ll have one of the best backups in the business.

Assuming Kevin Kolb is still working in Arizona.

“You’re never certain of anything in this world,” he said before leaving for West Texas. “But I am very confident they’re going to keep me around.”

As the offseason begins in Arizona, Kolb is finally feeling normal. He hasn’t played since the first series against the 49ers on Dec. 11, when he took a knee to the back of the helmet. He watched Sunday’s game in sweat clothes, wearing earplugs to protect his brain.

But this time, he was fully engaged in the Cardinals’ 23-20 victory over Seattle on Sunday, exhorting his teammates along the way.

“The last five days I’ve had no symptoms,” Kolb said. “I felt really good on Sunday, and that’s the first time that I’ve felt right on game day. I don’t know if you saw me, but I was a lot more emotional. I was into the game. It felt good to be that way again.”

By now, most people understand that concussions can be menacing. A leading doctor in the field said he knows of a NHL player who began the season on the inactive list and has “contemplated suicide numerous times” because of severe depression and memory loss. The injury should never be minimized.

Yet Kolb’s first season in Arizona was underwhelming. He missed games due to turf toe, fretting that the unmanly nature of the injury would make people think he was “a big weenie.” He missed the last three games with a concussion. He won only twice in nine starts.

It was not the impression he wanted to leave in his first year, after publicly declaring his love for Valley living.

Meanwhile, Cardinals fans are becoming emotionally vested in John Skelton. His bad throws are maddening. His victories are always gritty and rarely pretty. But he fights and he wins, and on Sunday, after fainting in pregame preparations, he left the field with an oozing sense of conquest. He was pumping his fist and acknowledging the fans. It was like he owned the place.

After winning 6 of 8 games, Skelton’s voice has grown, too. He speaks like a starting quarterback, not a designated driver dangling a set of keys. He has newfound credibility with the guys in the locker room, and there is no longer a clear hierarchy at quarterback in Arizona.

“That’s what this is all about,” Kolb said. “Everyone fights for their jobs everyday in this business: coaches, players, trainers. There is always someone nipping at your heels. John (Skelton) is a competitor. Rich (Bartel) wants to take my job, too. That’s the way this thing is designed.”

Kolb is owed a $7 million roster bonus in early March. Unless the Cardinals find a way to land Peyton Manning or Green Bay reserve Matt Flynn, they will have invested $19 million into Kolb by the time the 2012 season commences.

There will be far more pressure on Kolb in Year 2, internally and externally. It will be his make-or-break year in Arizona. He says he welcomes the challenge.

“The Super Bowl motivates me,” Kolb said. “I don’t need motivation from proving people wrong or validating certain moves. For me, it’s winning the Super Bowl and getting that ring on your finger.

“I’m looking forward to the offseason. I think we found a little bit of an identity the past half of the season. Everyone always associated Arizona with an offensive juggernaut, but we have a chance to be a really good, complete team.”

For starters, they’ll feature one of the best No. 2 quarterbacks in the NFL. Only his identity remains a mystery.

Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8253. Follow him at twitter.com/danbickley. Listen to “Bickley and MJ” weekdays from 2-6 p.m. on KGME-AM (910).

It’s the $63 million question.

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Cardinals vs. Seahawks | Cardinals fans | Box score | NFL scoreboard

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When the Cardinals report to training camp next fall, will coach Ken Whisenhunt put the starting-quarterback position up for grabs between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton?

Kolb signed a five-year, $63million contract with Arizona upon being acquired from Philadelphia for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round draft pick.

But injuries and ineffectiveness left him 2-6 in his eight full games as a starter this season. Skelton, meanwhile, went 6-2 when he started or played most of the game.

After Sunday’s season-ending 23-20 overtime victory over Seattle, Skelton was asked if he felt he deserved a fair shot to unseat Kolb as the Cardinals’ starter next year.

“I hope I do. That is for the coaching staff to determine,” he said, adding, “Kevin and I have a great relationship. We push each other, and we always help each other out. We will see what happens this off-season.”

As the Cardinals cleared out their lockers Monday, Kolb told reporters he fully expects to be in a battle with Skelton for the starting job, saying it only would be fair given how things played out.

He also looks forward to putting this season behind him and getting a clean slate with which to work in 2012.

“I’m looking forward to the fruits of the labor and having a great season next year,” he said.

But Whisenhunt will decide who starts next season and on Monday, he reminded reporters that he’s always had open competitions for starting positions and that won’t be different at quarterback.

“That’s the way we’ve always been,” he said.

When informed of Kolb’s comments about having to earn the starting job again, Whisenhunt nodded appreciatively.

“I would hope that every player thinks he has to earn it,” he said. “… I think you’ve got to have that with your team. You can go back and look at all the spots, and that’s the way we’ve operated no matter what the situation has been.”

Health scares

News surfaced after Sunday’s game that Skelton and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald each were dealing with some health concerns.

Skelton, who passed for 271 yards and a touchdown, fainted and fell before the game shortly after having his knee drained in the training room.

Fitzgerald took a hit in the third quarter and suffered a bruised lung, which reportedly made him spit up blood at one point.

Doctors checked out both players thoroughly, Whisenhunt said, and allowed them to play.

Whisenhunt said Skelton joked with him about the fainting spell, calling him “Mike,” as in offensive coordinator Mike Miller.

“I knew he was OK after that,” Whisenhunt said.

Skelton said he’s never passed out before and called it a “a freak thing.” He added, “I think everyone was more worried than I was.”

As for Fitzgerald, who caught nine passes for 149 yards, including three big receptions on the team’s winning drive in overtime, he was re-evaluated by doctors after the game and again Monday.

Whisenhunt said everything checked out fine.

Free-agency talk

The Cardinals have several players set to become free agents, including defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive back Richard Marshall, left tackle Levi Brown and kicker Jay Feely.

Campbell likely will be given a multi-year extension or be presented with the franchise tag. Marshall and Feely each said Monday they would prefer to return. And Whisenhunt said he hopes Brown will be back as well, although given what it likely will cost the team to retain him, that might not occur.

What’s next

Whisenhunt said he and his staff will meet for the next week evaluating the team and grading players and each position as well as every play. After that, they will take a break and do it all over again, so as not to make any judgments based on emotion from the season just having ended.

As for any potential coaching changes, Whisenhunt said Monday that it was too early to make any decisions, adding that he must sit down with his own bosses and be evaluated first.

This unit has a nice mix of youth and experience. Sam Acho, a rookie, finished the season with seven sacks. Inside linebacker Daryl Washington, in his second year, is a star in the making. So is cornerback Patrick Peterson. Another good draft, and this unit should be set for next season. Oh, re-signing Calais Campbell would be a good thing.

Kent Somers/The Arizona Republic

GLENDALE, Ariz. – What a fitting way for the Arizona Cardinals to finish their season.

They win, in overtime of course, with Larry Fitzgerald’s spectacular plays making the difference.

Fitzgerald had two such catches in the game-winning drive, leading to a 28-yard field goal by Jay Feely that gave the Cardinals a 23-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Arizona’s fourth overtime victory — all at home — in the last nine weeks of the season. The four overtime wins in a season are an NFL record.

“I wish we could play more games in overtime,” Fitzgerald said. “If we play 16 games in overtime next year, we might go 16-0.”

Fitzgerald made a leaping grab against two defenders early in the drive for a 26-yard gain, but he saved the best for last, a diving, one-handed catch for eight yards that got the team within field goal range and eventually set up the winning score.

“I actually thought it was too far,” quarterback John Skelton said of his throw. “I just saw his arm stick out, stick it, and stick the landing. We come to expect that from Larry. It’s almost like it’s not even a shocker anymore because he does it so often.”

Skelton didn’t mention it, but he fainted in the locker-room before the game after getting fluid drained from a knee.

“Pre-game he scared us all. He fell out and he had a little fainting issue in the locker-room,” Fitzgerald said. “We were all nervous about him being able to play today and he fought through that and was able to go out there and perform and get our team a win. That shows the kind of toughness he has.”

Arizona (8-8) finished the season 7-2 after a six-game losing streak left it 1-6.

“We’re 1-0 in 2012,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said, hoping that the strong second half of the season will propel the team into a successful 2012 campaign.

Seattle (7-9) had rallied to tie the game after trailing 20-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 149 yards after one reception for two yards in the first half. It was his 32nd career 100-yard receiving game, sixth this season.

“The performance of Larry Fitzgerald, he is an incredible football player,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “He is as good as you can get in this game and he showed it. I just marvel at the things he does. He has done it before and he did it again and it proves who he is.”

Fitzgerald joined Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison as the only players to top 1,400 yards receiving in four seasons.

Skelton completed 22 of 40 for 271 yards and a touchdown with one interception for Arizona. Tarvaris Jackson was 21 of 35 for 222 yards and a touchdown with one pick for the Seahawks.

The Cardinals earlier had overtime victories over St. Louis, Dallas and Cleveland. The Seahawks finished with the same record as a year ago, when 7-9 was good enough to win the NFC West.

“We know we have a better team this year,” Seattle safety Earl Thomas said. “We are young but the experience that we got this year and all the plays we made we can build on that next year.”

Arizona’s Patrick Peterson, who made the Pro Bowl on special teams as a rookie, returned a punt 42 yards to set up a field goal, then blocked Steven Hauschka’s 24-yard field goal attempt. It was the NFL-leading fifth blocked field goal for the Cardinals, two of them by Peterson.

Seattle won the toss heading into overtime, and Leon Washington’s 47-yard kickoff return gave the Seahawks the ball at their own 40, but they failed to move it and had to punt.

Arizona’s game-winning drive started at the 19. On third-and-3 at the 26, Skelton threw over the middle to Fitzgerald, who caught it between two defenders for a 26-yard gain to the Seahawks 48. Skelton’s quarterback sneak on fourth and less than a yard gave Arizona a first down at the Seattle 37.

Arizona had it second-and-9 at the 36 when Skelton threw toward but not particularly close to Fitzgerald, who somehow gathered in the ball with one hand and cradled it as he fell to the ground. A review confirmed that it was a catch. LaRod Stephens-Howling, filling in for the injured Beanie Wells, rushed three times to the Seattle nine, and Feely’s third field goal of the game gave the Cardinals the win.

Down 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, Seattle tied with a pair of big plays by two rookies, Richard Sherman and Lockette. First, Sherman stepped in front of intended receiver Andre Roberts for an interception that set up a chip shot field goal by Hauschka, then Jackson lofted the long pass to Lockette, who beat cornerback Marshay Green, and it was 20-20 with 7:47 remaining. Green had just been activated from the practice squad on Saturday.

After Washington’s 48-yard touchdown run tied it at 10-10 with 10:56 to go in the third quarter, the Cardinals went 80 yards in eight plays. Skelton was 6 for 6 for 70 yards, capped by a 13-yard TD toss to Todd Heap, the tight end’s first score in an injury-plagued first season with Arizona, putting the Cardinals up 17-10.

Skelton’s 42-yard pass to Fitzgerald led to Feely’s 43-yard field goal that boosted the lead to 20-10 12:18 to play.

Seattle responded, driving from its 20 to the Arizona 6. But the offence stalled, and Peterson rushed untouched from the end to block the short field goal try.

Peterson, who had been slowed in practice all week by a strained Achilles tendon, nearly broke free for what would have been an NFL record fifth punt return for a touchdown. Instead, punter Jon Ryan tripped him up at the Seattle 31. Still, the 42-yard return set up Feely’s 41-yard field goal that put Arizona up 10-3 with 3:28 left in the first half.

Wells was a surprise inactive. He had been listed as questionable but had played through the pain in his left knee through the season.

Skelton finished 5-2 as a starter, 6-2 if you count the San Francisco game.

Quarterback Kevin Kolb missed the final three games of his frustrating first season with Arizona because of a concussion, the result of a knee to the head on the Cardinals’ third play of the game against San Francisco on Dec. 11. He missed four games earlier in the season with a right turf toe injury.

Notes: Marshawn Lynch’s string of 11 straight games with a touchdown came to an end. … Peterson set an NFL rookie record for punt return yards (699), the second-most of any player in league history. … Seattle’s Doug Baldwin became the first undrafted rookie free agent to lead his team in receptions and yards receiving since Bill Groman of did it for the Houston Oilers in 1960. … The University of Phoenix Stadium roof was closed even though it was sunny and 28 C outside. … The stadium already had extra seats installed for Monday night’s Fiesta Bowl matchup between Oklahoma State and Stanford.

About the only thing that separates the Cardinals from the Seahawks these days is that one of them practiced in sunny, 70-degree weather to prepare for Sunday’s season finale.

Both are not only 7-8, they took similar paths to get there. Both teams were 2-6 at the halfway point of the season. Both pulled themselves up to ground level and took a peek at the playoffs before losing last week.

Both have defenses featuring young, dynamic players and offenses that are works in progress, often minus the progress part.

“We both have done things that we are excited about,” Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We have won some games against good opponents. We’ve done a good job at home. They’ve done a good job at home. There is a little bit of a difference as far as they’ve had success running the ball lately. We’ve had a little bit more success throwing the football lately, especially in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a good matchup of two teams in a division that have played good football over the back half of the season.”

Both teams have a chance to finish .500 Sunday. The one that does will claim second place in the NFC West, a small consolation for teams out of the playoffs. But you find motivation wherever you can.

“It’s really important,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of finishing .500. “That’s what we have to play for at this time. That’s not anywhere near where we wanted to be, but it’s what we have available, and we’re going for it. I know that those guys feel the same way.”

The Seahawks have won three consecutive games over Arizona, including 13-10 in Week 3 in Seattle. The Cardinals scored just 38 points in those three losses, which all came after Carroll became coach in 2010.

Turnovers have been the biggest problem for the Cardinals in those games. They committed nine to Seattle’s three.

In the loss earlier this year, Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb had two passes intercepted deep in Seattle territory, and kicker Jay Feely missed field-goal attempts of 51 and 49 yards.

The Seahawks were no offensive juggernaut, gaining 261 yards and scoring one touchdown, but they were far more efficient than the Cardinals.

Seattle’s offensive attack has changed since that game, while the Cardinals are much different defensively.

The Seahawks gradually came to rely more upon a physical running game, spearheaded by Marshawn Lynch, who has gained at least 100 yards in six of the past eight games. In Week 3, it was a mystery why Lynch (19 carries, 73 yards) didn’t get the ball more.

“I think we have improved in big areas, particularly after we made it through the first half and just struggled growing with the young guys up front,” Carroll said. “We started getting better and we just improved to where we can win some football games finally.”

The Cardinals had won six of seven games before last week’s loss in Cincinnati. They did it with a defense that played consistently well throughout games, and an offense that came alive in the second half, especially the fourth quarter.

Both teams will begin their off-season on Monday with questions at quarterback. Seattle’s Tarvaris Jackson has displayed toughness in playing through a pectoral injury, but it’s questionable whether he will remain the Seahawks starter beyond Sunday.

“We will go into the off-season with Tarvaris as our quarterback, and we will see what the off-season brings,” Carroll said. “He was absolutely hurt and found a way to play and gave us everything he had. He gave us a chance to turn this thing around. I’ll always be proud of him for that.”

For the Cardinals, Kolb is expected to miss his third game because of concussion and his seventh overall due to injuries. The trade that brought him from Philadelphia to Arizona has not yet paid dividends.

His backup, John Skelton, has shown the ability to bring the Cardinals from behind in the fourth quarter. The problem is, his poor play early in games is a big reason they have been behind in the fourth quarter.

“I’m sure, like anything, with experience and time it will come,” Skelton said of playing better in the first half. “At the same time, there are mistakes that even a rookie shouldn’t be making that I’m making out there sometimes.”

The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have seasons that mirror each – an awful beginning and strong finish.

They will meet in their season finale on Sunday, the winner finishing at 8-8, a satisfying result considering what things looked like a couple of months ago.

“It’s enough incentive to be jacked up to end your season with .500 at least,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “That’s not anywhere near where we wanted to be, but it’s what we have available and we’re going for it. I know that those guys feel the same way. That’s just a natural way for all of us, so it’s going to be a big battle.”

John Skelton, who probably will be back at quarterback for Arizona, said the difference between 7-9 and 8-8 is far more than just one game.

“No one wants to have a losing record going into the offseason,” he said. “It kind of puts a bad taste in your mouth. 8-8 is kind of something to build on for the future.”

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt reminds his players of what happened in 2007, his first season in Arizona. The Cardinals won their final two to finish 8-8. The next season, Arizona won the NFC West and made it to the Super Bowl.

“No guarantees that if we win this game we are going to the Super Bowl next year, but I do believe that it’s something that you want to do,” he said. “You strive to do that, because you always want to end on a high note and it really propels you into the offseason.”

Seattle was 2-6 after a loss to Dallas on Nov. 6. Arizona was 1-6 after a 30-27 loss at Baltimore on Oct. 30. Seattle won five of six, capped by an impressive 34-14 road win over Chicago, to climb to 7-7. The Cardinals won six of seven, including home wins over Dallas and San Francisco, to hit 7-7 with a 20-17 overtime win at home over Cleveland leaving them 7-7.

The slim playoff hopes of both teams were dashed a week ago when the Seahawks lost at home to NFC West champ San Francisco 19-17 and the Cardinals were beaten at Cincinnati 23-16. That the teams were in it that long is remarkable considering the way they started.

The Cardinals have lived on the edge in nearly every game.

Five of their losses were by seven points or less. They have trailed at the half in all seven of their victories. They have won six of their last eight, three in overtime, the other three by four points, three points and two points. Last week, they trailed the Bengals 23-0 entering the fourth quarter but had a chance to win it late. Wide receiver Early Doucet broke wide open on a fourth-and-five play and was surely headed for a touchdown when he slipped and fell, Skelton’s pass sailing harmlessly over his head.

Slow starts have plagued Arizona all season. Over the last eight games, the Cardinals have been outscored 94-30 in the first two quarters, then have outscored opponents 116-51 in the second half and overtimes. Skelton isn’t sure why he has had so much trouble early in games.

“There are mistakes that even a rookie shouldn’t be making that I’m making out there sometimes. I think it is just consistency,” he said. “We’ll have maybe the first two plays of a drive go well and then the third one someone messes up. Those are the things that we have to eliminate, the mistake here and the mistake there. Eventually those add up and they hurt an offense.”

Kevin Kolb, brought in to be the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback, struggled through the team’s six-game losing streak early in the season, then was sidelined for four games with a right turf toe. He returned and directed the team to a comeback victory over Dallas, only to go down with a concussion when he took a knee to the head on Arizona’s first play the following week against San Francisco.

Skelton came on to lead the team to a 21-19 victory over the 49ers. The second-year pro from Fordham is 4-2 as a starter this season, 5-2 if the San Francisco victory is counted.

The No. 1 challenge for Arizona’s vastly improved defense will be slowing down Marshawn Lynch, who has topped 100 yards rushing in six of his last eight games. But Whisenhunt reminded everyone that he has a pretty good back in Beanie Wells. Lynch has rushed for 1,118 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. Wells, despite a season-long knee problem, has 1,047 yards, picking up 4.3 per attempt.

“If you look at Beanie vs. Marshawn, they’re almost identical statistically,” Whisenhunt said.

The Seahawks led 17-16 entering the fourth quarter last week against San Francisco only to lose on David Akers’ 39-yard field goal with 3:44 to play. Jackson’s fumble on Seattle’s next possession sealed the 49ers’ win.

The Seahawks believe they are a better team than they were a year ago, when their 7-9 record was good enough to win the NFC West, then they stunned New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs.

“Even though we have a similar record as last year, I think we took stuff forward this year – defense, offense, running game, and special teams,” Seattle strong safety Kam Chancellor said. “There are new guys on the team now and we just have to take time to feel each other out and see where we’re going.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have seasons that mirror each — an awful beginning and strong finish.

They will meet in their season finale on Sunday, the winner finishing at 8-8, a satisfying result considering what things looked like a couple of months ago.

“It’s enough incentive to be jacked up to end your season with .500 at least,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “That’s not anywhere near where we wanted to be, but it’s what we have available and we’re going for it. I know that those guys feel the same way. That’s just a natural way for all of us, so it’s going to be a big battle.”

John Skelton, who probably will be back at quarterback for Arizona, said the difference between 7-9 and 8-8 is far more than just one game.

“No one wants to have a losing record going into the off-season,” he said. “It kind of puts a bad taste in your mouth. 8-8 is kind of something to build on for the future.”

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt reminds his players of what happened in 2007, his first season in Arizona. The Cardinals won their final two to finish 8-8. The next season, Arizona won the NFC West and made it to the Super Bowl.

“No guarantees that if we win this game we are going to the Super Bowl next year, but I do believe that it’s something that you want to do,” he said. “You strive to do that, because you always want to end on a high note and it really propels you into the off-season.”

Seattle was 2-6 after a loss to Dallas on Nov. 6. Arizona was 1-6 after a 30-27 loss at Baltimore on Oct. 30. Seattle won five of six, capped by an impressive 34-14 road win over Chicago, to climb to 7-7. The Cardinals won six of seven, including home wins over Dallas and San Francisco, to hit 7-7 with a 20-17 overtime win at home over Cleveland leaving them 7-7.

The slim playoff hopes of both teams were dashed a week ago when the Seahawks lost at home to NFC West champ San Francisco 19-17 and the Cardinals were beaten at Cincinnati 23-16. That the teams were in it that long is remarkable considering the way they started.

The Cardinals have lived on the edge in nearly every game.

Five of their losses were by seven points or less. They have trailed at the half in all seven of their victories. They have won six of their last eight, three in overtime, the other three by four points, three points and two points. Last week, they trailed the Bengals 23-0 entering the fourth quarter but had a chance to win it late. Wide receiver Early Doucet broke wide open on a fourth-and-five play and was surely headed for a touchdown when he slipped and fell, Skelton’s pass sailing harmlessly over his head.

Slow starts have plagued Arizona all season. Over the last eight games, the Cardinals have been outscored 94-30 in the first two quarters, then have outscored opponents 116-51 in the second half and overtimes. Skelton isn’t sure why he has had so much trouble early in games.

“There are mistakes that even a rookie shouldn’t be making that I’m making out there sometimes. I think it is just consistency,” he said. “We’ll have maybe the first two plays of a drive go well and then the third one someone messes up. Those are the things that we have to eliminate, the mistake here and the mistake there. Eventually those add up and they hurt an offence.”

Kevin Kolb, brought in to be the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback, struggled through the team’s six-game losing streak early in the season, then was sidelined for four games with a right turf toe. He returned and directed the team to a comeback victory over Dallas, only to go down with a concussion when he took a knee to the head on Arizona’s first play the following week against San Francisco.

Skelton came on to lead the team to a 21-19 victory over the 49ers. The second-year pro from Fordham is 4-2 as a starter this season, 5-2 if the San Francisco victory is counted.

The No. 1 challenge for Arizona’s vastly improved defence will be slowing down Marshawn Lynch, who has topped 100 yards rushing in six of his last eight games. But Whisenhunt reminded everyone that he has a pretty good back in Beanie Wells. Lynch has rushed for 1,118 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. Wells, despite a season-long knee problem, has 1,047 yards, picking up 4.3 per attempt.

“If you look at Beanie vs. Marshawn, they’re almost identical statistically,” Whisenhunt said.

The Seahawks led 17-16 entering the fourth quarter last week against San Francisco only to lose on David Akers’ 39-yard field goal with 3:44 to play. Jackson’s fumble on Seattle’s next possession sealed the 49ers’ win.

The Seahawks believe they are a better team than they were a year ago, when their 7-9 record was good enough to win the NFC West, then they stunned New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs.

“Even though we have a similar record as last year, I think we took stuff forward this year — defence, offence, running game, and special teams,” Seattle strong safety Kam Chancellor said. “There are new guys on the team now and we just have to take time to feel each other out and see where we’re going.”