Cards' offensive line strong in win over 49ers

Offensive linemen aren't usually associated with beauty.

But two aspects of the Cardinals' win at San Francisco on Sunday could be called great football works of art.

Kicking game solid in season-opening win

Tulumello: Cardinals post-game notes

A short touchdown run on fourth down by Tim Hightower gave the Cardinals a 20-10 lead midway through the third quarter.

A 10-minute, 18-play drive that ended in a Neil Rackers field goal with 2 minutes left finished out the scoring and, in effect, the game.

In both cases, the team's up-and-coming offensive line got the job done.

Hightower's run came after the Cardinals "lost" a replay challenge on the spot of the ball. Yet the challenge got the Cardinals what they wanted.

On the previous play, the referees had spotted the ball about 4 feet from the goal line, about 3 feet short of a first down.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt challenged the spot. After a review, the ball was moved to about 18 inches from the goal line (still 6 inches short of the first down).

The Cardinals were charged a timeout because the replay didn't give them a first down. But the lengthy delay gave the Cardinals plenty of time - a timeout, in effect - to think about the play.

Whisenhunt thought the Cardinals would benefit from the challenge as long as the ball was moved, regardless of whether it turned out to be a first down.

The referees explained - in advance - that the spot would have to result in a first down to avoid losing the timeout.

"I felt good about the challenge," Whisenhunt said. "It was well worth the timeout to get the ball that much closer.

"I felt from having seen the replay on the screen, the ball was going to be moved."

The Cardinals picked a power run by Hightower over the right side of the line.

"We pride ourselves a lot when you put it on the front line to punch it in," right guard Deuce Lutui said. After Hightower scored, "Everybody (on the line) jumped up and down."

The Cardinals also were successful on a fourth-and-1 play during the late game-clinching drive; Hightower converted that one, too.

"It just shows what kind of confidence he has in how we can operate when we have it rolling," left guard Reggie Wells said. "It's icing on the cake when you get to hold the ball that long and keep it to where the opponent can't do anything with the time remaining. It was sweet to be out there and really finish the game."

Whisenhunt recalled that in a similar situation in the opener at San Francisco last year, the Cardinals went three and out.

"It was almost like going back to the scene of the crime. ... To me, that's a big step."