Two big plays cost Cards in 1st loss of season

LANDOVER, Md. - The Cardinals’ loss Sunday, 24-17, to the Washington Redskins was much more than a tale of two plays.

No, Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell, looking infinitely more polished than when the teams met here last year, sliced them and diced them Sunday.

SLIDESHOW: Cardinals vs Redskins

Cardinals notebook: Defense surprised by 'Skins misdirection

Cards settle in for weeklong stay on East Coast

But there were two huge, weird plays in this game, one made by the Redskins, one by the officials.

The Cardinals (2-1) lost out on both.

Down 7-0 early, the Cards had fourth down with less than a yard to go at the ’Skins 40.

They called a pass to tight end Ben Patrick, who broke open a potential big play, maybe even a score as the whistles blew for a delay of game.

Both quarterback Kurt Warner and coach Ken Whisenhunt said they were certain the ball was snapped with one second left on the clock.

Unless different stadium clocks had different times on them, Whisenhunt said he couldn’t understand the call.

As far as the clock he was looking at, “There was one second left.”

Warner said, “I know without a shadow of a doubt that I was watching the clock and there was one second when the ball was snapped.

“I don’t know what the referee saw. I don’t know what happened.

“But it’s frustrating because there may have been a touchdown on the play.”

Then, in the fourth quarter, after the Cardinals had come from behind to tie the score at 17-17, Warner lofted a long pass to Steve Breaston.

The ball, slightly underthrown, was deflected by the ’Skins’ Leigh Torrence. After bouncing up high, Carlos Rogers intercepted it.

Breaston and the Cardinals were slow to make the transition to defense, and Rogers made a 42-yard return to the Cardinals 15.

That set up what turned out to be the Redskins’ game-winning touchdown, a 17-yard pass play from Campbell to Santana Moss.

“Those are the kind of plays as a receiver you either have to try to knock it down or try to draw a penalty,” Breaston said. “I didn’t do either one.

“That was the big play of the game. I just have to make a better play on the ball.”

Campbell hit 22 of 30 passes for 193 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s a lofty 112.2 passer rating.

Warner had a more modest 81.5 rating thanks to these numbers: 16-of-30 for 192 yards, including two touchdowns and one interception.

The Redskins used their play-it-safe, don’t-give-up-big-plays defense, so the Cardinals used a cautious approach on offense.

Edgerrin James ran 18 times for 93 yards. But he also had a fumble on a pass reception that set up a Redskins’ field goal.

Larry Fitzgerald had his 15th 100-yard receiving game. He caught seven passes for 109 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown from Warner.

That play tied the score at 17-17.

Then came the bad-bounce interception and the Cardinals’ first loss of the season.