SAN FRANCISCO — Kurt Warner went from an Iowa supermarket to the NFL's pinnacle, winning a Super Bowl and two MVP awards along the way. Yet he still got nervous replacing Matt Leinart while the Arizona Cardinals held off the 49ers.

Warner finally squashed those butterflies — and San Francisco's playoff hopes — with one last clock-killing drive.

Leinart passed for 162 yards before spraining his left shoulder before halftime, and Warner finished up with 105 yards passing in the Cardinals' fourth victory in six games, 26-20 yesterday to eliminate San Francisco (6-9) from postseason contention.

Leinart was injured when Roderick Green sacked him shortly before halftime, and the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner is out for the season. Warner, the former shelf-stocker who became a superstar, was back in charge nearly three months after losing his job to the high-profile rookie.

Warner wasn't asked to do much while Arizona nursed a second-half lead, but he coolly directed Arizona's final drive, completing two long passes for first downs before finishing the Cards' five-minute march with three straight kneeldowns.

"We just want to finish the season finally playing the way we wanted to play the whole year," Warner said. "I think they know what I can do, but when you sit out for 10 weeks, even you aren't sure how you're going to feel, what the speed of the game is."

Warner also appeared to back off recent retirement talk, saying, "I feel great. I want to play some more (next season), but in what capacity and where, that's to be determined."

Edgerrin James had 105 yards to become Arizona's first 1,000-yard rusher in eight years, while Larry Fitzgerald caught a TD pass and Marcel Shipp ran for another score as the Cardinals (5-10) jumped to an early 20-3 lead, then held on for their fourth straight win over the 49ers.

Improbably, Arizona is a division-best 4-2 against NFC West opponents during its eighth consecutive losing season.

"Unofficially, we're the best in the West," James said. "Even though we don't get a chance to go to the playoffs, we know we have the best divisional record, and that's big. This is something you learn from."

Alex Smith passed for 190 yards, and Frank Gore's second touchdown run with 5:00 to play cut Arizona's lead to six points. But the 49ers couldn't get the ball back after two earlier fourth-quarter drives ended in turnovers.

Gore rushed for just 51 yards, failing to surpass Garrison Hearst's single-season rushing record in a roundly disappointing afternoon for the 49ers, who still entertained hopes of winning the division and getting to the playoffs just two seasons after going 2-14.

"You can't learn anything from losing," 49ers linebacker Brandon Moore said. "You can say we played well, but when it comes down to it, you learn nothing from losing except losing."

The 49ers lost left tackle Jonas Jennings to a dislocated right shoulder in the first quarter, and Arnaz Battle had seven catches while picking up the slack from Antonio Bryant, who began his four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

"The guys that stepped in did a good job, but it wasn't enough," Smith said. "We had a lot of d

RAMS 37, REDSKINS 31

ST. LOUIS — Steven Jackson wrapped up a big day with a 21-yard touchdown run in overtime and Marc Bulger tied his career best with four touchdown passes as the Rams (7-8) beat the Redskins (5-10).

Jackson had 150 yards on 33 carries and six catches for 102 yards, a 252-yard day that allowed him to become the Rams' first 2,000-yard man since Marshall Faulk in 2001.

Bulger finished 25 of 38 with no interceptions for 388 yards, giving St. Louis hope that it can make the playoffs with an 8-8 record as it did two years ago.

"People have continued to lose, and records aren't good in the NFC," Rams guard Adam Timmerman said. "It's been pretty bizarre."

BEARS 26, LIONS 21

DETROIT — Brian Griese replaced Rex Grossman in the fourth quarter and led two drives that set up field goals, helping the Bears (13-2) edge the Lions (2-13)

"I thought I was going to play the whole game," said Grossman, who was 20 of 36 for 197 yards. "But I guess they had plans that they were going to get me out mid-third quarter."

Griese, who finished 6 of 9 for 51 yards, directed a 72-yard drive that put Robbie Gould in position for a go-ahead field goal midway through the fourth quarter and made a pass to set up Gould's fourth field goal, giving Chicago a five-point cushion with 2:50 left.

"I hadn't played in a while, so it felt good to get out there and contribute to a win," said Griese, who didn't play in the previous seven games after being used sparingly. "I'm ready to play whenever they want me to, but I don't have any expectations."

PANTHERS 10, FALCONS 3

ATLANTA — Chris Weinke credited his first win in five years to a renewed emphasis on the running game by the Panthers (7-8), while another loss left Michael Vick wondering about the direction of the Falcons (7-8).

"We've got first-round guys, we've got guys that have been in the Pro Bowl offensively and defensively, guys who've been in the scheme for two to three years," Vick said. "You know, the talent level is there, and I just think it's a question that needs to be answered. I don't know what it is, but we're too good to be losing these games, and we should be ranked among the elite in this league this year and we're not."

Weinke was just 4 of 7 for 32 yards, but that included a 1-yard TD pass to Jeff King and Carolina outgained Atlanta's league-leading rushing attack 183 to 83.

"That was our emphasis all week," Weinke said.