GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals have gone from chumps to champs in the NFC West.

Kurt Warner threw for 279 yards, the defense scored twice and the Cardinals clinched their first division title in 33 years by beating the woeful St. Louis Rams 34-10 today.

The Cardinals, long the league's doormat franchise with just one winning season in the last 24 years, earned their first playoff berth since 1998 and first divisional title since they won the NFC East in 1975. As NFC West champions, they will host a playoff game for the first time since, as the Chicago Cardinals, they defeated Philadelphia to win the NFL title in 1947.

Arizona's defense scored both of the team's second-half touchdowns, including a team record-tying 99-yard interception return by rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with 3:11 to play.

Arizona (8-5) beat St. Louis (2-11) for the fifth straight time and extended the Rams' losing streak to seven games. After losses to the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, the Cardinals improved to 5-0 against NFC West foes.

Warner completed 24 of 33 passes against a Rams team he once led to a Super Bowl title. In the process, he reached 347 completions for the season, breaking the Cardinals' record of 345 set by Neil Lomax in 1984.

Linebacker Gerald Hayes forced two fumbles by the Rams' Steven Jackson and tackle Darnell Dockett returned the second 11 yards for his first career touchdown to give Arizona a 27-7 lead with 4:20 left in the third quarter.

Jackson, who gained 64 yards on 19 carries in his second game back from a thigh injury, lost the ball on consecutive St. Louis possessions. The first stopped a St. Louis drive at the Cardinals 22. The second bounced into the hands of Dockett, who rambled into the end zone to boost the lead to 20 points.

Arizona took a 14-0 lead on its first two possessions.

The worst rushing team in the NFL, the Cardinals gained 39 yards on the ground in a 10-play, 76-yard drive that ended with Tim Hightower's 1-yard TD run.

The Rams went three-and-out, then Warner's 36-yard pass to Anquan Boldin helped set up Larry Fitzgerald's 12-yard touchdown reception.

The Cardinals got the ball again late in the first quarter, but Warner's pass was intercepted by Ron Bartell and returned to the Arizona 6-yard line. Marc Bulger threw a 3-yard scoring pass to Jackson on the second play of the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-7.

Neil Rackers kicked field goals of 44 and 22 yards to put the Cardinals ahead 20-7 at the half. The shorter field goal came after Warner threw 58 yards to Steve Breaston. It was Breaston's longest career reception.