John Skelton has had some success as a starter this season, and now he’s
had some success as a reliever as well.

The 2nd-year man from Fordham relieved injured starter Kevin Kolb,
threw
three touchdown passes and got a lot of help from his defense in a 21-
19
win over the San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The clinching score came with just under 12 minutes to play when
Skelton
found Andre Roberts on a 3-yard scoring strike.

Then the Cardinals defense, who played well all day, extinguished any
hope
for the 49ers.

Arizona’s stout defense, led by defensive end Calais Campbell, held San
Francisco to just 78 yards of offense in the 2nd half. After Roberts’ go-
ahead touchdown, the Cardinals held San Francisco without a first down
in
their final three possessions.

Player of the Game: Could it be anyone other than Larry
Fitzgerald? The Cardinals’ all-everything receiver did a little bit of
everything on Sunday.

Fitzgerald finished with 7 catches for a season-high 149 yards and a
touchdown. His touchdown catch was a thing of beauty, as went up to
wrestle it away from San Francisco’s Dashon Goldson came down, and
outraced the 49ers defense to the end zone.

On Early Doucet’s 60-yard touchdown catch in the 2nd quarter, it was
Fitzgerald who laid out 49ers’ DB Tarell Brown, freeing Doucet for his
dash to the house.

And then, on the Cardinals’ clinching touchdown drive, Fitzgerald caught
a pass over the middle from John Skelton, spun away from three
defenders and turned the play into a 53-yard gain all the way down to
the San Francisco 20-yard line. Four plays later, Skelton hit Roberts with
the go-ahead touchdown pass.

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