HERO

Antrel Rolle. See the key play as the cornerback's fumble return for a touchdown on the second play of the second half turned the game in the Cardinals' favor.

GOAT

Falcons defensive front. The group did not sack Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner once. He threw for 271 yards. However, the biggest failing of the unit was its inability to stop the Cardinals' run game. Edgerrin James rushed for 73 yards and Tim Hightower added 23 yards. That's a total of 96 yards, meaning the Cardinals could eat up the clock themselves and set up their passing game.

KEY PLAY

The Falcons took advantage of a late first-half turnover and scored with 27 seconds left for a 17-14 halftime lead. And they and got the second-half kickoff. However, on a handoff from Matt Ryan to Michael Turner, Cardinals tackle Darnell Dockett got his hand on the ball and it popped straight up and into the waiting arms of Antrel Rolle. He raced 27 yards for a touchdown and gave the Cardinals the lead for good. It was the first of 16 straight points.

KEY CALL

The Cardinals scored first with a flea flicker that caught the Falcons off guard. After taking a Matt Ryan interception, the Cardinals ran Edgerrin James three times. On the fourth straight carry, he tossed back to Kurt Warner, who threw 42 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown. Fitzgerald got by cornerback Chris Houston and safety Lawyer Milloy, who bit on the run.

KEY STAT

The Cardinals needed to stop the Falcons' run game to win. They did just that. They limited Michael Turner to 42 yards on 18 carries, an average of just 2.3 yards a carry. The Falcons did not get a first down in the second half until 6:27 remained in the game.

BIG HIT

Cardinals cornerback Roderick Hood drilled Falcons receiver Harry Douglas as he caught a short pass early in the second quarter. Hood arrived just as the ball did, although Douglas held on for no gain. Douglas also got drilled by Michael Adams fielding a first-quarter punt.

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. Offseason agenda: Defense, defense, defense. It needs to be the target of GM Thomas Dimitroff. The Falcons need help at defensive end, linebacker and secondary.

2. The Falcons faced a long field much of the day. They had three drives start inside their 10-yard line. The third, which started on their 3-yard line, resulted in a sack that put the Cardinals up 30-17.

3. We've been here before. There is lots of reason for optimism with these Falcons. And we're saying it now: The Falcons will have a winning record next season. That will be one streak that will come to an end.