Vikings, Cardinals tied 7-7 after 1st quarter in prime-time duel between Favre, Warner

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Vikings, Cardinals tied 7-7 after 1st quarter

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Brett Favre and Kurt Warner exchanged early touchdown passes as the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals ended the first quarter tied 7-7 Sunday in a prime-time duel of the two veteran quarterbacks and former Super Bowl winners.

With his start, Favre set the NFL record for most consecutive games played at 283, surpassing former Minnesota defensive great Jim Marshall. Favre has not missed a start since the 1992 season.

The Vikings (10-1) took advantage of Tim Hightower’s fumble on Arizona’s second play, recovering the ball near midfield and driving for a quick score. Favre hit tight end Visanthe Shiancoe for a 3-yard touchdown with 9:47 left in the first quarter, which came after Vikings coach Brad Childress successfully challenged the original ruling of an incomplete pass.

The Minnesota offensive line gave ample time for Favre to pick apart the secondary of Arizona (7-4), completing passes to Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice.

The Cardinals benefited from a 64-yard punt return by Steve Breaston to the 2-yard line with just under five minutes to go. Warner hit Anquan Boldin the next play for a touchdown. Boldin had five catches for 40 yards in the first quarter.

Warner was back in the starting lineup after missing last week’s game because of lingering symptoms from the concussion he sustained Nov. 22 at St. Louis. He had started 41 consecutive games before missing the Titans game.

The game features two of the league’s top veteran quarterbacks, with the 40-year-old Favre and 38-year-old Warner having a combined five Super Bowl appearances and two championships over the last 13 seasons. Favre has won three league MVPs, Warner two.

The game is also a rematch of a December contest from last year in which the Vikings dominated Arizona 35-14 in what was part of a late-season swoon for the Cardinals, before they got hot in the playoffs and came within a couple of plays of winning the Super Bowl.

Despite being in prime position to lock up the NFC North and a first-round bye, Minnesota still has a lot to play for as the Vikings trail the undefeated Saints by only one game in the battle for home-field advantage.