ikaufman@tampatrib.com

DETROIT - Football is supposed to be a young man's game.

At least that's what the Cardinals believed when they selected quarterback Matt

Leinart out of Southern Cal with the 10th pick in the 2006 draft.

The desert strategy seemed sound-let Leinart break in slowly under the tutelage of veteran Kurt Warner until the kid's ready.

Three years later, the kid's still waiting.

Warner, 37, is not inclined to surrender his starting job as Arizona (7-3) takes on the Super Bowl champion Giants today.

The NFL's top-rated passer is a strong candidate to capture his third league MVP

award, which would match the feat of Brett Favre, another Football fossil still thriving on fall Sundays.

"This guy has always been about beating the odds,'' Bucs defensive tackle Chris

Hovan said of Warner, whose 94.6 career passer rating is second all-time behind Steve Young. "He's a tough dude. You can't rattle Kurt Warner. He just keeps getting up, throwing spirals.''

For Warner, Favre and Tennessee's Kerry Collins, experience trumps any eroding

physical skills.

When Warner joined the Cardinals in 2005, he was coming off a frustrating season

in New York, where he started the first nine games for a lousy Giants team before

yielding to first-round pick Eli Manning.

"I never wavered in my belief what I could do,'' Warner said. "What I wavered

in was whether I would get the opportunity to play like I knew I could play.''

The Cardinals could potentially wrap up the NFC West by upsetting the Giants

today and the Bucs could find themselves preparing for Warner in a playoff matchup

in January.

"He can throw every ball -that's his trademark,'' said Bucs defensive end Kevin

Carter, who won a Super Bowl with the 1999 Rams as Warner earned game MVP honors. "He was a great teammate in St. Louis, Mr. Sunshine. It's not an act. My wife and I were watching him play last week on Monday night, cheering him on.''

In Arizona, Warner has outstanding targets in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, who already have combined for 129 catches and 16 touchdowns.

But don't downplay Warner's role in accelerating the development of second-year

receiver Steve Breaston, also on pace for a 1,000-yard season.

It's been quite an NFL season already, marked by accomplishment and controversy.

So turn the page on Pacman Jones and embrace Mr. Sunshine, who leads the

league in completion percentage and smiles.

Had your fill of Ocho Cinco? Warm up to the former Arena League standout, who

didn't throw his first NFL pass until he was 27. You can't rattle Kurt Warner,

but feel free to admire him.

DID YOU KNOW?

*With 110 yards against Jacksonville today, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson would pass Jim Brown and rank second to Eric Dickerson for the most rushing yards (2,551) through a player's first 25 games.

*Ten rookie backs have already posted at least one 100-yard game this year, the most ever in an NFL season.

*The Cardinals (7-3) can clinch their first division title since 1975 by beating the Giants today, coupled with a loss by the 49ers and a loss or tie by the Seahawks.

*Since 2001, the Lions have blocked an NFL-high 22 kicks, including 15 blocked field-goal attempts.

MASTERS OF VERSATILITY

Tampa Bay's Warrick Dunn and San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson are on the brink of joining the only four players in league history with 10,000 rushing yards and 500 catches.

Player Yds Rec.

Marcus Allen 12,243 587

Tiki Barber 10,449 586

Marshall Faulk 12,279 767

Emmitt Smith 18,355 515

x-LaDainian Tomlinson 11,336 494

x-Warrick Dunn 10,657 489

x-active

THEY SAID IT

"I was looking at the Pro Bowl voting the other day and he was like third. He honestly should be No. 1 or No. 2."

--- Broncos WR Brandon Marshall on Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha

"It's a huge insult for him to be standing around like this."

--- Drew Rosenhaus, agent for Arizona RB Edgerrin James, who has been relegated to third string behind Tim Hightower and J.J. Arrington

"Honestly, it still kills me on the inside because I love those boys."

--- Redskins RB Shaun Alexander on Seattle's 2-8 start. Alexander played for the Seahawks from 2000-07

Photo: Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is the NFL's top-rated passer this season and could be an MVP candidate.

Photo: LaDainian Tomlinson

Photo: Warrick Dunn

Photo: Adrian Peterson

Copyright ? 2008, The Tampa Tribune and may not be republished without permission. E-mail library@tampatrib.com