Graham's Cardinals win play-off

Former Geelong footballer Ben Graham has helped the Arizona Cardinals to a 30-24 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC wild card play-offs on Sunday morning (EDT).

Graham had six punts for an average of 39.8 yards and also produced the longest punt of the game with 49-yarder.

It has been an up-and-down year for the Aussie who was dropped by his original club, the New York Jets in September before being re-signed and then dropped again in the space of two weeks.

He then moved to New Orleans, but only lasted a week there before the Cardinals threw him another lifeline.

Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw a pair of long touchdown passes and the team took advantage of some costly mistakes by rookie quarterback Matt Ryan to end the Falcons' fairy-tale season.

Warner threw scoring passes of 42 yards to Larry Fitzgerald and 71 to Anquan Boldin as the Cardinals (10-7) advanced to next weekend's divisional round at either the Carolina Panthers or the top-seeded New York Giants.

Running back Edgerrin James contributed 73 yards on 16 carries for the Cardinals, who are in the play-offs for the first time since 1998.

Appearing in their first post-season home game since 1947 when the franchise was located in Chicago, the Cardinals seized control of the game in the third quarter against Ryan and the mistake-prone Falcons (11-6).

Antrel Rolle returned a fumbled snap 27 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute of the second half to put the NFC West champions ahead for good, 21-17.

Rookie Tim Hightower capped a long scoring drive with a four-yard run to make it 28-17 with 2:48 to go in the third quarter.

Ryan then compounded the troubles on the next play from scrimmage when his long pass down the right sideline was intercepted by rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

In the third quarter, four Atlanta possessions resulted in a fumble, a pair of three-and-outs and the interception.

And it got worse early in the fourth quarter, when defensive end Antonio Smith sacked Ryan in the end zone for a safety that padded the margin to 30-17 with 12:37 to play.

Ryan finally steadied himself and got the Falcons within 30-24 with a five-yard scoring pass to Roddy White with 4:15 to go.

But Atlanta could not get back the ball as the Cardinals ran out the clock, with Warner hitting a huge 23-yard completion to Stephen Spach on third-and-16 with 2:03 remaining.

Warner threw for 271 yards on 19-of-32 passing with the two touchdowns and one interception.

Ryan, who guided the Falcons to a seven-win improvement in his first year, finished 26-of-40 with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Cardinals will now face either the New York Giants or the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional Round, while another former AFL footballer, Saverio Rocca will be in action on Monday when he lines up for Philadelphia against Minnesota.

Darren Sproles sprinted 22 yards for a touchdown with 8:40 to play in overtime, lifting the San Diego Chargers to a 23-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC wild card game.

With All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson forced out of the game early in the second quarter with a groin injury, the diminutive Sproles stood tall, rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns while catching five passes for 45 yards.