(MENAFN- Arab Times) WASHINGTON Dec 12 (Agencies): The Arizona Cardinals posted their best record in the National Football League after a dour 12-6 road victory over the St Louis Rams on Thursday. The Cardinals won a defensive contest in a game devoid of touchdowns to improve to 11-3 on the season tying the franchise mark for wins in a season. They consolidated their lead in the NFC West ahead of defending Super Bowl champions Seattle (9-4) and almost certainly secured at least a wild-card playoff spot with two regular season games left. But it was not all good news for Arizona who lost quarterback Drew Stanton to a knee injury when he was sacked in the third quarter replaced by third-string Ryan Lindley.
Arizona's first-choice quarterback Carson Palmer had also suffered a season-ending knee injury in November. Stanton completed 12-of-20 passes for 109 yards before departing and there was no immediate word on the seriousness of his injury. The loss eliminated the Rams (6-8) from playoff contention. After holding their opponents scoreless the past two weeks they again played strong defense giving up just four field goals but on this occasion their offense did not do enough. 'That's one of the best wins I've ever been a part of' Arizona coach Bruce Arians told reporters after the first NFL game without a touchdown in two years. 'Our defense was outstanding. Everybody wanted to talk all that stuff about how great their (St. Louis) defense is. I think they saw a good defense tonight. It was in red-and-white (Arizona colors). I thought our defensive line whipped their offensive line pretty solid. 'I'm very very proud of our guys. It was a great team victory. I love it when nobody says you've got a chance to win. There's an 11-3 team and a team that's always 8-and-8. You figure it out.' Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton says he still doesn't know how he managed to survive a two-car smash that totalled his truck and left him with two fractures in his back. 'I really couldn't talk afterward because I was in such shock' Newton told the Charlotte Observer on Thursday. 'I got myself out of the truck and I couldn't stop smiling. 'I am looking at this truck and I am like 'Somebody's supposed to be dead.' And I just can't stop smiling because it is like God has his hands on me.' The impact of the crash caused Newton's truck to turn over. He exited by climbing out a back window then sat on the curb and waited for emergency crews to arrive. Newton 25 was speaking for the first time since Tuesday's accident about a block from the Panthers stadium. He was released from the hospital on Wednesday. Newton said he already was a religious person but after surviving this ordeal he has a new reason to believe in God. 'I am on somebody's fantasy league and I think it is the man upstairs' he said. The Panthers have ruled Newton out of this Sunday's game and said he would be re-evaluated next week. Newton says he never even considered playing this soon. 'As far as when I am coming back who cares That's not something that I am worried about right now. I am just thankful to have breath in my lungs' said Newton who was back in the Panthers stadium on Thursday to attend a team meeting. Newton said he was travelling straight in his black pickup on the road when he saw the driver of a Buick sedan try to pull out and cross the road. Newton tried to avoid the other car but it clipped his back end. Police did not ticket either driver and said Newton was travelling the speed limit. The 4-8-1 Panthers face struggling Tampa Bay this Sunday. Backup quarterback Derek Anderson will fill in for Newton.
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