"Most veteran NFL players caution younger ones to treat a playoff game like another week in the regular season. But if the youngsters on the Cardinals roster wanted to hear a differing opinion this week, all they had to do wasby quarterback Kurt Warner's locker.

"Playoff time is just special and it's different," Warner said. "I said that to somebody last week. 'It's time to elevate. It's time to raise the standard.' You have to bring your game up. There is something about knowing that this is it, that every game you could be going home, it's just more fun."

Saturday's divisional playoff game against the Saints in the Louisiana Superdome is why Warner still plays at 38. The money helps, sure. The regular-season competition is great, too. But when other NFL players padded their statistics at the end of the year, Warner was almost incredulous that anyone could view that as important.

Given Warner's playoff history, it might be time for everyone to adopt his playoff philosophy. He completed 29 of 33 passes in the 51-45 overtime victory overtime victory over Green Bay last week, finishing with more touchdown passes (5) than incompletions.

Warner's passer rating of 104.6 in the playoffs is second in NFL history to Bart Starr. In 12 playoff games, Warner has thrown for 31 touchdowns and had only 13 passes intercepted. More importantly, his teams are 9-3, with two of those losses coming in the Super Bowl.

"He's got my vote," coach Ken Whisenhunt said when asked if Warner was the best-ever postseason quarterback. "I hope that trend continues.""