Veteran Freeney repays Cardinals' faith

(Reuters) - With one game-saving play, linebacker Dwight Freeney showed the championship mettle the Arizona Cardinals are hoping can help push them to the next level. The Cardinals signed the veteran Freeney in October and the acquisition reaped big benefits on Thursday when his last-second sack and strip fumble propelled Arizona to a 23-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The 14th year Freeney made a nifty spin move against a Vikings offensive lineman and got to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater just as Minnesota was moving in for a game-tying field goal. "They were in field goal range for sure," Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told reporters. "That’s why he’s going to the Hall of Fame. That’s what we brought him here to get pressure on the plays he plays." Freeney has made a career of doing just that as a seven-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. Arizona (11-2) is closing in on the NFC West title but has not won a playoff game since 2009. Freeney’s arrival brings much-needed experience and has got the attention of a Cardinals defense that already features standouts like Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu. "I love being on the field with him. I think he’s going to really help us get to that next step where we want to be," said Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell. "The last play of the game, he called the play because he knew it was going to work. That's a championship play." (Writing by Jahmal Corner; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)