Alex Smith looked terrible until leading that near-flawless march in the waning minutes for the 49ers, who beat the Cardinals for the first time in five tries during coach Mike Nolan's tenure.

Smith finished 15-of-31 for 126 yards -- 60 on the final drive. The third-year quarterback also made a key 25-yard scramble, and Battle hauled in a gutsy catch at the 1 before running it in for the decisive score.

Anquan Boldin caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Matt Leinart with 6:40 to play for the Cardinals, who kept the 49ers out of the end zone for 55 straight minutes between Frank Gore's early score and Battle's final TD. Arizona's defense finally bent at the end, handing new coach Ken Whisenhunt a typically crushing Cardinals loss in his debut.

Edgerrin James rushed for 92 yards and a score, and Leinart was 14-of-28 for 102 yards with two interceptions in the meeting between two long-struggling NFC West clubs with cautiously high hopes for the season.

Arizona held the 49ers to 194 total yards, just 30 in the second half until that final drive.

Bengals 27, Ravens 20 At Cincinnati, Steve McNair's interception -- his fourth gaffe of the game -- set up Carson Palmer's fourth-quarter touchdown pass, and Cincinnati's suspect defense pulled off a goal-line stand that preserved a victory over Baltimore.

In a bruising season opener matching the last two AFC North champs, the Bengals were the last one standing -- barely.

Kyle Boller took over after McNair strained his groin in the fourth quarter -- the last in a nonstop run of injuries for both teams -- and led the Ravens to the 1-yard line in the closing seconds.

A pass interference penalty on Todd Heap negated his catch in the end zone, and Boller's final pass deflected off Heap's shoulder and was intercepted in the end zone by diving lineman Michael Myers.

The Bengals had to work with a makeshift offensive line that was missing three starters by the second quarter. They also briefly lost kicker Shayne Graham, costing them on an extra-point try.

Even receiver Chad Johnson limped off at one point, evidently suffering from a cramp. The Pro Bowl receiver and incessant self-promoter came up big for the Bengals, catching a 39-yard touchdown pass that set the tone.