GLENDALE, Ariz. — Bruce Arians didn’t know who his starting quarterback was going to be Sunday until about an hour before kickoff against the Washington Redskins.

Just to be safe, the Arizona Cardinals head coach had three quarterbacks active for the game.

Listed as questionable after missing the past three games with a nerve issue in his passing shoulder, Carson Palmer got the starting nod and threw two touchdown passes to help the Cardinals down the Washington Redskins 30-20 in front of the 88th consecutive sellout at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Palmer, who spent most of Friday in Denver getting treatment on the nerve by a specialist he discovered only a week earlier, was 28 of 44 for 250 yards. He was not sacked and did not throw an interception.

It’s the first time in team history, dating back to at least 1940, that the Cardinals (4-1) have gone five straight games without throwing at least one interception. They have a one-game lead over the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks in the NFC West.

In addition to Palmer’s surprise return — he was limited in practice all last week — the Cardinals forced four turnovers in the fourth quarter and got three field goals of 33, 49 and 37 yards from rookie kicker Chandler Catanzaro.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins rallied the Redskins to a late touchdown, finding wide receiver Pierre Garcon for a 5-yard score with 2:17 left to play. But Cousins’ three interceptions killed any chance for a Washington comeback. It was the fourth straight loss for the Redskins (1-5).

Arizona safety Rashad Johnson returned his second pick of the game 28 yards for a touchdown with 18 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Cardinals and snap an eight-game losing streak to Washington.

After Catanzaro hit his 49-yarder, Cardinals cornerback Jerraud Powers stripped Redskins receiver Andre Roberts of the ball for the first turnover as safety Tyrann Mathieu recovered. Catanzaro then hit from 37 yards and is now 14 for 14 on field goal attempts this season.

On Washington’s ensuing possession, Cousins was picked off by Johnson. It didn’t get much better from there for Cousins. He was intercepted yet again on his next drive, this time by Powers.

Cousins finished the game completing 24 of 38 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns.

Palmer threw touchdown passes to wide receivers Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald to help the Cardinals head into halftime with a 14-13 lead.

Arizona scored on its third possession of the game when, after starting at the Washington 41, Palmer hit Floyd in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown pass.

Washington wasn’t rattled, though. After taking a 10-yard sack, Cousins stepped up on second-and-20 and hit wide receiver DeSean Jackson on a crossing route. Jackson out-ran the man coverage of Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson and scooted 64 yards for the touchdown.

The Redskins gambled a bit on their next possession, going for it on fourth-and-1 from their own 39. Cousins executed a perfect play-action call, however, and lofted a short pass to tight end Niles Paul for a 7-yard gain.

Later, Cousins worked underneath on a screen pass to Jackson, who pulled away for a 42-yard gain. The 60-yard drive ended with a 28-yard field goal by Kai Forbath.

Penalties began to consume the Cardinals, who were flagged seven times for 45 yards in the half. Palmer managed to direct them on an eight-play, 85-yard scoring drive, capped by his 24-yard touchdown pass to Fitzgerald with 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Fitzgerald deked cornerback E.J. Biggers off the line, gained a step, and then corkscrewed his way out of a tackle at the goal line for his first touchdown reception of the season. It was also the 88th of his career, moving him into a tie with Hall of Famer Don Maynard for 12th on the league’s all-time list.

The Redskins were able to add another field goal just before halftime as Cousins kept working underneath and finding open receivers during a 55-yard scoring drive that took just 29 seconds.

NOTES: The Cardinals were without defensive end Calais Campbell, who was expected to miss anywhere from one to three weeks after suffering a sprained MCL in his right knee after getting chop blocked a week ago by Denver’s Julius Thomas. … Washington was without starting middle linebacker Perry Riley Jr. (knee) and Will Compton got the start in his place. … Redskins starting cornerback David Amerson left the game in the first quarter with concussion symptoms and did not return. … With his six catches on Sunday, WR Larry Fitzgerald (865) moved ahead of Muhsin Muhammed (860) and Jimmy Smith (862) and into 20th place on the NFL’s all-time receptions list.