second half, completing 11 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals lost 50–14. McCown was then promoted to starter and started the final three games of the season. Head coach Dave McGinnis stated, "Josh is the right decision professionally for our organization," and "Some quality time is what he needs against good teams ... and it's important to find out what we have there." In the final game of the season on December 28 against the Minnesota Vikings, McCown threw a game-winning 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nate Poole as time expired to beat the Vikings by a score of 18–17. The Vikings would have made the playoffs if they had won the game, but the Green Bay Packers made the playoffs in their place. The Packers also invited McCown and Poole to attend their first playoff game. While McCown declined the invitation due to the birth of his third child, Poole attended the game and was presented with a key to the city. McCown played in eight games, with three starts, in 2003 and completed 95 of 166 passes for 1,018 yards and five touchdowns with six interceptions. He also rushed for a career-high 158 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. On February 4, 2004, new head coach Dennis Green named McCown the team's starter for the 2004 season. McCown started the first nine games of the season for the Cardinals, leading the team to a 4–5 record. Against the Atlanta Falcons on September 26, he completed 20 of 26 passes for a then-career high completion level of 76.9%, but he also lost three fumbles and was benched in favor of Shaun King in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals lost 6–3. McCown threw for a then career-high three touchdowns on October 10 against the San Francisco 49ers. During McCown's ninth consecutive start on November 14 against the New York Giants, McCown completed 12 of 24 passes for only 90 yards, though the Cardinals won the game 17–14. McCown was then benched, with King replacing him as the team's starting quarterback. King then started the next two games for the Cardinals while McCown was second-string. After King's two starts, he was benched in favor of John Navarre. Navarre then started one game for the team, during which McCown was second-string and King was third-string. After Navarre's one start, he was benched in