In this paper, we present a robust decentralized method for jointly performing channel estimation and closed loop power control for the reverse link of CDMA networks. Our method, based on linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control systems theory and Kalman filtering, does not require any training symbols for channel or signal to interference ratio (SIR) estimation. The main interest of this new scheme is that it improves the performance of current SIR based power control techniques while avoiding the problem of power escalation, which is often observed in current systems.