NFL FanHouse

Bears' Tommie Harris Ejected for Punch

Chris Burke — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears

Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris was ejected from Sunday's Chicago-Arizona game after throwing a punch to the face of Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui.

The incident occurred just four plays into the contest. Lutui, who was blocking Harris on a running play, was lying face down on the Soldier Field turf when Harris grabbed him, lifted him slightly and landed an uppercut to Lutui's facemask.

More: Cardinals Clobber Bears | Bucs Stun Packers | NFL Photos

The punch occurred right in front of referee Ed Hochuli, who immediately threw a flag. Harris was given a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and tossed.

After the game, free safety Danieal Manning said Harris apologized to the team.

"We understood," Manning said. "I've been ejected before; it was high school. You've just got to try to get away from the guy when you can, but we understand where Tommie was coming from. I think the guy was shoving him, but I really don't know."

Harris, who had been suffering from a knee injury, was unexpectedly inactive two weeks ago for Chicago's loss in Cincinnati. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo declared Harris healthy a couple of days prior to that game, then called Harris out after he sat.

Harris later said that his knee wasn't why he missed the game, leading to some speculation that head coach Lovie Smith had benched his starting defensive tackle in hopes of motivating him. Harris has just nine tackles and no sacks this season, despite starting seven games, counting Sunday's brief cameo.

"I know the result," Smith said. "There's nothing Tommie can really tell me."

The NFL will no doubt take a second look at Harris' haymaker on Lutui, and a suspension seems probable. Chicago plays again Thursday at San Francisco.

Bears' Tommie Harris Ejected for Punch originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Should Cards Shut Injured Anquan Boldin Down?

Matt Snyder — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, NFC West, NFL Injuries

Anquan Boldin, when healthy, is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. This isn't a secret. He's been to three Pro Bowls, enjoyed four 1,000-yard seasons, caught more than 500 passes thus far in only 87 games and scored 41 touchdowns. He's a running back in a receiver's body, though, so he has endured his fair share of injuries -- missing 16 games in his first six seasons due to injury. This season, he's played every game, but he's done so at less than 100 percent.

Looking at his numbers, it's evident he's not himself. His per-game averages show Boldin's on pace for career lows across the board. And he just doesn't seem himself, either. Considering his ankle injury isn't going away without rest -- and the fact that the gamer Boldin won't voluntarily sit out -- should the Cardinals bench him until he's healthy? One Arizona columnist says they should.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic has made a plea to head coach Ken Whisenhunt to take the decision away from Boldin -- who insists he's about 80 percent but definitely OK to play -- and bench him.

By playing at considerably less than optimal health, Boldin is hurting the team. It's hard to make him a big part of the game plan, because no one is sure how long Boldin's ankle will hold up. It doesn't appear he can accelerate as fast on his pass routes, or move quickly enough to evade tacklers when he does make the catch.

It's the age-old question: do you keep running a star out there when he's clearly not himself, or risk losing a game or two while he works himself back to health. If he was simply in pain and his performance wasn't impacted, that would be one thing. You can't tell a player to stop putting himself through voluntary pain, because it's his job to play football.

It's quite another animal when his performance is actually lacking. As I mentioned earlier, Boldin is having the worst season of his career. Sure, it's because he's injured, but he's still injured. And, as Somers points out, Boldin's altering the team's game plan by not being able to complete games. With the only way to fully heal the ankle being rest, it seems like the right move, even if it angers Boldin.

For now, Whisenhunt seems as non-committal as possible:

"That is certainly something we are going to have to consider because you don't want to go through the rest of the season with Anquan only being able to play a half or three quarters before his ankle flares up," Whisenhunt said.

"I can't tell you how impressed I am with Anquan's toughness and ... his desire to compete," Whisenhunt said. "That's a big part of our football team. That's something you lose if you try to rest him."

The Cardinals head to Chicago this Sunday to square off with a Bears team who, like Arizona, is a fringe-type playoff team. Conventional wisdom says they need Boldin on the field, but it's entirely possible they'd be better served with Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban and Early Doucet rounding out the receiving corps opposite star Larry Fitzgerald.

After all, the Cardinals did win four of five games without Boldin last year (including the playoffs).

Should Cards Shut Injured Anquan Boldin Down? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Cardinals Flip Script on Giants

Dan Graziano — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:18:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Giants, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- They flew all over the field all night, racing to the ball, harassing the opposing quarterback with a variety of aggressive blitzes. The defense was disruptive, deep and energetic, and the main reason its team won the game. All of this was to be expected, of course...just not from this particular team.

On this night, it was the Arizona Cardinals beating the New York Giants at the latter's own game, forcing four turnovers and out-muscling Big Blue 24-17 on national TV in the swamps of Jersey.

"We definitely fed off our defense tonight," Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner said.

More: Check Box Score | Standings

Teams that go to the Super Bowl don't generally fly under the radar, but these particular defending NFC champion Cardinals seem to have done just that in 2009. They lost two of their first three games, dumping a division game to San Francisco in their opener and getting throttled by the apparently invincible Colts in Week 3. Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said last week he felt his team struggled in the early part of the season with their own expectations -- that his players felt too much pressure to live up to the title of NFC champs.

But since the Week 4 bye, things have gone extremely well for Arizona. The Cardinals have won three in a row, the last two on the road, each win more impressive than the one that preceded it. This one Sunday night against the Giants moved the Cardinals back into first place by themselves in the NFC West and stamped them as a legitimate threat to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl for a second year in a row.

"When something bad happens to us," Warner said, "we respond."

Most impressive, though, is the fact that they seem to be better now at the areas in which they were deficient last year. Sure, they still live to throw the ball. They are a pass-first team, and they dare you to try to outscore them. But with star receiver Anquan Boldin banged up and an angry Giants defense staring them down across the line, Arizona knew it would need to be multi-dimensional to win this game.

Enter the defense, anchored by linebacker Karlos Dansby and aggressive, opportunistic safeties Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle. They intercepted Eli Manning three times, sacked him three times and hassled him all night, forcing delay-of-game penalties and keeping the Giants' offense from ever getting on track.

"We have to give credit to them," Manning said. "We had too many third-and-longs and not enough positive plays. Too many three-and-outs."

Music to the ears of a Cardinals defense that's used to playing in the shadows of a high-flying offense -- and doesn't feel it should have to.

"Everybody wants to talk about how much we score, how much we pass, but we really feel like we have one of the best defenses in the league," Boldin said. "They're aggressive and they make plays when the plays are there for them to make."

Last week in Seattle, the Cardinals put the Seahawks to sleep with a variety of pressure packages that overwhelmed a shredded offensive line. This week, the Giants' offensive line was slightly undermanned (right tackle Kareem McKenzie was injured and did not play, breaking New York's NFL-record streak of 38 consecutive games with the same offensive line and quarterback starting together), but there was no way the Giants could lay the blame on that. Rookie right tackle Will Beatty wasn't the only lineman who got beaten by a swarming Cardinal defense that seemed to show up in the backfield on every play.

"Oh no, no, they brought people from all over," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "They are a pressure defense. I'm not exactly sure who was at fault or if there was anyone who was at fault. There was pressure all night."

On the other side of the ball, Arizona showcased a new weapon. Rookie running back Beanie Wells ran for 67 yards on 14 carries -- 10 more carries than starter Tim Hightower got. Wells used a vicious stiff-arm to aid his first career touchdown run in the second quarter (and liked it so much he kept using it, with varying degrees of success, for the rest of the night). His totals weren't eye-popping, but for a rookie coming off the bench for a team that called 36 passes and 22 runs, they were significant, and bear watching going forward.

"Beanie did a great job of running downhill, getting some yards after contact, keeping the pile moving," Warner said of Wells. "I think we've seen that since day one, what he can do with the ball in his hands."

He's another weapon, and they've got a ton of them. Larry Fitzgerald (six catches, 83 yards) still plays for Arizona, lest anyone forget. And Boldin picked up 75 yards on a bad ankle. All the characters you remember from the team that led the Super Bowl in the final minutes are still around. But the Cardinals just came into Giants Stadium and won a football game with their defense and a running back.

If you're looking for contenders in the NFC as the halfway point approaches, that makes it worth remembering the team that's actually defending the title.

Cardinals Flip Script on Giants originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Sunday Night Football Live Chat: Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Giants

Adam Gretz — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Giants, NFL Live Blogging

We have an exciting matchup on Sunday night as Eli Manning and the New York Giants host Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals. We'll be chatting about all of the action -- and the rest of Sunday's slate of games -- starting at 8:15 PM ET, so please, stop on by and join us.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=8d89afeebf&amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;gt;Sunday NIght Football Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Sunday Night Football Live Chat: Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Giants originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Cardinals Still Doing It Their Way

Dan Graziano — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:12:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Giants, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

When Justin Tuck showed up to watch film of the Arizona Cardinals this week, he was fired up. He knew what he was going to see -- Cardinals QB Kurt Warner sitting behind his line, taking forever to get rid of the ball while a swarm of receivers ran their routes downfield.

"I was licking my chops," said Tuck, the Giants' defensive end. "But then I went in there and...he's not holding the ball as long as he used to. We're looking at an average of 2.2 seconds, which is a drastic change."

You wouldn't think the Cardinals would have to change much, playing in the weak NFC West and coming off a season in which they represented the NFC in the Super Bowl. But starting with an opening-week loss to the surprisingly game division-rival 49ers, the Cardinals found life as defending conference champs to be tougher than they thought it would be.

"The hardest thing that we have had to deal with is expectations," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said Wednesday. "Not necessarily from outside sources, but from our own guys trying to live up to the reputation of an NFC champion. I think that caused us to press a little bit too much early in the season, play a little too uptight."

That was Whisenhunt's message to his team during their Week 4 bye, when they were 1-2 and coming off a Sunday night thrashing by the Colts on national TV. The Cardinals came out of the bye and beat the Texans in a shootout, then went to Seattle last week and posted their most impressive victory of the season so far. Now, as they ready to face the 5-1 Giants on Sunday night in the Meadowlands, the 3-2 Cardinals look a lot more like the team that left the rest of the NFC in the dust last January.

"After our bye week, we've just been trying to get back to playing the way we played last year in the playoffs," Whisenhunt said. "That is with a little more looseness, a little more excitement."

Excitement is, of course, the Cardinals' specialty. They run as pass-heavy an offense as there is in the league, relying on the arm of the veteran Warner and the downfield skills of receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston. They rank sixth in the league in passing yards per game and dead last in rush yards per game, and they make no apologies for the discrepancy.

"You have to play to your strengths," Warner said. "If we go into a game and we're having trouble running the ball, we feel good about throwing. It puts more pressure on that part of the game, but we feel we're pretty good at it."

The Giants are coming off a game in which the Saints threw all over their banged-up secondary and kept pressure off quarterback Drew Brees with a variety of play-action calls. But when asked if playing New Orleans can get you ready to play Arizona, they all said the Cardinals' offense is unique. And the main reason it seems to be unique, as simple as this sounds, is the quality of the athletes it uses.

"When they get in their rhythm, honestly I think it's just the receivers that they've got," Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said. "A lot of times, when they throw the ball up there, they're covered. And they just make the great plays on the ball. So when you've got guys you can trust like that with a good quarterback, that makes it tough on a defense."

The Cardinals come into this weekend banged up. Boldin is struggling with an ankle injury and didn't practice Wednesday. Breaston has been fighting a knee injury all season. But don't make the mistake of thinking they're going to show up on your TV on Sunday night and start running the ball into the line with Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells. The Cardinals are what they are -- they throw the ball. And then they throw it some more.

"It's a different style, no doubt," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "All four receivers are involved. The tight end is involved. The backs -- Tim Hightower is their third-leading receiver. They have excellent distribution. The ball is spread around real good."

Oh, and there's that little detail about how much quicker Warner is getting rid of the ball than he did last year. An idea at which Warner laughed.

"It goes year to year," Warner said. "If I'm successful, people say I'm getting the ball out quick. If I'm not successful, people say I'm holding the ball too long. I don't feel that I'm doing anything better. Maybe our scheme, maybe the way our receivers are playing helps me get the ball out quicker. I don't have any evidence to say one way or the other."

What Warner and the Cardinals have is a 3-2 record and a level of confidence that is moving in the right direction -- from where it was after the Colts beat them up in Week 3 and headed back toward where it was when they had a lead on the Steelers in the final minutes of the Super Bowl. Will it get all the way back there? No way to know. But one thing's for certain. If they do get back there, the Cardinals are going to do it by throwing the ball.

Cardinals Still Doing It Their Way originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Manning, Colts D on Fire as Cards Misfire

Nancy Gay — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:40:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Colts

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Peyton Manning's four-touchdown performance was a headline-grabber in the Indianapolis Colts' emphatic 31-10 road victory Sunday night over the reeling Arizona Cardinals.

So was emerging offensive star Pierre Garcon, the Colts' second-year receiver who caught three passes for 64 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown reception down the right sideline with 1:52 remaining before halftime in a game that proved totally one-sided after a tight opening quarter.

That play was the third of Manning's three second-quarter touchdown passes -- Reggie Wayne caught a 20-yard scoring pass and tight end Dallas Clark snared a 10-yard TD -- and all of them put this contest out of reach for the Cardinals (1-2), who are now 0-2 at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Garcon, who has improved each week as a speed-burner replacement for injured starter Anthony Gonzalez, was matched up multiple times against Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and he burned Arizona's left cornerback one-on-one on the scoring catch. Wayne had seven catches for 126 yards against a Cardinals' defense that seemed out of position all night.

"We had to figure them out and see what they're doing, and then attack their weaknesses," said Garcon, who has grown so comfortable with Manning, he began suggesting plays along the sideline.

Manning's final scoring throw, a 3-yard TD pass to Joseph Addai, was set up by a 72-yard toss to wide-open rookie running back Donald Brown, who capitalized on a key block by Garcon to break free on the option route.

More From NFL FanHouse
Moore: Vick's Positive Change Mariotti: More Bark Than Bite? Whitley: Bucs Are Just Awful Pats Pick Brady Up Favre, Vikings Pull Off Miracle Lions Finally Win One Brady Quinn Benched

"Huge play. I've got to feel it was some kind of blown coverage," said Manning, who completed 24 of 35 passes for 379 yards and a passer rating of 130.5. Sunday's win was also the 18th game in his NFL career that Manning's thrown at least four touchdown passes. He did have a first-quarter pass intercepted by Cardinals free safety Antrel Rolle, but that would be one of the few memorable plays for an Arizona secondary that was routinely shredded throughout the game.

Said Addai, "You know, the crazy thing is, when you've got guys like Peyton, Reggie, Dallas, you never know what's going to happen. You know it's just a matter of time that it's going to happen.

"I think for us, in this game, it was just a matter of knowing it was eventually going to work out. We have a great defense, so you just have to trust it's going to happen. And when it got rolling in the second quarter, you saw what happened."

Arizona fumbled three times in the first half, losing one, and that turnover early in the second quarter sent the game spiraling out of control for the home team.

On the play, Cardinals running back Tim Hightower was rocked by a Melvin Bullitt tackle, and Colts free safety Antoine Bethea scooped up the loose ball at the Indianapolis 5-yard line, which may have been lousy field position for anyone but Manning on a night like this.

He systematically drove the Colts 95 yards to the first of three second-quarter touchdowns, connecting with Wayne for the score.

"We just got hot," said Manning, who was unhappy with the Colts' sloppy first quarter, after which they trailed 3-0. "We had an aggressive game plan, wanted to spread them out a little bit. It was a little frustrating early, coming out with three-and-outs and you hate to do that on the road.

"But our defense did a great job keeping us in it, forcing some turnovers. We could have easily fallen in a hole."

No doubt. This was a Colts defense that was coming off playing a remarkable 84 snaps in a Week 2 Monday night victory at Miami -- but it still managed to force two Arizona turnovers (a fumble and interception) inside the Colts' 10-yard line.

"This game is about getting the ball. Get the ball. Turn it over and get that offense back the ball. We did a good job," said defensive end Dwight Freeney, who twice sacked quarterback Kurt Warner but left the game at the start of the fourth quarter with a right quad injury. Freeney will undergo an MRI exam on Monday.

The quick turnaround from Monday's night's exhausting effort to another prime-time road game could have proved crippling, but Colts coach Jim Caldwell recalled that his team experienced a similar potential schedule-killer three years ago. So he was prepared.

"In 2006, we played Jacksonville on a Monday night and then we came back and played Carolina on Sunday," said Caldwell, who is 3-0 in his first year as Tony Dungy's replacement. "I took a look at the schedule and made some modifications I thought were necessary."

The Colts run defense rendered Hightower (9 rushes, 22 yards) and rookie Beanie Wells (2 rushes, -2 yards) non-factors, and forced Warner to go to the air repeatedly. Problem was, Warner was hurried and beaten down all game long by Bethea and Freeney.

Warner threw 52 passes and had 332 passing yards. But he was sacked four times and tossed two interceptions trying to get his offense in sync.

And catch-up football only proved more fatal for the Cardinals and Warner, whose early fourth-quarter interception put Indianapolis in position for an Adam Vinatieri field goal and the three-touchdown advantage.

Vinatieri's kick sent the University of Phoenix Stadium crowd for the exits. By the time Warner was chased down and dumped for a whopping 28-yard sack with 6:30 remaining, Cardinals fans were heading for the doors and loudly booing the quarterback that took their team to the Super Bowl last season.

"I'm very disappointed to lose two games at home like we did," Warner said, "but that's our job -- to go out and play better, because we know our fans are going to show up and help us create a home-field advantage."

Manning, Colts D on Fire as Cards Misfire originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Sunday Night Football Live Chat: Indianapolis Colts vs. Arizona Cardinals

Adam Gretz — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Colts, NFL Fans

Sunday night's contest in Arizona marks the first time multiple regular season MVP's, and Super Bowl MVP's -- Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner -- have faced each other in a regular season game. The Colts are coming off a come-from-behind win in Miami, while the Cardinals are coming off a near-perfect game from Warner in a win against Jacksonville.

Should be a good one, and we'll be live-chatting every single play. Fun starts at 8:15.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=dacb7832d2&amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;gt;Sunday Night Football Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Sunday Night Football Live Chat: Indianapolis Colts vs. Arizona Cardinals originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

More Than a Passing Fancy as Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning Collide

Thomas George — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Colts

The bus ride to last season's Pro Bowl gave Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh a fresh perspective of Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner. Off the field. On the field.

"They both sat beside my daughter, Alison, and treated her like a princess,"' Harbaugh recalled. "It was really impressive how they related to an 8-year-old. Just great. And then Peyton starts pumping me for information about how we run our defense. Kurt wanted to talk about chemistry on offense and how best to get it."

Manning, the I-know-what-your-weakness-is, I-know-what-my-film-study-showed, I-have-your-game quarterback. Warner, the I-see-what-you-are-trying-to-do, let's-see-what-happens, take-this-shot quarterback.

Manning the intellectual approach.

Warner the daring approach.

Manning the surgeon, the cold-blooded, precision style. Warner the push-it passer.

Manning the blue-blood, the prince from his three-fold, NFL quarterback family.

Warner the ex-grocery sacker.

Multiple MVP winners and Super Bowl MVPs have never met in an NFL game. We see that on Sunday night when Indianapolis plays at Arizona.

When Peyton Manning meets Kurt Warner.

A slice of Ali-Frazier. A nip of Koufax-Gibson.

Two accomplished quarterbacks. Two hot ones.

Manning is fresh from a dramatic victory on Monday night at Miami, where he passed for the winning touchdown on a whirlwind last-second drive that you missed if you blinked. And Warner just completed passes at a higher percentage in a game than anyone in NFL history -- 24 of 26 (92.3 percent) in beating Jacksonville.

Harbaugh is correct when he says we should savor every moment of Manning and Warner on the same field and realize this is a special slice of NFL history. These teams have not played since 2005, the Colts have not visited Arizona since 1990 and the only way we could see a repeat of this matchup this season is in Super Bowl XLIV.

"Those are two Hall of Fame quarterbacks," Harbaugh said. "It is a craft for those guys, not a job. The way the NFL goes, you had better take what you can get, appreciate the moment you have, because things don't always come back around. The next time we might see them together is in Canton when we see their busts."

Manning is 33. Warner 38. Both entered the league in 1998 and are in their 12th NFL season. Manning has played only for the Colts. Warner gained his first shot as a free agent with Green Bay in 1994 but was cut, spent 1995-1997 in the Arena Football League, 1998 in NFL Europe and then his NFL career stuck: St. Louis (1998-2003), the Giants (2004) and Arizona (2005-present).

"When you talk about these two guys," said an NFL general manager whose team has played against each quarterback in the past year, "you are talking great leadership ability and great knowledge of the game. Both are prototypical drop-back NFL quarterbacks: Neither one is going to take off and kill you running. They can be methodical to watch. Fans may like flash and dash, but these guys do less of that and more of just lining up and beating you.

"There are differences. Peyton comes from a royal quarterbacking pedigree and lineage. Kurt comes from sacking groceries. Peyton played at Tennessee, one of the most prestigious schools in the SEC. Warner comes from one of those directional Illinois schools and I'm not even sure which one it is."

Actually, a directional Iowa school. Northern Iowa.

No matter, NFL talent evaluators agree. Same leadership, same drive, same knowledge, champion quarterbacks.

Both have mastered the art of quick decision-making, critical to successful quarterbacking. Both have excelled in reading defenses and having command of his offense, including all intricacies.

Manning's career quarterback rating is 94.9. Warner's is 93.8.

The element to appreciate most in this matchup is the competitiveness. Sure, both quarterbacks face the opposing defense and not directly each other. But both have been around the game long enough to know that it boils down to Manning vs. Warner. That this is the show.

It is a unique spot where winning the matchup rivals winning the game. It is a prime instance where those concepts are, indeed, the same. That is the encompassing impact this duo can have on any game.

"Peyton has that system down; he can do it with his eyes closed," an NFL scout said. "When Peyton comes to the line and starts barking and signaling, if I was a linebacker, I would think he was reading my mind. He counters. You counter. He counters. You counter. He usually gets the last word."

Not this time.

Go with the ex-grocery sacker.

Despite Warner's already splendid legacy, this shot is too juicy, too energizing for him to let slip. He has the better receivers, he has the better defense and he has the home, dome crowd.

And Warner is made for these moments -- shoving aside the regal to make room for the runt.

More Than a Passing Fancy as Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning Collide originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

After Week 1, Some Teams in Trouble

Dave Goldberg — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Panthers, Redskins, Texans, NFL Analysis

Ken Whisenhunt tried to challenge the Arizona Cardinals before the season by dismissing his team's unlikely run to the Super Bowl last season.

"We haven't done anything. We were a 9-7 football team last season," he said. "We didn't have a lot of respect going into the playoffs, so that doesn't surprise me. Until we win consistently that's not going to happen.''

They still don't have a lot of respect, especially after Sunday's 20-16 loss to San Francisco, a game in which they were lethargic at best.

Week 1 had its upsets -- that was one of them -- but there was very little that was surprising, even Jay Cutler's four-interception fizzle in Green Bay. Bad starts can mean little or nothing: the Giants won the Super Bowl two years ago after allowing 80 points in two losses to start the regular season.

But first impressions are telling and injuries can end seasons before they start -- Brian Urlacher is lost to Chicago for the season with a dislocated wrist, an injury that severely curtails the Bears' chances in what was supposed to be a three-way race in the NFC North. But Cutler's four interceptions Sunday night were not a good harbinger for the future of the guy who is allegedly the team's first franchise QB since Sid Luckman.

A look at some opening-week problems:

Arizona -- Anquan Boldin, Darnell Dockett and even Kurt Warner spent the offseason trying to get more money. Warner, who turned 38 in June, got it.

Those things happen on successful teams, especially when this one has a history of losing that only recently was surpassed by Detroit's futility.

But coaches use the word "distraction'' for a reason and squabbling over contracts is one of them. Warner has never been a me-first guy, and he deserved the cash, but his age and injury history suggest that he's unlikely to be this season what he was in 2008.

He wasn't the same Warner against the 49ers: 26 of 44 for 288 yards and two interceptions while under a fierce pass rush from the 49ers. Committing turnovers under pressure is what led to him being replaced by rookie Eli Manning with the 2004 Giants, even though New York forfeited its shot to make the playoffs that season.

"We're just not meshing," Warner said after Sunday's game. "We never seem to get into a rhythm. There always seems to be something to stop us."

Notice the present tense -- he means all summer, not just one game.

Meanwhile, Mike Singletary has brought a resolve to the 49ers and might be one of the few Hall-of-Fame caliber players to be a successful coach. San Francisco runs well and plays defense well -- Patrick Willis might be the NFL's best linebacker right now. That's just like the Chicago teams that Singletary led as a player. Look for a three-way race in the NFC West with Seattle back in form. At this point, it's easy to see the NFC champions as No. 3.

Washington -- The more things change ...

Start with the contract Daniel Snyder gave DeAngelo Hall -- $30 million for the first three years of a $55 million deal. Then look at the tape of the Giants' Mario Manningham running down the sideline for the first touchdown in New York's 23-17 win on Sunday -- Hall's half-hearted effort to push him out of bounds was the last obstacle on a 30-yard TD play.

Snyder has never gotten it with "name'' players.

He gave Hall the money after he was traded by Atlanta to Oakland, then dumped by the Raiders, largely because his talent didn't make up for sporadic effort and a penchant for taking dumb penalties. Snyder must have figured Hall could become in Washington what Randy Moss is in New England.

And Albert Haynesworth, who Snyder paid close to $100 million, was ordinary. His main contribution was clogging the middle when Brandon Jacobs was stuffed on a fourth down at the Washington 3 in the first quarter. If Haynesworth was going to take the money and run, he could have taken less from the Giants and had a better chance to win.

To Snyder's credit, he may have been right in trying to replace Jason Campbell. Campbell looked harried for much of Sunday's game, which wasn't nearly as close as the score -- a gimme TD from New York's prevent defense made the score close.

Campbell is athletic, and has a strong and often accurate arm. But when a team takes away Santana Moss -- two catches for six yards on Sunday -- he gets lost. And he lacks instincts. On the game's pivotal play, he failed to step up and keep tabs on Osi Umenyiora, one of the Giants you have to account for at all times. Osi stripped the ball, picked it up and ran 37 yards for a TD that gave New York a 17-0 lead.

"Good morning back to the lab to see what went wrong. gotta fix it...add a little more pride and heart and we should have it," linebacker Rocky McIntosh tweeted Monday morning.

While Hall and Haynesworth have the money, McIntosh, London Fletcher and most of the other defenders already have "it."

But the Redskins are probably last again in the NFC East because Snyder plays the name game.

Houston -- How many years has it been now that we've tabbed the Texans as a "sleeper'' team entering a season? Mario Williams, Andre Johnson, DeMeco Ryans, Steve Slaton, Owen Daniels? A lot of talent that mesmerizes fantasy folks. Which, of course, is why it's called "fantasy.''

Sorry, but if you're a sleeper team, you don't rush for just 38 yards and lose 24-7 at home to a team starting a rookie quarterback, even if that quarterback is Mark Sanchez, who already looks like this year's version of Matt Ryan.

All of this puts more pressure on coach Gary Kubiak, who took the hit, saying he didn't have his team ready to play. That's a big hit -- teams spend most of training camp pointing to the opener.

"I'm extremely disappointed," said guard Chester Pitts, who absolved Kubiak and blamed the players. "You prepare for your opening game for six months, and when you lose, it stings. And when you get your butts kicked like we did, it stings a little more."

One problem was little pressure on Sanchez -- the Texans got no sacks. Another was blown coverage on his touchdown pass, 30 yards to Chansi Stuckey that sent the Jets off at halftime with a 10-0 lead.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, one of the NFL's most knowledgeable beat writers, called it the worst defeat in Texans history. That covers a lot of losses for a team that hasn't been better than 8-8 since entering the NFL in 2002. Remember that last season, Sage Rosenfels managed to throw away a . 17-point lead in the second half of the fourth quarter.

That's one reason why Rosenfels is now in Minnesota.

If the Texans don't make it to 9-7 or better this year, Kubiak will be somewhere else next year. Maybe as Mike Shanahan's offensive coordinator in Washington, putting in yet another new system for Campbell.

Carolina -- Bill Cowher lives in North Carolina, leading fans there to suggest that he's the answer.

Sorry, but what can Cowher do about Jake Delhomme, who has thrown nine interceptions in his last 51 passes? Four of them and a fumble recovered for a Philadelphia touchdown came in Sunday's 38-10 loss to Philadelphia.

It's all the more disturbing because DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart give the Panthers a running game that should keep Delhomme having to throw out of desperation. Also disturbing: Delhomme's new five-year contract that at 34 almost mandates his staying at least until 2012. But as Washington has one receiving threat in Santana Moss, so do the Panthers -- Steve Smith. Mushin Muhammad is 36 and Dwayne Jarrett hasn't got it yet (or ever?)

Interesting juxtaposition of Southern Cal receivers.

The Panthers took Jarrett in the second round of the 2007 draft before the Giants, who were supposed to have wanted him. So New York took the other Steve Smith, No. 2 to Jarrett's No. 1 at USC. Jarrett has 16 catches in two seasons plus a game; Smith has 87, including six for 80 yards on Sunday and 14 in the 2007 playoffs, including five in the Super Bowl.

Yes, there is such a thing as drafting luck. Good and bad.

After Week 1, Some Teams in Trouble originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Sorting the Sunday Pile, Week 1: Must-Win Games

Ryan Wilson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Chiefs, Giants, Ravens, Redskins

Sorting the Sunday Pile looks back at the NFL weekend that was. It's also an unofficial Brady Quinn blog.

A year ago, Matt Cassel got his chance to be an NFL starting quarterback when then-Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard blew up Tom Brady's knee. Cassel led the Patriots to 11 wins, and played well enough for the Chiefs to trade for him in the offseason.

Smash cut to Cassel tweaking his knee during Kansas City's third preseason game (God's sense of humor is underrated), which forced him to miss the first Sunday of the 2009 season. Any chances the Chiefs -- an outfit that won six times in their last 32 games -- had against the Ravens were out the window with Cassel on the bench.

Except that Brodie Croyle, who got his first start since October 19, 2008, actually looked like he knew what he was doing. It was refreshing, frankly. He finished 16 of 24 for 177 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions. And that was against one of the league's most menacing defense.

Yes, the Chiefs lost 38-24, but it was tied 24-24 with just over five minutes to go. Not sure if that says more about Todd Haley's R. Lee Ermey coaching style, or that the Ravens might not be quite ready to challenge the Steelers in the AFC North, but if there's ever a reason to be pumped about a moral victory I think this is it.

More than that, though, does Croyle, the Chiefs' 2006 third-round pick, deserve more playing time? Maybe. But here's the thing: Croyle's a Carl Peterson-Herm Edwards guy. Cassel's a Scott-Pioli-Haley guy. And even though he struggled in preseason, there's no way Cassel doesn't get on the field as soon as he's healthy. That's one of the benefits to playing for a team with absolutely no short-term expectations: you can make all the mistakes you want. At least until the guys who brought you in get canned.

Redskins-Giants Play First Must-Win Game of '09

I suspect we'll start hearing about "must-win games" by the end of the month, which is akin to putting up your Christmas tree on July 5th. With that in mind, let me be the first to declare the first must-win game of the 2009 season: the Week 1 Redskins-Giants get-together. I don't really believe that, but I can envision Washington fans, heads in hands, lamenting their plight after watching Sunday's debaclement.

Last year, then-first-year head coach Jim Zorn was accused of conservative play-calling -- something Joe Gibbs had to deal with early in his second stint with the team (that was before Al Saunders and his 700-page playbook showed up in Ashburn and everything magically got better*) -- and he promised that things would be different this time around. Maybe the changes were subtle because the '09 Jason Campbell looked a lot like the '06-'08 version.

But just like last season, it's not completely Campbell's fault. The offensive line deserves some blame, as does the defense. But Campbell's an easy target, except that now, with Colt Brennan on injured reserve and Chase Daniel on the Saints' practice squad, it's not clear who the anti-Campbell contingent would want to take over the job.

Todd Collins briefly enjoyed the Colt Brennan treatment following the 2007 season, when he led the 'Skins into the playoffs after Campbell was injured. As it turned out, that had more to do with Collins' familiarity with Saunders' scheme than his quarterbacking skills. He looked just as lost as everybody else last preseason in Zorn's version of the West Coast Offense.

So now what? Washington appears as unremarkable as ever, and Zorn's future is tied to Campbell, who is in the last year of his rookie contract. Obviously, the 'Skins need to find a way to get Hunter Smith more involved in the offense. In the meantime, here's your silver lining, 'Skins fans, courtesy of Jim Zorn: "The positive thing is we played hard the whole game. We just didn't have the poise in situations that we needed to."

So there's that.

Michael Crabtree, Somehow Less Relevant

There were plenty of reasons to think that the Cardinals might not repeat as NFC West champs: Kurt Warner is 38 years old and routinely takes a beating during games; Matt Leinart was no closer to winning the starting gig, and he was apparently battling Brian St. Pierre for the backup job early in the preseason; the Seahawks are improved -- and more importantly -- healthy. Plus, before the final month of the 2008 season, when the Cards caught fire and made their Super Bowl run, they were wildly inconsistent.

So despite the expectations, it's not completely surprising that the 49ers came into Glendale and won. But Arizona is a veteran team and, truth be told, this game probably meant more to San Francisco.

Mike Singletary is in his first full year as head coach, and Shaun Hill is the quarterback, beating out the eminently beatable Alex Smith. Hill played the part of game manager (usually considered a pejorative, in this case, it's a compliment), throwing a touchdown and avoiding interceptions, and somehow managed to do it without first-round pick Michael Crabtree.

Part of me hopes Crabtree does decide to re-enter the draft next April and he gets drafted by the Raiders. In the fourth round.

* better = worse, more complicated

Sorting the Sunday Pile, Week 1: Must-Win Games originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Arizona Cardinals 2009 Preview: New Expectations in the Desert

Matt Snyder — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, NFC West, FanHouse Previews

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

After what seemed like about 15 straight seasons heading into the year as the trendy "sleeper" pick of the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals finally realized their potential, winning a home playoff game for the first time in the life of many football fans (myself included) and heading to the first-ever Super Bowl. Now, all of a sudden, expectations are at an all-time high. Can the team thrive, or will they disappoint?

Offense: Do you really need me to inform you of their offensive firepower? The Cards ranked fourth in the NFL in total offense last regular season and tied for second in touchdowns. In the postseason they were even better, as Larry Fitzgerald became a bonafide household name. With Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin back, Steve Breaston having another year under his belt and the offensive line marginally improved, there's no reason to expect more than a small handful of teams -- if that -- to be better at throwing the ball than Arizona. An achilles heel for the offense last season, though, was the ground-game. The Cards have said sayonara to Edgerrin James and drafted Beanie Wells in the first round. They are hoping the combination of Beanie and Tim Hightower will be enough to keep defenses honest. Considering the Cards ranked 32nd in the NFL in rushing last season and still fourth in total offense, any added help on the ground is a bonus. The offense is already elite. Heat Index: 9

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=700087&pid=700086&uts=1252511787

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Arizona Cardinals Photos

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 3: Cornerback Greg Toler #32 of the Arizona Cardinals dives for the ball but gets called for pass interference against Kenny McKinley #11 of the Denver Broncos during the NFL preseason game at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kenny McKinley;Greg Toler

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Arizona Cardinals Photos

In this Aug. 13, 2009 photo, Pittsburgh Steelers center Justin Hartwig (62) is seen during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Pittsburgh. Hartwig signed a four-year contract on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009, two days before the season opener against Tennessee. Hartwig enters his second season as the Steelers' center and eighth in the NFL. He has started 79 career games, including some with Tennessee and Carolina. Hartwig was a sixth-round pick by Tennessee in 2002 and signed with Pittsburgh after being cut by Carolina following the 2007 season. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

In this Aug. 28, 2009, photo, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to his left at the line of scrimmage, against the Arizona Cardinals during an NFL preseason football game in Glendale, Ariz. There are fewer questions on offense after a generally successful first season as a starter from Rodgers. (AP Photo/Jason Babyak)

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 3: Head coach Josh McDaniels of the Denver Broncos talks with side judge Don Carlson #39 during the NFL preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Don Carlson;Josh McDaniels

Getty Images

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 03: Quarterback Ingle Martin #9 of the Denver Broncos drops back to pass against the Arizona Cardinals preseason NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 19-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ingle Martin

Getty Images

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 03: Head coach Josh McDaniels (R) of the Denver Broncos and head coach Ken Wisenhunt (L) of the Arizona Cardinals meet and greet after the game during preseason NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 19-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh McDaniels;Ken Wisenhunt

Getty Images

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 03: Head coach Josh McDaniels of the Denver Broncos walks the sideline as he faces the Arizona Cardinals during preseason NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 19-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh McDaniels

Getty Images

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 3: Ben Graham #5 of the Arizona Cardinals puts the ball away during the NFL preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 19-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Graham

Getty Images

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 3: Quarterback Tyler Palko #3 of the Arizona Cardinals points down field as he looks for a receiver during the NFL preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 19-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyler Palko

Getty Images

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 3: Quarterback Tyler Palko #3 of the Arizona Cardinals runs out of the pocket during the NFL preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cardinals 19-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyler Palko

Getty Images

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Tyler Palko, front, is dragged down for a loss by Denver Broncos defensive lineman Tim Crowder in the fourth quarter of the Broncos' 19-0 victory in a preseason NFL football game in Denver on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Defense: The Cards ranked 19th in total defense, but only four really dreadful teams allowed more points (Chiefs, Broncos, Rams and Lions). They need to find ways to hold down the scoring, as to not put all the pressure on the offense this year. Replacing Roderick Hood with Bryant McFadden at corner will aid what appears to be a very strong secondary -- assuming the continued growth of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The defensive line starters are solid enough, but depth is lacking. Karlos Dansby is one of the better linebackers in the league, but he doesn't have a ton of help on that line of defense. I expect this to be a more consistent group in 2009, but they still aren't above average. Heat Index: 5

Special Teams: The Cards were actually pretty bad on special teams last season. Neil Rackers is a good kicker, but most of the rest of the team leaves something to be desired. Both kickoff and punt coverage units are among the worst in the league. They are pretty bad on both return games also, although they've been trying a bevy of possible new returners this preseason who could inject some life into the return game. They weren't good in punts last year, either, but Ben Graham can be a quality punter with a full season. Heat Index: 3

Coaching: Ken Whisenhunt is a darn good football coach, and it's hard to say anything negative about a guy who took a team to the Super Bowl after just two seasons. His assistant, Russ Grimm, is also one of the more respected coaches in football. Of course, the Cardinals also lost both of their coordinators, and the departure of Todd Haley from the offense is going to hurt. The offensive personnel is now in place, but we'll see rather quickly how big of an influence Haley was on the offense. New defensive coordinator, Bill Davis, has had that job before with little success. He was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers in 2005 and 2006. The Niners were awful defensively in those two seasons. Davis has helped with the growth of Dansby as the Cardinals' linebacker coach the past few seasons, but he's got to prove himself in the new gig. Overall, Grimm and Whisenhunt will have to carry the load. Heat Index: 6

Intangibles: Fortunately, the team doesn't have to deal with the contract demands of Boldin this year, who seems to finally be content -- or at least quiet about his discontent. They obviously are riding high, following the Super Bowl run, but they have to be worried about the ability of Warner and Boldin to stay healthy for different reasosn (Warner is old, Boldin always misses games). The departure of Haley could have an effect on the offense, though Warner's leadership should thwart some of that. You do worry about a Super Bowl hangover, and the Cards have looked pretty despondent at times in the preseason. Were they simply content with heading to the big game, or are they determined to get back and win it this time? You know Warner can handle it, but we need to see the rest of the team deal with success and follow it up. Until then, we just can't be sure. You know they aren't hurting for confidence, though. Heat Index: 7

Total Heat Index: 30/50 That's a low score for a team coming off a Super Bowl loss, but they are fairly one-dimensional. Look for them to be around 9-7 (again) or 10-6. If they make the playoffs, there's definitely a chance of them getting hot and running the table again, but with having to rely so heavily upon the offense to win them football games, it's going to be tough to sustain long stretches of success through the regular season. Plus, while their division isn't exactly the AFC South or NFC East, it's not nearly as bad as it was last year. They'll need to shape up during the regular season, or they'll be watching the playoffs from home -- which would be a falling drastically short of their now-heightened expectations.

Arizona Cardinals 2009 Preview: New Expectations in the Desert originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What to Watch for in Friday's Games That Don't Count

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Packers, Patriots, Redskins

NFL teams are now into their third week of the preseason. That means that fans can expect to see starters on both sides of the ball playing into the third quarter of this weekend's games.

It also means that the first cut -- taking rosters down to a maximum of 75 players -- is to be made by early next week. Between starters playing extra and guys fighting for a last chance at a job, there is plenty for fans to keep an eye on, even though the games don't count.

New England at Washington, 8:00 PM ET

New England

Tom Brady played most of the first half in the Patriots' preseason opener, so it shouldn't be a major issue to see him go into the third quarter Friday. However, it's worth noting that Brady got knocked around in a short appearance against Cincinnati last week, so there's no guarantee the Redskins' first-team defense won't put a hat or two on him over the course of two-plus quarters. For Brady's part, he seems willing to take the abuse, as it shows that his knee is fully operational. However, fans need to keep watching his throwing mechanics. There have been a lot of back-foot throws over the first two weeks of the preseason. It's probably nothing, but with a guy like Brady, people are bound to nitpick.

Washington

This should be a good test for coach Jim Zorn and his offensive unit. In the last nine possessions where the Patriots' first-team defense has been on the field, they've allowed no touchdowns. Yes, it's preseason, but that's still a good thing. The Redskins need to see some serious improvement with their offensive attack if they are to make a dent in the NFC East this season, so the onus is on quarterback Jason Campbell -- the so-far unchallenged starter for the team -- to lead his team to some points. There's no better time to gain confidence than this week, since the "ones" will see more playing time than any other point in the preseason.

Green Bay at Arizona, 10:00 PM ET

Green Bay

While the first-team offense has racked up five touchdowns and no punts over six possessions in two preseason games, the reserves haven't been so successful. Despite being on the field for the better part of six quarters of football so far, the Packers have scored just 13 points with the non-starters on the field. This could be a last chance for third-string quarterback Brian Brohm. A second-round pick just last year, Brohm still looks overwhelmed by the whole NFL experience. He's not the first highly-accomplished college quarterback who never had the NFL game slow down for him, and he won't be the last. However, that doesn't make it any less difficult to watch him flounder. If Brohm doesn't play well Friday, he could be among those out the door in the first round of cuts.

Arizona

Every once in a while, a late-round pick or undrafted free agent finds a way to "steal" a roster spot. Seventh-round pick LaRod Stephens-Howling, a former Pittsburgh Panther, could be that guy for the Cardinals. With Tim Hightower seemingly established as the top running back, Stephens-Howling has made an impact on special teams. He had an 89-yard kickoff return against San Diego last week, and he could probably cement a spot on the roster with another good night. Of course, keeping Stephens-Howling would mean the Cardinals have two rookie running backs on the roster (they're not cutting Beanie Wells). It's hard not to root for the late-round picks, though.

What to Watch for in Friday's Games That Don't Count originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Even With New Faces, Steelers Roll On

Terence Moore — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:01:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- As expected, the roars across Heinz Field on Thursday night were black, gold and loud. It didn't matter that this was one of those glorified NFL scrimmages. It didn't matter that this was the first of such meaningless games this summer for both teams, which means their strategy was typically absent, and their play was absolutely raw.

It also didn't matter that popular country singer Keith Urban was doing his thing in a concert just a punt away, or that former President Bill Clinton was speaking to a bunch of bloggers next door at a convention.

Here's what mattered: The Pittsburgh Steelers. That's because the Steelers matter as much as breathing to those who often scream themselves into a Bill Cowher face where the Ohio meets the Allegheny and the Monongahela rivers.

Plus, this was the first time the capital of Steeler Nation could hug its heroes since "Sixburgh" became official last February in Tampa. And the visiting team was the Arizona Cardinals, which featured many of the same players who were victimized down the thrilling stretch of Super Bowl XLIII by most of these Steelers.

But that's the past. That's part of a glorious past for the Steelers.

Among the primary reasons why the Steelers have a record six NFL world championships and counting is that they also have, and have had, a glorious present and future on the roster. None of that has much to do with how the Steelers survived Arizona in this one. For the record, they replaced their regulars after a couple of series and conquered Arizona's subs for a 20-10 victory.

The Steelers lost just two starters from last season's team, and one of the new starters is Lawrence Timmons, more athletic and six years younger than Larry Foote, his predecessor at linebacker. The offensive line has to be better after allowing a ridiculous 46 sacks of star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger last season. The running game improves with a healthy Rashard Mendenhall giving breaks to an aging Willie Parker.

Then there is this: The Steelers are just the Steelers. With enlightened ownership in the Rooneys and with the new Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher in Mike Tomlin, they get it as much as any team in the league.

"When you come (into this organization), you see that we build our teams through the draft," said nose tackle Casey Hampton, among the 15 Pittsburgh starters who are home-grown. Courtesy of his talent and his teammates, he has watched four of his nine seasons with the Steelers end in the Pro Bowl. Added Hampton, "You see a lot of big-name guys (with the Steelers) let go every year. And you say you can't believe they let this guy go or that guy go, but then you always have a guy who has been in the system four or five years, and he just picks up right where the other guy left off.

"That's the difference between us and other teams and why our chemistry is so good. We don't mix and match a lot of guys and just bring them in, just because they can play. We kind of build our teams from within, and I think that's why we're so close."

They're close enough to be honest about their faults.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=515382&pid=515380&uts=1250257395

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Latest NFL Photos

PITTSBURGH - AUGUST 13: Ben Roethlisbeger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers readies to throw a pass to Limas Sweed #14 as Calais Campbell #93 of the Arizona Cardinals applies pressure during a preseason NFL game August 13, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Roethlisbeger

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Latest NFL Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Louis Rankin #40 of the Oakland Raidersl runs against Courtney Brown #27 of the Dallas Cowboys during a preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Louis Rankin;Courtney Brown *** Local Caption *** Louis Rankin;Courtney Brown

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Bruce Gradkowski #5 of the Oakland Raiders passes against the Dallas Cowboys during the preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bruce Gradkowski

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Head coach Wade Phillips of the Dallas Cowboys looks on against the Oakland Raiders during a preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wade Phillips

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Darrius Heyward-Bey #12 of the Oakland Raiders warms up against the Dallas Cowboys during a preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Darrius Heyward-Bey

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders passes the ball in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys during the preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaMarcus Russell

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys throws the ball in the first quarter against the Oakland Raiders during a preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Romo

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Owner of the Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones walks on the field against the Oakland Raiders during a preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jerry Jones

Getty Images

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 13: Chaz Schilens #81 of the Oakland Raiders catches a pass over Courtney Brown #27 of the Dallas Cowboys during a preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 13, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chaz Schilens;Courtney Brown

Getty Images

There was LaMarr Woodley, for instance, who ended last season with an NFL-record two sacks in four straight playoff games. He added another one Thursday night. Even so, he wasn't exactly a catalyst in this game for the rest of those who comprised what was the league's No. 1 ranked defense last season.

"First of all, we were out there on the field too long," said Woodley, in his third year with the Steelers, referring to the two series that the Steelers' first defensive unit played when Cardinals starting quarterback Kurt Warner kept nailing open receivers. "We got them down to third down a few times, and we let them get first downs. So there are a few things we have to tweak.

"Every year, the defense changes. You've got new guys coming in. This year, we've got Lawrence Timmons taking Larry Foote's spot, and we got William Gay taking Bryant McFadden's spot. Even though they played a lot last year, guys have to get used to communicating with each other.

"It's getting better."

Which means it's not there yet. Neither is the offense, with the Steelers coaching staff calling vanilla plays that contributed to Mendenhall and the rest of his rushing mates managing less than three yards per carry. Elsewhere, while second-year player Limas Sweed was the receiving star of the night with two long catches, Roethlisberger was only functional (completing four of six passes for 33 yards).

Said Tomlin, entering his third year as Steelers head coach, "We're far from perfection. That's why we go through this process. Saw some things that we don't like. Twelve men on the field. Delays of game. Signs of August football."

Yeah, but the Steeler Nation only cares about February football. So Tomlin, Woodley and the rest have time to get it right.

Terence Moore is a national columnist and commentator for FanHouse. He is a frequent panelist on "Rome Is Burning," an ESPN show hosted by Jim Rome, that is seen Monday through Friday at 4:30 PM ET. Moore spent more than three decades working for major newspapers, including 26 years as an award-winning sports columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He resides in Atlanta.

Even With New Faces, Steelers Roll On originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What to Watch for in Thursday's Games That Don't Count

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, Redskins, Steelers

All eyes will be on Philadelphia Thursday night, as the Great One returns to competition.

Tom Brady hasn't played in almost a year. His blown-out knee now healed, Brady is a rare breed in today's NFL -- he's a veteran player who's actually looking forward to the preseason. As the summer schedule kicks off in earnest Thursday, Brady is far from the only interesting storyline.

New England at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. Eastern

New England

Duh. Brady's return trumps all. Expect much to be said about how long he plays, though coach Bill Belichick is unlikely to take any chances. Brady will get a couple series, and then he should find himself a nice, cool seat on the bench.

Philadelphia

Folks are raving about the play of LeSean McCoy so far. The University of Pittsburgh product is fighting to earn as much playing time as possible behind veteran Brian Westbrook. This will be McCoy's first shot against a live NFL opponent, so every touch will be important. Since Westbrook is still on the mend, McCoy will have a first-team offensive line to work behind.

Washington at Baltimore, 7:30 p.m.

Washington

It would make sense that the Redskins are embarking on a quarterback controversy. Even if you believe that Jason Campbell won't be losing his starting job anytime soon, the team has one veteran (Todd Collins) and two youngsters (Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel) fighting for the other two jobs on the team. Given how enamored people seem to be with Brennan, it's hard to imagine that he wouldn't be on the team. That means Collins and Daniel are fighting for a single roster spot.

Baltimore

The Ravens have a nice problem in their offensive backfield. Fullback LeRon McClain was actually their leading rusher last year, and veteran Willis McGahee is their biggest name. It's second-year man Ray Rice, however, who could make the biggest splash this season. On the back-burner, this may be the first chance for fans to see how newly-unretired receiver Derrick Mason looks. Mason injured his finger in practice Tuesday, and his status is still uncertain. (Update: Mason will be inactive against the Redskins)

Arizona at Pittsburgh, 8:00 p.m.

Arizona

Obviously, the Cardinals are seeking revenge. Oh, wait. This is a preseason game. The Cardinals know Kurt Warner will enter the regular season as their starting quarterback. What they're not so certain about is the future of the "heir apparent". Former first-round pick Matt Leinart is trying to avoid heading toward the Bust Motel, and he is stuck trying to fight off Brian St. Pierre for the No. 2 job. This is a high-pressure situation for Leinart, who surely isn't being paid all that money to be a gameday inactive.

Pittsburgh

Second-year back Rashard Mendenhall returns after suffering a broken shoulder on a hit from Ray Lewis last year. The Illinois product may get a chance to prove his worth with the first team, as starter Willie Parker is banged up and may not play. The Steelers seem determined to find out for certain what they have in Mendenhall, and every game he plays in could weigh heavily on the team's thinking.

Dallas at Oakland, 10:00 p.m.

Dallas

Without Terrell Owens, how functional will the first-team offense be? Tony Romo is the unquestioned leader, and he still has a top target in tight end Jason Witten. Can Roy Williams be as good as Owens, only without the serious baggage? Fans might only see a couple series out of these guys, but they're going to expect to see Romo lead his team down the field.

Oakland

Will Jeff Garcia really challenge JaMarcus Russell for the starting job? No matter who starts in Week 1, can they do enough through the air to allow the Raiders' ground attack to shine? Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are all back, and it's just a matter of the passing attack getting, well, off the ground.

What to Watch for in Thursday's Games That Don't Count originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NFL Twitter Mailbag: Charles Rogers, Seahawks' and Cardinals' Defense

Michael David Smith — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Lions, Seahawks

Our new NFL Twitter mailbag features reaction from readers to former Lions draft bust Charles Rogers saying he used to smoke marijuana every day, and follows that up with an X's and O's look at the defenses of the Seahawks and the Cardinals.

Your questions and comments, and my responses, are below.

emfleek: This explains why Charles Rogers was able to be such an elite superstar in the NFL.
In the past, when people searched for explanations for why Rogers was such a bad player in the NFL after looking so promising at Michigan State, we usually heard that it was either his broken collarbones (which obviously played a part) or the overall ineptitude of the Lions (which is true, but didn't stop Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson from developing into solid receivers).

But I think you're right, emfleek, that his drug abuse may have been the biggest contributor of all. There were red flags about Rogers heading into the 2003 NFL draft, but unfortunately for Lions fans, Matt Millen ignored those red flags.

GregDietz: Ridiculous. What a wasted talent.
The waste of talent is why I view Rogers as the single biggest bust in NFL draft history. Most people name either Ryan Leaf or Tony Mandarich as the biggest bust ever, but with the benefit of hindsight, I don't think either Leaf or Mandarich was as talented as Rogers.

Leaf looked talented in college, but in retrospect I think what he really had was a strong arm that could exploit subpar defenses: He never had the talent to throw accurate passes or read NFL defenses, which is what NFL-caliber quarterbacking talent is really all about.

And Mandarich looked talented in college, but in retrospect I think what he really had was a pharmaceutically enhanced body: He could overpower defensive linemen in college, but once he got to the NFL, where he faced bigger opposition and more stringent steroid testing, he just couldn't keep up.

Rogers really did have phenomenal athletic talent: Speed, leaping ability, great hands and so on. He just wasted it.

jordanbreen: The tweetbag needs less Farve and Plax and more of how grown Seattle's LB corps is and how real the Cards secondary will be.
You want some analysis of the Seahawks and Cardinals? I've got some analysis of the Seahawks and Cardinals, courtesy of the excellent Football Outsiders Almanac 2009.

First, here's a great summary of what you'll see from the Seahawks this season:

Seattle's linebackers, already the strength of the team, may be even better in 2009, and will certainly be younger. Fourth overall pick Aaron Curry is eight years younger than last year's starter, Julian Peterson, who was dealt to Detroit. ... Curry should immediately improve Seattle's coverage of opposing running backs, which has ranked near the bottom of the league for two years in a row. Leroy Hill, one of the league's top run defenders, signed a contract extension over the offseason that will keep him in Seattle through at least 2014. The previously consistent Lofa Tatupu had a relatively bad year in 2008, giving up big plays in both the run and the pass. He should benefit from the improvement of the defensive line. The best linebacker on the bench is D.D. Lewis, who started 12 games for Seattle's Super Bowl team of 2005.

As for the Cardinals' secondary, the big question is whether Adrian Wilson is still one of the league's elite defensive backs. The FO Almanac tells us that Wilson missed a surprisingly high number of tackles in 2008, although he's also still a solid safety in run support. I think Wilson is the key to that defense.

The FO Almanac also says that as a rookie, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie "showed flashes of brilliance, but struggled with consistency and often looked awful trying to tackle opposing runners." And it tells us that Bryant McFadden was the best cornerback in the league in run support. That's the kind of analysis you can't get anywhere else.

Want to be part of our next NFL Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @MichaelDavSmith.

NFL Twitter Mailbag: Charles Rogers, Seahawks' and Cardinals' Defense originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Rumors Persist: Leinart Might Lose Out to St. Pierre for Backup Job

Ryan Wilson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, NFL Fans, NFL Rumors, NFL Training Camp

In March, a month after the Steelers' come-from-behind victory over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, Arizona backup-to-the-backup quarterback Brian St. Pierre told his hometown paper that not only did the team want to re-sign him, but head coach Ken Whisenhunt indicated that he would get a legitimate chance to compete with Matt Leinart for the No. 2 job.

At the time, It seemed more like idle offseason speculation, especially since the Cards had taken Leinart with the 10th-overall pick in 2006, and St. Pierre, a career clipboard toter, had thrown one NFL pass in seven years. Now, with training camps underway, word on the street is that Leinart indeed might be in danger of dropping to third on the depth chart.

From Yahoo.com's Jason Cole: "While some people believe the promise to St. Pierre by coach Ken Whisenhunt was an empty ploy, two sources indicated that the threat is very real for Leinart and that he needs to improve his game and show better mental toughness.

Both sources also rolled their eyes when asked about Leinart's offseason MMA training, which was advertised as a way to improve Leinart's toughness."

If nothing else, the MMA training indicates that Leinart's committed to ... something, which is an improvement over previous offseasons. Still, working out with Jay Glazer doesn't make Leinart a better quarterback, and right now, that's a concern. For everybody but Matt, anyway.

"Everybody has to compete for a job out there ... I'm not worried about it. I'm going to keep doing my thing."

Ideally, Leinart would win the backup gig going away, and in a year or two, he'd move into the starting job. Instead, he might be designated the emergency quarterback on game days and the Cardinals will still be looking for a young franchise quarterback to replace Warner. Let me be the first to suggest this guy.*

* Joke. Sort of.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=515382&pid=515380&uts=1249426424

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Latest NFL Photos

Oakland Raiders' JaMarcus Russell hands off a pass during NFL football training camp in Napa, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Russel A. Daniels)

Latest NFL Images

In this Aug. 3, 2004, photo, Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams, right, talks with coach Jeff Fisher after the NFL football team's practice in Nashville, Tenn. Respected around the NFL, Adams' contributions to professional football are legendary as a co-founder of the American Football League with the late Lamar Hunt in an event whose 50th anniversary is being celebrated by the league this year. He is the only owner of the Oilers-Titans franchise, a team that marked the 50th year of its founding Monday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson runs through drills during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell watches his field goal during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson jogs down a practice field during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Oakland Raiders' JaMarcus Russell hands off a pass during NFL football training camp in Napa, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Russel A. Daniels)

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson runs through drills during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson runs through drills during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Minnesota Vikings kicker Taylor Mehlhaff, left, looks on as Ryan Longwell practices kick offs during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Minnesota Vikings running backs work on resistance drills during training camp in Mankato, Minnesota, Tuesday, August 4, 2009. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

MCT

Oakland Raiders Jonathan Holland (10) runs a play during NFL football training camp in Napa, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Russel A. Daniels)

Rumors Persist: Leinart Might Lose Out to St. Pierre for Backup Job originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

James Harrison, Environmentalist, Admits He Guessed on Super Bowl Pick-Six

Ryan Wilson — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Steelers, NFL Fans, Super Bowl, NFL Training Camp

The Cardinals trailed the Steelers 10-7 when linebacker Karlos Dansby intercepted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the Pittsburgh 34-yard line with two minutes to go in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII.

Seven plays and 1:42 later, Arizona had a first-and-goal from the 1. Best case: the Cards headed to the locker room with the lead. Worst case: a tie. Unimaginable case: NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison pick-six'ed Kurt Warner (video after the jump), resulting in a 10-point swing that had as much to do with the game's ultimate outcome as the Big Ben-to-Santonio pass-and-catch in the back of the end zone during the last drive.

But here's the thing: Harrison was supposed to blitz on the half-ending, game-changing play. If he had, Boldin would have been wide open, Warner would have hit him in stride and the Steelers might still be sitting on five Super Bowl titles.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky.

"I actually wasn't supposed to drop on that play, I was supposed to blitz," Harrison said Friday. "All night, we were a step late. We had an all-out blitz and I figured if I stepped (out) I could hold my tackle ... (then) I would drop off and they would have to do a quick slant." ...

"Technique, opportunity and all that other stuff met (on that play) - and a little bit of luck," Harrison said. "Sometimes you just feel that might be the play that does it. I guess coach LeBeau didn't mind it too much."

In addition to having a knack for big plays, Harrison is also an environmentalist. At least that's his explanation for rolling into Latrobe for Pittsburgh's training camp in a Smart Car. Harrison told SteelCityInsider.com's Jim Wexell that it's "Not that much on gas. Other than that, there's a lot of room, but not for the suitcases. It's fast, too. It'll go 90, 95.... I just want to help the environment."

I think there might be a marketing opportunity in there somewhere for the Smart Car folks. James Harrison, Smart Car spokesman, gives the company all sorts of credibility with the 18-34 male demographic that they'd otherwise never, ever (ever ever) get. And, of course, it's good for the environment.

James Harrison, Environmentalist, Admits He Guessed on Super Bowl Pick-Six originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Beanie Wells Carted Off at First Practice

Chris Burke — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, NFL Injuries, NFL Training Camp

Found in just about every Beanie Wells scouting report prior to the 2009 NFL draft was some variation of the phrase "durability issues." Wells was a great college running back at Ohio State, but nagging injuries hampered him throughout his three years in Columbus.

Partly because of those problems, Wells fell all the way to No. 31 in April's draft, where the Arizona Cardinals gladly scooped him up to help stabilize their running back situation. And Wells almost made it through one official practice with the Cardinals before being carted off the field with a leg injury.

According to the Associated Press, Cardinals defensive end Jason Banks rolled up on Wells' left ankle during a drill. The seriousness of the injury was not known as of late Saturday night. (Update, Aug. 2: Charles Robinson of Yahoo! reported on his Twitter account that the injury is believed to be a mild ankle sprain, and Wells could return to practice as early as Sunday.

This setback came just hours after Wells and the Cardinals had agreed to a five-year, $11.8 million rookie contract with $6.3 million guaranteed.

"I'm the type of guy that I like to get the ball and I like to get it often," Wells said at a news conference after the signing. "I haven't thought about sharing carries too much. I'm just going to get here and work hard and hopefully come out of camp that No. 1 guy."

It will be very difficult to unseat Tim Hightower as the starter if Wells is out for any extended period of time.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=515382&pid=515380&uts=1249188475

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Latest NFL Photos

Arizona Cardinals first-round draft pick Beanie Wells runs drills during an NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Latest NFL Images

Dallas Cowboys kicker Nick Folk balances a soccer ball while warming up before training camp at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday August 1, 2009. (Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

MCT

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo strains to lift a large tire in a strength drill following the Cowboys' training camp at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday August 1, 2009. (Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

MCT

Injured Tennessee Titans place kicker Rob Bironas, left, watches as punter Craig Hentrich (15) kicks field goals during NFL football training camp in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sage Rosenfels plays catch with fellow quarterback John David Booty during an evening workout in NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Mankato, Minn. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was injured during the morning workout session and did not participate in the evening. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner kicks the ball during NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Arizona Cardinals rookie linebacker Cody Brown runs drills during NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart looks to throw during NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Arizona Cardinals general manager Rod Graves, left, and President Michael Bidwill watch workouts during an NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

The Arizona Cardinals work out during an NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Paul Williams (11) catches a pass as he is defended by cornerback Tanard Davis (32) during NFL football training camp in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Beanie Wells Carted Off at First Practice originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Madden '10 Intro Gets Me Ready for Some Virtual Reality Football

Will Brinson — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Steelers, NFL Fans, NFL Media Watch, NFL Video

Every year, Madden comes out on Xbox. And every year I buy it. And every year, I don't play it enough. I know this will happen again this year and I don't care. As long as it's under $75, I'll buy it. And the introduction to this year's game (via PSAMP) only reinforces that notion, because, as usual, it is awesome. And gets me pumped; naturally, it features cover stars Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu. So, yeah, get excited Steelers fans and ~~Will Leitc~~h people who cheer for the Cards.

Madden '10 Intro Gets Me Ready for Some Virtual Reality Football originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Summer Scramble: NFC West Burning Questions and Prediction

Dan Graziano — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, NFC West, FanHouse Previews, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

It's July, the slowest month of the year for the NFL, and it's driving you nuts. You need a fix. A hit. Anything NFL to pull you through the dog days. FanHouse is here to help with an in-depth look at each division that should have you plenty prepared for training camp. We're calling it Summer Scramble, and this afternoon we look at some Burning Questions in the NFC West and offer a ridiculously early prediction.

Will Arizona's defense play like it did in the playoffs? Or in the 2008 regular season?

Only four teams allowed more than the 26.6 points per game the Cardinals surrendered in the regular season last year. That number dropped to 22.3 PPG in the postseason, where Arizona went 3-1 and came within a tail feather of a Super Bowl championship. Free agent defensive back Bryant McFadden, along with draft picks Rashad Johnson and Greg Toler, should help shore up the secondary/ And if second-year defensive end Calais Campbell can step in for free-agent defection Antonio Smith and get some pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the Arizona pass defense should be greatly improved in 2009. In this division, if Arizona improves at all, in any area, that should be enough to get the Cardinals back to the playoffs.

How are the 49ers going to score points?

They don't know who their quarterback is going to be. Their top draft pick, WR Michael Crabtree, isn't in camp yet and is coming off foot surgery. They're working with their seventh different offensive coordinator in seven years. The offensive line gave up 55 sacks last year. It's hard to imagine San Francisco being any kind of serious threat to score through the air. That means it's all going to fall on running back Frank Gore, third-round draft pick Glen Coffee and fullback Moran Norris. The Niners' defense, led by emerging young linebacker Patrick Willis, is good enough to force turnovers and keep the team in games, but somebody's going to have to emerge in the passing game to keep opposing defenses from loading up against the run.

Can Matt Hasselbeck stay healthy in Seattle?

The Seahawks have worked to put the pieces in place around their 33-year-old quarterback, but it's not going to matter if he can't play any more than seven games this year. Seattle believes itself deep at WR with Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Deion Branch and Deon Butler. They like their running game led by Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett. On defense, they feel they have as strong a linebacking corps as any team in the league, thanks to the addition of first-rounder Aaron Curry and in spite of the loss of Julian Peterson. But it's all going to come down to the healthy and effectiveness of Hasselbeck, whose back and knee problems made 2008 a lost season for him.

Is Steve Spagnuolo enough to make the Rams a good defensive team?

Gonna go with "no" on this one, even though we think very highly of Spagnuolo as a defensive coach and believe he probably has the leadership qualities it will take to make him a good NFL head coach. His problems this year, though, will result from the relative youth and inexperience of the players on his defense. Chris Long should improve under Spagnuolo and new defensive coordinator Ken Flajole. And draft pick James Laurinaitis will provide an upgrade in the linebacking corps. But this is still a defensive unit that has a lot of learning and improvement to do. And with the pathetic offense the Rams feature, they're going to need to be able to keep points off the scoreboard.

RIDICULOUSLY EARLY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Cardinals (10-6): Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and that electric passing offense are still in place, and the defense should be better. They cruise back into the postseason.

2. 49ers (8-8): Mike Singletary's bunch is a team on the rise, but there's still work to do before they can contend in the NFC.

3. Seahawks (7-9): Hasselbeck could have a big year left in him, but at his age, it's better to bet the other way.

4. Rams: (3-13): They weren't much better last year than the Lions were. This year, they're worse.

Check out the entire Summer Scramble series:

July 7: NFC East Position Battles to Watch
July 8: NFC East Burning Questions and Prediction
July 9: AFC East Position Battles to Watch
July 10: AFC East Burning Questions and Prediction
July 14: NFC North Position Battles to Watch
July 15: NFC North Burning Questions and Prediction
July 16: AFC North Position Battles to Watch
July 17: AFC North Burning Questions and Prediction
July 21: NFC South Position Battles to Watch
July 22: NFC South Burning Questions and Prediction
July 23: AFC South Position Battles to Watch
July 24: AFC South Burning Questions and Prediction
Earlier Today: NFC West Position Battles to Watch
Tomorrow: AFC West Position Battles to Watch
Friday: AFC West Burning Questions and Prediction

Summer Scramble: NFC West Burning Questions and Prediction originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments