ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

	Fernando Medina/US Presswire
	Sunday night's game against Indianapolis could provide a breakout opportunity for running back Beanie Wells.

Five nuggets of knowledge about his weekend's games:

Big chance for Beanie Wells. Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne rightfully command the attention heading into the Colts-Cardinals game Sunday night. The game also sets up as a potential breakout opportunity for the Cardinals' rookie running back. Veterans made Wells carry around a football all week, requiring from him a $200 donation to charity every time Wells failed to secure it. Wells is too good to keep off the field unless he's going to keep fumbling. The Colts have given up 353 yards rushing through two games. Arizona wants to become more balanced over the course of the season. This seems like a good time to move in that direction.

49ers aren't the only ones facing a test. Conventional wisdom says the 49ers are facing their first big test of the season in heading to face Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre and the Vikings in Minneapolis. Let's flip it around for a minute. The 49ers opened the regular season with a victory over the NFC champs on the road. They beat another division opponent in Week 2. The Vikings, meanwhile, have faced only the Browns and Lions. The pressure is off the 49ers in this game. They can win it and they know it.

Rams needing a breakthrough. It may or may not happen against the Packers, but the Rams will surprise someone early in the season. Steven Jackson will take over a game. Oshiomogho Atogwe will return an interception for a touchdown. Donnie Avery will catch a long touchdown pass. Good things are bound to happen at some point when a team plays with the passion St. Louis has shown so far. The Rams let one slip away at Washington. They're home this week and facing a team they should not beat. But they have been competent on defense to this point. Their offense had three drives spanning at least 10 plays against the Redskins. They have a chance.

Watch that injury report. The Seahawks are losing players faster than they can replace them. I can't see any reason for them to expose quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to injury. Seneca Wallace is a competent backup. He finished last season with 11 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. If the Seahawks are smart with Hasselbeck, this game against Chicago will give their staff a chance to show its flexibility in adapting the offense to a completely different quarterback. Wallace has strengths. The Seahawks need to play to them and find a way to win a critical game at home.

Huge test awaits Cardinals' defense. Arizona has played well defensively for the most part through games against the 49ers and Jaguars. They haven't seen anyone like Peyton Manning to this point. Their defense deserves skepticism until it steps up against an opponent such as the Colts. The Cardinals are for real if they can limit the damage and give their offense a chance. I suspect they'll allow a couple of big plays. How they respond will tell us plenty about their defense under new coordinator Bill Davis.