ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Arizona: Kurt Warner needs the bye week to freshen up after taking too much punishment in the first three games. The bye should also help Chike Okeafor (shoulder), Steve Breaston (knee) and others feel better heading into the Cardinals' Week 5 game against Houston. Getting Matt Ware back from a shoulder injury could restore depth to the secondary. Ware's absence initially created confusion for strong safety Adrian Wilson, allowing the 49ers' Frank Gore to get open for an easy touchdown grab in Week 1.

San Francisco: The 49ers will miss Gore and they could consider relying a little more on quarterback Shaun Hill against the Rams. Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye isn't going to abandon his run-oriented priorities, so expect plenty of rushes for bakckup Glen Coffee again this week. But if the ground game falters, Raye could be less stubborn in sticking with it than he would have been with the more accomplished Gore on the field. Gore is also a tenacious pass protector. The Rams lack dominant pass rushers, but they can be creative enough defensively to test Coffee's inexperience. This could be the week Brandon Jones becomes active for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury, giving the team another option for the three-receiver packages Raye uses on third down.

St. Louis: Quarterback Marc Bulger's absence might not mean much for a team with so few options at receiver now that Laurent Robinson is on injured reserve. Receiver Donnie Avery could have a hard time protecting his damaged ribs while sharing the field with Patrick Willis, who punishes wide receivers and knocked out Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in Week 2. Quarterback Kyle Boller is more likely to run than Bulger, although keeping him healthy must remain a top priority. The Rams' secondary could suffer without safety James Butler, a veteran who knew Steve Spagnuolo's defense from their days with the Giants. Butler's absence could help the 49ers strike deep through play-action. I expect the Rams to struggle in pass protection with or without rookie first-round right tackle Jason Smith, who is working his way back from a knee injury.

Seattle: Hasselbeck and Walter Jones are like a mirage shimmering on the horizon, convincing the Seahawks life will soon be better. Neither will likely play against the Colts, though, and both will be missed. Seattle caught a break when the Colts lost top pass rusher Dwight Freeney to injury. Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson could return from an ankle injury ahead of schedule. The team needs him badly. Replacement Travis Fisher struggled against the Bears. Putting him on the field against Peyton Manning would not produce desired results. Fullback Justin Griffith could return for this game. He's a big upgrade over Owen Schmitt and an important part of the running game. Seattle must run effectively to limit the Colts' possessions.