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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Harold from parts unknown writes: How can you not pick the Cards - Boys game [to attend in Week 6]? Good call. Reading the Bills website, postgame reaction from several defenders discussed how they had trouble with the Cards' short passing game when then expected a more vertical approach. I think this makes a lot of sense in protection and in limiting turnovers. It seems like a compromise between Kurt Warner's aggressive nature and Ken Whisenhunt's more balanced approach.

Mike Sando: Great analysis, Harold. I just finished breaking down the Bills-Cards game and noticed how frequently Arizona went with three- and four-receiver groupings -- 68.9 percent of the time even though the Cardinals were leading most of the way.

I also noticed how much they rotated the backs, even giving 20 snaps to J.J. Arrington as the lone back in three- and four-receiver groups.

I'll have a more detailed breakdown on the Cardinals later today. I finished charting their game against the Bills late last night.

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Crixtopher from Richmond, Va., writes: Mike, can you tell me why the Cardinals don't give the ball to Tim Hightower more often, and specifically on 1st and 2nd downs? It is obvious to every football fan that Hightower is the more explosive of the two and has much more big gain ability. So is it just that they don't want the locker room to split if they don't honor the former great Edgerrin James by continuing to give the plodder the majority of the carries? I can't think of another reason.

Mike Sando: It has to be only a matter of time. Your eyes are not lying. The more experienced back is going to generally be more reliable in protection and route running, but sometimes older backs get to the point where they can't run away from home. James never was a breakaway guy. Hightower is more powerful and more elusive. Did you see that collision with Kawika Mitchell? Hightower jacked him up.

The Cardinals handed to Hightower one time on first down, three times on second down, two times on third down and one time on fourth down. They also threw to him once on second down and once on third down. They targeted James on first or second down 21 times before giving him his final two carries on third and fourth downs, respectively, to end the Cardinals' final clock-killing possession.

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John from North Smithfield writes: Will anyone ever pick up shaun alexander? He seems like he has the plague and no one wants to even go after a really talented running back. I have him on my league bench and I am ready to just drop him. Is there any hope for him this year or maybe next?

Mike Sando: Teams have seen the video on him from the last two seasons, and they know he can't help them on special teams or as a third-down back. So he has no value unless he's starting.

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Magic in Washington, D.C., writes: Hi Mike. Good job with the blog. Did you read Mike Nolan's comments on sacks not being important because the niners had 5 sacks against the pats and still lost? What kind of head coach, and especially a defensive coach, would make a boneheaded comment like that?

It should be clear to even a casual fan that sacks are immensely important and that without those five sacks the niners would probably have been blown out. Some of the comments Nolan makes just boggle my mind.

Unless the niners somehow make the playoffs, Nolan should be done in SF. Your thoghts? Are there any circumstances under which Nolan should keep his job? Can you explain some of the comments that Nolan continues to spew? Is there a worse game day manager than Nolan? I don't think he makes a single adjustment during halftime. Have you noticed any in the games you have attended?

Mike Sando: In my experience, Nolan doesn't like to go along with the premises reporters use to preface their questions. He goes out of his way to shoot down these premises. I think he would be better off staying above those tactics. As for halfime adjustments, I haven't noticed that as a glaring weakness relative to other teams.

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Brian from Boston writes: Great article and I couldn't agree with you more. Of course it was tough watching them lose to the Pats when I live in Boston and all my friends and family out here are Pats fans, but the thing that bothered me the most (and still does) is the way they lost. Sometimes you have to wonder what goes through the head of coaches. I was surprised you didn't mention the highest paid (I think) Tight End not even touching the ball, except for that weak pass when he was double covered and JTO was getting sacked. Hopefully Nolan and Martz will read your article and take notes. Brian

Mike Sando: Thanks, Brian. The inability to involve Vernon Davis as a receiver is unfortunate for the 49ers. It reflects Davis' shortcomings and the way Mike Martz structures an offense.

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Doug from parts unknown writes: I think that for week 7 it would be interesting to go to St. Louis. Yeah, I know the Rams are horrible, but this will be the first game with Haslett as HC. And they are playing the Cowboys, who should win easily, so it would be interesting to see how the Rams come out and play against one of the best in the NFL under the new HC. Are they fired up and give them a tough game or do they still roll over? And the Rams had the bye to prepare, Dallas will think this is an easy win, there's a chance this could be an upset. Not likely but a slight chance.

Mike Sando: The Rams first must face the Redskins in Week 6. But I am strongly considering the Cowboys-Rams game in Week 7. Seattle and Tampa Bay play a night game, while the 49ers visit the Giants and the Cardinals have a bye. I haven't seen the Rams since Week 2 and this will be the first home game with Jim Haslett as head coach.

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Brad from San Francisco writes: Regarding Nolan looking at last year's records to see where 2-3 teams finished. I had a few minuets free here at work and found his answers. Last year there were five teams that were 2-3: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Browns and Niners. Out of those five teams the Browns finished at 10-6 just missing the playoffs and the Chargers finished at 11-5. If you get a chance to talk to Nolan you can pass that on to him and have his staff member watch tapes of Mount Cody from Alabama instead -- because the way things are looking this year "wait 'till next year" will be the mantra one more time.

Mike Sando: Great work, Brad. That comment from Nolan did catch my attention. A quick trip to any number of online NFL resources would have produced that answer in a few minutes, as you proved.

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Paul from Santa Barbara, Calif., writes: Sando, I know you won't be able to get to your TiVo until later in the week to watch the Hawks get pummeled by the Giants, but I wanted to see if you could answer these defense questions after you watch it:

1) I think the secondary is to blame, but I've heard a lot of fans say the DL was to blame for not getting pressure. However it seems to me Manning was making big plays just a second or two after the snap. In your op
inion, does the secondary have any excuse from about the DL?

2) A lot of fans think Brian Russell is a bad player. I'm not sure I know enough about football to say he is. He seems to get burned a lot, but I don't know where the safeties are supposed to be in the defense. Did he get burned a lot? In his defense, he did make some nice tackles, but maybe after he blew coverage.

3)If you were to blame one unit for the game on Sunday, what would it be? You da man, Sando. You can only answer one of those if I was a little long winded.

Mike Sando: Thanks, Paul. I think the defensive line was not winning its matchups. The linebackers appeared out of position and confused at times. They were having a heated conversation with Deon Grant as the Giants were snapping the ball before making a big gain in the first quarter. And then the secondary got beat after the Seahawks started worrying about the run. The defense appeared to be on its heels instead of dictating the game.

I just watched the deep ball to Hixon down the middle with 1:30 left in the first quarter. Kelly Jennings was already out of the game after colliding with Leroy Hill. Josh Wilson and Brian Russell both bit on the play fake. Eli Manning made an easy throw for another big play.

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Joe from Davis, Calif., writes: Sando, Every year there seems to be a watch for the team that could end up going 0-16. Do you see the Rams as a team that could do that? Or does the recent coaching change seem to signal change in the win-loss column?

Mike Sando: The Rams' schedule lightens up a little late in the season. I would expect them to win a couple of games.