NFC West: Bert Berry
Unrestricted free agents: TE Anthony Becht, LB Monty Beisel, LB Bertrand Berry (retired), LT Jeremy Bridges, CB Ralph Brown, LB Karlos Dansby, LT Mike Gandy, FB Dan Kreider, WR Sean Morey, LB Chike Okeafor, K Neil Rackers, NT Bryan Robinson, QB Brian St. Pierre, S Matt Ware.
Restricted free agents: SS Hamza Abdullah, WR Steve Breaston, G Ben Claxton, FB Justin Green, LG Deuce Lutui, TE Ben Patrick, C Lyle Sendlein, TE Stephen Spach, WR Jerheme Urban, NT Gabe Watson.
Franchise player: none
What to expect: The Cardinals generally do not pursue marquee free agents from other teams. That trend figures to continue. The Cardinals have too many of their own free agents to re-sign for them to worry about chasing other teams' castoffs. We might see Arizona plug the roster with a few lower-tier free agents. They had success doing that last offseason, particularly with Becht at tight end. Dansby leads the list of 2009 starters expected to depart. Arizona is reportedly interested in quarterback David Carr.
St. Louis Rams
Unrestricted free agents: QB Kyle Boller, DE James Hall, SS Clinton Hart, LB Paris Lenon, DE Leonard Little, LS Chris Massey, TE Randy McMichael.
Restricted free agents: S Eric Bassey, S Craig Dahl, TE Daniel Fells, LS Ryan Neill, DT Clifton Ryan, CB Jonathan Wade, DE Victory Adeyanju, FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, T Alex Barron, RB Sam Gado, DT Gary Gibson, WR Ruvell Martin, G Mark Setterstrom.
Franchise player: none
What to expect: The Rams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback such as Chad Pennington. Beyond quarterback, coach Steve Spagnuolo said the Rams could use a little more seasoning in the form of veteran role players. The Rams will remain a young team, but they could add some experience. The team parted with players fitting that profile last offseason, but most had inflated salaries. The ones St. Louis adds this year figure to carry lower price tags in most cases. The Rams have said they want Little and Hall back. McMichael figures to be gone.
Seattle Seahawks
Unrestricted free agents: WR Nate Burleson, FB Justin Griffith, LS Kevin Houser, LB D.D. Lewis, CB Ken Lucas, T Damion McIntosh, S Lawyer Milloy, DE Cory Redding, LS Jeff Robinson.
Restricted free agents: T Brandon Frye, WR Ben Obomanu, LB Lance Laury, G Rob Sims, G Chris Spencer, DE Darryl Tapp.
Franchise player: K Olindo Mare
What to expect: The Seahawks are a little difficult to figure. Their owner has the money to bankroll aggressive spending if Seattle chooses to go that route. Coach Pete Carroll surely realizes the team could use talent upgrades. The new general manager, John Schneider, comes from the Ted Thompson school of personnel. Thompson's aversion for free agency is well established, although Schneider has characterized himself as slightly more aggressive. The problem, of course, is finding good players on the market. Burleson will hit the market. He could return if the price is right. Carroll has said nice things about Redding, who should be affordable.
San Francisco 49ers
Unrestricted free agents: WR Arnaz Battle, CB Dre Bly, CB Walt Harris, T Tony Pashos, FS Mark Roman, T Barry Sims, LB Jeff Ulbrich (retired), LB Matt Wilhelm.
Restricted free agents: LG David Baas, LB Ahmad Brooks, CB Marcus Hudson.
Franchise player: NT Aubrayo Franklin
What to expect: The 49ers have largely turned their back on free agency now that they feel better about their roster. I would expect the team to lay low again when the signing period begins late Thursday night on the West Coast.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Cardinals and Falcons will be without a couple of pass rushers for their wild-card game at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry will start in place of Travis LaBoy, who will miss a third consecutive game after suffering an ankle injury.
LaBoy was among the players Arizona named inactive moments ago. Tight end Leonard Pope, cornerback Eric Green, offensive lineman Elliot Vallejo, offensive lineman Brandon Keith, defensive tackle Alan Branch and receiver Early Doucet are also inactive for Arizona. Brian St. Pierre is the third quarterback.
Stephen Spach and Ben Patrick are the tight ends for Arizona. Gabe Watson should be rested at nose tackle after sitting out the regular-season finale. Having him active meant placing Branch on the inactive list. Also, with Anquan Boldin back in the lineup, the Cardinals named Doucet among their inactive players.
Inactive for the Falcons: cornerback Glenn Sharpe, safety Eric Brock, linebacker Tony Gilbert, tackle Wayne Gandy, center Alex Stepanovich, tackle Quinn Ojinnaka and defensive end Jamaal Anderson. Anderson's status is most significant. Chauncey Davis starts in place of Anderson.
In another lineup change, Todd Weiner will start at left tackle for the Falcons in place of rookie Sam Baker, who has been injured. Weiner began his career with Seattle in 1998. He's a smart and experienced player. but also an older one. We'll have to see if the Cardinals can get pressure around the edge on his side.
NFC West: Injury situations that matter
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Arizona: The Cardinals have a league-low two players on injured reserve, and neither was a key contributor. Clark Haggans' season is in jeopardy thanks to a foot injury, but Arizona's depth remains sufficient barring another injury in the front seven. Pass rusher Bertrand Berry has been able to play through a shoulder injury, but he has only one sack in his last seven games. Receiver Steve Breaston has played through injured ribs.
St. Louis: Aging defensive linemen La'Roi Glover (knee) and Leonard Little (hamstring) are wearing down. Kicker Josh Brown says his groin injury isn't the reason for recent missed field-goal tries, but the slightest degree of doubt can affect a kicker's mindset. Special-teams standout Gary Stills (knee) is also hurting.
San Francisco: Frank Gore's ankle injury figures to sideline him or limit his effectiveness. Without Gore or with a diminished Gore, the 49ers will probably pass more frequently. They also lose most of the big-play threat from their running game. The 49ers were already accustomed to functioning without receiver Arnaz Battle, so his likely absence with a foot injury isn't as significant. Getting cornerback Nate Clements back from a thumb injury should help the secondary against a Dolphins team without receiver Greg Camarillo. Clements' ability to make plays on the ball aggressively could suffer, however. Allen Rossum's return comes at the right time because the 49ers had been using Battle and Clements on punt returns.
Seattle: The Seahawks two best players on offense -- quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and left tackle Walter Jones -- probably will not play. Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace is finally healthy, however, and that gives life to the Seahawks' offense. Linebacker Leroy Hill (neck), one of the Seahawks' better players on defense this season, will probably miss the game.
Around the NFC West: Rams candidates
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams will have a hard time retaining Jim Haslett as coach given the team's struggles. Potential candidates: Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Cardinals assistant head coach and offensive line coach Russ Grimm, Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, Titans offensive line coach Mike Munchak, Bucs defensive backs coach Raheem Morris and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe has at least one takeaway in seven of his last 10 games. Atogwe is responsible for 10 of the Rams' 17 takeaways this season.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why the Rams are benching Corey Chavous in favor of Todd Johnson. Age is one factor. Johnson also played relatively well against the Cardinals in Week 14, according to Haslett.
Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Rams receiver Dane Looker is the emergency kicker while Josh Brown rests a groin injury.
Also from Korte: Chavous declined comment following his job loss. John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says 49ers nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin points to improved conditioning and more creative play calling as reasons for his success this season.
Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says 49ers tight end Vernon Davis could play a role in blocking Dolphins pass-rusher Joey Porter.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat checks in with Franklin and linebacker Patrick Willis, key players in the 49ers' defense. Willis thinks he has improved since last season even though his stats aren't as prolific.
Also from Maiocco: NFL rules prevent teams from signing interim coaches to long-term deals until after the season. They 49ers cannot hire Mike Singletary before Dec. 29.
Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat explains why 49ers coach Singletary carries around a black book with gold leafing on the pages. Singletary has been a prolific note taker since his retirement from the NFL in 1993.
Also from Cohn: A transcript of his conversation with Singletary.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee doesn't understand why the Dolphins and other teams have had success with the Wildcat offense.
Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the Dolphins' Ronnie Brown has 47 carries for 249 yards from the Wildcat this season. Singletary credits the Dolphins' coaches. Also, the 49ers' confirmed that offensive coordinator Mike Martz is no longer a candidate for the San Diego State coaching job.
Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic explains how Cardinals pass-rusher Bert Berry became an advocate for children. His wife overcame leukemia when both were in middle school.
Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Vikings' Adrian Peterson expected the Cardinals to draft him.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains why the Cardinals drafted Levi Brown instead of Peterson. Coach Ken Whisenhunt wanted to build a strong offensive line. Meanwhile, Brown isn't interested in rehashing the draft.
Also from Urban: Kurt Warner is taking a low-key approach to the Cardinals' success. The quarterback is projecting a business-as-usual demeanor.
Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer expects Seneca Wallace to start at quarterback against the Rams in Week 15. Wallace is getting the meaningful coaching in practice.
Also from Farnsworth: Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones also might miss the St. Louis game.
John Morgan of Field Gulls explains why selecting a quarterback in the first round can make sense. That's where teams tend to find the great ones.
Jose Romero of the Seattle Times thinks Jones might not prevail in Pro Bowl voting for the first time in years.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks are reluctant to let Hasselbeck play while the quarterback still feels a "tingle" stemming from his back injury.
Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says Julian Peterson and other Seahawks are eager to get another shot at Rams guard Richie Incognito, whom they accused of dirty play.
Around the NFC West: Whisenhunt's pedigree
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is drawing on lessons he learned as a Steelers assistant coach. Whisenhunt: "I learned so much from the Rooneys and coach [Bill] Cowher, the biggest thing probably being that honesty and fairness are what players respect the most. I also learned you have to stay true to your plan. You have to get your players to believe that your plan can work. We're getting there."
Jarrett Bell of USA Today takes an in-depth look at Kurt Warner's MVP-caliber season. Rich Gannon is among those appreciating Warner's attention to detail on fundamentals. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley: "Play in and play out, situationally he's making better decisions, choosing when's the time to take a chance. That's hard, because he's aggressive. And you don't ever want to take that stinger away from him."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals want competence in the running game. They aren't as concerned about balance. This is a passing team.
Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals took a sneak peek at the Eagles well in advance, an effort to offset the short work week.
The Washington Times says Cardinals offensive line coach Russ Grimm is a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the fifth consecutive year Grimm has reached that level. Grimm is a member of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1980s.
Bob Young of the Arizona Republic reveals embarrassing details from Rams guard Richie Incognito's past, countering assurances that Incognito's behavior will change following a pep talk from coach Jim Haslett.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Cardinals defensive end Bert Berry sympathizes with Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. The two are friends, and Berry knows what it's like to have his role reduced.
Also from Urban: The Cardinals aren't worried about their ground game as long as the team can move the ball. 
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams had a mid-round draft grade on linebacker Larry Grant, who the team signed from the 49ers' practice squad. The team also signed veteran center Cory Withrow after placing Nick Leckey on injured reserve.
Also from Thomas: Rams defensive end Leonard Little is playing with a torn hamstring.
Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Rams quarterback Marc Bulger must pass a neuropsych test before the team clears him to play in Week 13. 
Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle says 49ers great Roger Craig is a Hall of Fame semifinalist for the first time.
Also from Gay: The role of interim coach can be a thankless one.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Grant was the only 49ers draft choice from 2008 who didn't earn a spot on the 53-man roster. The team hasn't replaced Grant on the practice squad after the Rams signed the linebacker for insurance.
Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News criticizes 49ers coach Mike Singletary for suggesting the team's defeat at Dallas wasn't a lopsided one. The Cowboys held a 32-9 lead at one point.
John Ryan of the San Jose Mercury News says Singletary once revealed details of a coach's halftime motivational tactics. 
Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune quotes Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson as saying Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will suffer turnovers if a defense can fluster him. The Seahawks are facing Romo for the first time since the memorable playoff game between the teams after the 2006 season.
Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says Julius Jones is fired up about facing his former team in Dallas on Thanksgiving. That's one reason the Seahawks named him a starter for the game, coach Mike Holmgren said.
Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald says the Seahawks are rushing through their work week to get ready for Thursday.
Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune says second-year center Steve Vallos will start for the Seahawks against Dallas. A back injury will sideline Chris Spencer. The matchup is a tough one for Vallos, but the Seahawks will get a chance to see him in a regular-season game. They liked what Vallos showed during the exhibition season.Around the NFC West: Cardinals finish
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says there's no way the NFL should fine Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson for hitting Matt Hasselbeck. He saw no helmet-to-helmet contact.
Also from Urban: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie came up big in the Cardinals' biggest game of the season to date.
More from Urban: Players celebrate following their big victory.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals need fewer mistakes from Kurt Warner if they hope to knock off the Giants.
Also from Somers: Wilson and Hasselbeck have differing views on whether the NFL should fine Wilson for his hit on the Seattle quarterback.
More from Somers: The good far outweighed the bad for Arizona during the Cardinals' 26-20 victory.
Still more from Somers: Yes, the Cardinals exorcised some demons, but only after giving those demons a workout.
Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic singles out Rodgers-Cromartie's second interception as the key play in the game for Arizona.
Also from Bickley: The Cardinals took another step on the ladder to respectability. Even Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said Arizona has earned its current position.
Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune says the Cardinals handed a game ball to Rodgers-Cromartie. Good thing, too, because Darnell Dockett had said he would buy one for the rookie if the team didn't provide one.
Also from Bordow: The Cardinals' defense finally escapes the shadow of their offense, at least in the end. Seattle finished with only 196 yards.
Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune says Ralph Brown came through when needed after injuries depleted the Cardinals' secondary.
Also from Tulumello: Cardinals defensive end Bert Berry provides the quote of the day while leaving the field in Seattle. "They were who we thought they were," Berry said.
Mailbag: Cards in position for third seed?
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Jason from Greeley, Colo., writes: What spot in the playoffs do you see the Cards getting? You have said that they will win 10 games. I see the Giants being ahead of them obviously, but could they make a push for the 2nd spot and get a 1st round bye? The North probably won't have anyone that finishes better them, and the South teams can beat up on each other. What are the odds right now that the Cards can grab a first round bye? If they can't, will they be able to grab the 3rd spot?
Mike Sando: Assuming your question doesn't jinx the Cardinals' season, I could see Arizona emerging as the third seed in the NFC, behind the Giants and Panthers. That might mean a rematch with the Redskins, this time in Arizona.
Carolina holds a one-game lead on the Cardinals in the NFC standings, plus the tiebreaker from their victory over Arizona. That means the Cardinals might want to root for Tampa Bay to win the NFC South. The Bucs are already 5-2 in conference games, however. The Cardinals are 3-2 with seven of their remaining eight games against NFC teams.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
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Good luck picking a midseason all-division team for the NFC West.
Seven of the Cardinals' 11 offensive starters made my list. I dumped the tight end for a third wide receiver.
But the team I put together isn't set in stone. Give me your best arguments for and against certain players. I'll update the chart based on the most compelling arguments. Let's put a deadline on it and say we need to have it set by the end of the day.
Singling out five worthy offensive linemen might have presented the biggest challenge. Starting at right guard? That would be the Seahawks' Floyd Womack. He's playing better than anticipated. I had a hard time picking the Rams' Richie Incognito, the Cardinals' Deuce Lutui or the 49ers' Tony Wragge, who have combined for 18 penalties.
We couldn't very well line up without a right guard, and I did want to maintain positional integrity on the line. Center was another problematic position. The 49ers' Eric Heitmann isn't enjoying his best season, but the other choices didn't stand out.
The Cardinals' Levi Brown has played better this season. The other right tackles in the division are either ineffective -- the Rams' Alex Barron comes to mind -- or injured or inconsistent after returning from injury.
Most linebackers in the division aren't playing their best. The Rams' Pisa Tinoisamoa deserved consideration. Seattle's Leroy Hill is more of a violent tackler, but the Seahawks haven't used him as a pass rusher the way I had envisioned (zero sacks so far).
NFC West: Injury situations that matter
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Arizona: The situation at tight end remains less than ideal while Leonard Pope and Ben Patrick recover from injuries. The offense becomes a little more predictable without them, but quarterback Kurt Warner is playing well enough to make it work. A groin injury continues to limit pass rusher Travis LaBoy, possibly putting additional pressure on Bert Berry. Overall, the Cardinals are relatively healthy.
St. Louis: Leonard Little's hamstring situation stands out as the most significant injury facing the Rams in Week 9. The pass rush isn't the same without him. Running back Steven Jackson sounds more optimistic about returning this week, but the Rams are calling his status a game-time decision. This one is difficult to predict. Cornerback Tye Hill could return in a diminished role. Depth on the defensive line has been a strength, but not so much if Little and Adam Carriker miss the game. Injuries limited both in practice Thursday.
Seattle: Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch will miss at least another week, no surprise. Patrick Kerney's shoulder injury stands out as the most significant new injury facing Seattle. The Seahawks can't replace what he brings to their pass rush. Kerney injured the left shoulder surgeons repaired during the offseason. Additional tests could determine how much time he'll miss. The Seahawks expect middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu to play, but injuries are mounting.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
A healthy Leonard Little presents significant problems for opposing offensive lines. His hamstring injury could cause significant problems for the Rams' pass rush.
Coach Jim Haslett: "Well, it's bothering him. He didn't finish the game. He didn't play three quarters of the game, so I would think it's pretty significant."
Little had 4.5 sacks during a three-game stretch heading into Week 8. The Patriots double-teamed Little in Week 8. Eric Moore finished the game.
Three of the best pass-rushing defensive ends in the NFC West are getting older and fighting through injuries. Little turned 34 this month. He has missed 11 games over the last two seasons. A quick look at the other two:
- Patrick Kerney, Seahawks. Kerney aggravated his surgically repaired shoulder against the 49ers. He could miss the game against the Eagles in Week 9. Kerney has 19.5 sacks in 23 regular-season games with Seattle. He turns 32 in December and has undergone surgeries in each of the last two offseasons.
- Bert Berry, Cardinals. A groin injury forced the 33-year-old pass rusher to miss two games this season. Berry has missed 23 games over the last four seasons. He has four sacks in five games as a situational pass rusher in 2008.
NFC West: Injury situations that matter
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Arizona: Tight ends Leonard Pope and Ben Patrick are hurting. Both could miss the game. Jerame Tuman could be the only healthy tight end. A shortage of tight ends could lead the Cardinals to use three or four receivers more often. That's fine by quarterback Kurt Warner, who likes spreading the field. The Cardinals won't say whether Anquan Boldin will return this week, but there's no reason to expect him to miss the game after doctors cleared the receiver. Travis LaBoy's groin injury is a concern. The pass rush isn't as good without him and the Cardinals need him to help limit Bert Berry's reps.
St. Louis: The Rams have hedged on whether Steven Jackson will play against the Patriots, but coach Jim Haslett sounded confident Monday. That general feeling should stand given the nature of the injury. If Jackson misses the game, the Rams are in better position to run their offense now that Antonio Pittman is healthy. Getting Orlando Pace back helps the offensive line, giving coordinator Al Saunders greater flexibility in the passing game.
San Francisco: The 49ers were healthy for most of the season so far, but that is changing. They will miss defensive end Ray McDonald. Safety Mark Roman is hurting and his backup, Dashon Goldson, will miss the game. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer is already on injured reserve. As a result, the 49ers' secondary isn't quite so deep, but the Seahawks aren't in position to pick apart a secondary.
Seattle: Matt Hasselbeck will miss another start. His absence is always significant, but even his return might not be enough to salvage the passing game. Backup Seneca Wallace is better than he appeared against the Bucs. He could continue to suffer from the depleted situation at receiver. The injury situation at receiver and quarterback continue to affect Mike Holmgren's confidence as a playcaller. Holmgren's lack of confidence affects the quarterback. It's just a bad situation overall and one that could continue to drag down the offense.
Around the NFC West: Boldin back, Edge edgy
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com provides evidence that Anquan Boldin will return from injury in Week 8. Boldin told teammate Bert Berry on the radio that there's no way he'll miss the game at Carolina.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says running back Edgerrin James isn't happy about criticism directed his way. James wants the ball more and he doesn't sound thrilled about the offensive system, which differs from the one he expected to run upon signing with Arizona.
Also from Somers: The Panthers are convinced Boldin will play Sunday.
Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune looks at Sean Morey's preparation on special teams, calling it "no fluke" when the receiver blocked a punt against Dallas.
Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says he's a bit surprised by the level of anger shown by 49ers fans.
John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says new 49ers coach Mike Singletary told players they should strive to be good enough for friends and family to demand tickets from them.
Also from Crumpacker: Mike Holmgren declines comment on whether he would coach the 49ers next season.
The 49ers' Web site carries a transcript of Singletary's comments at his midweek news conference.
Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat runs a transcript of Holmgren's interview with 49ers beat reporters.
Also from Maiocco: Singletary runs the 49ers through a practice for the first time as head coach. Says linebacker Jeff Ulbrich: "He could tell you how to tie shoes, and you'd get excited about it."
More from Maiocco: a story with Holmgren's thoughts on 49ers-related rumors. Holmgren shares a story about what Bill Walsh told him about life outside coaching, capped by a funny quote about the late coach's beverage of choice.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee could hear Singletary's post-practice speech from 100 yards away.
Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes about Holmgren's job status and Julius Jones' sideline outburst, issues that reflect the team's poor record.
Also from Farnsworth: D.D. Lewis has another good day at Seahawks practice.
More from Farnsworth: He takes one last look at Jones' sideline frustrations.
Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune looks at the Holmgren-49ers rumors before getting into Holmgren's thoughts on cornerback Kelly Jennings. The coach defends the cornerback's play against the Bucs.
Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune explains the specific reasons for Jones' anger during the Tampa Bay game. The running back wanted to stay on the field for second down.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Holmgren probably won't take Jones out of the game when a similar situation arises.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' recent success has spurred a run on ticket sales.
Also from Thomas: Steven Jackson doesn't guarantee he'll play against the Patriots.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Orlando Pace will return to the lineup at left tackle for the Rams.
More from Coats: Rookie defensive end Chris Long speaks to his famous father, Howie, every day. Coats also points out that the Rams are plus-six in turnovers since Jim Haslett became head coach.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Chuck from Gilbert, Ariz., writes: What do you think about the Cardinals dominating this division for the next 5-6 years like the Seahawks just did? Our team is VERY young and we already have a QB waiting/learning on the bench.
Mike Sando: The Cardinals are in position to make a long-term move within the division. The team needs to keep adding young talent, however. Kurt Warner, Edgerrin James, Chike Okeafor, Bert Berry, Clark Haggans and even Adrian Wilson, who turns 29 next week, aren't going to play forever. Re-signing Karlos Dansby is also important.
For the record, Arizona has the 13th-oldest active roster in the league and the 14th-oldest starters. This includes the 17th-oldest offensive starters and the 12th-oldest defensive starters. The offensive players are 23rd-oldest overall. The defensive players are seventh-oldest overall.
Matt from Scottsdale, Ariz., writes: If (and this is a big if, I know) the Cardinals can find a way to win against Dallas, where does that put them in the power rankings next week? This time last week, Buffalo was ranked No. 4, so that would be two big wins against two supposed top 5 teams in a row. Your thoughts?
Mike Sando: Great question. I would move them into the top 10, most likely.
Avery from Nashville, Tenn., writes: Titans coach Jeff Fisher has had harsh criticism on his last two coaches' shows for the "stat-grabbing" that caused the injury to Boldin. On Tuesday night Fisher was questioned about feeling sympathetic toward Kurt Warner for his contemplated retirement and Fisher again said (he said the same thing the previous week) there is no place in the game for the stat-grabbing that was going on when that game was over and the Cards should have been handing the ball off.
Fisher said if Warner felt so bad about it he shouldn't have put Boldin in that position in a meaningless situation, and then Warner even threw a pass to Fitzgerald on the very next play where Fitzgerald got popped. It seems this aspect of the Boldin situation has not been addressed properly by the media. Thanks.
Mike Sando: I am aware of Fisher's comments in general and have confirmed that what he said was consistent with your presentation of it. That is a reasonable viewpoint. We did address the matter in a column on this blog. I understand the idea of playing hard to the end. I also think it's imperative to point out that Eric Smith violated the rules in the eyes of the league. As such, he bears responsibility for how he strikes a player. I also quoted Mike Holmgren and Bill Belichick as to their thoughts on the matter.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Cardinals are hovering around the NFL's top 10 in yards allowed per game, ranking 12th through five games. They have the best defense in the division by most measures, particularly if we don't focus to heavily on that rough outing against the Jets in Week 5.
Four of five Arizona opponents have completed at least 70 percent of their passes. But three of five have failed to score more than two touchdowns.
The game against the Jets showed how vulnerable a defense can become when its offense turns over the ball repeatedly. The absence of safety Adrian Wilson, a difference maker in the Arizona secondary, was another big problem for the Cardinals in that game.
The philosophy this season has been to rotate players regularly, taking advantage of depth provided by veteran newcomers Travis LaBoy, Clark Haggans and Bryan Robinson. Rookie draft choices Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema are also playing.
I spoke with Cardinals defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast this week in advance of the Dallas game. A few of his thoughts:
Mailbag: More Cardinals coverage, please!
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Oz from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., writes: Sando, I am getting depressed reading all these other "biopsies" of the NFC West teams that lost Sunday (and yes the Rams lost vs the Bye week). How about getting a little more in depth with the demolition against previously unbeaten Buffalo. In short - More Cards coverage please!
Mike Sando: You've got a deal. I'm in San Francisco for another couple hours but will be heading to Arizona for the Cowboys-Cardinals game in Week 6. We had talked on the blog about which game to cover next week, but the results in Week 5 made this one a no-brainer.
Julian from Frankfurt, Germany, writes: Hey Mike. The Cards are now 3-2 with an impressive win over the Bills, but I am concerned with our defense. They had some big plays late in the game but got burned in the first and it seems like they are able to make every opponents QB look like a Pro Bowler and they either get a lot of turnovers or none at all. They are really lacking consistency so far and we have to be lucky not to get any players injured. There was a sudden impact felt with Wilson and Watson back in the lineup compared to the Jets game. Your thoughts?
Mike Sando: Adrian Wilson makes a huge difference for that defense. You should still be concerned about the big plays. I'll watch the video Tuesday and speak with people in the know (coaches, players, etc.) to get a better idea on challenges specific to that defense. Getting Bert Berry back at some point would help. The bye week might allow Berry and Wilson to heal up. I think those players are important.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
