ESPN NFL

Arizona: It's looking like John Skelton will remain the Cardinals' starting quarterback while Kevin Kolb continues to work through concussion-related symptoms. Kolb is practicing on a limited basis. Skelton was the player Cardinals officials made available to Seattle reporters on a conference call Wednesday. Patrick Peterson's injured Achilles' tendon will not require surgery, but his availability for Sunday remains in question. Peterson, right tackle Brandon Keith and free safety Kerry Rhodes missed practice Wednesday. Playing without Peterson on Sunday would affect the Cardinals significantly in the return game and on defense. Running back Beanie Wells was limited. His knee injury remains a factor. Wells has not exceeded 15 carries in any of the Cardinals' past three games. He has had no runs longer than 9 yards in the four games since setting a franchise record with 228 yards against St. Louis.

St. Louis: Kellen Clemens appears likely to finish the season as the Rams' starting quarterback while starter Sam Bradford (ankle) and backup A.J. Feeley (thumb) remain sidelined. The Rams, having already placed 10 cornerbacks on injured reserve this season, lost another one when learning Justin King's shoulder injury would require surgery. An abdominal injury continues to limit another cornerback, Josh Gordy, although he has picked off passes in consecutive games. Defensive tackle Fred Robbins and linebacker Brady Poppinga have been ill this week. Expect defensive end Chris Long to continue playing through an ankle injury. He has 13 sacks and had two against San Francisco when the teams met previously this season.

San Francisco: The 49ers need to beat the Rams to ensure themselves a first-round playoff bye, but they also need to guard against aggravating existing injuries. Linebacker Patrick Willis, sidelined by a hamstring injury suffered against the Rams in Week 13, returned to practice this week. Receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle) and Kyle Williams (concussion) are not practicing. The team will likely sign Joe Hastings or John Matthews from the practice squad. Both are receivers. One could get playing time against the Rams. San Francisco's offense faces a transition while tight end Delanie Walker recovers from a broken jaw.

Seattle: The Seahawks, like the Rams, have a long list of players on injured reserve. Unlike the Rams, their 53 active players are relatively healthy, and they have developed young depth throughout the roster. Linebacker David Hawthorne and receiver Ben Obomanu missed practice Wednesday. Both have knee injuries. Depth at receiver is a concern for the Seahawks now that Sidney Rice and Mike Williams are on injured reserve. The team expects to have Obomanu against Arizona on Sunday. Linebacker Malcolm Smith (concussion), defensive tackle Clinton McDonald (concussion), quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral) and defensive back Kennard Cox (hamstring) practiced fully.

The facts: The Arizona Cardinals fell to 7-8 following a 23-16 road defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.

The upside: Even the worst defeats tend to feature a bright spot or two.

• The Cardinals rallied from a 23-0 deficit in the fourth quarter and had a chance to tie the game with a play that left receiver Early Doucet wide open in the end zone when Arizona trailed by seven.
• Larry Fitzgerald caught six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Andre Roberts added six receptions for 75 yards.
• The Cardinals held the Bengals to 301 yards. They allowed no plays longer than 23 yards.
• Calais Campbell collected another sack, his eighth of the season. He had seven tackles, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
• Rookie Sam Acho collected his sixth sack of the season.
• Adrian Wilson had a pass defensed and a forced fumble.
• Kerry Rhodes recovered two fumbles.
• Beanie Wells picked up three yards on fourth-and-2 when the Cardinals were making their comeback in the fourth quarter.
• Doucet's 27-yard reception in the fourth quarter moved the Cardinals past midfield for the first time.
• Arizona is a home victory away from finishing 8-8, an improvement of three games from last season.

Looking ahead: The Cardinals close out the regular season at home against the Seattle Seahawks.

Five things I noticed while watching the Arizona Cardinals during their most recent game, a 21-19 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14:

• Great body language in the secondary. Strong safety Adrian Wilson and cornerback Patrick Peterson in particular played with obvious fire against the 49ers. They were the aggressors. They celebrated positive plays and seemed unfazed following negative ones. Defensive backs could simply be playing with more confidence now that they have a better grasp of a new scheme and are enjoying some success. The personalities might also be meshing better, a consideration as free safety Kerry Rhodes rejoins the rotation after recovering from injury. Cardinals fans will recall Rhodes repeatedly looking back toward Wilson when Carolina's Steve Smith scored in Week 1. As noted then, there's a line between expressing frustration and showing up a teammate. I thought Rhodes crossed that line.
• Nick Eason's strong hands. The Cardinals' rotation at nose tackle has changed since Dan Williams went on injured reserve. Eason caught my attention by rag-dolling Alex Smith to the ground with one hand. Eason grabbed Smith by the sleeve and brought him down instantly.
• Improved speed on the perimeter. The Cardinals' move toward younger players at linebacker has shown up on the stat sheet. Sacks are up. It's also showing up against the run. The Cardinals appear less reliant on the defensive ends to contain outside runs. Linebackers Sam Acho, O'Brien Schofield and Daryl Washington have the speed to chase down plays near the the sidelines. Free-agent addition Stewart Bradley got to the sideline in coverage against Frank Gore as the Cardinals held the 49ers to a field goal in the red zone.
• Natural use of LaRod Stephens-Howling. The shovel pass Arizona executed freed Stephens-Howling for an 18-yard gain and made the 49ers pay for getting upfield quickly. It was the perfect play call at the time. There have been times, in past seasons, when the Cardinals' use of Stephens-Howling, though well-intentioned, felt a little forced. I remember seeing Stephens-Howling come into the game, usually on second down, and knowing the Cardinals would throw to him near the sideline. Stephens-Howling has justified an expanded role. The team has needed him to provide explosive plays lost when rookie Ryan Williams went on injured reserve.
• Ray Horton delivering on promise. The Cardinals' first-year defensive coordinator vowed to come after opposing quarterbacks. Arizona's defensive players were leaning forward before the snap as if they could hardly restrain themselves from coming across the line early. Wilson and Peterson were among the defensive backs blitzing and getting to the quarterback. I never got the sense Arizona feared or respected Alex Smith's ability to beat them with big plays downfield.

This was a huge victory for Arizona. I made more than five notes when jotting down observations. A few more, quickly: Officials flagged Rashad Johnson for a late hit on Delanie Walker, who dropped a third-down pass a short while later. Related? I thought it could have been. Those types of hits get receivers' attention. ...

The Cardinals' Reggie Walker had a hard time with 49ers' punt returner Ted Ginn Jr. in the open field. Ginn juked him a couple times on returns into Arizona territory. ...

Not sure why the Cardinals left their right tackle, Brandon Keith, singled up against Aldon Smith on a three-man pressure deep in Arizona territory. Smith got the sack. Skelton was partly to blame. He held the ball too long. ...

Just when quarterback John Skelton seems to be making progress in his decision making, he throws a high pass across the field for an interception. ...

The Cardinals did exploit Patrick Willis' injury absence from the 49ers' defense. Larry Fitzgerald broke a tackle attempt by Willis' replacement, Larry Grant, during a 53-yard reception to open the fourth quarter. Willis would have made that tackle, most likely.

Many factors could be contributing to the Arizona Cardinals' dramatic defensive improvement over the past six games:

• Learning a new system. This narrative blames early-season struggles on adopting a new scheme with a first-year coordinator (Ray Horton) following a lockout. There is logic behind the thinking even though the team was already running a base 3-4 defense and felt good about the transition. Coach Ken Whisenhunt in March: "What Ray has done a very good job of is trying to assimilate his system into our terminology.
  

  2011 Cardinals Defense

  Stat	Gm. 1-7	Gm. 8-13
  W-L	1-6	5-1
  PPG	26.1	17.5
  YPG	390.7	324.0
  Rush TD	1.6	0.3
  Pass TD	1.3	0.7
  First downs	24.3	17.8
  3rd down	37.8%	26.1%
  Red zone	51.7%	27.8%

  
  
  
  That is one less hurdle our players will have to deal with. His scheme might be a little bit different, but at least our alignments, what we are calling our defensive schemes, will not be so foreign to them."
• Playing poorer opponents. Cam Newton, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco were on the schedule during the first seven games. The team has faced Sam Bradford twice, Alex Smith twice and an injured Michael Vick (minus DeSean Jackson) since then. There's some merit to this thinking, no question. But the Cardinals' defense was arguably at its best in holding Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys to 13 points. Romo suffered a season-high five sacks and tossed only one touchdown pass, still his lowest single-game total since Week 8.
• Personnel changes. Arizona has given young outside linebackers Sam Acho and O'Brien Schofield additional playing time, with positive results. The chart below shows which Cardinals defensive players have seen the greatest changes in playing time from the first seven games to the most recent six. Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information provided the snap counts. I calculated the percentages and point changes. The chart shows only those players with swings of at least 15 percentage points. The playing-time changes have limitations. For example, it's possible the defense would have been even better recently if players with diminished snaps had played more.
• Top players healthier. One of the team's best defensive players, inside linebacker Daryl Washington, missed two early starts with an injury. Another, strong safety Adrian Wilson, has steadily gotten better after playing through a torn biceps tendon early in the season. Both players appear healthier. The team did lose second-year nose tackle Dan Williams to a season-ending elbow injury, however.
• Peterson emerging. Rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson, the fifth player chosen in the 2011 draft, has four punt returns for touchdowns, two during the last six games. Peterson has also made strides in coverage. The secondary in general has played better. Some of the personnel changes could come into play here as well.

These are a few of the reasons for improvement that come to mind readily. Reporters covering the Cardinals' next opponent, Cleveland, asked Whisenhunt for his take on the subject Wednesday.

"I think they are getting more comfortable with the scheme and understanding how it fits together, how they have to play together," Whisenhunt said. "We tried to put a lot in early in the season and we were making a lot of mistakes and we scaled it back, and we have built from there. It is a confidence thing, too."
.

Arizona: Kevin Kolb's concussion symptoms have cleared, allowing him to resume practicing with the team Wednesday. Kolb told reporters he plans to take things slowly at first, adding reps each day before starting against Cleveland. This news was about as good as the Cardinals could have expected. The Cardinals are relatively healthy overall. Free safety Kerry Rhodes, recovered from a broken foot, is practicing without limitation. It's unclear how the Cardinals will work him back into the secondary rotation. Strong safety Adrian Wilson and the defense in general are playing better now than when Rhodes was injured. Several other players are working through nagging injuries, including Beanie Wells (knee) and Clark Haggans (hamstring).

St. Louis: Quarterback Sam Bradford played hurt Monday night and continues paying the price. He did not practice Wednesday and told reporters the situation had gotten worse. Bradford is back in a walking boot. The team placed fullback Brit Miller on injured reserve. Tackle Mark LeVoir, defensive end James Hall, defensive end Chris Long, cornerback Josh Gordy, safety Craig Dahl and defensive lineman Eugene Sims missed practice, as did Bradford and backup quarterback A.J. Feeley. Injuries are preventing a struggling team from competing for a full game. Defensive tackle Fred Robbins, sidelined by back trouble against Seattle, did return on a limited basis.

San Francisco: The 49ers do not play until Monday night, pushing back by one day the requirement for publishing an injury report. Left tackle Joe Staley (concussion) and linebacker Patrick Willis (hamstring) are the two most important players likely to appear on the injury report. Staley or backup left tackle Alex Boone will not have to face suspended Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison. That will presumably help. Then again, the Steelers were 4-0 and had 13 sacks when Harrison missed four games earlier in the season. The team has not had more sacks in any four-game stretch. The season appears to be wearing on 49ers running back Frank Gore. His snaps were limited against Arizona and could be in the future.

Seattle: Linebacker Leroy Hill practiced fully Wednesday despite a neck injury, a good sign for Seattle given the team's depth issues at the position. Linebacker David Hawthorne rested his injured knee, no surprise. He's playing with an MCL injury that needs monitoring. Receiver Doug Baldwin (ankle), left guard Robert Gallery (hip), defensive end Raheem Brock (calf) and linebacker David Hawthorne (knee) did not practice. They were expected to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson remained a full participant in practice despite his pectoral injury. Jackson seems to be getting stronger.

One starting quarterback in the NFC West has made it through 12 games without missing a snap to injury. That one quarterback is Alex Smith, who previously had started more than 10 games in a season just once, back in 2006.

Sam Bradford, who took every snap for St. Louis as a rookie in 2010, has already missed three games to an ankle injury this season. He could miss a fourth when the Rams visit Seattle on Monday night. Bradford's backup, A.J. Feeley, is expected to miss the game after suffering a thumb injury.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch runs through the Rams' contingency plans for the position. The team has added Kellen Clemens off waivers after signing Tom Brandstater to its 53-man roster, and Matt Gutierrez to its practice squad. Nelson: "Brandstater worked with the starters as the Rams began installing the game plan for Monday night's matchup in Seattle against the Seahawks. Bradford ran in the pool and on the stationary bike. Feeley still had swelling in his fractured thumb and was unable to grip the ball."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Feeley could miss more than one game. Thomas: "With rookie T.J. Yates now the starting quarterback, Texans coach Gary Kubiak cited the extensive NFL experience of Delhomme, 36, and Garcia, 41, in keeping them over Clemens. Between them, Delhomme and Garcia have 215 NFL regular-season starts and have thrown nearly 6,700 regular-season passes. In comparison, Clemens has only nine NFL starts and 284 regular-season passes, all as a member of the New York Jets. That may pale in comparison to Delhomme and Garcia, but from where the Rams sit, Clemens is an NFL graybeard compared to Brandstater."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com expects Alex Smith to return to the 49ers next season after playing under a one-year deal in 2011. Maiocco: "The 49ers will not have make Smith among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. Early speculation around the league is that the 49ers could re-sign Smith to a two- or three-year contract for $8 million to $11 million annually. It's possible that Jim Harbaugh and his staff had no idea that Smith would be as efficient this season as he has turned out. But working with him every day, there is a belief that Smith can get better and the passing game can continue to improve."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers use offensive plays rarely seen in the NFL. Branch: "In last week's 26-0 win over the Rams, 49ers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. ran the fly sweep for the third time this season. Running in motion at close to full speed from the left side of the formation, Ginn ran behind quarterback Alex Smith, who took the snap, pivoted to his left and, in one seamless motion, handed off to Ginn. Smith then faked a handoff to Frank Gore, lined up on the left, attracting the defense's attention to that side. The result? A 16-yard gain around right end. The play has been just as effective when run in the other direction. Ginn had run the fly sweep at Glenville (Ohio) High School and at Ohio State, but he'd never run the play in his five-year NFL career until he sprinted 24 yards in a 48-3 win against Tampa Bay on Oct. 9. Smith, a seven-year veteran, hadn't called a fly sweep since he played at Utah."

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle quotes a doctor for insight on when Patrick Willis might return from a Grade 2 hamstring injury. Lynch: "A wide window would be 3-6 weeks in recovery time for Willis. However, he cautioned that hamstring injuries can be 'frustrating' because of the propensity for re-injury."

Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat passes along Steve Young's recent radio comments regarding prospects for the 49ers' offense. Young: "I’d love to see some no-huddle. I’d love to see something that felt like, 'Man, we’re behind by 14, what do we do?' Just kind of react as if it was happening. I think you've got to test the boundaries of what the offense can do because at some point if you're going to win deep into January, you figure you’re going to be tested that way, so why not kind of practice that? Maybe open up the game in no-huddle. Maybe give Alex a little more ability to throw the ball downfield."

Khaled Elsayed of Pro Football Focus ranks the Seahawks' offensive line last overall in a ranking of 32 lines across the league. Elsayed: "The Seahawks opted to get some rookies some experience when it was clear the veterans in their way offered no long-term prospects. It resulted in a combined grade of minus-47.3 on the right side of their line as neither James Carpenter nor John Moffit were ready to start in the NFL. Perhaps more worrying is the play of Russell Okung, who while not terrible, didn’t have quite the year we expected after a good rookie year." Noted: Okung seemed to be improving over the last several weeks. He was trending in the right direction. He'll spend the final four games with Carpenter and Moffitt on injured reserve, a setback for the line's development.

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks Robert Griffin III would make sense for Seattle in the upcoming draft.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team is getting solid play from linebacker Leroy Hill.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says defensive end Raheem Brock faces DUI charges stemming from his arrest last year.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune looks at the Seahawks' improved young depth along the offensive line.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals' second-half rally and overtime victory over Dallas gave the team a needed boost. Urban: "Coach Ken Whisenhunt called Kevin Kolb’s play down the stretch 'progress' and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said he was encouraged by the offensive rally and 'happy' for Kolb. Earlier in the season, Kolb and the Cards had the ball against the Redskins (Chansi Stuckey fumble), Seahawks (interception) and Giants (fourth-down incompletion) late in the fourth quarter with the chance to tie or take the lead. They couldn’t convert."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes, who is back at practice after suffering a broken foot earlier in the season. Somers: "The Cardinals replaced Rhodes with two players. Rashad Johnson moved into the starting lineup in the base defense. Cornerback Richard Marshall moved to safety in passing situations, replacing Johnson. There was a trickle-down effect, too. With Marshall at safety, cornerback Michael Adams became the nickel back, with A.J. Jefferson and Patrick Peterson playing the outside spots. It was a gamble the Cardinals were forced to take. Johnson, a third-round draft pick in 2009, had yet to prove himself. And Marshall, signed as a free agent before the season, was playing safety for the first time. The adjustments worked."

Arizona: Kevin Kolb is spending his time on the practice field, not on the injury report. That suggests Kolb's injured toe and foot held up well during his victorious return against Dallas. Kolb overcame a slow start to finish strong. He showed good mobility in scrambling for 17 yards to the 5-yard line. He'll need that mobility against the 49ers' pressure Sunday. Running back Beanie Wells missed practice Wednesday to rest various ailments. He expects to start. Tight end Todd Heap rested his troublesome hamstring last week in an attempt to return more successfully this time. He was limited in practice. On defense, the team welcomed back safety Kerry Rhodes to practice. He suffered a broken foot against Minnesota two months ago. He could need time to ease back into playing.

St. Louis: The Rams are shuffling at quarterback and along the offensive line heading into their game against Seattle on Monday night. Rookie Tom Brandstater took the first-team QB reps while Sam Bradford (ankle) and A.J. Feeley (thumb) rested injuries. The Rams have some leeway given that they do not play until Monday, but this is a dire situation. Feeley said he does not anticipate being ready, according to the team. Bradford's status remains in question. The Rams are also without left guard Jacob Bell, who could miss multiple games after suffering a knee injury at San Francisco. The team is already without both starting tackles. One backup tackle, Mark LeVoir, is back at practice this week. Safety Darian Stewart is also back after missing one game with a concussion. Chris Long continues to miss practice, same as last week, but his two-sack performance against the 49ers indicates he'll be ready to play.

San Francisco: Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis isn't practicing. All signs point to Willis missing the Arizona game. Backup Larry Grant played well in relief against the Rams last week. The 49ers will presumably handle Willis' hamstring with care. Receiver Braylon Edwards also could return after missing the St. Louis game to rest knee and shoulder injuries. Receivers Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams played well enough for the 49ers to feel good about the position whether or not Edwards is available. The 49ers are relatively healthy. Reports from 49ers practice suggest cornerback Carlos Rogers could be among those appearing on the injury report this week. The 49ers will make their report available following practice later Wednesday.

Seattle: Tarvaris Jackson's apparent recovery from a pectoral injury has allowed him to practice fully the last couple weeks. That's significant for an offense adjusting to frequently changing parts on the offensive line, and at receiver. Paul McQuistan goes from replacing the injured John Moffitt at right guard to replacing the injured Russell Okung at left tackle, a scenario the Seahawks never could have envisioned. Lemuel Jeanpierre steps in at right guard. All signs point to Seattle continuing its emphasis on the running game. On defense, David Hawthorne has been playing through knee problems. He was the NFC's defensive player of the week after returning an interception 77 yards for a touchdown against Philadelphia. The injury prevented him from opening up and running full speed, however. K.J. Wright took practice reps at middle linebacker while Hawthorne rested. Rookie Mike Morgan stepped into lineup at Wright's old spot. With no game til Monday, Hawthorne presumable has a good shot at playing.

Joey Porter played his final game for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2006 season. Clark Haggans was gone from the team a year later.

The veteran outside linebackers, now 34 years old, are scheduled to start for Arizona against their former team Sunday, a reflection of how the teams have drafted for defense recently.

In 2007, the year coaches Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm left Pittsburgh's staff for the Cardinals, the Steelers drafted mainstay linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley. Much of the Steelers' defense is aging, but Timmons and Woodley are ascending young players approaching their primes. Woodley represents the type of outside linebacker the Cardinals have coveted, but have yet to land.

Arizona takes criticism for drafting tackle Levi Brown over running back Adrian Peterson in 2007, but decisions made in addressing the defense stand out with Timmons and Woodley coming to town. That was the year Arizona used a second-round choice for defensive lineman Alan Branch, now reborn in Seattle after falling short of expectations in Arizona. The Cardinals used their third-round pick in 2007 on linebacker Buster Davis, who was cut as a rookie.

The Cardinals bounced back in 2008 by drafting defensive end Calais Campbell in the second round. Two other early defensive choices that year -- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for Arizona and Bruce Davis for Pittsburgh -- have changed teams. Rodgers-Cromartie went to a Pro Bowl with the Cardinals before the team traded him to Philadelphia. Davis, a third-round choice, was released after one season.

In 2009, the Steelers landed defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, who has played more than 70 percent of the defensive snaps this season. Arizona drafted Cody Brown, a second-round choice who never contributed, before selecting defensive backs Rashad Johnson (starting for the injured Kerry Rhodes) and Greg Toler (incumbent starter now on injured reserve).

The Cardinals have initially fared better than the Steelers in drafting for defense in 2010. They got nose tackle Dan Williams, ascending inside linebacker Daryl Washington and pass-rushing project O'Brien Schofield. The Steelers drafted linebacker Jason Worilds, who has made a positive contribution on special teams without factoring into the defense yet.

The chart shows defensive players the teams drafted in the first three rounds from 2007-09.

.

The Arizona Cardinals' efforts to develop young players and integrate new ones on defense continues to stagnate.

The reasons are simple to understand.
First-year coordinator Ray Horton is installing a complex new system that would be tough for young players to absorb even with a full offseason. And the team's highest-priced defensive addition in free agency, inside linebacker Stewart Bradley, came from a vastly different system, so he was going to face a transition period as well.

Finally, the Cardinals haven't done a great job drafting young personnel to fit their new system.

I found useful comments New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick made recently in explaining why his team has leaned less heavily on a pure 3-4 defense:

"We've played a mixture of odd fronts and even fronts, but I just felt like from a starting point -- given the lack of spring opportunities to practice and meet, and the shortened training camp in terms of actual number of practices -- that from a teaching standpoint, we felt like there would be more carryover teaching our base defense and nickel defense really as one front.

"We wanted a lot of carryover between our run responsibilities and run fits, and some of our pressure defenses and things like that. We'll transition and build into some of our odds fronts, but we felt like in trying to evaluate young players, asking them to learn one system in a 3-4 and then learn another system in nickel [was too much].

"As you know, we were in nickel defense just as much as we were 3-4 defense because of teams using multiple receivers on early downs and two-minute and all those kind of things. So, we felt like it would be a better opportunity to evaluate our players and not try to over-install and put in a ton of defense.

"There are so many intricacies to a 3-4 defense that I just didn't know if we'd be ready to handle them this year."

The Cardinals have scaled back. And, unlike the Patriots, they have not had Belichick teaching and overseeing their defense since 2000. Horton is finding his way as a coordinator and still getting a feel for the personnel he inherited. He also doesn't benefit from a Tom Brady-led offense putting points on the board and pulling out victories even when the defense falters.

What the Cardinals do have in their favor, at least this week, is great familiarity with the upcoming opponent, Pittsburgh. Horton coached the Steelers' secondary, so he should know how to scheme for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Arizona coaches Ken Whisehunt and Russ Grimm, among others, also have roots with the Steelers. And Arizona is coming off a bye week, which gave coaches needed time to reassess.

The first chart shows snap counts and percentages for the Cardinals' defensive players, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Younger players such as O'Brien Schofield and Sam Acho will presumably get more playing time as the season progresses. Bradley's snap counts are also much lower than I would have anticipated coming into the season.

.

One day after Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill gave his assessment of the team, former quarterback Kurt Warner weighed in Thursday with Arizona Sports 620 radio.

Warner's basic take: The Cardinals are lacking in the playmaking department. He's right. Injuries and personnel changes have hurt Arizona in an area where the team was once quite strong, the ability to score touchdowns from just about anywhere on the field.

A hand injury and new rules governing kickoffs have largely silenced LaRod Stephens-Howling. Kerry Rhodes, who scored twice on returns last season, wasn't making plays before suffering a foot injury that will sideline him at least a month. Adrian Wilson has let a couple chances at interceptions get past him. Linebacker Daryl Washington, who scored on a return last season, has battled a calf injury.

Two other big-play threats in the past, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Steve Breaston, are gone. Others, such as Anquan Boldin and Antrel Rolle, are long gone. Andre Roberts, who flashed big-play ability last season, hasn't factored at all this season.

When new quarterback Kevin Kolb missed wide-open tight end Rob Housler for what should have been a touchdown at Minnesota in Week 5, the Cardinals had found a signature play for their dearth of playmaking during a 1-4 start.

"I've watched every play of every game and there are plays out there to be made that are not being made," Warner said. "Flat out, there are guys wide open. Last week, I know Kevin would love to have the one back down the middle of the field that he just overthrew. Just a little more touch on the football, that is a touchdown. It can change the complexion of the game."

Warner rode to coach Ken Whisenhunt's defense, blaming players for failing to capitalize on opportunities. His comment regarding the play Kolb missed wasn't part of a broader criticism of the quarterback. Warner did say he thought Kolb wasn't yet comfortable enough in the offense to trust his options and stay in the pocket longer. That will presumably change over time.

"What is going to define this team is, down the road, when they feel comfortable, are they going to make those plays then that they are not making now?" Warner said.

Asked about Kolb's comments regarding players' approach to their jobs, Warner said teams around the league experience the same issues. The winning culture Arizona established in its locker room a few years ago doesn't necessarily carry over given all the personnel changes.

This team must find its own way.

Arizona: The Cardinals' bye week helps more from a practice standpoint than an injury standpoint. Arizona needs the work without having to focus on the next opponent so much. Free safety Kerry Rhodes is expected to miss several weeks with a broken foot suffered at Minnesota. Left guard Daryn Colledge suffered a concussion against the Vikings. The bye week should help Beanie Wells (hamstring), Brandon Keith (knee), Todd Heap (hamstring) and others get through injuries that have bothered them recently.

St. Louis: The Rams' injuries at cornerback are old news, but worth mentioning given their matchup Sunday against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Starters Ron Bartell (neck) and Bradley Fletcher (knee) are out for the season, as is projected third corner Jerome Murphy (ankle). That means Justin King and Al Harris are the likely starters. Another corner, Josh Gordy, missed practice Wednesday to attend a family funeral. A hamstring injury sidelined guard Jacob Bell. Tony Wragge would start in his place if necessary. Tight end Mike Hoomanawanui (concussion) and defensive end James Hall (back) were limited. With receiver Danny Amendola out for the season, rookie Austin Pettis becomes the primary slot receiver. His development is key.

San Francisco: The 49ers got nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga back from a staph infection, restoring depth to their defensive line. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer's expected return from a toe injury could send rookie Chris Culliver to the sideline. Culliver got good experience against Tampa Bay, picking off a pass. He should be in better position to help the team in the future, if needed. The situation at wide receiver remains dicey with Braylon Edwards still out and Josh Morgan landing on injured reserve. The 49ers already favored personnel groupings with two tight ends. That should continue. Ted Ginn Jr. becomes a starter. Morgan was an excellent blocker and physical player overall. Guard Mike Iupati, affected by a neck injury in recent weeks, missed practice and reportedly had a wrap on his knee.

Seattle: The Seahawks did not make coach Pete Carroll available following practice Wednesday, presumably because the team was not yet prepared to discuss the pending trade involving Aaron Curry. As a result, injury news was scarcer than usual, even for a bye week. Center Max Unger continues to wear a boot on his injured foot, but line coach Tom Cable indicated that Unger should be available next week. We won't know until next week whether quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral) and tight end Zach Miller (neck) will return quickly. Jackson was at practice Wednesday, but did not formally participate. I did not see Miller in attendance. Receiver Mike Williams was back on the practice field this week after missing one game with a concussion. The team has enough young depth at the position to function without him.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has simple choices at quarterback heading into the team's bye week. There's no use overthinking them.

Carroll can stick with the status quo if doctors clear Tarvaris Jackson to play despite a strained pectoral muscle. If Jackson needs extra time to heal, Carroll can plug Charlie Whitehurst into the lineup without benching Jackson. And if Whitehurst were to play exceptionally well, Carroll could then say he's decided to stick with the hot hand.

There's no reason for Seattle to make a decision at the position without knowing more about Jackson's potential availability for the team's Week 7 game against the Cleveland Browns.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the team has no plans to add another quarterback to its roster. That is because the team feels comfortable with Whitehurst and third quarterback Josh Portis, and because the bye week gives Jackson additional time to heal. Carroll on Portis: "I've seen enough of him. I know what he can do. I think that the mode that we're in will really be exciting for him to be out there, and he'll be able to handle it. He's been doing no-huddle and 2-minute drills throughout camp and all, against the defense. He's going to cause problems for people if he plays. We've already seen it." Noted: Not having an elite quarterback allows the Seahawks to change starters without losing a great deal.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says there's no quarterback controversy in Seattle. Jackson is the starter if healthy enough to play.

Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle runs through all the Seahawks' injuries, with comments from Carroll. Marcus Trufant's lower back is a concern.

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle says Leon Washington's heads-up play was critical to officials allowing Whitehurst's winning touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News lists former 49ers and current Seahawks personnel man Scot McCloughan as a potential candidate to help the Raiders through the post-Al Davis era.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com passes along Jim Harbaugh's explanation for calling a pass play on fourth-and-3 while leading by 38 points with 4:46 remaining in the game Sunday. Noted: There was no need to push the ball down the field with a three-receiver personnel grouping, but also no guarantees against injury had the team run the ball up the middle, either.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says tight end Delanie Walker gives the 49ers flexibility as they move on without Morgan.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News looks ahead to an unlikely matchup for NFC prominence between the 49ers and Lions.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are getting Rod Hood ready to play a significant role on defense as the team deals with injuries at cornerback. Thomas: "Like college students cramming for a final, these new Rams cornerbacks have been doing all they can to learn the defensive schemes. Their first 'exam' comes Sunday when they'll be trying to keep up with the NFL's deepest receiver corps. Hood's bye weekend consisted of meetings with Rams cornerbacks coach Clayton Lopez, followed by film study of the Packers, followed by more meetings with Lopez, etc."

Also from Thomas: Danny Amendola's absence as a punt returner is affecting the Rams' field position.

More from Thomas: Josh McDaniels' struggles to fix the Rams' offense.

Roger Hensley of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asks colleagues what the Rams can do to slow the Packers' offense. Bernie Miklasz: "The Rams have no choice but to play a lot of zone defense to try and limit Green Bay’s yards per attempt and yards per completion. A good pass rush is mandatory but the rush has been inconsistent so far this season. The Rams offense can help by establishing an edge in time of possession. The Rams need to put together some long, time-consuming drives. But that will be difficult against a tough, underrated Packers defense. Perhaps the Packers will flatten out after yet another big win, this time Sunday night in Atlanta. Maybe the Packers will overlook the Rams. I doubt it."

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt will not suddenly abandon his coaching principles following four consecutive defeats. Whisenhunt: "I know what I believe in, what we believe in, works. And I know you stick to it. I remember probably four years ago, a lot of people banging on us, saying we weren't a very good team, and we went to the Super Bowl. I believe in sticking with what we know works. ... We're going to continue to work the way that we know can be successful for us and at some point, it will start working."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team will be without starting free safety Kerry Rhodes for at least several weeks after Rhodes suffered a broken foot against the Vikings. Urban: "Rhodes, who could have surgery, is expected to return this season, Whisenhunt added, but for now Rashad Johnson will take his place in the lineup."

Five things I noticed while watching the Seattle Seahawks' 13-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3:

• Tarvaris Jackson is no Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks have ample offensive weapons now that Sidney Rice is back from a shoulder injury. Jackson's ability to make use of those weapons will determine whether the Seahawks outperform almost universally low outside expectations for them. Seattle is keeping things conservative from a scheming standpoint. Jackson obviously trusts Rice more than his other receivers, notably Mike Williams, after playing with Rice in Minnesota. Watching this game and then watching Hasselbeck play for Tennessee, I kept thinking the Seahawks would have won this game by double digits had their former quarterback been behind center. Then again, Jackson has weathered the physical punishment better than I suspect Hasselbeck would have. In addition to surviving teeth-chattering sacks from Calais Campbell, Jackson ran into and through Adrian Wilson at the goal line on his 11-yard touchdown run.
• Carroll's personnel profile on display. Pete Carroll values players with unusual physical characteristics. Rookie K.J. Wright fits the profile as a 6-foot-4 linebacker. That height came into play on the pass safety Earl Thomas intercepted. A penalty negated the pick, but replays showed Wright leaping high to redirect Kevin Kolb's pass. Thomas, who possesses unusual speed for a safety, then made an athletic play on the ball. Kam Chancellor, unusually large even for a strong safety, then blasted Cardinals tight end Todd Heap during the return. This play showcased three Seattle players with unusual physical attributes for their positions. The thinking has advantages, but also drawbacks. It's tougher finding injury replacements, as Seattle found out last season when trying to replace Red Bryant, who has unusual traits for a defensive end.
• Center Max Unger is looking better. Unger, back in the lineup this season after missing nearly all of 2010 with an injury, seemed to be searching for his bearings during preseason. He fared well after a shaky start. Unger directed Darnell Dockett out of the play during Leon Washington's 21-yard run in the second quarter. Unger also appeared determined to make sure the Cardinals didn't bully Seattle. Unger is the Seahawks' only remaining starter from the 2009 line that drew criticism for letting Dockett rough up Matt Hasselbeck with an elbow to the throat.
• Browner did not always see the ball. The Seahawks generally fared well defending Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Brandon Browner, their new starting corner, matches up well against bigger receivers. But as Browner found out early in the game, it's nearly impossible to defend Fitzgerald when the perennial Pro Bowl wideout gets a head start on tracking the ball. For years, Seattle's Marcus Trufant has stressed this point. Fitzgerald had been tracking the ball for 3-4 yards before Browner could turn to see the sideline pass Fitzgerald would catch for a 28-yard gain. Rice's sideline reception for Seattle against the Cardinals' Wilson demonstrated the same principle. Big receivers with good hands will find ways to catch the ball when defenders are late in tracking it.
• McCoy's split-second reaction key. Tight end Anthony McCoy was setting up in pass protection against the Cardinals' Joey Porter when Jackson mishandled a high shotgun snap from Unger with 12:37 remaining. Porter knocked the ball from the Seattle 42-yard line to the 29, where McCoy recovered even though Arizona's Richard Marshall beat him to the area. The play was impressive because McCoy, unlike Porter, had his back to the ball initially. He was the only Seattle player with a chance for recovery. The Cardinals' Marshall, Paris Lenon and Dockett were in pursuit, as were Clark Haggans and Porter. Had McCoy taken even a split second to express frustration over the fumble, Arizona would have recovered, changing the game. McCoy showed up again on the Seahawks' next drive. His block on Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes helped Rice get around the corner for a first down when Seattle was protecting a 13-10 lead with 4:34 to play.

I'll break out Cardinals observations separately as time permits.

Five things I noticed while watching the Arizona Cardinals' 22-21 defeat to the Washington Redskins in Week 2:

• Confusing penalty situation early. Officials flagged Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes for unnecessary roughness on the Redskins' first possession. I thought officials flagged Rhodes because Rhodes' hand had inadvertently struck an official during a fight involving several players. Looking at replays, the offending hand actually belonged to Redskins tackle Jammal Brown. Rhodes was not fined for the play.
• Jeff King gets featured. Todd Heap's signing was supposed to mean more than King's signing for the Cardinals' passing game, but King was the only tight end on the field when he caught a 21-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. The Cardinals went with base personnel (two backs, one tight end) on this play. Larry Fitzgerald was on the weak side, with King releasing freely. King has two touchdowns in as many games for Arizona. The Cardinals have targeted him five times and Heap three times.
• Early Doucet is the second-best WR. Andre Roberts dropped a ball. Chansi Stuckey fumbled. Doucet, who had a 70-yard scoring reception in Week 1, impressed with a short reception over the middle in traffic for a third-down conversion. The Cardinals have targeted Doucet seven times on third down, most on the team. Four of those targets produced first downs, including the 70-yarder. A fifth went for a 12-yard gain on third-and-25.
• Beanie Wells blocked Brian Orakpo. It happened midway through the third quarter, but the interception Kevin Kolb threw on the play got all the attention. Wells, who enjoyed a strong second half running the ball, has not been known for his work in pass protection. He walled off Orakpo on this play, giving Kolb time to move from the pocket and reset himself.
• No pass-rush when it mattered. Leading 21-19 with less than five minutes to play, the Cardinals blitzed both inside linebackers on first down. Neither came close to getting pressure. Joey Porter dropped into coverage on the play and gave up a reception to tight end Fred Davis. The Redskins beat blitz pressure with quick passes on the next two plays. Then, with three wide receivers still on the field, the Redskins ran up the middle into field-goal range against a smaller defensive front. Arizona could have used some luck, too. The Cardinals tipped but could not intercept passes on consecutive plays before the Redskins made the winning field goal.

And that concludes this tape-delayed version of five observations coming off a short week. NFC West predictions for Week 3 are coming in a bit.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' Doug Legursky drew a penalty for a block to the back of the lower legs against the Seattle Seahawks' Al Woods in Week 2.

That play also drew a $7,500 fine from the NFL during what turned out to be a costly game.

As reported earlier in the week, the NFL also levied a $15,000 fine against Seahawks defensive end Raheem Brock in that game. Brock is appealing the fine. Officials flagged him for hitting Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the knee area. Brock claimed he was tripped on the play.

The Arizona Cardinals' Jeff King also drew a $7,500 fine for a flagrant facemask penalty during a punt return against the Washington Redskins.

As the chart shows, six additional penalties from games involving NFC West teams did not draw fines from the league. More on the Kerry Rhodes penalty in a bit.