There’s still a slim chance Kevin Kolb could return as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback Sunday, but judging from John Skelton’s comments Friday, it seems much more likely Skelton will make his fourth consecutive start instead.

He talked about Sunday’s game at the St. Louis Rams as being another opportunity for him “to move forward” and how he was looking to “redeem” himself after a rough performance against the 49ers.

Unlike Skelton, Kolb didn’t talk to reporters Friday, which is one sign he still may not be ready to start. He was limited in practice Friday and the team listed him as questionable because of his injured right foot, which includes turf toe and a bone bruise.

“He’s worked through it every day and he’s been sore,” head coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “But getting the rust off was what was important this week and seeing if he would be able to play from a standpoint of practicing one day and seeing how it reacted the next day.

“The next thing for him, when we travel, is to see how it feels on the turf on Sunday.”

But when talking about Skelton, who is 2-1 as the starter, and how frustrated the quarterback was after his performance last week in San Francisco, you got the feeling Whisenhunt is preparing to start Skelton again.

“He was more down and angry than I’ve ever seen him before after the game,” Whisenhunt said. “I think he was disappointed in the way that he played and it was good. It was good to see that from him. If he has to go in this week and play, it will be interesting to see how he responds.”

Skelton completed just 6 of 19 passes for 99 yards in the 23-7 loss to the 49ers and he was intercepted three times. He acknowledged Friday it was probably the hardest he’s ever been on himself.

“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “I think you always want to redeem yourself after a game like that one. I’m always going to be my own worst critic and be harder on myself than anyone else is going to be on me.

“It’s just another opportunity to move forward, I guess.”

Another reason to think Skelton will start Sunday is how he answered a question about his level of comfort running the offense after four weeks.

“With each game it’s more and more comfortable,” he said. “Like anything, experience will always help.”

As for Kolb, who is 1-6 as the starter, Whisenhunt said the quarterback has “done a great job of rehabbing (the foot injury) and trying to get back. It just takes a little bit of time.”

“He’s close to being able to play a whole game without any type of problems, even knowing that he would be sore.”

Injury updates

In addition to Kolb, the Cardinals listed four other players as questionable against the Rams. They are cornerback Michael Adams (hamstring), right tackle Brandon Keith (head) and tight ends Todd Heap (hamstring) and Rob Housler (groin).

Four players are listed as probable – running back Beanie Wells (knee), defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (groin), linebacker Paris Lenon (groin) and running back/kick returner LaRod Stephens-Howling (shoulder) – but each practiced fully on Friday.

The Rams have ruled out three players, including starting left tackle Mark LeVoir (pectoral) and starting defensive tackle Justin Bannan (shoulder). Notable starters listed as questionable included defensive end Chris Long (ankle) and linebacker James Laurinaitis (foot). Starting cornerback Justin King (knee) is probable.

‘D’ getting better

Defensive coordinator Ray Horton said he has upgraded the team’s third-down packages to 50 percent of the playbook, up from 30 percent a few weeks ago.

He noted the Cardinals have improved on third-down defense and in the red zone, but said the defense isn’t creating enough turnovers. To do that, they need to put more pressure on the quarterback.

The Rams’ Sam Bradford has been sacked 31 times this season, tied for the most in the NFL.

“We have to dramatically get better there. That’s going to be the key this week,” Horton said. “We’ve already told our guys, ‘We have to win up front.’ “

Quick kicks

Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald was named as the NFL’s best-dressed player in a recent Sports Illustrated poll of 250 players.

Friday, though, he was walking around in baggy black sweat pants that were ripped in multiple strips at the cuffs.

“Hey,” he said, “I gotta keep it funky in practice.”

- With one more sack, the Rams’ Long will reach double digits and join Green Bay’s Clay Matthews as the only players to each register at least 10 sacks in at least one season, along with their fathers, since the stat became official in 1982.

Long’s father, Hall of Famer and NFL analyst Howie Long, and Matthews’ father, Clay Jr., each had 10-sack seasons.

The bar is set high in the NFL, and Cardinals nose tackle Nick Eason, a nine-year veteran, says all players – no matter what situation they find themselves in – have to strive to reach it.

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Cardinals-Rams injury report

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“I always tell guys a standard is a standard,” said Eason, a nine-year veteran who joined the Cardinals as a free agent in the off-season.

“What that means is, regardless of who’s in the game, the coaches expect the guys that are backups or whatever your role is on the team, they expect you to perform at the level they expect you to perform at.”

With nose tackle Dan Williams out with a broken arm suffered against the 49ers, Eason and rookie David Carter will be expected to step in and play at a high level Sunday when the Cardinals play in St. Louis.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said both Eason and Carter have played well.

“We’re going to miss Dan because Dan’s been playing really good, he’s come on,” Whisenhunt said. “I think we’ve got a veteran presence in Nick, and David Carter obviously has made some plays for us there this year. We feel good about them being able to step in there and handle that.”

Both players have made key contributions this season. Whisenhunt cited Eason’s experience as the reason he will get the starting nod Sunday. He characterized it as “the most stable way to go.”

Eason, a 6-foot-3 305-pounder who also plays defensive end, is primed for more playing time.

“I’ve been called on in the past when I was with the Steelers to come in and start eight or nine games in a season when we had an injury, so this is not my first time having to step in and perform,” Eason said.

“I’m pretty excited for the opportunity, but it’s a team defense. We all work together up front, work well with the linebackers and defensive backs. It’s a team effort, and I’m just a part of this team, going to plug myself in and do what I’m supposed to do and play within the framework of the defense.”

For Carter, the sixth-round draft choice out of UCLA, the opportunity is one he can handle because of the seasonlong preparation to take on more responsibility. He called Williams “a great player,” but added that he and Eason can fill the position without a drop-off in results.

And it’s also his chance to show the coaching staff that he can make even more of an impact.

“This is definitely an opportunity to showcase myself, and to get that extra step toward a starting position, so I’m definitely looking forward to taking advantage of it and having a great game this week,” he said.

Whisenhunt likes what he has in both players. In Eason’s case, his experience and presence give the Cardinals a boost off the field, as well.

“He gives you a voice that, as a veteran player, you can count on, that helps these younger guys get better,” Whisenhunt said. “I think he has helped Calais (Campbell) and Dan Williams become better players, as far as understanding the defense and the techniques involved.”

Carter, a 300-pounder who stands 6-5, was not a hot commodity in the draft, and his play has been a surprise, Whisenhunt said, adding that he took the opportunity presented and made the most of it.

“It was good to find a young player like that who has contributed the way he has,” Whisenhunt said. “He has shown us that he has the ability to play some end as well. Once again, you don’t have expectations that young players are going to come in and contribute quickly like he did, but kudos to him.”

Getting his kicks

David Zastudil has been punting at a high level for the past month, and he says it’s been a group effort.

“We’ve got a great coverage team, a great special-teams coach (Kevin Spencer), and it helps my game, too,” he said. “I come to practice every day, I try to work hard. Punting is a group effort, and I’m blessed to have great coverage teams.”

He equated punting to golf – he’s never satisfied with the results.

“There’s a lot of things that I really think in all honesty that I can still improve on,” he said. “We’ve got six games to go, and I’m working in practice hard to try and correct some things that I know I can do better. I’m just blessed to have a coach and special teams that really have a goal each week to be the best that they can be on that Sunday.”

Keith update

Right tackle Brandon Keith, who suffered a concussion in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers, has not practiced this week. Whisenhunt said Keith could be on the field for Friday’s workout if he passes a concussion test, is symptom-free and gets clearance from the medical staff.

Of all the Cardinals’ faults, and there are many, their most
egregious has to be their frequent unwatchability.

Sunday was case in point, as the Cardinals challenged the notion
that watching football on television is a pleasurable activity. At
3-7, it’s not like they thrive in pristine conditions either, but
boy-if any team is not built to play in the type of rain that came
down during the first half in San Francisco last weekend, it’s your
Arizona Cardinals.

A below-average offense turned anemic. They converted two first
downs in the first half. Two. That is what a nonexistent
running game and inaccurate passing will get you. Their lone score
in the game was sheer luck.

The NFC West catches a lot of grief, even though the 49ers are
among football’s best and the Seahawks are surging. But I will say
that this division is at its worst when its teams face each other,
and not because of some drag-‘em-out, rivalry sort of thing. Minus
the seconds-long excitement of the game-ending score against the
Rams, all of the Cardinals divisional games have been unwatchable.
The 49ers were in control of the game from the get-go on Sunday,
but I don’t think anyone walked away convinced they’re the team to
beat in the NFC. The Cardinals have a way of making their opponent
look bad even as they — the Cardinals — are getting
dominated.

With a bevy of games for the football fan to choose from every
week, and points being scored like crazy in this new and exciting
pass-happy NFL, the Arizona Cardinals are offensive in their
aesthetic. Of course, if they were winning with a bruising,
plodding running game or opportunistic defense-like, say, the
49ers-all would be forgiven. But they are most certainly not. It’s
probably harder to stomach this current team considering only three
years ago the Cardinals personified excitement, win or lose,
although it was mostly the former. That may not be fair to say, but
equally unfair is two first downs in the first half.

On Sunday the Cardinals face the Rams for the distinguished
honor of being the second-worst team in a maligned division. I hope
you like punts. My pick: Cardinals, 17, RAMS
20.

When Kurt Warner still was with the Cardinals and they were slinging the ball downfield more than 60 percent of the time, their offensive line regularly would moan about it.

They wanted to run the ball more so they could be more offensive themselves. It not only gave them the edge coming off the snap, but it allowed the linemen a release for some pent-up aggression.

“That’s the way it is with any offensive line,” center Lyle Sendlein said. “You ask any offensive lineman in the NFL, and they’ll tell you they want to run the ball 90 percent of the time.

“When we had success in the past with this offense and Kurt was doing his thing, throwing the ball, we all half-heartedly complained about it. But we were happy because we were successful.”

This season, the Cardinals have had little success on offense, and nobody is happy.

There was hope with a new starting quarterback, Kevin Kolb, and what looked to be an improved running back, Beanie Wells. But Kolb stumbled out of the blocks and has missed the past three games because of a right-foot injury.

Wells, looking bigger and bolder, started the season strong. He was averaging 103 yards (including 138 against the Giants) after the Cardinals’ first three games.

But after missing a game at Seattle because of a hamstring problem and then suffering an injury to his right knee against the Steelers, the threat of a running game is almost nonexistent.

In Wells’ past six games, he has just 300 rushing yards, an average of 50 per game. Complicating matters is that the knee won’t allow Wells to play full games or even complete series from one to the next.

“Not having Beanie 100 percent and being able to go all the time definitely hurts our offense,” said quarterback John Skelton, who was intercepted three times in a 23-7 loss to the 49ers on Sunday. “I know Beanie’s a competitor and he wants to be out there, but we’ve just got to be able to make up for it, one way or another.”

There is no real reliable backup behind Wells, so that has forced coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Mike Miller to switch the game plan and insert different packages when Wells has to come to the sideline for rest. That can disrupt flow of the offense. It also eliminates the Cardinals’ flexibility on play calling.

“We’re fortunate that we’re able to have Beanie at all after what happened and thinking he might be gone for the year,” Whisenhunt said Monday. “He can’t go more than a certain number of reps at a time during the course of a game, so you have to make sure that you watch that and he comes out.

“There have been a few times where we wanted him in there and we’ve had to put another back in there. To have him available at all is what’s important going forward.”

Wells’ injury isn’t likely to get better without full time off, and that’s something the Cardinals can’t afford. Especially because they don’t have Ryan Williams, the second-round draft pick who suffered torn knee ligaments in the preseason.

And be it Kolb or Skelton at quarterback, teams will continue to stack the line and dare the Cardinals to throw.

“It’s difficult to run the football when you’re seeing some of those fronts where they’re always bringing the extra safety in the box,” Whisenhunt said. “That’s when you’ve got to be able to win some in the pass game.”

Skelton couldn’t do it against the 49ers. There are no guarantees that Kolb will be ready or able to return this week, so Skelton might get the chance to redeem himself. Run game or not, he vows to play better if he makes another start.

“I’m positive I’ll play better. I’m positive,” said Skelton, who completed 6 of 19 attempts for 99 yards before being benched in favor of Rich Bartel. “A game like that happens only so often, and I know I’m a better quarterback than that.”

Arm-chair critics can drive a football coach crazy.

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Photos from the game | Box score | Next: @ Rams

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But the Cardinals ran the ball 11 times against the 49ers. Beanie Wells only had 8 carries, despite averaging over 4 yards per attempt.

By contrast, the 49ers ran the ball 38 times, and their backup tailback had one fewer carry than Wells.

In mapping out strategy, maybe it seemed clear that the 49ers were more susceptible to the pass. Maybe it was the perfect opportunity to test John Skelton, to see if the second-year quarterback could beat a good defense with his arm.

Problem is, the game plan pulverized the Cardinals defense, leaving them on the field for 44:16. That represented the longest time of possession posted by the 49ers since 2002, and the highest by any team in the NFL this season.

And it was further proof that the Cardinals have failed to cultivate a power running attack, something that was expected when the team paid a premium to sign Russ Grimm as offensive line coach.

Arizona quarterback John Skelton dropped back to pass, slipped
on the wet turf at Candlestick Park and fell to the ground without
a defender around him as the ball popped out of his hands.

At least he recovered the fumble.

Not much else went right for the Cardinals, who committed five
turnovers _ three from Skelton _ and didn’t cross midfield until
late in the third quarter of a 23-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers
on Sunday.

“Obviously not a very good day for us in a lot of areas,”
Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “It was a tough day for a lot of
us. We didn’t get the job done.”

Especially the quarterback.

Skelton, who led the Cardinals to wins as the starter in the
team’s previous two games, completed only 6 of 19 for 99 yards, 45
of which came on a 45-yard completion to Andre Roberts midway
through the third quarter when Arizona finally made it past the
50-yard line.

Two plays later, Skelton was picked off by Dashon Goldson, one
of three interceptions thrown by the Cardinals’ second-year starter
who was then replaced by third-string quarterback Richard
Bartel.

So much for that budding quarterback controversy.

“It was one of those days where nothing seems to go right,” said
Skelton, who had a meager 10.5 passer rating.

“(The 49ers) got us with a few of the coverages but at the same
time they gave us some stuff and I just didn’t hit it. Just more
frustrating than anything.”

About the only thing Arizona did well was keep 49ers kicker
David Akers out of the 49ers record books. The Cardinals blocked
two of Akers’ six field goal attempts while a third miss sailed
wide right.

But with five turnovers, including one on special teams, Arizona
fell behind early and never recovered.

Patrick Willis, Donte Whitner and Goldson all intercepted passes
by Skelton. The quarterback for the Cardinals (3-7) lost for the
first time in three starts this season in place of the injured
Kevin Kolb.

Whisenhunt was critical of his young quarterback, who was
replaced by Richard Bartel at the start of the fourth quarter.

Skelton could still start for Arizona next week against the St.
Louis Rams if Kolb’s injured right foot isn’t healed.

“Wrong reads, bad throws, bad decisions,” Whisenhunt said. “John
played like a rookie today, and that’s tough. The very first pass
of the game he takes an incorrect drop. That throws the timing off
and he sails it over the receiver’s head. Those are things you
can’t do.”

His counterpart, Alex Smith, didn’t have any such issues.

Smith threw for 267 yards and tossed scores to Kyle Williams and
Vernon Davis on the first two drives of the third quarter to help
the 49ers pull away for their eighth straight victory.

San Francisco (9-1) can clinch the NFC West with a win at
Baltimore on Thursday and a loss by Seattle against Washington next
weekend.

With a chilly rainstorm pelting the Bay Area since Saturday, the
49ers’ defense bullied and bruised Arizona all over a slick
field.

The Cardinals converted only two first downs in the first
half.

Once the rain subsided and a rainbow formed on the north side of
Candlestick, the 49ers finally opened up an otherwise passive
passing game.

Smith connected with Williams on a route to the near pylon in
the third quarter. Williams stretched over the goal line as he was
tackled to complete the 8-yard TD catch.

After Skelton sailed a pass that Whitner stood under for an easy
interception, Smith rallied San Francisco for another quick
score.

He found Davis for an 18-yard touchdown to put San Francisco
ahead 23-0. The tight end jumped over sideline cameramen and flexed
his muscles to a rain-soaked crowd covered in ponchos and umbrellas
in celebration.

Far too much for Arizona’s anemic offense to overcome.

Skelton had won the previous two games against St. Louis and
Philadelphia since replacing Kolb, who’s out with a right foot and
toe injury. He was benched after throwing his third interception _
the last to Goldson over the middle on a pass intended for Larry
Fitzgerald.

“I put myself in that situation having three interceptions and
not a very good day passing,” Skelton said. “Coach felt a change
should have been made and rightfully so. I didn’t play up to
par.”

Even Bartel’s only highlight came on a shaky pass between two
defenders that landed in Fitzgerald’s hands for a 23-yard touchdown
for Arizona’s lone score. The Cardinals dropped their fifth
straight to the 49ers.

About the only fight Arizona showed came in the fourth quarter
when Early Doucet appeared to hit Goldson after the defensive back
sacked Bartel. Goldson came up and threw two punches to Doucet’s
shoulder pads and facemask, getting a 15-yard personal foul penalty
and an ejection.

“That’s how it always is in a rivalry,” Cardinals defensive
tackle Darnell Dockett said. “You just try not to get caught doing
it. You try not to put your team in a situation that it’s going to
hurt them.”

San Francisco outgained Arizona 431 to 229 yards. The 49ers also
held the ball for more than 44 minutes and even got away with three
missed field goals and a slowed-down running game.

Frank Gore started despite a right knee injury that knocked him
out of a win over the New York Giants a week earlier, finishing
with 88 yards rushing. He needs 61 more to pass Joe Perry (7,344)
for San Francisco’s career rushing mark.

SAN FRANCISCO – Cardinals starting nose tackle Dan Williams played 10 or so more snaps of NFL football last week than you or I, and the extra rest might come in handy Sunday.

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Cardinals-49ers scouting report, prediction | Injury report

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The 49ers like to beat up opponents with the run, so Williams will play considerably more than he did last week against the Eagles, who used three or more receivers for most of the game. The Cardinals countered with nickel packages, which do not include a nose tackle.

“When a team runs for a lot of yards, the first person you look at on the defense is the nose tackle,” Williams said. “So you definitely get excited.”

If last week’s game against the Eagles felt like flag football, Sunday’s game at Candlestick Park likely will resemble an MMA fight.

This has been a nasty rivalry for a few years now, although there was no reason for neutral parties to pay attention. The 49ers spent the past few years wallowing in their own messy mistakes, and it was hard to tell year-to-year what the Cardinals were going to be.

Things are different this season, at least from the 49ers perspective. New coach Jim Harbaugh has instilled a level of professionalism and focus the 49ers haven’t had in a decade.

“They’ve just done such a great job of keeping it about football and the details of your position,” quarterback Alex Smith said of Harbaugh and his staff, “coming to work every day and really not having to deal with so much of the other stuff, especially some of the stuff that’s gone on here in the past.”

Even when they were bad, the 49ers were good against the Cardinals. They’ve beaten the Cardinals four consecutive times. In their past two games at Candlestick, the Cardinals lost 38-7 and 24-9. The 49ers finished 8-8 and 6-10 in those seasons.

“They play with a different speed; they always have,” receiver Larry Fitzgerald said of the 49ers. “They are just a physical team. It’s fun playing against them and you know what to expect. It’s one of those bring-your-hard hat days.”

The 49ers’ strength is their defense. They haven’t yielded a rushing touchdown all season, and opponents are averaging 73 yards rushing a game.

It’s not a good matchup for the Cardinals, who haven’t operated efficiently on offense all season.

Quarterback John Skelton is expected to start his third consecutive game in place of Kevin Kolb, who is out with a foot injury. While the Cardinals are 2-0 with Skelton starting, the passing game remains inconsistent, and the running game hasn’t produced much since tailback Beanie Wells suffered a knee injury a month ago.

But the Cardinals were able to score in the fourth quarter the past two games, something they didn’t do in the first two months of the season.

“We’re putting a tremendous strain on our defense, which has been playing lights out these last two games,” Fitzgerald said. “The last eight quarters, our defense is playing the best football in the game right now, besides maybe the San Francisco 49ers.

“We have got to do a better job of getting leads and sustaining drives.”

Coordinator Ray Horton sensed a few weeks ago that his players were starting to grasp the defensive system. He didn’t see light bulbs go on, but he could hear the switches being flipped.

“Out here on the practice field, I hear how they talk now,” Horton said. “Before they wouldn’t say anything about what they were looking at in the other team, they were so worried about what they were doing.

“Now, I think they understand what they are doing and they can digest information we’re giving them.”

Playing a team such as the 49ers doesn’t present Williams digestive problems. He’s a nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme, and he’s playing against a team that likes to run. Simple.

“The 3-4 is an ugly defense but, hey, it’s a tough job, and I think I am up for it,” he said.

The San Francisco 49ers will face their NFC West division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals. At 8-1 on the season, the 49ers will play their first of five games left this season against NFC West opponents. These games should give them a chance to finish the season well and position themselves for the playoffs. The Cardinals are just 3-6 on the season and will travel to San Francisco to face the division leaders.

When the 49ers have the ball, fans should expect the same strategies that they have been so successful with this season. Frank Gore(notes) is healthy and expects to play. This means that the Cardinals will likely see a heavy dose of Gore and the 49er rushing attack. With Gore nursing several injuries, Kendall Hunter(notes) may also see a lot of work in this game. Last week Hunter had 40 yards and a touchdown when filling in for Gore in the second half. Alex Smith should have no trouble moving the ball on the Cardinal defense and have no trouble scoring points in this game.

Arizona’s biggest threat this season may be the return skills of rookie Patrick Peterson(notes). Peterson has been electrifying on punt returns this season. Luckily for San Francisco, they have one of the best punters in the game and excellent special teams. If Andy Lee(notes) can keep the ball away from Peterson, the 49ers should maintain control of the game.

Arizona could be severely limited offensively in this game. Nobody runs against the 49er defense and with quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) still injured, backup John Skelton(notes) is likely to start the game. Skelton has led the Cardinals to two victories but still is not an elite quarterback. A week after defeating Eli Manning’s(notes) New York Giants, the 49er defense should have no trouble slowing down Skelton. Larry Fitzgerald(notes) will likely be the defense’s biggest concern. Fitzgerald is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and is always a threat to break a big play. Vic Fangio and the 49er defense should be able to plan for Fitzgerald and not allow him to defeat them.

This should be a game that the 49ers are able to control from the beginning and not look back. I expect the offense to breakthrough in this game and score over 30 points. The defense should also be able to prevent the Cardinals from doing just about anything. This 49er team is significantly better than Arizona and will prove it on Sunday. Another win would move San Francisco one step closer to the playoff berth that fans are looking forward to.

Prediction: 49ers 31, Cardinals 10

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and grew up in Northern California rooting for the 49ers teams led by Joe Montana and Steve Young. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

(By Daisy Barringer)

This Sunday, the 8-1 San Francisco 49ers meet NFC West division rivals the 3-6 Arizona Cardinals. Last night my friend Meredith (bless her heart) asked, “Is there any way we can root for the Cardinals in this game?” So obviously, I drop kicked her and then returned to my glass of wine. Okay, not really. Instead, I rolled my eyes and said, “The answer to that question is never going to change: No. NO NO NO NO NO. Just because you love the Cardinals because they practice in the heat does not mean we root for them. Ever.”

Yes, people. These are actual conversations I have with my friends and also why I think I’m an incredibly patient and good person.

(I had a therapist in high school who said my high self-esteem was actually a result of overcompensating for my low self-esteem, but I think he was just jealous because I was super popular. That’s totally how therapy works, dontcha know?)

Anyway. The Niners and the Cardinals are facing off for the first time this season, and it’s gonna be good. For some reason, even when the Cardinals suck, they always play us hard. It’s annoying, for sure; but it’s fact. So let’s see how we’re going to beat those bitches. (Sorry, Brock, but they are bitches. Calling them “”wimps” just sounds…Well, you’re a smart guy. You get it. See what I did there? Flattery gets your cuss words on SFist. True.)

The Bad

Larry Fitzgerald. There’s no one who doesn’t think (so many negatives—what does that even mean?) that Fitzgerald will probably be the best receiver in the game (I have commitment problems—like I can’t even choose between Coke and Pepsi; why should my writing be any different?)

Will the Cardinals load up against the run? If the Cardinals take a page from the Giants’ playbook, the 49ers will be forced to throw the ball. Luckily for us, Alex Smith showed he can do just that. Still…it’d be nice (nice?) if we had the option to do both.

Frank Gore. He says he’s healthy, but…

The forecast in SF calls for rain. It’s unlikely the Niner Faithful will come out for what’s supposed to be an easy win if it’s cold and rainy. That’s because, as awesome as the fans were last week, 49ers fans are still kind of soft. Sorry, but it’s true.

Everyone’s saying this will be an win. Arizona’s not playing for anything but pride (or draft picks if they were smart), so don’t expect them to go down without a fight. Which is to say, trap game, people.

The Good

The Cardinals suck. Seriously.

Arizona has one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. Their run defense isn’t too great either (21st).

The same stuff that’s always good: Our D, our special teams, running game, coaching, NINER FOOTBALL.

The Rest of It

Look. We have this. If the 49ers play conservatively (the way they have been playing) and don’t get too confident, there’s no reason we shouldn’t dismantle the struggling Cardinals. We have a seven game winning streak at stake. The Cardinals have nothing.

San Francisco vs. Arizona: Sunday, November 20th at 1:05 p.m. on FOX 2.

Read More: Larry Fitzgerald (WR – ARI), Vernon Davis (TE – SFX), Delanie Walker (TE – SFX), Joe Staley (OT – SFX), Mike Iupati (G – SFX), Kendall Hunter (RB – SFX), Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

At this point, the Arizona Cardinals should be feeling a pretty sour taste in their mouth when they think of the San Francisco 49ers. Just a couple years ago, this team was at the top of the division with promising young stars, led by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt was bestowed all the praise in the world, for taking advantage of a division that nobody else had to skill to.

Now, the tables have turned completely, and the Cardinals have been at or near the bottom of the NFC West for the entirety of the 2011 season. Jim Harbaugh is the mastermind guiding the 49ers to an 8-1 start and the second best record in the NFL. He’s more than taken over the division, he’s laid siege to the NFL with an efficient quarterback, strong rushing attack, a very shifty and unpredictable offense altogether, effectively guided by his team-first positive attitude. That’s without even factoring in the defense, which ranks among the best in the league.

That isn’t to say that the Cardinals are specifically infuriated over the 49ers, more of frustrated overall, with a particular emphasis on San Francisco. When they head to Candlestick Park for the first of two meetings against their rivals on Sunday, they could be feeling a number of ways – this writer is going to bet that Arizona will be somewhat obsessive when it comes to stopping Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman’s offense.

If that’s the case, there’s an awful lot of deception and a number of ways for the 49ers to run things during the game. If Harbaugh came out and instructed quarterback Alex Smith to air it out, it would make sense. If he instead elected to go with a power running attack, it would also make sense. These kinds of things are always true when you’re in the 49ers position (read as: atop your division and playing a game that one might even call “throwaway,” if not for the playoff seeding and homefield advantage). 

So how about we do a little scripting of the first 49ers possession?

That very first drive can go a number of ways, but if I were Harbaugh, I’d start from the shotgun formation. They’d go with their standard shotgun formation when they want to run the ball, which they do often. Gore will be in the backfield to Smith’s left, and a number of receivers, along with Vernon Davis will be at the line of scrimmage. Many teams will watch this and know that the 49ers have run it from this position a lot, but they’ve also passed it, too.

Leave it up to Alex Smith, here – but call a run play. Let’s bank on Whisenhunt drawing from the game against the New York Giants that Harbaugh expects the Cardinals to be a stepping stone in passing yardage for his quarterback. Run the ball immediately from the shotgun on the first play of the game and see what happens. Keep Whisenhunt guessing.

Immediately bring Kendall Hunter onto the field, and stack it up on the left side, with Davis and Delanie Walker next to Joe Staley. Have Walker step back slightly, and move to the left a bit more, like he’s getting some outside leverage to spring Hunter for a toss or a stretch handoff. Here, the 49ers can most definitely expected to toss the ball to Hunter and spring him outside, hoping to replicate some of that touchdown magic from the Giants game.

Nah – fake it. Fake it to Hunter in some way outside to the left, and kick it out any way you can. Smith loves to roll out to the right so much, let him do it, get Mike Iupati on a fast shift to try and get some guys out of the way just in case. 

The 49ers can do so many things at this point, and they’ll be especially effective against a a desperate Cardinals unit. Desperation means they’ll make a huge play here and there, but they’ll ultimately leave themselves open and make more mistakes. Of course, this is an awful lot of assuming here, but the name of the game for San Francisco should be to score right away. I’m not going to go all John Madden on you and tell you the best way to win is to score more points, but the 49ers would be best served to get on the board first in this game against rivals.

Read More: Kevin Kolb (QB – ARI), Frank Gore (RB – SFX), Beanie Wells (RB – ARI), Arizona Cardinals

The San Francisco 49ers take on the Arizona Cardinals this weekend in the 49ers’ second division game of the year. Both squads face injury questions in the backfield as starting running backs Frank Gore and Beanie Wells struggle to practice.

Neither Gore or Wells practiced on Wednesday. Wells is still listed as probable for Sunday’s game, but Gore’s status appears to be a little more uncertain. Gore missed the second half of last week’s game against the New York Giants with a knee injury that continues to plague him. The full extent of Gore’s status likely won’t be determined until later this week.

49ers receivers Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards were both limited on Wednesday, but both figure to be on the field on Sunday. Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb was limited as well and could miss his third straight game, giving second-year quarterback John Skelton his third straight start and a chance to move to 3-0 this season as a starter.

Following is a full look at the injury reports for both teams on Wednesday:

San Francisco 49ers Injury Report

OUT: RB Frank Gore (knee), DT Justin Smith (not injury related)

LIMITED: LB Navarro Bowman (neck), WR Michael Crabtree (foot), CB Chris Culliver (shoulder), WR Bryalon Edwards (knee), DT Ray McDonald (hamstring)

FULL: CB Shawntae Spencer (toe)

Arizona Cardinals Injury Report

OUT: TE Todd Heap (hamstring), TE Rob Housler (groin), LB Joey Porter (knee), S Kerry Rhodes (foot), RB Beanie Wells (knee)

LIMITED: CB Michael Adams (hamstring), LB Stewart Bradley (ribs), T Brandon Keith (knee), QB Kevin Kolb (knee), LB Paris Lenon (groin), RB Anthony Sherman (ankle), KR LaRod Stephens-Howling (shoulder)

FULL: none

For more on the 49ers, check out Niners Nation. For more on the Cardinals, check out Revenge of the Birds.

Read More: Vernon Davis (TE – SFX), Frank Gore (RB – SFX), Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Over the past couple seasons, the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals have combined for some solid matchups. Even when one of the two teams is streaking and the other is slumping, the familiarity between the two has kept the games close and interesting. The players know each other well, but there’s some new wrinkles this season, mostly for the 49ers.

When the 49ers made the switch to Mike Singletary, the Cardinals still played the 49ers relatively close because, well, Singletary wasn’t going to revamp anything when it comes to serious gameplanning. But now the 49ers have Jim Harbaugh, and for the Cardinals, this will be an entirely different team. Sure, they still have to cover Vernon Davis and Frank Gore will be the guy to bring down on every play, but the offense in particular functions so differently now.

In short, it’s really hard to say whether or not much can be gained from recent years. The NFL really tried to get these two teams to cultivate some kind of rivalry over the last couple of years, but with the 49ers sitting with a five game lead in the NFC West, it’s hard to imagine the teams really getting into it without the added significant of the division title up for grabs. With such different situations, a different coach for San Francisco and some new players here and there, it’s not easy to draw any comparisons to the last couple seasons.

Regardless, the 49ers are favored in this game, as they should be. They’re winning, beating really good teams, and generally looking like they’re going to be the second seed in the NFC. The Cardinals aren’t out of things yet, and will certainly be playing hard, so it’s still a trap game. Just don’t expect any budding rivalries from this one.