The NFL Network continues to draw the moths to their TV sets even during the dead of the offseason, utilizing programming like The 100 Best Players in the NFL, dragged out over days and days at a time.

Well, CBS Sports Pete Prisco didn’t want to keep you waiting, so he released his complete list all at once. Make the jump to see which Arizona Cardinals made the grade.

Four Cards broke the top 100, though only once cracked the top 50. Here is the complete listing of Cards below, along with some commentary on each from Prisco.

- – -

No. 9 WR Larry Fitzgerald “He once again put up big numbers, despite little help on the other side and so-so quarterback play.” Fitz was ranked 18th by Prisco last year.

- No. 58 DE Calais Campbell “The Cardinals rewarded him with a big contract last week for a reason. He was their best defensive player last season.” Campbell wasn’t ranked last season.

- No. 70 S Adrian Wilson “He’s been one of my favorites for a long time and bounced back from a subpar 2010 season to play at his usual high level. The amazing thing is he did it with a torn biceps tendon. Wow.” Ranked 44th last season.

- No. 92 DE Darnell Dockett “He wasn’t as good as Campbell last season, but he’s still one of the better down lineman in the league. Dockett plays with a nasty streak.” Ranked 73rd last season.

For more on the Cardinals, head over to Revenge of the Birds.

Calling Kevin Kolb a disappointment in 2011 is an insult to aspects of our lives that are merely disappointing. Like, say, missing your bus in the morning, or overcooking dinner. No, Kolb was a colossal mess.

But, to be fair, much of Kolb’s undoing after his highly hyped move from Philadelphia to Arizona and his lucrative new contract with the Cardinals (six years, $65 million) lied in his inability to stay healthy. During what was to be his first full season as a starter, Kolb missed seven games, and essentially missed an eighth in Week 14 against the 49ers when he attempted only one pass.

He was bruised and battered often, and was sacked 30 times despite making just nine game appearances. And when he did have time to throw he was largely ineffective, throwing nearly as many interceptions (eight) as touchdowns (nine), while averaging just 217.9 passing yards per game with a rather pedestrian passer rating of 81.1.

Those two painful outcomes during the 2011 season have led to a key and difficult decision heading into the draft for Arizona. Does Kolb and the offense–and perhaps most importantly, Larry Fitzgerald– need another elite target at wide receiver, or another large body on the offensive line who will prevent other large bodies from crushing the highly-paid quarterback more?

We talked to Tyler Nickel from Revenge Of The Birds about the Cardinals’ strategy with their 13th overall pick. He’s leaning towards O-line help, hoping the Cards can get more out of their investment in Kolb by drafting a lineman.

1. Last year there was talk of the Cardinals needing to find a better complement for Fitzgerald at wide receiver, but they pounced on Patrick Peterson when he fell. A year later we’re still talking about that need for both Fitz, and to help Kolb. So if Michael Floyd is there at No. 13, is he the pick?

There is definitely a good chance that Floyd is the pick if he is still there at No. 13. As you said, the Cardinals have been looking for the perfect #2 WR to line up across from Fitzgerald. Although WR is not an immediate need, I have the suspicion that Floyd is pretty high on their board and they will draft the best player available.

2. If Floyd comes off the board early, an edge rusher who can be an effective outside linebacker is a possibility. Will someone like Quinton Coples be too hard to pass on if he’s still available, even though he may not be stepping into an area that’s a high priority?

Coples is seen as more of a defensive end in the NFL, and the Cardinals needs in terms of pass rusher come in the form of an OLB.

That said, there is a possibility that if Coples is there, they could take him. Calais Campbell is under the franchise tag and for all we know, they may not be able to re-sign him. Coples could come in and ideally play as a DE in the 3-4 system that the Cardinals run.

3. What about Riley Reiff? Staying upright and healthy is clearly another key to Kolb’s success, and he didn’t do either very often last year.

Personally, I’m not sold on Reiff as an LT in the NFL, but he could be an option that the club is considering. I am under the assumption that Levi Brown will be playing LT again next season, so whoever comes in will likely be on the right side.

Kolb staying healthy will be the best chance the Cards have of making the playoffs this season, and adding to the offensive line will be key to that endeavor.

4. Who do you hope the Cardinals target?

Personally, I would like to see the Cardinals target David DeCastro should he still be on the board. From everything I have seen and read, this guy can be a fixture at guard for the next decade at least. He would probably be a starter right away, and will flourish under the direction of Russ Grimm.

The earlier item assessing what’s next for Seattle in free agency brought quick responses from Arizona Cardinals fans.

“What’s 1st for Cards?” Gabe asked.

Another, Carmine, was less delicate.

Last we heard, the Cardinals had lost the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, which meant Kevin Kolb won the Arizona lottery — a $7 million bonus enabled by Manning’s withdrawal from consideration.

In response to Gabe and others, I’ve put together what qualifies as an overly detailed report on free-agent defensive back Jarrett Bush, a corner/safety type scheduled to visit the Cardinals, according to Aaron Wilson of scout.com.

The Cardinals will likely need another defensive back after losing versatile veteran corner Richard Marshall to the Miami Dolphins. Bush, who played about a quarter of the defensive snaps for Green Bay last season, is one name to consider.

Unlike Bush, Marshall had been a regular starter for Carolina when the Cardinals signed him last offseason. Marshall started only nine games for Arizona, but he played better than 70 percent of the defensive snaps.

Special teams would be a significant consideration as well.

While Marshall was a regular contributor to the Cardinals in that regard, Bush was a mainstay special-teamer for Green Bay. He challenged Patrick Lee and Ryan Taylor for the most special-teams snaps of any Packer in 2011.

Bush, 27 and an undrafted free agent in 2006, has started five games over the past three seasons, all with Green Bay. He has missed only two games in six NFL seasons, and none since 2007. He’s valued more for his size (6 feet and 200 pounds) than for his speed.

“Bush has good size and athleticism with improved strength, giving him versatility,” the Scouts Inc. report reads in part. “He plays with good instincts and recognition skills to leverage the ball effectively. He can turn and run from a press position, keeping pace against vertical routes.”

Will that get you by, Gabe? What about you, Carmine?

Read More: Kevin Kolb (QB – ARI), Peyton Manning (QB – IND), Calais Campbell (DE – ARI), John Skelton (QB – ARI), Arizona Cardinals

AZCentral.com’s Kent Somers was on hand for the Arizona Cardinals press conference with head coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Rod Graves on Thursday as both men spoke about the Cardinals’ current situation with a quarterback, and talks with key free agents Levi Brown and Calais Campbell.

Whisenhunt noted that Kevin Kolb remains the team’s starting QB but will have certainly have competition. Both Whisenhunt and Graves maintained that they are open to “opportunities to get better,” which could come in the from of Peyton Manning. Graves believes Arizona can win the trio quarterbacks they already have in Kolb, John Skelton and Rich Bartel.

Somers feels that If Peyton Manning is cut, the Cardinals will definitely be interested, but a lot of things have to ‘come together’ for Manning come to Arizona. The team will pay Kolb his $7 million roster bonus by the St. Patrick’s Day due date as Manning’s health status will not be fully developed by then, and the team needs a signal caller.

As for Levi Brown, talks are on-going, though Graves noted that Brown has expressed an interest to return to Arizona, and the Cards would certainly like him back. Graves described talks with Calais Campbell as “fruitful,” though nothing has come of them yet.

For more on the Cardinals, make sure you check out Revenge of the Birds.

The Arizona Cardinals have won in spite of John Skelton and because of him, often in the same game. The overtime victory they pulled out Sunday provided another case study — and the basis for a comparison unlikely to catch on outside the desert.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic draws parallels between Skelton and the Denver Broncos’ Tim Tebow. Both are second-year quarterbacks with winning records as starters and experience leading their teams from behind in fourth quarters. Bickley: “Both quarterbacks have an uncanny ability to frustrate their coaches, deflate their fans, underwhelm their receivers and somehow play their best in the final 15 minutes. Except Skelton isn’t running a gimmick offense. And with a 4-1 record in games he’s started this season, the Cardinals quarterback actually has a better winning percentage than Tebow.” Noted: Skelton also gets credit for playing all but the first few plays of a 21-19 victory against the San Francisco 49ers last week, another game featuring a double-digit comeback by Arizona. The team has trailed in the second halves of all its games this season, winning half of them. Dramatic improvements on defense have played a leading role. Kevin Kolb could be cleared to return from injury for the Cardinals’ next game. Might the team stick with Skelton?

Kent Somers and Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic note that the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson stayed patient Sunday before coming through with a 32-yard punt return in overtime. Noted: Browns coach Pat Shurmur said one of his players mistakenly thought Peterson had signaled for a fair catch. Peterson has shown a willingness to return punts even from his own 1-yard line, so the Browns should have assumed he’d be returning this one as well.

Also from Somers: a Cardinals game recap naming second-year outside linebacker O’Brien Schofield the player of the game.

More from Somers: postgame thoughts on a range of Cardinals-related issues. On the quarterback situation: “We won’t know until Wednesday, at the earliest, if Kolb will be ready to play against the Bengals on Christmas Eve. I think if Kolb is healthy, the Cardinals will start him. Yes, John Skelton is 4-1 as a starter this season, but the defense’s improvement has more to do with that than anything. Skelton, however, has made progress this season. You have to like the way he hangs in the pocket, and the way he creates something positive when a play breaks down.”

Bob McManman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals are getting good things from Schofield. Daryl Washington: “O’Brien really stepped up and it was great to see him make those two sacks, back to back. It can’t get no better than that. I wish we would have scored a touchdown right there, but the defense, man, we’re always going to be there for you.”

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Larry Fitzgerald for thoughts on how the Pro Bowl receiver got so open on the reception that moved the Cardinals into range for the winning field goal. Fitzgerald: “We had been in that bunch (formation) three times throughout the day and every single time we ran it before, we ran the ‘Toss Crack’ out of it for Beanie (Wells). As soon as I lined up in the formation they were yelling ‘Crack, crack, crack!’ The cornerback kind of settled, and I saw that and went vertical and broke it to the corner.”

Also from Urban: “To be a top offense, the Cardinals need to improve on some things themselves. Skelton was 28-for-46 for 313 yards, a touchdown and an interception. But Fitzgerald was held to three catches, and after Schofield’s huge sack to force the fumble — originally, Wallace was declared down but Whisenhunt challenged the play and it was overturned — the Cards lost 10 yards after getting the ball on the Cleveland 5-yard line.”

By Alfie Crow

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Dec 16, 2011 – The Cleveland Browns are getting set to take on the Arizona Cardinals, neither team really has much other than pride to play for. So who do the experts think will win the game?

All of the ESPN experts like the Arizona Cardinals to win the game.

Peter King of SI.com likes the Cardinals to get to .500 with the win:

Cleveland Browns (4-9) at Arizona Cardinals (6-7)
Whoa! You mean to tell me the Cardinals are 7-7 with this win? What happened? The Miracle of Red Skelton lives? The best defense no one knows is in the desert? With a Cincinnati-Seattle finishing schedule, this is suddenly an interesting outside-the-box playoff team.

The Sporting News likes the Cardinals to come away with an easy victory:

Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals, 4:15 p.m. Sunday. It was a rough Week 14 for quarterbacks Colt McCoy and Kevin Kolb, who both got head injuries. The Cards should feel good, however, about their chances to get to .500 with John Skelton filling in for Kolb. They should be able to outscore an anemic Browns offense. Larry Fitzgerald draws a tough matchup with Joe Haden, but talent and savvy will help the wide receiver overcome it. Cardinals 24, Browns 9.

For more on the Browns head over to Dawgs By Nature. For more on the Cardinals, check out Revenge Of The Birds. Follow the rest of Week 15 at SB Nation NFL.

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By Ronald Clark

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Dec 13, 2011 – The Arizona Cardinals wish they could start this season over. They wish they could start the season over and play like they are now from the very beginning. If they did, they’d probably be staring at a playoff spot. But since time travel is not possible, they’ll have to live with a bit of respect from the nation’s Power Rankings and some positive vibes heading into next season.

ESPN oddly dropped the Cardinals one spot even though they beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday but did speak on the improvements on defense and how they are the biggest parts of the team’s turnaround.

Sportsline moved the Cardinals up four spots to no. 24 and gave props to the defense. Sportsline also hasn’t given up playoff hopes for the Cards. And they also mentioned just how much of a monster Larry Fitzgerald is.

SBNation moved the Cardinals up one spot and gave the Cardinals respect for winning five of their last six games after their dismal 1-6 start.

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After Kevin Kolb left the game with a head injury after their first offensive series, John Skelton and the Arizona Cardinals defense upset the San Francisco 49ers 21-19. It was their fifth win in their last six games and kept their playoff hopes alive. 

Kolb was kneed in the back of the helmet by 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks on a play in which he was blindsided as he was trying to make a throw. He fumbled on the play, but the Cardinals recovered, and Kolb left the game, never to return.

The first half was, except for one offensive play, complete domination by the 49ers. The Cardinals only had the ball on offense for just over seven minutes of the possible 30. It seemed that the entire half was played on the Cardinals side of the field. Two first quarter field goals gave the Niners a 6-0 lead. 

The Cardinals did get one huge jolt of momentum in the second quarter. After a third down reception by Kyle Williams that was short of a first down, San Francisco lined up for a 50-yard field goal. They ran a fake and completed a pass that would have been for a first down, but the play was called dead because Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt had thrown his challenge flag to contest the catch. Because of an equipment malfunction, there was no replay available, so they did not get charged a time out and retain their challenge. The call would have been upheld, but it eliminated the fake play.

On the ensuing field goal attempt, David Akers missed wide right, so they gave the ball back to Arizona.

On the very next play, John Skelton hit Early Doucet in stride for a 60-yard touchdown that gave the Cards a 7-6 lead.

Two more field goals by Akers in the second quarter had the 49ers leading 12-7 at the half. 

It is notable, though, that one of the biggest plays of the game was a special teams tackle by Rashad Johnson in the first quarter. Ted Ginn returned a punt and got past the first wave of coverage and looked like he was going to score. Long snapper Mike Leach closed the running lane and forced Ginn back toward the middle of the field, where Johnson made the stop inside the five-yard line. The defense held them to a field goal. 

The feeling was that falling behind 10-0 would have been insurmountable.

The second half was a completely different story. 

It didn’t start that way, though. 

San Francisco scored on a 37-yard Frank Gore touchdown run on their first play in the second half to make the score 19-7. The Niners would not score again. 

The next possession for the Cardinals began the turnaround. They went six plays and 80 yards to score a touchdown to pull within 19-14. It was a bad pass from Skelton that looked like was going to be intercepted by San Francisco’s Dashon Goldson, but Larry Fitzgerald jumped in front of him, took the ball away and ran after the catch for a 46 yard score. 

Arizona forced the 49ers to punt after three plays on the next series, and Arizona moved the ball enough to flip field position, as a punt had San Fran starting at their own 10. They would have another three-and-out.

The next possession could have been disastrous. Skelton threw an interception, but the Arizona defense forced another punt. 

Skelton and the Cardinals offense went 78 yards on six plays in the fourth quarter and scored on a three-yard reception by Andre Roberts. That gave the Cardinals their final lead at 21-19. 

From there, the defense shut down the Niners. San Francisco did not get another first down the rest of the way. They had two more three-and-outs and turned the ball over on downs with the final drive.

Skelton finished the game 19/28 for 282 yards, three TDs and two picks. Larry Fitzgerald led the team in receptions and yards. He had seven catches for 149 yards and a score, and he surpassed 1000 yards on the season. It is the fourth straight year he has done so and the fifth time in his career.

Running the ball was difficult. Beanie Wells rushed 15 times for only 27 yards. 

The defense kept Frank Gore in check. He ran for only 72 yards, but 37 of those came on his scoring run. Alex Smith threw for only 175 yards and Arizona sacked him five times. 

Darnell Dockett and Adrian Wilson had great games, as they made plays all over the field. 

The Cardinals are now 6-7 on the season and, with three winnable games left on the schedule, have fans believing that the playoffs are really a possibility. 

Head on over to Revenge of the Birds to get more Cardinals coverage.

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

As the San Francisco 49ers take on the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium this Sunday, running back Frank Gore looks to earn his fifth 1,000 yard rushing season, sitting only 18 yards share of the mark coming into the game. Numberfire.com projects him to earn a lot more than 18 yards this week, and should be a start in most fantasy leagues this weekend. 

Frank the Tank is projected to earn around 78 yards on 13 carries for San Francisco, including 1 reception for 11 yards and 0.72 touchdowns for a total of around 13.38 points. Gore ran the ball 24 times for 88 yards last time against the Cards, though didn’t score a touchdown. Hopefully Frank can break the plane in Arizona, the place where he suffered a fracture in his hip last season. 

If the Niners can get Gore going early, then watch out the rest of the way. 

Read More: Kevin Kolb (QB – ARI), Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

The Arizona Cardinals have been playing very well as of late, winners of four of their last five matchups who now host the division leading San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix stadium. Unfortunately the the Cards the Niners were there last loss, and according to Numberfire.com, quarterback Kevin Kolb likely won’t be leading the charge against them this Sunday for Arizona. 

Kolb is projected to scored a shade under 12 points at 11.94, throwing 1.02 touchdowns, 0.76 INT’s and 187 yards passing, nothing to write home to Mommy about that’s for sure. THe 49ers defense has been stifling to most this season, holding Arizona to only seven points their last time out. They do give up a decent amount of yards in the air, currently ranking 29th in the league in that regard, but are filled with ball-hawks and have racked up 16 interceptions already this season. 

If you have no one else, than Kolb is your guy, but another option would probably be a good idea. Here’s a look at how the rest of the notable Cardinals will fare. 

A thrilling victory over the St. Louis Rams at the start of
November looked as if it was going to get the Arizona Cardinals’ season on a
positive track.

Just two weeks later, the Cards don’t look any better off than they were before
the win.

Things haven’t been much better for the Rams, and they’ll try to find some rare
success against their division rivals this Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.

The Cardinals were in the midst of a six-game losing streak when they hosted
the Rams on Nov. 6. Consecutive safeties on backup quarterback John Skelton in
the third quarter had put Arizona in a seven-point hole, but Skelton rebounded
to hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 4:51 left in
regulation.

Defensive end Calais Campbell then blocked a 42-yard field attempt by St.
Louis kicker Josh Brown on the final play of the fourth quarter, forcing
overtime and leading to an electric 99-yard punt return for a score by rookie
Patrick Peterson that gave the Cardinals a 19-13 win. It was the second-longest
punt return for a touchdown in NFL history and kick-started a two-game winning
streak for Arizona that included a 21-17 victory in Philadelphia the following
weekend.

However, Arizona lost all of its momentum this past Sunday, when it was routed
by NFC West-leading San Francisco, 23-7. In his third straight start for the
injured Kevin Kolb, Skelton threw three interceptions and was replaced late in
the game by Richard Bartel.

Bartel prevented the shutout when he threw his first career touchdown pass, a
23-yard score to Fitzgerald with 8:38 to play in the fourth quarter.

“I’m not trying to put it all on John,” said Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.
“It was a tough day for a lot of us out there [last week] and we didn’t get the
job done.”

Arizona will play the finale of a three-game road trip and is just 1-5 as the
guest this season. The Cardinals have lost 12 of their last 13 on the road
since a win at St. Louis on Sept. 12 of last season.

St. Louis will need to be cautious of Arizona’s special teams. Peterson leads
the NFL with 463 punt return yards and three touchdowns, while his 17.1 average
per runback is second in the league. Also, Campbell has blocked three field
goals this season after getting his hand on another one a week ago.

Peterson also blocked a field goal try against the 49ers, marking the first
time the Cardinals had two in the same game since Sept. 17, 1972.

St. Louis has lost two of three since snapping a season-opening six-game slide
with a win over New Orleans on Oct. 30. The Rams rebounded from their loss to
the Cardinals to win at Cleveland by a 13-12 count on Nov. 13, but were run
over by Seattle in a 24-7 setback this past Sunday.

The Rams, who are last in the division, scored the game’s first touchdown on a
30-yard pass by quarterback Sam Bradford to wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, and
trailed the Seahawks by only three points at the half. However, they yielded a
pair of rushing touchdowns in the second half while their offense stalled.

“It’s hard to play defense when you’re behind, it’s hard to win games when you
only score seven points,” said Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Running back Steven Jackson found little room to run versus the Seahawks and
had a string of three straight 100-yard rushing games come to an end. That
streak included a 130-yard effort versus the Cardinals in Week 9.

St. Louis fell to 1-4 at home this season.

SERIES HISTORY

Arizona took a 32-31-2 lead in this long-played series, which dates back
to 1937, with its above-mentioned overtime triumph three weeks back and has
defeated the Rams in nine of the last 10 bouts between the teams. The
Cardinals have also emerged victorious in each of their last six visits to the
Edward Jones Dome, including a 17-13 decision in the 2010 season opener, with
the Rams’ most recent home win over Arizona taking place in 2004. The Rams did
halt a string of eight consecutive losses to the Cards with a 19-6 ousting at
University of Phoenix Stadium last December.

Of course, the Cardinals were based in St. Louis between 1960-87, and the
franchise still resided in the Gateway City during its lone lifetime
postseason clash with the Rams. That took place during the 1975 campaign, when
the then-Los Angeles Rams pulled out a 35-23 home win in an NFC Divisional
Playoff.

Whisenhunt owns an 8-1 record against the Rams since taking over as the
Cardinals’ head coach in 2007, while Spagnuolo is 1-4 against both Arizona and
Whisenhunt for his career.

WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL

Despite his struggles last weekend, Whisenhunt said he will stick with Skelton
(636 passing yards, 4 TD, 5 INT) for this game if Kolb (1706 passing yards, 8
TD, 8 INT) isn’t ready to return from his turf toe injury. Skelton completed
only six of his 19 pass attempts versus the 49ers for 99 yards, while Arizona
and its 25th-ranked offense (309.9 ypg) racked up just 229 yards and turned the
ball over five times in the loss. In addition to Skelton’s three picks, both
running back Beanie Wells (621 rushing yards, 7 TD) and return man Peterson
lost a fumble. Wells continues to battle through a knee injury and rushed just
eight times against San Francisco for 33 yards. He hasn’t topped 62 yards on
the ground in three straight games while not scoring over that span as well.
Wells is still one touchdown shy of the career-best seven he ran for as a
rookie in 2009. Fitzgerald (48 receptions, 6 TD) continues to make plays no
matter who is under center, and his 41 yards on three catches last week made
him the second-youngest player in league history to surpass 9,000 in a career.
He has 13 touchdown catches in 15 career games versus the Rams. Wideout Early
Doucet (42 receptions, 4 TD) continued his career season with six catches and
50 yards versus the 49ers, while Andre Roberts (25 receptions) added three for
51 yards. Tight end Todd Heap (13 receptions) sat out for the fifth time in six
games due to injury, with Jeff King (18 receptions, 2 TD) starting in his
place.

The Rams rank ninth in the NFL in defending the pass, giving up 215.0 yards
per game, and have tallied 26 sacks on the season. They added to that total
with four versus the Seahawks, but also saw their 32nd-ranked run defense
(148.1 ypg) get touched for 126 yards on the day. Middle linebacker James
Laurinaitis (84 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) led St. Louis with 13 tackles, but
came out of the game with a sore foot. St. Louis will need its leading tackler
if it hopes to contain Arizona’s run game and could also use contributions
from defensive tackles Fred Robbins (19 tackles, 1 sack) and Justin Bannan (17
tackles). Pressuring the quarterback shouldn’t be a problem for defensive end
Chris Long (21 tackles), who notched a career-high ninth sack of the season a
week ago. Fellow end James Hall (31 tackles, 4 sacks) also got to the
quarterback, as did rookie end Robert Quinn (14 tackles, 4 sacks) and safety
Darian Stewart (54 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT). Stewart ended with eight tackles,
while linebacker Chris Chamberlain (41 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and safety
Quintin Mikell (56 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT) grabbed interceptions. Corners
Justin King (44 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Josh Gordy (23 tackles, 1 INT) draw
the unwanted task of slowing down Fitzgerald.

WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL

While St. Louis’ defense put up a solid effort last week, the offense could
not match and logged a mere 185 yards against the Seahawks. On the season, the
Rams rank 30th in total offense at 297.9 yards per game and are the league’s
lowest scoring team at 12.0 points per contest. Bradford (1768 passing yards, 5
TD, 5 INT) completed half of his 40 passes for 181 yards, getting picked off
once and sacked five times. Issues at left tackle led to Bradford facing heavy
pressure, as starter Rodger Saffold suffered a torn pectoral muscle two days
prior to the game that ended his season and backup Mark LeVoir sustained a
right shoulder injury in the first quarter. That forced Kevin Hughes into
extensive action after he was just elevated from the practice squad. Bradford
was still able to continue his recent chemistry with Lloyd (26 receptions, 3
TD), who was targeted 14 times and made five catches for 67 yards. Wide
receivers Brandon Gibson (28 receptions, 1 TD) and Mark Clayton added four and
three receptions, respectively. Jackson (749 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 5
total TD) was held to only 42 yards on 15 carries, but still has 459 yards over
his last four games. He also has 429 yards and a pair of scores in his last two
appearances against the Cardinals and is 124 all-purpose yards shy of matching
Henry Ellard for third-most in team history.

Arizona is giving up 383.8 yards per game to rank 28th in the NFL, with 256.6
of those coming through the air. The 49ers posted 431 yards of offense versus
the Cardinals last weekend, including 164 on the ground. Arizona also got
little pressure on the quarterback and failed to record a sack, though
linebacker Daryl Washington (60 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) did notch an
interception in the end zone. Former Rams linebacker Paris Lenon (62 tackles,
2 sacks) led the way with nine tackles last week and safety Rashad Johnson (33
tackles) had eight as he continues to fill in for the injured Kerry Rhodes.
Defensive tackle Dan Williams (20 tackles) made six stops before sustaining a
broken left arm that ended his season. The Rams will have to account for
Campbell (50 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 INT), who has at least one sack in four
straight games in this series. He logged a pair of sacks and two tackles for a
loss in the first meeting. Safety Adrian Wilson (39 tackles, 1 INT) has 7 1/2
sacks in his career versus St. Louis and has logged an interception in four of
his past five games against the club. As a whole, the Cardinals have notched
eight sacks and four interceptions in three meetings with Bradford. Campbell
had two of the four sacks in the first meeting and cornerback Richard Marshall
(44 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) also had one.

KEYS TO THE GAME

The Cardinals can take a lot of pressure of Skelton by getting the running
game going, and back Chester Taylor could see added carries if Wells’ knee
continues to be an issue. Taylor was Arizona’s leading rusher last weekend
after ripping off 34 yards on his only attempt.

Though Peterson fielding a punt at the one-yard line was ill-advised, it
worked out for the rookie and he should be in the collective heads of the Rams’
punting unit. Look for St. Louis punter Donnie Jones, who averages 44.5 yards
and has pinned 20 kicks inside the 20, to avoid the playmaker.

Bradford’s blind-side was under attack last weekend, and it could be another
long day for the quarterback if Hughes is the man again at left tackle.
Arizona already has a history of pressuring Bradford, so the Rams will need
to find ways to take the pressure off. Screens and play-action could help, as
would not falling behind early.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Fans of offense may want to avoid this meaningless matchup between NFC West
afterthoughts. The Rams are the more disappointing of the two, as they were
expected to contend for the division title but instead are brining up the
rear after taking positive steps a season ago. Things are starting to get a
little hot for Spagnuolo and he could really use a victory over the Cardinals
this Sunday. Unfortunately, this series has been slanted towards Arizona as of
late, making it tough to pick against the Cardinals in this toss-up.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cardinals 13, Rams 9

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The St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals were once seen as likely NFC West favorites this season, largely because their quarterback situations appeared to be improving.

The subject came up when I ran across Trent Dilfer at 49ers training camp. He made the point then that Sam Bradford, though apparently headed for a bright future, might be only the second- or third-best quarterback in the division for now. And he said the 49ers could win with Alex Smith because they would not ask too much from him.

Three months later, Smith is executing his duties better than the other quarterbacks in the division. The 49ers do not need him to carry the team.

Keith Goldner of Drive-By Football, writing for Advanced NFL Stats, offers evidence putting Smith in the same category Dilfer inhabited when Dilfer was part of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has this to say about Smith during his player-by-player review of the 49ers’ offense against Arizona: “While Smith was not always on target with his throws, his receivers got their hands on seven of his first eight incomplete throws. … Missed wide-open receiver Michael Crabtree in second quarter for what would’ve been a 16-yard touchdown in second quarter. … He got away from pressure on first play of fourth quarter but threw his second career interception in the red zone as linebacker Daryl Washington picked him off.”

Also from Maiocco: player-by-player review for the defense. On Patrick Willis: “Started at middle linebacker and recorded a team-high seven tackles. He also had an interception, three passes defensed and one forced fumble. … His forced fumble of Beanie Wells was initially ruled down by contact, but Willis urged coach Jim Harbaugh to throw the challenge flag. … Called for unnecessary roughness on a fourth-down play when he hit Bartel as he was sliding.”

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is quite familiar with the Ravens’ defense, given that he helped coach it in Baltimore several years back.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team is very happy with Leroy Hill’s contributions at linebacker. Coach Pete Carroll: “He’s one of the toughest guys on the team and if you’re going to pick one guy to go fight for you, a lot of guys would pick him. It was attractive when you talk about linebackers.”

Also from Farnsworth: The Seahawks’ last two opponents made little effort to run the ball.

Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times says Carroll defended Kam Chancellor’s recent hits drawing penalties.

Also from O’Neil: a look at where the Seahawks stand after nearly two seasons under Carroll.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks currently stand 12th in the draft order for 2012. He discusses options with analyst Rob Rang.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic profiles Cardinals quarterback Rich Bartel. Somers: “It’s fitting that the ball Cardinals quarterback Rich Bartel threw for his first NFL touchdown pass took a circuitous route to Sunday’s game in San Francisco. A ‘K Ball,’ for use by kickers only, somehow was included in the Cardinals’ ball bag and found its way into the game in the fourth quarter. A few seconds after receiver Larry Fitzgerald caught the deflected ball for a 23-yard touchdown, he handed it to Bartel, who had waited almost five seasons to get it.”

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team placed nose tackle Dan Williams on injured reserve, filling his roster spot by signing Ronald Talley from the practice squad. Urban: “The Cardinals actually made multiple moves on the practice squad. Filling Talley’s spot, the Cards brought back nose tackle Ricky Lumpkin. The Cardinals also released tight end Steve Skelton from the practice squad and replaced him with linebacker Brandon Williams, who was drafted by Dallas in 2009 before tearing his ACL in preseason of that year.”

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says protecting Sam Bradford should be the Rams’ top priority. Miklasz: “Having Bradford rocked and slammed to the ground would be OK if the Rams actually had something to show for his bruises. Kurt Warner took more hits than any QB during the ‘Greatest Show’ glory days, but the trade-off resulted in one of the greatest performances in NFL history. … Sam and the Rams are getting nothing in return for this steady QB abuse. They’re last in the NFL in points per game (12), they’re last in touchdowns from scrimmage (10), they have the league’s worst third-down conversion rate (29.9 pct.) they rank 30th of 32 teams in yards per passing attempt (5.81), they are 27th in average yards at the point of the catch (5.5) and are tied with Jacksonville for the fewest number of TD passes (6).”

D’Marco Farr of 101ESPN St. Louis has this to say about the Rams: “Large investments in the offensive line haven’t paid off and now are going to be reshuffled again due to injuries. The cornerback position is a mess. Franchise quarterback Sam Bradford is taking a beating to the point where you hope it doesn’t ruin his future. If someone asked me to identify the Rams offense, I don’t think I could. I’m not positive the skill players tell me enough information so I can make that type of determination. The team is last in the league in scoring, and there are a few names inherently attached to that. But there’s still six weeks left. Six weeks to prove that this team is close to breaking through.” Noted: Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels wasn’t seeking “identity” in the traditional sense on offense. He wanted to mix up game plans from week to week and play to play, based on what gave the Rams their best chance. When I think of identity for this offense, I’m wondering what it does well. So far, the team has occasionally gotten the ground game going with inside handoffs from shotgun formations. Not much to go on.

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis says the Rams put another cornerback, Marquis Johnson, on injured reserve.

The importance of a simple win in the NFL was on full display
last Sunday.

Two 1-6 teams, a combined 100 games back in the division, and
essentially playing out a still relatively young season, battled it
out to the very end. Amongst an afternoon slate of games that
featured shootouts and comebacks and much better teams, the Arizona
Cardinals defeated the St. Louis Rams in overtime, and the pure
emotion and joy that lifted the Cardinals off the field was
evidence of just how precious a win can be, regardless of how many
wins or losses you’ve attained up to that point.

Even more so for the Cardinals, who have managed several times
this season to turn wins into losses. On Sunday, they finally
closed a game out. The defense stonewalled the Rams when it had to,
and backup quarterback John Skelton saved the best throw of his
career for the game-tying touchdown.

But the real hero on Sunday was special teams, which blocked a
potential game-winning field goal, and which ended the game in
dramatic and scintillating fashion on Patrick Peterson’s punt
return for a touchdown. For better – three punt returns for
touchdowns midway through a season is absurd – or for worse -
defensively, he always seems to be on the wrong end of big plays
and/or bad penalties – Peterson might be justifying his first-round
selection on excitement alone.

The euphoria of a win will, in all likelihood, be short-lived.
The Cardinals travel to Philadelphia Sunday to face the Eagles. I
never like to bring up matchups from years ago because they
involved totally different teams, but it’s difficult to forget a
much better, Super-Bowl-bound Cardinals team traveling to Philly on
Thanksgiving of ’08 and getting trounced. A similar result this
weekend wouldn’t be very surprising.

And that’s regardless of who takes the field for the Cards. What
was troubling amidst the joy of Sunday’s win was the fact that the
game did not take on a different feel offensively at all
with Skelton at quarterback as opposed to the injured Kevin Kolb.
The drop-off from starter to backup should be dramatic, but it was
virtually unnoticeable. Certainly, Kolb would like to prove his
former team wrong for letting him go, but he’s done nothing yet to
remind the Eagles he ever left, and he may not even play.

One win separates the Eagles and Cardinals, but these teams seem
worlds apart. My pick: Cardinals 13 EAGLES 34.