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.

Broadcast schedule for the preseason game between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers

The Arizona Cardinals will open their 2011 training camp this Thursday, July 28 when players report to the Cardinals training facility in Tempe.

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Arizona Cardinals training camp – 2010

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Players will undergo physicals on Friday, July 29 before checking in at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff in the afternoon. A mandatory meeting will be held Friday evening.

The team will have an afternoon practice on the fields at NAU on the afternoon of Saturday, July 30.

The team will have one afternoon practice on Sunday, July 31.

The Cardinals could have reported to camp on Wednesday, but it just wasn’t feasible given the amount of work to be done to assemble the roster. The physicals are also going to be more extensive than usual because there has been no contact with the players for most of the past four months.

Reporter Kent Somers contributed to this story.