TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) The Arizona Cardinals waited until the third day of the NFL draft to address the team’s greatest need, the offensive line, then selected two players – tackle Bobby Massie of Mississippi in the fourth round and guard Senio Kelemete of Washington in the fifth.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Massie slipped farther in the draft than a lot of people had predicted, going to the Cardinals Saturday as the 112th player chosen overall.

”It just makes me hungry,” Massie said in a conference call. ”I was projected to go higher and earlier in the draft. It just makes me hungry. I’m just ready to strap on the pads and show teams why I should have been drafted earlier.”

Arizona general manager Rod Graves and coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team resisted going for an offensive lineman in the first two days of the draft, opting instead to go with players higher on the team’s draft board. The Cardinals selected wide receiver Michael Floyd of Notre Dame in the first round and cornerback Jamell Fleming of Oklahoma in the third round.

The Cardinals’ second-round pick had been shipped to Philadelphia as part of the trade that brought quarterback Kevin Kolb to Arizona.

Kelemete, 6-3 and 300 pounds, started all 13 games at left tackle for Washington last season but is projected as a guard with the Cardinals.

”It doesn’t matter,” he said. ”I just want to be out there and help contribute to the team. Wherever the coaches need me to go, wherever they need to put me in, I’ll play.”

Kelemete was a two-time team captain with the Huskies.

”I think my strengths are my attitude, being really aggressive,” he said, ”and bringing the best out of the guys around me.”

Massie played right tackle in college, the same position he will be competing for with Arizona. The Cardinals, plagued by inconsistent line play, re-signed left tackle Levi Brown in the offseason and signed free agent Adam Snyder, who can play either guard or tackle.

”I have the opportunity to prove myself,” Massie said. ”I want to get in, learn the system, and get around the guys, my teammates. My goal is to potentially be the starter by the time the season starts.”

Massie, from Lynchburg, Va., had a year of college eligibility remaining but chose to leave Ole Miss after the team went 2-10 last season, leading to the firing of coach Houston Nutt. Massie started all 12 games last season on an offense that struggled mightily, finishing 114th nationally at 281.25 yards per game.

Overall, he appeared in 37 games at Mississippi, starting the last 29 of them. He blocked for 14 100-yard rushing performances but said he considers pass blocking his biggest strength.

”For my size, I’m athletic for a big guy,” Massie said. ”I need to work on staying low in the running game and staying on linebackers in the second level.”

He said he didn’t know why he had slipped in the draft.

”A lot of teams that talked to me and told me they were going to draft me ended up passing,” Massie said. ”That’s just how the draft goes. I’m just proud to be in Arizona.”

He said he didn’t know much about the Cardinals.

”I know they throw the ball a lot,” Massie said, ”so I’ll keep the quarterback upright.”

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals waited until the third day of the NFL draft to address the team’s greatest need, the offensive line, then selected two players — tackle Bobby Massie of Mississippi in the fourth round and guard Senio Kelemete of Washington in the fifth.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Massie slipped farther in the draft than a lot of people had predicted, going to the Cardinals Saturday as the 112th player chosen overall.

“It just makes me hungry,” Massie said in a conference call. “I was projected to go higher and earlier in the draft. It just makes me hungry. I’m just ready to strap on the pads and show teams why I should have been drafted earlier.”

Arizona general manager Rod Graves and coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team resisted going for an offensive lineman in the first two days of the draft, opting instead to go with players higher on the team’s draft board. The Cardinals selected wide receiver Michael Floyd of Notre Dame in the first round and cornerback Jamell Fleming of Oklahoma in the third round.

The Cardinals’ second-round pick had been shipped to Philadelphia as part of the trade that brought quarterback Kevin Kolb to Arizona.

Kelemete, 6-3 and 300 pounds, started all 13 games at left tackle for Washington last season but is projected as a guard with the Cardinals.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I just want to be out there and help contribute to the team. Wherever the coaches need me to go, wherever they need to put me in, I’ll play.”

Kelemete was a two-time team captain with the Huskies.

“I think my strengths are my attitude, being really aggressive,” he said, “and bringing the best out of the guys around me.”

Massie played right tackle in college, the same position he will be competing for with Arizona. The Cardinals, plagued by inconsistent line play, re-signed left tackle Levi Brown in the off-season and signed free agent Adam Snyder, who can play either guard or tackle.

“I have the opportunity to prove myself,” Massie said. “I want to get in, learn the system, and get around the guys, my teammates. My goal is to potentially be the starter by the time the season starts.”

Massie, from Lynchburg, Va., had a year of college eligibility remaining but chose to leave Ole Miss after the team went 2-10 last season, leading to the firing of coach Houston Nutt. Massie started all 12 games last season on an offence that struggled mightily, finishing 114th nationally at 281.25 yards per game.

Overall, he appeared in 37 games at Mississippi, starting the last 29 of them. He blocked for 14 100-yard rushing performances but said he considers pass blocking his biggest strength.

“For my size, I’m athletic for a big guy,” Massie said. “I need to work on staying low in the running game and staying on linebackers in the second level.”

He said he didn’t know why he had slipped in the draft.

“A lot of teams that talked to me and told me they were going to draft me ended up passing,” Massie said. “That’s just how the draft goes. I’m just proud to be in Arizona.”

He said he didn’t know much about the Cardinals.

“I know they throw the ball a lot,” Massie said, “so I’ll keep the quarterback upright.”

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – The Arizona Cardinals waited until the third day of the NFL draft to address the team’s greatest need, the offensive line, then selected two players – tackle Bobby Massie of Mississippi in the fourth round and guard Senio Kelemete of Washington in the fifth.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Massie slipped farther in the draft than a lot of people had predicted, going to the Cardinals Saturday as the 112th player chosen overall.

“It just makes me hungry,” Massie said in a conference call. “I was projected to go higher and earlier in the draft. It just makes me hungry. I’m just ready to strap on the pads and show teams why I should have been drafted earlier.”

Arizona general manager Rod Graves and coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team resisted going for an offensive lineman in the first two days of the draft, opting instead to go with players higher on the team’s draft board. The Cardinals selected wide receiver Michael Floyd of Notre Dame in the first round and cornerback Jamell Fleming of Oklahoma in the third round.

The Cardinals’ second-round pick had been shipped to Philadelphia as part of the trade that brought quarterback Kevin Kolb to Arizona.

Kelemete, 6-3 and 300 pounds, started all 13 games at left tackle for Washington last season but is projected as a guard with the Cardinals.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I just want to be out there and help contribute to the team. Wherever the coaches need me to go, wherever they need to put me in, I’ll play.”

Kelemete was a two-time team captain with the Huskies.

“I think my strengths are my attitude, being really aggressive,” he said, “and bringing the best out of the guys around me.”

Massie played right tackle in college, the same position he will be competing for with Arizona. The Cardinals, plagued by inconsistent line play, re-signed left tackle Levi Brown in the offseason and signed free agent Adam Snyder, who can play either guard or tackle.

“I have the opportunity to prove myself,” Massie said. “I want to get in, learn the system, and get around the guys, my teammates. My goal is to potentially be the starter by the time the season starts.”

Massie, from Lynchburg, Va., had a year of college eligibility remaining but chose to leave Ole Miss after the team went 2-10 last season, leading to the firing of coach Houston Nutt. Massie started all 12 games last season on an offense that struggled mightily, finishing 114th nationally at 281.25 yards per game.

Overall, he appeared in 37 games at Mississippi, starting the last 29 of them. He blocked for 14 100-yard rushing performances but said he considers pass blocking his biggest strength.

“For my size, I’m athletic for a big guy,” Massie said. “I need to work on staying low in the running game and staying on linebackers in the second level.”

He said he didn’t know why he had slipped in the draft.

“A lot of teams that talked to me and told me they were going to draft me ended up passing,” Massie said. “That’s just how the draft goes. I’m just proud to be in Arizona.”

He said he didn’t know much about the Cardinals.

“I know they throw the ball a lot,” Massie said, “so I’ll keep the quarterback upright.”

Faith has been restored. The Cardinals have regained the public trust. Fans appreciate the head coach all over again.

Do not apologize for your wild mood swings. In Arizona, we’re all dealing with post-traumatic pigskin syndrome.

“I think this shows everyone that we take this thing very seriously,” quarterback Kevin Kolb said. “We came to work every day. We were trying to solve the problems. We were meeting longer, tightening up the details. You don’t always find that desire in the NFL. The whole group wanted to do this.”

From the ashes, that group is now glowing. The Cardinals have four consecutive victories and an outside chance to make the playoffs. If they beat the Bengals on Saturday, Christmas literally will come early for Valley fans.

Back when the Cardinals were 1-6, it was easy to think the worst. Some wondered about the locker-room culture, and if there was enough fear in the air. Others said Ken Whisenhunt had done nothing without Todd Haley on the staff or Kurt Warner on the field.

Some of the criticism was warranted. Some of it was the hot, white noise that accompanies a six-game losing streak in a hostile new world.

Today, Whisenhunt has his own streak going. He’s earned consecutive game balls. He kept his players believing. And though it’s nothing you’d put on a tombstone, he became the most successful coach ever employed by Bill Bidwill.

In the NFL, validation can be tricky and temporary. In our search to reduce complex matters into things we easily can understand, we spend far too much time obsessing, assessing, elevating and deconstructing coaches. As Kolb pointed out, this is mostly about the players, and their collective will to win.

Yet lately, it seems like Whisenhunt is making all the right decisions, getting all the right bounces, throwing all the right challenge flags. And think about this:

During training camp, John Skelton suffered a high-ankle sprain. Rich Bartel enjoyed a personal breakthrough, playing well enough to earn the No. 2 job. But after quietly progressing in practice — deftly imitating Ben Roethlisberger while the running the scout team — Skelton suddenly was reinstated as backup Oct. 23, before the game against the Steelers, even though Bartel had done nothing to lose the job.

What if Whisenhunt never makes that move?

“I think Ben and myself are similar in a lot of ways,” Skelton said at the time.

With one more victory, things would get even more interesting. Defensive coordinator Ray Horton said he might reward his players by unbraiding his hair and letting his afro fly for the final game against Seattle (“you’ll see some real 1970s throwback hair”). And with a loss by either Detroit or Atlanta, the Cardinals could be alive entering the last week of the regular season. That’s remarkable.

“We want to be as good as anyone in the league,” Kolb said. “We want to win the Super Bowl. That’s our goal, and no other goal is good enough.”

Back when the Cardinals were 1-6, it all appeared so bleak. Disgruntled fans feared the organization was feeling the gravitational pull of its history, a franchise retreating to the dark ages.

This is what happens to a region of BFF’s (battered football fans), where losing had once been a way of life. We become angry birds, overly sensitive to prolonged losing streaks. That’s why this resurgence is so meaningful. It gives fans hope that the glory years weren’t a fluke, or just about the brilliance of Warner.

When they were 1-6, it seemed certain that a Week 15 game against the lowly Browns would snap the sellout streak in Glendale. To the contrary, it drew a massive television rating, watched by 41 percent of the households in the Valley.

Somehow, the Cardinals have clung to relevancy.

And with one more victory, Whisenhunt can guarantee his fourth non-losing season in five years at the helm.

In Arizona, that’s saying something.

Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8253. Follow him at twitter.com/danbickley. Listen to “Bickley and MJ” weekdays from 2-6 p.m. on KGME-AM (910).

It almost always is preferable to overcome rather than succumb, and Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt thinks his team’s rebound from a 1-6 start could have an impact this off-season and in future years.

“Your younger players are now developing and learning how to do it when it’s been as tough as it could possibly be,” Whisenhunt said. “And that means it makes you stronger as a team going forward. If you learn how to win and you don’t know any different, then when you lose it can really be catastrophic.”

Imagine if the Cardinals had collapsed instead of winning six of the next seven games. Or what life would be like now if the Cardinals had started 6-1, then lost six of the next seven.

Whisenhunt would have received a game ball Oct. 30, not Dec. 18, for winning the most games in franchise history. And there would be speculation about his job status.

“Oh, my God,” Whisenhunt said, laughing, when asked to imagine if the halves of this season had been flipped. “They’d be taking the game ball back, that’s what they’d be doing.”

It’s been two seasons in one for the Cardinals. This is not anyone’s ideal scenario for a season, but if a team can have only one winning streak a year, better it come late than early. If the Cardinals had blown a 6-1 start, there would be a clamor for a major housecleaning at the team’s facility, starting with the head coach’s office.

But winning in the second half has changed everyone’s outlook on the Cardinals’ future.

“It builds equity,” Whisenhunt said. “When you go through the pain of losing those games with all these young guys, and they understand now what they have to do in order to get out of it, that makes you stronger as a team.

“You have this group of young players who understand ‘This is what we have to do. This is the standard that we have to set in practice and in meetings and what we have to do in games.’

“Now when you have a group of free agents come in here, you have a group of guys who won’t accept anything but this standard.”

The Cardinals had that equity after winning the NFC West in 2008 and 2009. They lost it in 2010, when quarterback Kurt Warner retired, receiver Anquan Boldin was traded and linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Antrel Rolle didn’t re-sign.

The 5-11 record in 2010 produced new questions about the abilities of Whisenhunt and General Manager Rod Graves to successfully retool the roster. Six losses in September and October gave critics additional fuel.

Those questions still might exist, but six victories in the past seven games have at least siphoned away some of the anger.

They also have given Whisenhunt additional credibility with both fans and players. At midseason, he was being criticized for reciting mantras of “staying the course” and “we know this system works.”

“You got to be consistent,” Whisenhunt said. “If you have a consistent message, the guys will believe in you and believe in what you’re doing.

“That’s what they’re looking for. I yell and scream at times when I get mad, but you do it all the time, it doesn’t mean as much.”

A toll taken

Beanie Wells has been playing with a painful, swollen right knee since the sixth game, yet he needs only 6 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

Throughout the season, Whisenhunt has praised his running back’s toughness, because it’s clear Wells isn’t 100 percent. The condition of Wells’ knee is a “week-to-week thing,” Whisenhunt said. “It’s a different struggle every week for him trying to get his knee ready. He’s not as elusive as he would be if was he 100 percent healthy, and we understand that.”

That’s especially clear when Wells breaks through the line and faces linebackers and defensive backs at the second level, Whisenhunt said.

Even when he’s healthy, Wells isn’t a shifty back. He’s physical and he’ll run defensive backs over before trying to dodge them. But every back needs to be able to cut hard to evade defenders, and Wells is having a hard time doing it.

Wells touched the ball 16 times against the Browns on Sunday. On four occasions, he made it to the second level of the defense but couldn’t make the first tackler miss. Most of the time, the Browns tackled Wells by diving at his feet.

If healthy, Wells might have broken one or two of those plays for bigger gains.

“They’ve either came to cut him or he’s gotten hit from the side where he can’t plant and cut back under, or he can’t pick his feet up and get through that tackle,” Whisenhunt said. “But let’s not forget that Beanie’s had a good year for us. We’re really focused on trying to get him the 1,000 yards and have him fight through this thing.”

Coach’s Corner

“I think that when we were sitting 1-6 and everybody was killing us, we were focused on just doing it one week at a time. Would it be great to have a winning season? You’re darn right it would be. It would be something very special because of where we were. But to be honest with you, I hadn’t thought about that. All I thought about was trying to win this game and that if we can continue on this, that’s something that’s pretty good. Winning four in a row is something we haven’t done here, not since I’ve been here.”

– Ken Whisenhunt

Stat pack

The Cardinals have won four consecutive games in a season for the first time since 1999. They haven’t five games in a row since 1977.

Beanie Wells has 10 rushing touchdowns, tying for the fourth-best season total in franchise history. John David Crow set the record with 14 in 1962.

The Cardinals have won three overtime games this season. That ties them with eight other teams for the most in NFL history.

The Cardinals converted 8 of 16 third-down opportunities against the Browns. The 50percent conversion rate was their highest of the season.

Larry Fitzgerald has 20 receptions of at least 20 yards this season, and 10 have come in the fourth quarter or overtime. Fitzgerald had 14 catches of at least 20 yards in 2010.

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

©2011 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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.

While the San Francisco 49ers have gotten off to a start that many would have never predicted, they definitely are running away with the NFC West. They hold an 8-1 record on the year and have played just one of their divisional games. However, on November 20, the 49ers will face their divisional rival the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are coming off an upset win against the Philadelphia Eagles in a game where the Eagles led 14 – 7 going into the fourth quarter. It was the fifth time this year the Eagles have blown a fourth-quarter lead.

The Arizona Cardinals will be starting their young quarterback John Skelton(notes) who threw three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Eagles. The 49ers have already beaten Skelton once when they played him and the Cardinals on January 2, 2011 last season.

As for the 49ers their main concern is whether running back Frank Gore(notes) will be able to play in the matchup. According to sources, including Frank Gore himself, he will play against the Cardinals. While this could be a trap game for the 49ers, it looks as if they will prevail if they can run the ball effectively and their defense is able to hold the Cardinals to a low-scoring affair. Let’s see how they match up:

Offense

While the 49ers may hold the edge in the run game I would have to give the passing game edge to the Arizona Cardinals based simply off talent. While Skelton has made mistakes he also has big-time targets Larry Fitzgerald(notes) and Early Doucet(notes). However, if Frank Gore can run the ball effectively in tandem with Kendall Hunter(notes), then the 49ers should expect some one-on-one coverage for Braylon Edwards(notes) and Michael Crabtree(notes), allowing Alex Smith to complete some easy passes.

Edge: 49ers

Defense

The 49ers ranked number one in the NFL allowing only 73.2 rushing yards per game, while giving up a league low 15.3 points per contest. On the other hand, the Arizona Cardinals are giving up 23.7 points per contest and give up 123.1 yards per game on the ground. Regardless of the Cardinals numbers, one player that the 49ers will have to look out for is cornerback Patrick Peterson(notes). While the 49ers have to deal with Peterson, the Cardinals will have to deal with Carlos Rogers(notes), who is tied for the league lead in interceptions with five. Not to mention the 49ers front seven is as solid as there is in the NFL.

Edge: 49ers

Special Teams

The 49ers Ted Ginn Jr.(notes) has had a spectacular season in the return game, however the 49ers will again have to deal with Patrick Peterson as he has returned three punts for touchdowns this year. Even with Peterson a big threat for the Cardinals it’s the 49ers kicking crew of David Akers(notes) and Andy Lee(notes) that make the 49ers a little more dangerous. Did you already forget about that onside kick in Week 10?

Edge: 49ers

Prediction: 49ers 23 – Cardinals 10

David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where they post fresh content daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.

You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp .

Sources:

49ers.com. Game preview: 49ers at Cardinals . NFL 2011.

nfl.com. Team Stats. NFL 2011

More From David Mehrwein and the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Clayton Kershaw has been named the NL Cy Young award winner for 2011: Fan Reaction

The San Francisco Giants are talking contract extensions with Lincecum, Cain: Fan’s Reaction

San Francisco 49ers’ Alex Smith Nominated for NFLPA PULSE Award: Comeback Player of the Year – Fan Opinion

Fan Question: Should Alex Smith’s Contract Be Extended?

Fan Reaction: Could Chone Figgins Be on His Way to San Francisco?

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No Cardinals player was happier to be in the locker room Wednesday than fullback Reagan Maui’a. He rejoined the team Tuesday because fullback Anthony Sherman suffered an ankle injury Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

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Cards QB Kolb still battling toe injury | Cardinals-Rams injury report

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Maui’a, the team’s fullback a year ago, was cut after training camp. A short time later, it became known that Maui’a was suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL’s drug policy.

That likely didn’t have an impact on his making the team, because Sherman was the favorite to win the job all along.

Maui’a remained in the Phoenix area, stayed in shape and waited for a team to call, he said. And he worked on personal issues.

“Spiritually, I fixed a lot of things,” he said. “Just got closer to God and kept my faith.”

Maui’a said the suspension was a result of alcohol abuse.

“About two years ago, I was a real bad drinker,” Maui’a said, “shied away from God and got into alcohol. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I haven’t had a drink in a very long time. I’m very proud of that. I’m not ashamed of it.

“Everyone drinks and does things they don’t really like, but to be able to overcome it and be a better person today, that’s something I’m proud of.”

Beanie’s knee

Running back Beanie Wells said after Sunday’s game that his right-knee ailment would be something he would have to manage all season.

That was evident again Wednesday. Wells didn’t practice, and coach Ken Whisenhunt said the running back “is going to be in this cycle where he works back into shape for the game every week. He’s going to be limited or work through things earlier in the week, and he’ll get more (work) as the week progresses.”

Wells carried 22 times for 83 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Ravens. But he said he lacked his usual explosiveness. Against the Ravens, the Cardinals limited Wells’ carries by using their other three backs: LaRod Stephens-Howling, Alfonso Smith and Chester Taylor. They likely will use the same strategy Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.

“Beanie Wells is a horse,” Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “He can run outside, inside. He cuts it back, he runs over people, he can shake people. He’s a premier back.”

Injury update

Quarterback Kevin Kolb (toe), Wells (knee), tight end Rob Housler (groin), safety Kerry Rhodes (foot) and Sherman (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday.

Tight end Jim Dray (pectoral), tight end Todd Heap (hamstring), defensive lineman Nick Eason (Achilles’), outside linebacker Joey Porter (knee) and Stephens-Howling (shoulder) were limited.

For the Rams, quarterback Sam Bradford (ankle), defensive tackle Darell Scott (head) and tackle Jason Smith (head) did not practice. Receiver Danario Alexander (hamstring), linebacker Brady Poppinga (calf) and guard Tony Wragge (knee) were limited.

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals seem rested and relaxed following their bye week, insisting they remain positive despite the four straight losses since their season-opening victory over Carolina.

Their respite from NFL play ends on Sunday when the reigning AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers come to the desert.

Quarterback Kevin Kolb insists the practices last week and this have been some of the best the team has had since he came to Arizona. Coach Ken Whisenhunt wouldn’t go that far but he did agree that there seems to be no letup in effort as the Cardinals look for a turnaround victory against a tough opponent.

“The only thing that really matters is how we do on Sunday,” Whisenhunt said after Wednesday’s practice. “I’ll say this, our team is working hard to prepare. They are paying attention to the details. They are looking to find that little bit that we have been missing in some of these close games and hopefully that will pay off for us.”

Kolb said he did not think that the offence has lost confidence despite its inconsistent performances, and he said there have been some tweaks made during the extended time off.

“I think that our last three or four practices have been crisp in the passing game, and I think we are all seeing it more and more clearly,” he said. “We are doing some things that are a little bit unique and a little bit different that we are excited about. I think it can really help us on game day.”

One area that has been encouraging for the Cardinals is the running game, and Beanie Wells said the time off helped him “a lot” to ease some aches and pains, including a lingering sore hamstring that had sidelined him for one game.

“A chance to relax my body a little bit,” Wells said. “It’s feeling pretty good.”

Wells, in what easily is so far the best of his four pro seasons, is averaging 4.8 yards per carry — 381 yards in 79 carries over four games. But his power running game fell by the wayside early against Minnesota as the Vikings bolted to a 28-0 first-quarter lead.

Still, there was a memorable run in which Wells plowed into a defensive player so hard that it knocked the Vikings player’s helmet off. Kolb said he told Wells he wants a poster made of that play.

“That was incredible. They have to fear him,” Kolb said. “We need to get our running game going. That’s a big part of this week and a big part of these next 11 weeks. He’s a big part of our offence and that sets the tone for everything else.”

Yet for all of the good plays, there are plenty of bad ones. Arizona has been awful on third downs and in the red zone. The Cardinals have given up a huge number of 20-plus-yard passes.

Close or not, a loss at home to the Steelers would make the Cardinals 1-5 going into a game at Baltimore. Arizona hasn’t won on the road since last season’s opener at St. Louis.

The Cardinals coaching staff is stacked with people who have the Steelers somewhere on their resume, most recently new defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton.

“Losing four games in a row is not pretty, so our backs are against the wall,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “We’ve had some time to think it. It’s a big game for us. … We have a great game plan for them. I feel like our co-ordinator knows them well so I feel like we have an advantage there. But he has a great game plan and we looked really good in practice today, so I’m really looking forward to how it transforms over into the game.”

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)—The Arizona Cardinals seem rested and relaxed following
their bye week, insisting they remain positive despite the four straight losses
since their season-opening victory over Carolina.

Their respite from NFL play ends on Sunday when the reigning AFC champion
Pittsburgh Steelers come to the desert.

Quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) insists the practices last week and this have been
some of the best the team has had since he came to Arizona. Coach Ken Whisenhunt
wouldn’t go that far but he did agree that there seems to be no letup in effort
as the Cardinals look for a turnaround victory against a tough opponent.

“The only thing that really matters is how we do on Sunday,” Whisenhunt
said after Wednesday’s practice. “I’ll say this, our team is working hard to
prepare. They are paying attention to the details. They are looking to find that
little bit that we have been missing in some of these close games and hopefully
that will pay off for us.”

Kolb said he did not think that the offense has lost confidence despite its
inconsistent performances, and he said there have been some tweaks made during
the extended time off.

“I think that our last three or four practices have been crisp in the
passing game, and I think we are all seeing it more and more clearly,” he said.
“We are doing some things that are a little bit unique and a little bit
different that we are excited about. I think it can really help us on game
day.”

One area that has been encouraging for the Cardinals is the running game,
and Beanie Wells(notes) said the time off helped him “a lot” to ease some aches and
pains, including a lingering sore hamstring that had sidelined him for one game.

“A chance to relax my body a little bit,” Wells said. “It’s feeling
pretty good.”

Wells, in what easily is so far the best of his four pro seasons, is
averaging 4.8 yards per carry—381 yards in 79 carries over four games. But his
power running game fell by the wayside early against Minnesota as the Vikings
bolted to a 28-0 first-quarter lead.

Still, there was a memorable run in which Wells plowed into a defensive
player so hard that it knocked the Vikings player’s helmet off. Kolb said he
told Wells he wants a poster made of that play.

“That was incredible. They have to fear him,” Kolb said. “We need to get
our running game going. That’s a big part of this week and a big part of these
next 11 weeks. He’s a big part of our offense and that sets the tone for
everything else.”

Yet for all of the good plays, there are plenty of bad ones. Arizona has
been awful on third downs and in the red zone. The Cardinals have given up a
huge number of 20-plus-yard passes.

Close or not, a loss at home to the Steelers would make the Cardinals 1-5
going into a game at Baltimore. Arizona hasn’t won on the road since last
season’s opener at St. Louis.

The Cardinals coaching staff is stacked with people who have the Steelers
somewhere on their resume, most recently new defensive coordinator Ray Horton.

“Losing four games in a row is not pretty, so our backs are against the
wall,” defensive end Calais Campbell(notes) said. “We’ve had some time to think it.
It’s a big game for us. … We have a great game plan for them. I feel like our
coordinator knows them well so I feel like we have an advantage there. But he
has a great game plan and we looked really good in practice today, so I’m really
looking forward to how it transforms over into the game.”

Sometimes a bye week is welcome to heal an NFL team’s physical wounds. Sometimes it’s the mental fatigue that needs rest.

Count the beleaguered Arizona Cardinals in the latter faction.

“It’s a chance to just breathe,” defensive end Calais Campbell said, “relax a little bit and just restart up again.”

Even coach Ken Whisenhunt will try to get a little time away from the game as he searches for answers to problems that have shown up across the board, with the possible exception of the running game. The player lockout and its late conclusion has led to an exhausting two months of virtually nonstop work for the coaching staff.

“If you think about where it was two months ago and how we came back into training camp, we were working 24 hours a day, seven days a week there to start,” he said. “We have been grinding away for two months now. We will be in the office and we’ll be working, but we will take some days off this weekend. It’s really important that you step away from it, relax, spend time with your family and enjoy your weekend, and then get back in here ready to go next week.”

The arrival of quarterback Kevin Kolb and a host of other new players brought a sense of optimism to training camp after the Cardinals’ 5-11 season in 2010.

A season-opening victory over Carolina, though far from perfect, bolstered that good will. Then came three excruciatingly close losses at Washington, at Seattle and home against the New York Giants. In each game, Arizona had the ball at the finish and couldn’t come through. Finally, there was a 34-10 rout at the hands of the previously winless Vikings in Minnesota.

At least the Cardinals are ensured to have a better Sunday this week.

Self-criticism abounds. If there’s any criticism of one player to another, it’s happening behind closed doors. At a team meeting before Tuesday’s practice the theme, Kolb said, was accountability, an oft-heard sports term that simply means everyone needs to do his job and take responsibility for his own actions.

“I just think that if everybody has accountability and everybody does their job, we win football games,” Kolb said. “It’s hard to get that many guys to do it. It really is. Everybody has different personalities.”

Whisenhunt has often said “we know what works” when he talks about his team digging out of losing streaks. But it hasn’t worked for some time, now. Arizona is 5-16 since Kurt Warner retired after leading the Cardinals to consecutive NFC West titles and even a Super Bowl.

“I know that what I believe in, what we believe in, works, and I know you stick to it,” Whisenhunt said a day after the Vikings’ blowout. “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, and if we make plays then so be it. I like the guys on our football team.

“We have a mix of young guys who need reps and need work and we’re trying to get them those plays. We’re going to continue to work the way we know can be successful for us. At some point, it will start working.”

The emergence of Beanie Wells as one of the NFL’s top backs has been one of the few bright spots for the 1-4 team. He had a career-high 138 yards and scored three touchdowns in the 31-27 loss to the Giants, a game Arizona led by 10 points with five minutes to play. But the running game became an afterthought against the Vikings when the Cardinals fell behind 28-0 in the first quarter.

The Cardinals also have struggled mightily in the red zone and on third downs, areas of emphasis in the two practices this week, all that is allowed under the new collective bargaining agreement with the players.

On defense, Arizona’s two young cornerbacks — rookie Patrick Peterson and second-year pro A.J. Jefferson — have been severely tested. Their growing pains are accentuated by the lack of a pass rush. Unless new defensive coordinator Ray Horton dials up some exotic blitz mix, opposing quarterbacks have had plenty of time to wait for receivers to break open.

The schedule gets tougher, at least in the short term.

Next up are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who come to Arizona on Oct. 23. That is followed by a game at Baltimore on Oct. 30.

The Cardinals have lost 10 straight road games dating to last season’s opening win at St. Louis. They are much better at home, going 5-5 in that span, and that makes the Steelers game crucial if this season is to be salvaged.

“Just to have a good feeling coming in on Monday,” Kolb said. “It’s just frustrating to lose that many games in a row when you know you have a good team. We are really striving as hard as we can to get it back on track.”

TEMPE, Ariz. – Sometimes a bye week is welcome to heal an NFL team’s physical wounds. Sometimes it’s the mental fatigue that needs rest.

Count the beleaguered Arizona Cardinals in the latter faction.

“It’s a chance to just breathe,” defensive end Calais Campbell said, “relax a little bit and just restart up again.”

Even coach Ken Whisenhunt will try to get a little time away from the game as he searches for answers to problems that have shown up across the board, with the possible exception of the running game. The player lockout and its late conclusion has led to an exhausting two months of virtually non-stop work for the coaching staff.

“If you think about where it was two months ago and how we came back into training camp, we were working 24 hours a day, seven days a week there to start,” he said. “We have been grinding away for two months now. We will be in the office and we’ll be working, but we will take some days off this weekend. It’s really important that you step away from it, relax, spend time with your family and enjoy your weekend, and then get back in here ready to go next week.”

The arrival of quarterback Kevin Kolb and a host of other new players brought a sense of optimism to training camp after the Cardinals’ 5-11 season in 2010.

A season-opening victory over Carolina, though far from perfect, bolstered that good will. Then came three excruciatingly close losses at Washington, at Seattle and home against the New York Giants. In each game, Arizona had the ball at the finish and couldn’t come through. Finally, there was a 34-10 rout at the hands of the previously winless Vikings in Minnesota.

At least the Cardinals are ensured to have a better Sunday this week.

Self-criticism abounds. If there’s any criticism of one player to another, it’s happening behind closed doors. At a team meeting before Tuesday’s practice the theme, Kolb said, was accountability, an oft-heard sports term that simply means everyone needs to do his job and take responsibility for his own actions.

“I just think that if everybody has accountability and everybody does their job, we win football games,” Kolb said. “It’s hard to get that many guys to do it. It really is. Everybody has different personalities.”

Whisenhunt has often said “we know what works” when he talks about his team digging out of losing streaks. But it hasn’t worked for some time, now. Arizona is 5-16 since Kurt Warner retired after leading the Cardinals to consecutive NFC West titles and even a Super Bowl.

“I know that what I believe in, what we believe in, works, and I know you stick to it,” Whisenhunt said a day after the Vikings’ blowout. “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, and if we make plays then so be it. I like the guys on our football team.

“We have a mix of young guys who need reps and need work and we’re trying to get them those plays. We’re going to continue to work the way we know can be successful for us. At some point, it will start working.”

The emergence of Beanie Wells as one of the NFL’s top backs has been one of the few bright spots for the 1-4 team. He had a career-high 138 yards and scored three touchdowns in the 31-27 loss to the Giants, a game Arizona led by 10 points with five minutes to play. But the running game became an afterthought against the Vikings when the Cardinals fell behind 28-0 in the first quarter.

The Cardinals also have struggled mightily in the red zone and on third downs, areas of emphasis in the two practices this week, all that is allowed under the new collective bargaining agreement with the players.

On defence, Arizona’s two young cornerbacks — rookie Patrick Peterson and second-year pro A.J. Jefferson — have been severely tested. Their growing pains are accentuated by the lack of a pass rush. Unless new defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton dials up some exotic blitz mix, opposing quarterbacks have had plenty of time to wait for receivers to break open.

The schedule gets tougher, at least in the short term.

Next up are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who come to Arizona on Oct. 23. That is followed by a game at Baltimore on Oct. 30.

The Cardinals have lost 10 straight road games dating to last season’s opening win at St. Louis. They are much better at home, going 5-5 in that span, and that makes the Steelers game crucial if this season is to be salvaged.

“Just to have a good feeling coming in on Monday,” Kolb said. “It’s just frustrating to lose that many games in a row when you know you have a good team. We are really striving as hard as we can to get it back on track.”

By Ryan Van Bibber

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Oct 7, 2011 – The Arizona Cardinals head to Minnesota for the Excitement Bowl. Ok, that might be a little unfair, but both teams have a single win between them. If Donovan McNabb cannot lead the Vikings to their first win of the season, then rookie quarterback Christian Ponder could get the call. 

Arizona invested quite a lot in quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was once McNabb’s backup in Philadelphia. So far, the results have been less than promising, but the Cardinals’ struggles are more than Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald can fix by themselves. 

Pete Prisco says to look for Adrian Peterson as the difference maker for the Vikings.

The Vikings are looking for their first victory while the Cardinals are looking for their second. Both teams will look to get their running games going, with both being in the top-10 in rushing yards per attempt. I look for a ball-control type of game with the Vikings getting their first victory behind a big game from Adrian Peterson.

Only one of Prisco’s CBS colleagues pick the Cardinals for this game. Peter Schrager at Fox says Fitzgerald is the super star difference maker in this game. 

For more on the Vikings, check out the Daily Norseman. For all things Cardinals, head over to Revenge of the Birds. 

Read More: Kevin Kolb (QB – ARI), Donovan McNabb (QB – MIN), Larry Fitzgerald (WR – ARI), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings, Oct 9, 2011 1:00 PM EDT

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