This is a matchup between two teams that are playing a lot better than the experts thought they would.  The Cardinals bring a 3-3 record to this matchup and the Redskins are 3-2.  But, both teams have suffered a ton of injuries that could hurt them on Sunday.

The Cardinals would probably prefer to keep the ball on the ground with Tim Rattay getting another start.  Edgerrin James (522 yards rushing, 4.0 ypc) will challenge the Redskins front 7 that is allowing only 79.6 yards rushing and 3.7 yards per carry so far this season.  With running room likely hard to find against the Redskins, Rattay must throw the ball down the field to Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson.  Redskins CB Shawn Springs could miss the game because he’s by his father’s side who’s in a coma in Dallas.  Even if he does play he might not be able to focus on his job.

The Redskins also prefer to run the football but it will be hard to do with all of the injuries they have on the offensive line.  The Cardinals allow 114.3 yards rushing per game and 4.4 yards per carry so it’s possible that Clinton Portis (363 yards rushing) could get his yards.  The Cardinals blitz often which could mean that the Redskins will focus on shorter passes.  With that in mind the key player for them will likely be the same guy that had a big week against the Packers…..TE Chris Cooley.

PREDICTION:  With all of the injuries both teams have suffered recently I just can’t see the game being a high scoring affair.  REDSKINS 17, CARDINALS 14.

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The Cardinals have lost linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Aaron Francisco for the next 3-4 weeks as they both have knee problems.  Dansby will be hard to replace as he is the team’s leading tackler with 44.  He also has 2 sacks and a fumble recovery.  Francisco will be missed mostly on special teams as he has made 11 tackles so far this season.  The Cardinals can’t afford any more injury problems on defense because they don’t have much depth there.

The Cardinals have signed veteran free agent Tim Hasselbeck to a 1-year contract.  Hasselbeck will likely back up Tim Rattay until Kurt Warner is ready to return from injury.  Hasselbeck has played in 11 games in his NFL career and he has completed 95 of 177 passes (53.7%) for 1,012 yards with 5 TD passes and 7 interceptions (63.6 QB Rating) and he also has carried the ball 17 times for 38 yards (2.2 ypc).  The Cardinals will likely be without Kurt Warner for a couple of weeks who has a ligament tear in his left elbow.  Warner has played well this season for the Cards as he has completed 45 of 71 passes (63.4%) for 601 yards with 4 TD passes and 1 interception (103.1 QB Rating).

The Cardinals were actually leading this game 10-9 after three quarters before they forgot how to play defense as the Panthers scored 16 unanswered points in the 4th quarter.  Kurt Warner left the game with a strained left elbow in the first quarter and that was a bad omen.  He completed 2 of 2 passes for 21 yards.  Tim Rattay was forced into action before he learned a lot of the playbook and it showed.  He completed 12 of 24 passes for 159 yards with 0 TD passes and 3 interceptions.  Edgerrin James had another solid game as he carried the ball 22 times for 80 yards (3.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Larry Fitzgerald also got his yards as he caught 6 passes for 97 yards (16.2 avg).  The Cardinals finished with 98 yards rushing on 26 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 14 of 26 passes for 159 yards.

The defense was led by linebacker Monty Beisel who had 10 tackles.  Make no mistake the defense didn’t play well considering that Vinny Testaverde had only been on the Panthers since Monday.  The Panthers rushed for 181 yards on 30 carries (6.0 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 33 passes for 193 yards.

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The Arizona Cardinals played the most uninspiring game of the season vs the Carolina Panthers & Vinny Testaverde. Not only did I think Kurt Warner gave up on the team but so did the coach! What happened to the era of football players that would have said tape the elbow up and I’ll go back in and try? the answer is they don’t exist. Warner I thought had heart but he does not see and opportunity to create team unity when leinart went down for the season. The defense looked like it was pre season the two corner backs looked like rookies, green & hood. and bad coaching all around. I am beginning to wonder why whisenhunt thinks his team is going to resemble the steelers, He does not have the fire that  his former boss had & never will. same old cardinals, they will be lucky if they finish 6-10 with no leader emerging yet, Warner is obviously not the guy to lead this team, especially after quitting on them today.

This will be a battle of backup QBs in the desert as Kurt Warner will start for the Cardinals and either David Carr or Vinny Testaverde will start for the Panthers.  You can easily tell who has the edge in that matchup.  The Carolina Panthers are 3-2 overall but they are 3-0 on the road this season.  They have outscored their opponents 70-46 in those road games.  The Cardinals are also 3-2 on the season and they are 2-0 at home this season.  So as boxing announcer Michael Buffer likes to say…..”Someone’s O must go!”

David Carr has a bad back and he needed a shot at halftime last week to finish the game.  If he can’t go Vinny Testaverde will start and he’s only been with the Panthers since Monday.  Look for the Panthers to run the ball often this weekend with DeShaun Foster (361 yards rushing, 4.5 ypc) and DeAngelo Williams (168 yards rushing, 3.9 yards per carry) against a Cardinals defense that is allowing 101.0 yards rushing and 4.0 yards per carry so far this season.  Look for the Cardinals to try to double Steve Smith (25 rec, 360 yards, 5 TDs) and make the Panthers throw to someone else to beat them.

Kurt Warner looks like a new man behind the center.  He has a 102.3 QB Rating so far this season and he should have an outstanding day throwing the ball as the Panthers are giving up 233.6 yards passing per game this season.  The Cards do need to double Julius Peppers as he’s one of the most dangerous DEs in the NFL.  Don’t think for a minute that the Cards won’t run the ball often as Edgerrin James (442 yards rushing, 4.1 ypc, 3 TD runs) should have success on the ground against a Panthers defense that is allowing 3.9 yards per carry and 112.8 yards rushing per game.

PREDICTION:  The Cardinals appear to be a team on the rise and I just can’t see David Carr or Vinny Testaverde leading the Panthers to victory in this game.

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The Cardinals have released backup center Chukki Okobi who was beaten out for his job by Lyle Sendlein.  The Cardinals have signed Keydrick Vincent who will likely get some playing time on the interior of the offensive line as he has been a pretty decent guard in his NFL career.  This was a good move by the Cardinals.

The Cardinals have decided to place Matt Leinart on the Injured Reserve List ending his season.  The Cardinals just didn’t think they could afford to tie up a roster spot with Leinart so they made this move.  Tim Rattay will now backup Kurt Warner and the Cards were lucky to find him available this late in the season as he’s a pretty good player.  Rattay played in 4 games (2 starts) last season for the Bucs and he completed 61 of 101 (60.4%) passes for 748 yards with 4 TD passes and 2 interceptions (88.2 QB Rating).  He was one of the final cuts by the Titans before the season started as they decided to only go with 2 QBs this year.  Rattay has now played in 36 games (18 starts) and he has completed 417 of 687 passes (60.7%) for 4,689 yards with 28 TD passes and 20 interceptions (82.6 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 43 times for 72 yards (1.7 ypc).

Starting QB Matt Leinart will miss the next 6-8 weeks after breaking his left collarbone against the Rams last Sunday.  Leinart had been having a rough time in his sophomore season as he has completed 60 of 112 passes (53.6%) for 647 yards with 2 TD passes and 4 Interceptions (61.9 QB Rating).  He also has carried the football 11 times for 42 yards (3.8 ypc).  The Cardinals are lucky enough to have a QB that was splitting time with Leinart ready to go.  Not only that but he has been an MVP of the NFL and he has won a Super Bowl as a starting QB.  The offense might even take off under Kurt Warner as he has played well this season.  He has completed 43 of 69 passes (62.3%) for 580 yards with 4 TD passes and 1 interception (102.3 QB Rating) so far this season.  The problem for the Cardinals is that they don’t have a backup QB on the roster.  Look for them to sign at least one in the next couple of days.

The Cardinals won a wild shootout with the Rams in St. Louis yesterday.  QB Matt Leinart started the game and he completed 7 of 13 passes for 100 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 interception before leaving with a broken collarbone that will cause him to miss the next 6-8 weeks.  Kurt Warner then led the Cards to victory as he completed 14 of 28 passes for 190 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 interception.  Edgerrin James put in a hard day’s work as he toted the rock 26 times for 88 yards (3.4 ypc).  Larry Fitzgerald had a monster game as he caught 9 passes for 136 yards (15.1 avg) with a TD grab.  Bryant Johnson also had a decent game with 6 catches for 80 yards (13.3 avg).  The Cardinals finished up with 102 yards rushing on 31 carries (3.3 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 41 passes for 281 yards.

Linebacker Karlos Dansby had a monster game with 15 tackles to lead the way for the Cardinals defense.  CB Roderick Hood also had a big game with 2 tackles and 2 interceptions including one that he returned 68 yards for a TD in the 4th quarter.  The Rams finished up rushing for 123 yards on 23 carries (5.3 ypc) and they also completed 24 of 43 passes for 252 yards.

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