Kolb hopes for extra playing time in Cards' preseason opener

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- After just five practices, Kevin Kolb will lead the Arizona Cardinals into their preseason opener Thursday night at Oakland.

Kolb said he hopes Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt will give him as much playing time as possible as he works to learn a new system and develop chemistry with his teammates.

"Obviously, Ken's been around a lot longer than I have and he makes those calls," Kolb said before Tuesday's final pre-game practice, "but as much time as he'll give us, that's how much time we need because there's a lot of work to be done."

Whisenhunt said he probably will stay with his new quarterback a bit longer than he would under normal circumstances in a preseason opener.

"I just would just like to see him continue to be comfortable with calling and operating the offense," the coach said. "I've seen some good strides as far as handling it in the huddle, but this is a whole new deal now, going out on the field, working the communicator, getting in and out of the huddle, get the plays lined up. I'm sure there's going to be some confusion out there, not necessarily his but other people on the team. You just never know."

Forget game planning for the Raiders. With such a limited time to prepare, Kolb will do well to just oversee the basic offense.

"I guess the biggest thing that I want to see is just how he handles everything," Whisenhunt said. "I'm not too concerned about statistically what he does or a lot of those things. You want to see him do good things, but I think really you obviously want to see how he handles the situation. It will give us a better feel of what we can do, what we can put in, how we can adjust things going forward. That's what this is all about."

Kolb, obtained in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, couldn't practice with the Cardinals until last Thursday after he signed a five-year, $63 million contract with $21 million guaranteed. He said he's a perfectionist and it has been frustrating when he struggles sometimes with the terminology of Arizona's offense.

"It is hard because I put a lot of pressure on myself and I want to be perfect from the word go," he said. "It frustrates me beyond belief whenever I have a tough time spitting out a play. If I stutter through a long-worded play, that frustrates me because that's not my style. But I also understand I'm going into Day 5 here, so I have to calm myself down. But I still want to chase that perfection every day."

Kolb is coming off a mixed performance in the Cardinals' red and white scrimmage, when he made some big plays but threw three interceptions.

The NFL free agency cycle is in full effect, with teams and players agreeing to terms fast as training camps open. Get the latest on all the news right here.

Asked what he learned from that day, Kolb said, "Don't force things."

"We did some great things, and that happens to me sometimes," he said, "You know, I get caught up in trying to make too many plays."

Kolb said the important thing is not to repeat mistakes.

"I know I'm going to make some mistakes. I just want to learn from them," he said. "Just like the scrimmage on Saturday, just like the practice yesterday. All those are sticking in my head, and I'll remember them, and hopefully I won't make those mistakes again. Obviously, we don't want to make a bunch of them.

"I don't know how much playing time we're going to get, but every down, every snap, I'll make sure I'm learning from that experience and putting them in my memory bank for later on."

The Cardinals had Sunday off, but while some of his teammates chose to return to Phoenix, Kolb stayed at camp.

"I said I needed to hang out here and make sure I was catching up on the fast-paced first couple of days there," he said. "I feel good, though, even the next practice yesterday, just spitting it out felt a lot better. And every day's a little bit better."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Cards sign Heap, trade Hightower to 'Skins for Holliday, pick

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The off-field frenzy has not let up for the Arizona Cardinals.

The team, revamping its roster in a bid to return to the top in the NFC West after a 5-11 season a year ago, started Sunday by signing two-time All-Pro tight end Todd Heap and wrapped up the afternoon by trading running back Tim Hightower to the Washington Redskins for 14-year NFL defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday and an undisclosed draft pick.

The team also re-signed free agent guard Deuce Lutui after he failed a physical with the Cincinnati Bengals for being overweight.

At sunset, the Cardinals welcomed first-round draft pick Patrick Peterson at a training camp news conference. The LSU cornerback, who reached a contract deal on Saturday, is set to practice on Monday.

It will be a homecoming for Heap, who grew up in Mesa, Ariz., and starred at Arizona State. Heap was released by the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday after 10 seasons with the Ravens.

The question will be how much Heap has left in him, but if the end of last season is any indication, the answer would be quite a bit.

Heap is the Ravens' career leader in receiving touchdowns and is second in receptions and receiving yards. Last season, Heap had 40 catches for 599 yards and five touchdowns. He caught a franchise postseason record 10 passes for 108 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Heap's 467 career receptions rank fifth among tight ends and his 41 touchdown catches are fourth among those to play the position.

"I'm just really excited about how he fits in and what we're going to be able to do with him," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "You know a large part of this next couple of weeks is seeing what his strengths are in our offense, but when you just think about some of our receivers and combining Todd Heap with them and trying to create some mismatch, you get pretty excited about that."

The hard-running Hightower had played all three of his seasons with Arizona after making the team as a fifth-round pick out of Richmond.

"We had an opportunity arise. After a lot of consideration, we thought it was probably in the best interest of both -- the club and Tim -- that we go in that direction," Whisenhunt said.

The 6-foot-4, 338-pound Lutui signed a one-year deal with Arizona after his free agent contract with Cincinnati fell apart. Weight is not an uncommon problem for Lutui, who had to earn his job back after coming in out of a shape after an ill-advised holdout a year ago.

Since the Cardinals already had signed his potential replacement in free agent Floyd Womack, who played all 16 games for the Cleveland Browns last season, Whisenhunt made it clear there is not much room for error for Lutui.

The NFL free agency cycle is in full effect, with teams and players agreeing to terms fast as training camps open. Get the latest on all the news right here.

"We love Deuce. He's a good football player. He's a guy we tried to get obviously when the free agency period started but he comes back to us now in a position when he's got some things to prove," the coach said. "Sometimes it's meant to be. Deuce has got an opportunity to come here, but he's going to have to earn what he gets on the football field. When he does it right and his weight's not an issue, he's a good football player. Hopefully Deuce understands that now."

There was so much activity that Peterson's return failed to get the usual top billing that a first-round pick, a man some believe was the best player in the draft, usually would receive.

With the Cardinals willing to trade cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as part of the deal to bring in quarterback Kevin Kolb, there is even more pressure on Peterson to make an impact from the get-go.

Asked what he was looking forward to most, Peterson smiled and said, "making interceptions."

"Making plays and hopefully getting the offense back in good field position," he said, "getting Kolb and Larry Fitzgerald and those guys in good field position so we can put points on the board."

The personnel moves overshadowed the team's second practice, a ragged affair.

"We've got a long ways to go," Whisenhunt said. "A lot of the little things you're seeing -- guys lining up offsides, missing the count, being in the wrong place -- a lot of the things you see early in the offseason that you get your players more comfortable with, now you're going to have to fight through. But the energy is good, the enthusiasm's good. We'll see as we proceed what kind of players we've got."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Cards' Dockett pulled over by police, uses Twitter to vent

Darnell Dockett was pulled over by police -- and gave Twitter followers a play-by-play account.

The Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman clearly was agitated Monday while posting a series of tweets during the incident. Dockett tweeted that police told him he was pulled over because he was speeding, and they wanted to search his car.

"I don't know why the police always messing w/me," he tweeted.

Dockett said he refused to allow police to start a search without a warrant. He eventually tweeted he was about to be let go and updated his Twitter page a few hours later by saying he didn't receive a ticket from police.

"No ticket and I didn't get punk by PO-PO today now I'm off to my 2nd work out!" he tweeted. "Police aint searchig my (stuff) with no warrant "holla at me"!

It was unclear where the incident occurred, and Dockett's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, didn't immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Dockett, who has played seven NFL seasons, frequently uses Twitter and has more than 70,500 followers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Niners kicker Nedney doubtful vs. Cards after missing practice

Joe Nedney didn't practice Saturday and was listed as doubtful on the San Francisco 49ers' injury report, meaning Shane Andrus likely will be the team's kicker in Monday night's meeting with the Arizona Cardinals.

Nedney also missed practice Thursday and Friday because of a right knee injury that kept him out of last weekend's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Andrus played in Nedney's place but didn't attempt a field goal or extra point in the 49ers' 21-0 loss.

Cornerback William James, who also missed the game against the Buccaneers, was listed as doubtful, too, because of a concussion. Offensive tackle Joe Staley was ruled out for the second consecutive game while he recovers from a broken leg.

Safety Dashon Goldson (ankle) is questionable for the 49ers. Cornerback Nate Clements (ankle), offensive tackle Anthony Davis (ankle), tight end Vernon Davis (ankle), running back Frank Gore (ankle) and wide receiver Josh Morgan (shoulder) are all probable.

Wide receiver Steve Breaston (knee), defensive end Calais Campbell (ankle), linebacker Clark Haggans (groin), running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring), cornerback Gregory Toler (foot) and defensive tackle Dan Williams (toe) are all questionable for the Cardinals after being limited in Saturday's practice. Cornerback Michael Adams (ribs), defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (shoulder), wide receiver Early Doucet (head), safety Kerry Rhodes (hand, back) and linebacker Reggie Walker (hamstring) fully practiced and are probable.

View the original article here

After week of drama, Vikings come back from 14 down to beat Cards in OT

MINNEAPOLIS -- Even Brett Favre thought the Minnesota Vikings were done -- for the game, and quite possibly the season.

Down 14 with less than five minutes to play against Arizona. Chants of "Fire Childress!" filling the Metrodome. A Super Bowl-or-bust season on the brink.

Watch all the action from Sunday all over again -- online and in HD. Save 50% with a Midseason Subscription! Learn More.

Suddenly, Favre conjured the kind of magic that simply hasn't been there all season, engineering another jaw-dropping fourth-quarter comeback that may have not only saved the Vikings' season, but coach Brad Childress' job as well.

Favre threw for a career-high 446 yards to rally the Vikings from 14 points down in the final four and half minutes and Ryan Longwell's 35-yard field goal in overtime lifted them to a 27-24 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.

"There was a point in that game where I think everyone in the building thought this is not going well. We don't stand a chance," said Favre, who has 46 career fourth-quarter comeback wins. "But we did."

Favre threw a 25-yard touchdown to Visanthe Shiancoe with 27 seconds to play in regulation, then hooked up with Bernard Berrian on a 22-yard pass in overtime to move the Vikings into position for an improbable victory.

The 41-year-old quarterback completed 36 of 47 passes with two touchdowns and two interceptions in easily his best performance of the season. Percy Harvin had nine catches for a career-high 126 yards and Adrian Peterson racked up 144 total yards and two TDs for the Vikings (3-5), who were dogged by questions about Childress' job security all week long.

Asked if he felt he was playing for Childress' job, Favre said, "I felt like I was playing for mine. I'm just being honest. ... Have I always got along with my coach, head coach, quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator? No. Do I always agree with the plays that are called? No. Why should that factor into me wanting to be the best player I can be?"

LaRod Stephens-Howling returned a kick 96 yards for a touchdown and Michael Adams returned a fumble 30 yards for a score for the Cardinals (3-5), who appeared to have the win sealed after stopping the Vikings on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with just over six minutes to play and a 24-10 lead.

But Favre directed scoring drives of 40 and 77 yards in regulation, quickly turning chants of "Fire Childress!" to "Let's Go Vikings!"

"I think they came expecting to see an execution," Childress said. "And it ended up a pretty good football game at the end."

It was an exhilarating end to another tumultuous week for the Vikings. It started with Childress deciding to cut receiver Randy Moss, a move that not only stunned players but team management and ownership as well. His messy handling of the situation raised serious doubts about his job security, and he also nearly came to blows with Harvin in practice on Friday.

Childress said he spent 15 minutes with Harvin before the game to clear the air.

"We're playing an emotional game with emotional people," Childress said. "It's part of what makes him good. Tempers can raise every now and then."

Owner Zygi Wilf declined to comment on Childress' status, only contributing to the speculation.

"The big thing is getting a win right now," Wilf said before the game. "The big thing is to win this game and to be crowned division champions and we're going to fight our (butts) off."

They did just that.

Vikings receiver Greg Camarillo chased down Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes on an interception return in the first quarter, jarring the ball loose just before Rhodes was about to score a touchdown. The ball squirted out of the back of the end zone for a touchback, a play of pure hustle that played a huge role in the outcome.

"I didn't see him at all," Rhodes said. "I thought I was in."

Harvin fumbled the opening kickoff to the second half and Adams returned it for a touchdown to give the Cardinals a 21-10 lead as boos rained down from the stands.

Derek Anderson was 15 for 26 for 179 yards and a touchdown and Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald had seven catches for 107 yards for the Cardinals, who had the ball first to start overtime.

But the Vikings defense smothered the Cardinals on that drive and Arizona had no answer for Peterson and Favre on the next possession.

"That's what he's been doing for it seems like forever now," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "Especially here, they were a team that had their backs against the wall, and they played like it."

The Cardinals came into the week 30th in the NFL in passing offense, with inconsistency at quarterback the chief reason for the struggles. They've flip-flopped between Max Hall and Anderson, who finally gave them the kind of professional, veteran performance they've been looking for ever since Kurt Warner retired.

"We're moving in the right direction, but it's just not good enough at this point," Fitzgerald said. "When you're losing three games in a row, we've got to find a way to get a win."

The offense only managed one touchdown drive, which ended with a 30-yard TD from Anderson to Andre Roberts, leaving the door open just a crack for Favre.

"He just needs to quit," Anderson said of Favre.

Fortunately for Childress, no one -- not Favre, not Harvin, not anyone -- gave up on this day.

"For this team, we showed no quit," Harvin said. "It showed us that we can turn this thing around."

Notes: After setting a franchise record with three straight sackless games, the Vikings had six on Sunday. Jared Allen had 2 1/2 and Ray Edwards had 2. ... Peterson's 12-yard receiving TD was his second career receiving TD and first since the 2007 season opener, the first game of his career. ... Fitzgerald became the second youngest receiver ever to eclipse 7,500 career yards on an 18-yard reception in the first half. The youngest? Moss, of course.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Cards' Wells says he'll play despite allergic reaction to meds

Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells told reporters Friday that he will play Sunday against the Vikings in Minnesota.

Wells has been limited in practice all week after an allergic reaction to Orthovisc that was injected as a lubricant intended to ease discomfort in his right knee.

After Wells practiced more Friday than he had all week, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said that as long as there are no swelling problems Saturday, the running back should be able to play Sunday.

The knee swelled up immediately after the injection and had limited Wells in practice Wednesday and Thursday. The second-year pro from Ohio State missed the first two games of the season after injuring the knee in the final preseason game, requiring arthroscopic surgery.

Wells made his first NFL start last Sunday in a 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For the rest of the Cardinals, linebacker Clark Haggans (groin) is listed as doubtful, while defensive tackle Alan Branch (back), wide receiver Steve Breaston (knee), linebacker Will Davis (groin), wide receiver Early Doucet (groin) and defensive end Kenny Iwebema (shoulder) are all listed as probable.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Cards QB Hall healing from 'Hawks beating, could play Sunday

Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Max Hall experienced "concussion-like symptoms" during Sunday's 22-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but he is feeling better Monday, according to a league source.

The early prognosis is that Hall, who was named the Cardinals' starter in place of veteran Derek Anderson in Week 5, should be ready to go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, barring any setbacks.

Hall still needs to pass the tests required by the NFL after a blindside sack knocked him out of Sunday's game in Seattle with a concussion.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said that if the rookie is cleared, he will be the starter against Tampa Bay, his poor performance in the 22-10 loss to the Seahawks notwithstanding.

"We can't make too much of what happened yesterday," Whisenhunt said at his Monday news conference. "He's a rookie quarterback. We can't lose sight of that. You know that you're going to have some things that you have to go through the first time. This is his first start on the road in a tough environment, and it didn't go very well. But what I've seen of Max, he'll bounce back and he'll improve."

Whisenhunt said he is looking to simplify Arizona's game plan in hopes that Hall can return to the freewheeling form that impressed the coaching staff during the preseason.

"We ran a bunch of plays that we ran in camp that we were familiar with and we executed them well," Whisenhunt said. "We're going to go back to a little bit of that. Hopefully that will help us be more efficient."

Hall was knocked out in the third quarter of last Sunday's game, the result of a hard but legal sack by Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons. Hall was blindsided, and he fumbled the ball at the Arizona 11-yard line, setting up one of Olindo Mare's five field goals.

Hall wasn't in the Cardinals' locker room when reporters were there Monday.

After the game, Hall said he was "a little woozy" and "a little nauseous" after the play.

"But I'll be OK," he said.

Hall struggled with his grip on the ball in the wet weather, leading Whisenhunt to suggest the quarterback might want to try gloves.

"It was tough. At times, it was really wet. But, it's no excuse," Hall said. "You still have to be able to execute. We were running the ball well. But we kept having turnovers and mistakes. It is hard to win when you do that."

Anderson, who started in Arizona's first four games, relieved Hall and directed the Cardinals to their only touchdown, but he was erratic, as is his custom. Anderson was 8-of-17 passing for 96 yards.

Wide receiver Steve Breaston was kept out of the game because of the wet conditions, Whisenhunt said. Breaston has missed three games while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The Cardinals expect him back against the Bucs.

Arizona's offense has scored two touchdowns in the last three games, and one of those was a 2-yard return of Hall's fumble by offensive tackle Levi Brown. The team hasn't had a passing touchdown since Week 3.

There's no need to fret about missing any games. You can watch every contest again with Game Rewind. Get more information here.

Again, the Cardinals had trouble taking advantage of Larry Fitzgerald's talent. Arizona threw to him 10 times Sunday, but Fitzgerald caught just three for 30 yards.

"Really, the quarterback play has been inconsistent," Whisenhunt said. "We've missed opportunities, and that's what hurt us, and obviously when we do get something going we've turned the ball over."

The Cardinals had five turnovers, four of them fumbles. Tim Hightower, who lost two fumbles in the season opener, lost another one at the end of a 28-yard run that gave the Seahawks the ball at their 28-yard line. Hightower gained 59 yards in six attempts, but he didn't carry the ball again.

Whisenhunt praised his defense for keeping the Cardinals close despite the turnovers. Seattle's only touchdown in seven red-zone trips came after Andre Roberts' muffed punt gave the Seahawks the ball at the Arizona 2-yard line. The Cardinals sacked Matt Hasselbeck five times, two by Alan Branch.

But it wasn't enough to overcome Arizona's punchless offense and the many mistakes.

The Cardinals (3-3) weren't about to concede that the Seahawks (4-2) are the best team in the NFC West.

"A game like that, we killed ourselves," running back Beanie Wells said. "We've got to give them credit. They're a good team, but I definitely don't think they are better than us."

The teams have a rematch in Arizona on Nov. 14.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

View the original article here

Defense regroups to lead Cards over Saints

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Max Hall's debut as Arizona's quarterback was a winning one as the Cardinals defense intercepted three passes by Drew Brees and went on to a 30-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

The undrafted rookie from BYU completed 17 of 27 passes for 168 yards, Jay Feely kicked three field goals and Kerry Rhodes returned a fumble 27 yards for a score to lead the way.

Hall threw an interception that led to an early Saints field goal and fumbled twice, but both turned out to be key plays for Arizona (3-2). The first was returned 2 yards by Cardinals tackle Levi Brown for a touchdown. Guard Alan Faneca pounced on the other for a 10-yard gain.

Arizona's defense, awful in a 41-10 loss at San Diego a week earlier, converted two turnovers by the Saints (3-2) into touchdowns.

Rhodes returned Ladell Betts' fumble for a score and, with 10 seconds to play, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returned an interception 28 yards for the game-clinching touchdown.

View the original article here