The Cardinals injuries are piling up and I'm sure there are some guys who are looking forward to a weekend off to let all the bumps and bruises heal. It's obviously not good to see all three of your tight ends and both starting corners on the injury list. As for the tight ends, I would imagine that Patrick will have to practice tomorrow if he wants to play and it'll be interesting to see if they let Tuman play considering today and yesterday were his first two practices since training camp. Eric Green's injury is much less of a concern than Roderick Hood's right now. Hood's groin was reportably "very sore" earlier in the week and he's crucial to the success of the secondary. Bertrand Berry really wants to play in this game but he'll have to get medical clearance before he's allowed back. Torn groins don't normally heal in just two weeks but we'll find out soon enough. I haven't seen any definitive news on Boldin's status, but I'll update if I get some more news. 

From what I've heard, Roy Wiliams, Kyle Kosier and Terence Newman are officially out. The team is hopeful that Watkins can play because he didn't play last week and that forced Keith Davis, a good special teams player but poor safety, into the starting job. All the other guys on that list will play.

Update: Anquan Boldin has been ruled out and Ben Patrick is doubtful. Even one else is questionable but should play. For the Cowboys, Patrick Watkins has been ruled out which means that Keith Davis will be the starter. The Cardinals will test him deep.

The Arizona Cardinals defense looked like a completely different unit than the group that took the field the past two weeks. The Red Birds brought the pressure from the outset and caused problems for the Bills offense all game long. By the end of the day, the defense had caused four turnovers and registered five sacks.

Defensive Line: The defensive line was in full force for the first time this season with Gabe Watson returning to the lineup and it's hard not to be encouraged by the results. Watson had a good game anchoring the middle of the defense and finished with a late sack and forced fumble. Antonio Smith made his first big play of the season when he shot the gap on on the Bills first offensive series to blow up a hand off between JP Losman and Marshawn Lynch. The result was a fumble that he recovered and the Cardinals' first touchdown, just over two minutes later. Darnell Dockett didn't have any highlight reel plays but he was effective making plays and he recovered a fumble that he returned 13 yards. Calais Campbell continues to impress as a backup and his days as a starter could come sooner rather than later. The D-line did a decent job of shutting down the Bills running game, holding Marshawn Lynch to 55 yards on 13 carries (4.2). The overall running game stats for the Bills don't look too terrible considering that they finished with 84 yards on 17 carries (4.9 avg), but 22 of those yards came on one play which raised the yards per carry a full yard. Grade: A

Linebackers: The linebacking corps had a great game combining for 23 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. Travis LaBoy had his second multiple sack game of the season and he tied for the team lead in tackles with seven. He continues to look like a great free agent signing who is capable of getting to the quarterback on any
given play. When he fully wraps his head around the OLB position and improves in pass coverage, he just might be a truly special player. Karlos Dansby finished with half a sack and seven tackles, including two tackles for loss. Gerald Hayes checked in with five tackles including one big hit on Robert Royal that led to a fumble. Clark Haggans performed very well in the reserve role with three tackles and 1.5 sacks. Chike Okeafor had a underwhelming game though with just a single tackle. Overall the linebacking unit had a great game and this is what they're capable of on a weekly basis if Clancy Pendergast commits letting them play aggressive, fast and loose. Grade: A

Secondary: The secondary took it's lumps on Sunday by giving up another big play but overall, the performance wasn't too bad. The big concern for the secondary will be the status of Roderick Hood after he left the game with an injury, but we should know something about that by the end of the day. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie stepped into his spot and DRC, as well as Antrel Rolle, got burned on Lee Evans 87 yard touchdown. Outside of that one play though, DRC performed pretty well in his first significant playing time, finishing with a tackle and a pass breakup. Eric Green had a good game finishing with two tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. As well as Roderick Hood has played this season, if Eric Green can string together a couple of games like this one, the secondary would be greatly improved. Antrel Rolle finished the game with five tackles but the one play that sticks out is the bomb to Evans. He's got to get better about staying deep and not biting on play action. The hero of the secondary was undoubtably Adrian Wilson. He's the heart and soul of the defense and everyone else feeds off of his energy. Somehow he didn't manage to register a single measurable stat but he still made the play of the game, knocking Trent Edwards out of the game on the Bills third offensive play. The secondary, overall, made plays but they also allowed the Bills to make some big plays and until they get better about limiting the deep pass, they'll remain the glaring weakness of this defense. Grade: B-

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Overall the defense did it's part in disrupting the Bills offensive flow and made it tough for them to move the ball or establish any kind of rythm all day long. This defense may not be elite or even respected by those around the league, but they've got the play makers to cause problems for any offense. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree with the grades? What can be done shut down the big plays in the secondary?

The Arizona Cardinals came home looking for a win as well as some momentum and they got both on Sunday by routing the Bills 41-17. The Cardinals were physically dominant from the outset of the game when they knocked Trent Edwards out of the game on their third offensive play (we'll see if Adrian Wilson is fined for the hit later in the week). One look at the box score will tell the story of this game considering the Cardinals ended up with almost a hundred more total yards, more than a 10 minute edge in time of possession and +4 in the turnover ratio. There were far more positives that anything else yesterday so we'll take the easy way out and just talk about what went right. Later in the day we'll talk about the negatives from yesterday and concerns heading into next week including Roderick Hood and Ben Patrick's injury status.

Kurt Warner: I've said it before, but it's worth reiterating: When Kurt Warner doesn't turn the ball over, he's as good as any quarterback in this league. The Bills were 6th in the league heading into this week allowing just 168.5 yards per game but that didn't stop Warner from completing over 78 percent of his passes on his way to 250 yards. He didn't end up with a great yards per attempt (6.0) but a week after having six turnovers, he protected the ball and had a very good game despite missing one of his top receivers, Anquan Boldin.

Offensive Line: One week after getting embarrassed by the Jets, the offensive line had a great rebound performance against the Bills. The O-line kept Warner clean all game long, not allowing a single sack and he was hit just a few times. Considering that Warner dropped back to pass over 40 times, that's quite an accomplishment. They did a really good job limiting Marcus Stroud and Levi Brown had a nice bounce back game after being abused against the Jets. The run blocking still has a long way to go but they did end up with 123 yards rushing on 34 attempts (3.6 avg). 

Wide Receivers: There were several questions heading into Sunday concerning the wide receivers, such as could Breaston handle being a starter and how will Early Doucet handle his first professional game? In case you missed the game, both answers were a resounding YES. The Bills were focused on Larry Fitzgerald (7 for 52) and the result was Breaston and Doucet combining for 119 yards on 13 receptions, including a couple big third down conversions. Fitzgerald ended up with both touchdown receptions but Breaston and Doucet did a good job of moving the chains.

Defensive Pressure: After a couple of lackluster pass rush performances on the road, the Cardinals turned up the dial yesterday and harassed the Bills quarterbacks early and often. A blitzing Adrian Wilson knocked Trent Edwards out of the game on the Bills' third offensive play and they didn't slow down until the game was well out of hand. The defense finished with five sacks, two of which came from free agent signee, Travis LaBoy. LaBoy not only only led the team in sacks, he was also tied for the team lead in tackles and was a disruptive force all over the field. Another Arizona-newcomer, Clark Haggans finished with 1.5 sacks and oddly enough his sacks came on back to back plays in the fourth quarter. Gabe Watson made his presence felt in his first game back with a sack and fumble recovery.

Turnover Ratio: The Cardinals were -8 in the turnover battle the past two weeks against the Redskins and Jets and much of the talk was centered around the defense not being aggressive. Well that certainly wasn't the case yesterday as the Cardinals were ultra-aggressive causing four turnovers which led to 17 points. The first fumble was the result of a great play by Antonio Smith when he shot the gap and blew up a handoff between JP Losman and Marshawn Lynch. That was the second play after Trent Edwards was knocked out of the game and the Bills would never recover. The Cardinals would take over at the Bills 38 and score six plays later. 

Neil Rackers: I've jumped on Rackers for every mistake he's made this year so it's only fair to acknowledge him when he has a really good game. He not only connected on two field goals (47 yards and 38 yards), he also hit another one from 28 that was nullified by a Bills penalty. His kickoffs were effective even though he didn't register a touchback considering that the Bills average starting position on kickoffs was thier own 25 yard line. Rackers also helped his own cause registering two tackles, both of which came around the Bills 20 yard line.

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There were other positivies about this game, but that should get the ball rolling. Later today and into tommorrow we'll chart the running and passing plays as well as continue to break down a big Cardinals win. Thoughts? Who else stood out as having a good game?

Bertrand Berry is headed back to Phoenix after learning that he had a tear in his groin. We feared that his injury may be worse than a strain but this is certainly bad news for a guy who has had season ending injuries the past three seasons. Berry was off to a great start with three sacks in the first three games. Coach Whisenhunt said that there is no time table yet for his return. We thought that the return of Chris Harrington might have something to do with Berry's injury and if he's out for an extended amount of time, Harrington should get pulled up to the 53 man roster pretty quickly.

As for this Sunday, Clark Haggans has been working behind Travis LaBoy during practice this week and he'll be the primary backup to LaBoy and Chike Okeafor. While it may not seem to be a big loss, it's worth remembering that Berry was lining up all over the field (OLB, DE and even nose tackle) so far and was consistenty generating a decent pass rush.

With the offensive and defensive analysis already posted, we look at the third and final group from Sunday's victory for the Arizona Cardinals. The special teams units were one of the biggest question marks heading into the season and so far they've been a mixed bag of results. Here's how they did against the Dolphins:

Neil Rackers: Rackers had a rough game considering that the Cardinals won by three touchdowns. He booted the opening kickoff out of bounds and missed a 47 yard field goal (although it was nullified by a penalty). Granted a 47 yarder is any thing but an easy field goal but any time a kickoffs ends up out of bounds, it's a huge buzz kill and simply inexusable. Outside of those two problems, Rackers was ok. He had five other kickoffs, four of which went to at least the goal line, and a 45 yard field goal. He attempted another squib kick at the end of the third quarter, but the Dolphins were ready for it after seeing it several times against San Fran. Grade: C

Dirk Johnson: Johnson is doing everything right so far and he had another great game. He didn't have to do much since the offense was unstoppable for most of the game but when he was needed, he pinned the Dolphins deep. His first punt went 48 yards and was downed at the two yard line and his second punt was fair caught
at the 11. Basically he couldn't have had a better game. Grade: A+

Coverage Units: The coverage on kickoffs was pretty solid for the most part but the overall average (20.3) was dragged down by the squib kick which led to a zero yard return. The three kickoffs that were actually returned went for an average of 27 yards. Calais Campbell is making a name for himself on special teams and he logged another tackle and downed Dirk's punt at the two. Grade: B+

Return Units: Steve Breaston again handled both return duties since JJ Arrington was inactive for the second straight game. Breaston didn't get as many chances as you'd think either considering how inept the Dolphin offense was on Sunday. He had two punt returns (16 yards and 12 yards) but his overall numbers were dragged down by a penalty on the second return. His only kick return went for 27 yards. One black eye for the return units that isn't necassarily Breaston's fault is that two punts resulted in Arizona penalties. Campbell picked up a block below the waist and Haggans had a holding call. The biggest moment for the units though were when Larry Fitzgerald recovered the Dolphins onside kick allowing the Cardinals to run out the clock. Grade: B+

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The specail teams weren't too bad when you look at the group as a whole but you just wonder if Rackers is going to cost this team another game sometime down the road. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree?

We took a look at the prolific offense yesterday but today we swith gears and look at how the stingy Arizona Cardinals defense did against the Dolphins. They only allowed 10 points (lowest since 11/19/06) and all of the points came well after the game was decided. The defense wasn't as disruptive as it was in week one but once they jumped ahead by three scores the blitzes were dialed down and the plan become more about not allowing a big play or a cheap score.

Defensive Line: The DL got a boost with Alan Branch returning to the rotation and the front line played a big role in shutting down Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. The Dolphins running game totaled just 72 yards and had three rushes that resulted in negative yardage. Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith spent much of the day trying to cover backs out of the backfield instead of rushing the passer and they did a good job of limiting Brown and Williams to just 3 receptions for 20 yards. Calais Campbell continues to impress (led the DL with 3 tackles) and he should continue to see an increased role as the season progresses. Bryan Robinson continues to prove why he was a great free agent signing as he logged one of two sacks on the day. Grade: A

Line Backers: Karlos Dansby showed again why he's a man that deserves to be paid as he led the defense in tackles, with eight, for the second consecutive game. Hayes, Haggans and Okeafor were each solid with multiple tackles and played a big role in limiting Chad Pennington's favorite targets (tight ends and RBs). Travis LaBoy didn't follow up his two sack performance from last week but he missed 10-15 plays after his face mask broke. Bertrand Berry chipped in with four tackles and his second sack in as many games. Grade: B+

Corner Backs: The corners were solid once again allowing Dolphin receivers just 10 receptions for 122 yards total and half of those stats (5 for 60) came on the Phins final touchdown drive, long after the game had been decided. Roderick Hood made plays all over the field, finishing second on the team with six tackles and his first pass defended on a deep pass to Ernest Wilford. Eric Green had a good game and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie saw some extended playing time later in the game and finished with two tackles and his first pass defended. Ralph Brown got on the field and his was tackle was a one yard loss on Ricky Williams. Grade: B+

Safeties: Adrian Wilson is still stud of the secondary and he proved it again on Sunday as he finished with four tackles, including stopping Ronnie Brown for a four yard loss in the on the Phins opening drive to force a three and out. Wilson played a big role is shutting down the running game as three of his tackles were on running plays (two were one yard gains and the four yard loss). Antrel Rolle played his part as well and his two tackles were also on running plays, including one for no gain. Aaron Francisco made his mark on the game stopping Ricky Williams for a seven yard loss and causing a fumble. He finished with three tackles and a pass defended. Grade: A

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Overall it's hard not to love a defensive performance where they only allowed ten points and 4.1 yards per play. The defense wasn't as oportunistic as they were against the Niners but they were still dominant. There stats are likely inflated by playing against the offensively challenged Dolphins but if the defense can continue to stiffle opposing offenses and limit the big play, this team will be in every game. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What would your grades have been?

An area of the game that had me very concerned going into the season, performed pretty well for the first week of the season and played a pretty big role in the Arizona Cardinals victory. They weren't perfect by any means but all things considered it 
could have been worse.

Neil Rackers: Rackers' had the worst play of the special teams units when he shanked a 35 yard field goal but he also played a huge role in the Cardinals domination of the field position. In total he had six kickoffs and four of them ended up in the endzone, two of which were touchbacks. The other two kickoffs were pooch kicks, one of those was of course recovered by the Cardinals and led to the Cardinals domination in the time of possession department. Of the two regular kickoffs that were actually returned, one was brought out of the endzone but Rossum was stopped at the ten yard line (a SF penalty actually moved the ball back to the 5). The Niners did get one good return though as Rossum brought Rackers' third kickoff out of the endzone for a return of 44 yards. Had it not been for that return though, the Cardinals might never have started pooch-kicking and the third quarter could have had a much different result. Rackers' inability to be consistent on makeable field goals is nothing short of maddening but his truly unique abilities in other areas of the kicking game help keep some heat off of him. Grade: B-

Dirk Johnson: Johnson's raw stats are pretty impressive (punting avg & net avg - 45 yards), but when you look at each punt you really get an idea of just how good he was on Sunday. First, obviously if the raw average and net average are the same, then he didn't have a single punt that was returned. He also pinned the Niners at or inside their 20 three times and one of those was accomplished with an impressive 59 yard boot. His best punt of the day though was a 35 yard beauty that Clark Haggans downed at the one yard line. The one punt that he didn't get inside the 20 was a 48 yard kick that was fair caught by Allen Rossum. Honestly, I'm not sure that Johnson could have done a better job and our cries for a new punter should be silenced for at least a week. Grade: A+

Steve Breaston: Breaston made news for a good game at receiver but he still handled his usual return duties as well and it was a mixed bag at best. He did have an impressive punt return of 17 yards that set the offense up with great field position at the Niner 40 yard line. His kickoff returns left much to be desired though 
considering that his long was 19 yards and he even had one that only a single yard. It's worth remembering that his strength last year was punt returns and if his kick returns continue to be subpar, the coaching staff will have to find a way to keep J.J. Arrington active on gamedays. Grade: C

Coverage Units: Considering that there wasn't a single punt return and the Niners' kickoff return average was just 16 yards, the coverage units certainly did they're part. They did allow one big kickoff return but they made up for by shutting Rossum down at the ten yard line on one return and downing three punts inside, or at, the 20 yard line. Grade: A

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Were you as impressed with the special teams as I was or is a 35 yard missed field goal just too big of a black eye to ignore? How surprised were you by Dirk Johnson and were you wondering where Arrington was on kickoffs?

The Arizona Cardinals defense wasn't legendary on Sunday but they did enough to ensure the Niner offense couldn't settle into a rhythm or establish themselves on the ground or through the air. The defensive front seven was did their part to create havoc and the secondary nearly shut out the Niners wide outs. 

Defensive Line: Considering that the defensive line was down to their third string nose tackle, they did a decent job of limiting Frank Gore. Bryan Robinson certainly looked like he got worn down towards the end of the first half and with Robinson being handled on the inside, the rest of the line was able to key on Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith. That didn't stop Dockett from doing his part though and he made plays all over the field finishing with five tackles and a forced fumble. Smith had a less productive game but did recover a fumble and finished with a tackle. Rookies Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema both saw some playing time but didn't do too terribly much to stand out. Given the injury situation at the nose, it's hard not to be somewhat impressed with what they were able to accomplish. Grade: B

Linebackers: You don't have to do much more than look at a boxscore to understand the impact that the linebacking corps had on this game. Travis LaBoy wreaked all kinds of havoc during the game and finished with four tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. LaBoy wasn't the only guy who made plays though as Karlos Dansby led the teams in tackles (7) and Gerald Hayes chipped in with 6 tackles and a sack. Chike Okeafor lived in the Niner backfield and even though he had some issues with missed tackles, he finished with two tackles and at least a couple of quarterback pressures. Bertrand Berry was 'Mr Versatile' lining up at OLB, DE and even NT in passing situations. He finished a sack and a forced fumble. Clark Haggans biggest contribution was on special teams but he also chipped in with a tackle. Grade: A+

Corners: The trio of corners, Roderick Hood, Eric Green, and DRC, only finished with four tackles combined but a lot of that had to do with the offenses inability to get the ball to their wide receivers. The Niners' wide outs finished the game with just four catches so the corners certainly did their jobs. DRC also made an appearance on defense and it wasn't how we expected. It looked like he lined up on the outside receiver and Green slid down into the nickel role at times. Grade: A

Safeties: The combo of Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle didn't get challegned much in the passing game because the Niners had trouble getting receivers down the field. They did allow two passes over 30 yards but most of thier work was in support of the running game. Rolle missed a couple of tackles and at times didn't look completely comfortable at safety but he also flashed the ability that shows why so many think he can be a great safety. A-dub was his usual havoc wreaking self with four tackles and an interception. He did pick up a penalty though with an offsides call and he looked out of place on the deep pass to Vernon Davis, but overall he was solid. The deep-duo didn't get tested much and probably won't this week either but their time is coming. Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware both saw some playing time but didn't much to stand out either in a bad or good way, although Francisco did pick up a couple of tackles. Grade: B

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Overall it was a really solid opening performance for the defensive unit and even though there are areas that need to be shored up, they certainly look like a talented and deep group. It's too early to get excited about a good game against 'offensively challenged' San Fran but I didn't see any indications that this unit can't be as good as we all expected them to be this season. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What grades would you have given them and what area needs the most improvement?

After taking a look at how the offensive depth hart might look, here's a glance at the depth on the defensive side of the ball:

Left DE - Antonio Smith, Kenny Iwebema, Calais Campbell

Iwebema has been playing the left side but an extended absence by Smith could see Campbell move over.

NT - Bryan Robinson, Alan Branch, Gabe Watson (injured)

Robinson will most likely be the starter against the Niners but he might be the last guy that they want to start as well. Branch might be the best on any given play but you just never know whether you're going to get 100% or 50%. Watson will be the starter as soon he's healthy.

Right DE/UT - Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema

Dockett is the stud and and Campbell is the young man in waiting.

Left OLB - Chike Okeafor, Clark Haggans

As long as Okeafor stays healthy he's the man. Haggans has performed well in preseason and he's an experienced veteran, but he's at his best with limited snaps.

Right OLB - Travis LaBoy, Bertrand Berry

LaBoy had a good preseason and won the starting job. He's younger and more explosive but Berry will still see his fair share of snaps when he's healthy.

MILB - Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Monty Beisel, Ali Highsmith

Beisel's probably the first guy to step in whether Dansby or Hayes goes down and Highsmith's role will likely be special teams unless a couple of injuries strike.

Left CB - Roderick Hood, DRC, Ralph Brown, Matt Ware

The top two spots are pretty set in stone but if somehow they both get injured, it would be a big mess. They would probably decide to move Rolle back down to corner depending on the depth left at safety. Brown is a good special teamer but he's not a starting corner. Ware can play both safety and corner but he's not a starting corner either. 

Right CB - Eric Green, DRC, Ralph Brown, Matt Ware

Pretty much the same as above.

SS - Adrian Wilson, Aaron Francisco, Oliver Celestin

Wilson is the obvious starter and there's a big drop off to #2. Francisco's got some experience but he lacks the playmaking ability of A-dub.

FS - Antrell Rolle, Aaron Francisco, Matt Ware, Oliver Celestin

Most depth charts list Ware as the primary backup to Rolle but I still think Francisco would be the first name called if Rolle went down. Ware's younger but still a good, developing player. Celestin is best on special teams but he's a big hitter who will look decent in limited snaps.

Thoughts? Agree/Disagree?

Well the Arizona Cardinals players, coaches and staff have left Flagstaff meaning that another training camp is officially in our rear view mirror. This will ultimately go down as a training camp that was dominated by the Boldin's trade demands but for now we can't forget that many other things were accomplished and some questions still need to be answered.

Compliment to Edge: Edgerrin James hasn't been the elite back that the Cardinals thought they were getting when the signed him as a free agent but he hasn't had much help either. His first year in the desert he ran behind a horrible offensive line and he's never had a legitimate backup to give him a break and share the load. The Cardinals seem to have given him some help this year though with rookie Tim Hightower. At the very least Hightower should take over the short yardage and goal line carries and he could be on the fast track to a future starting role. Hightower's shown quick feet, good vision and an unexpected burst that that has caused quite the stir among coaches and fans alike.

Defensive Depth: We all know that the defense fell of a cliff last year after injuries to several key players robbed the unit of their explosive play makers. They didn't have the depth to be competitive last year but things have changed in 2008. The front seven looks to have solid players two deep at nearly every position. The offseason acquisitions of Travis LaBoy, Clark Haggans, Bryan Robinson and Matt Stewart have infused quality depth in to a front seven that desperately needed it. All four of them have starting experience in the this league and their mix of youth and veteran leadership could help vault this defense into the upper half of the league.

BJ's Replacement: Heading into the offseason we weren't quite sure who would replace Bryant Johnson as the third receiver and the options included as many as five names. By the first preseason game though, the competition was all but over. Steve Breaston followed up an impressive mini-camp with an equally, if not more impressive training camp and preseason. He brings the kind of speed and quickness to the wide receiver corps that they haven't had in a while. He looks like he's poised for a great sophomore season and provide a unique compliment to the Pro Bowl duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Where's the Tight Ends?: Before camp the tight end group looked deep, talented and poise for a breakout, but with camp over and the pre-season halfway over we've seen very little the group. Leonard Pope was recovering from an ankle injury and even though he hasn't missed any practices, he hasn't shown much in game time to convince anyone that he's truly 100%. Ben Patrick looked like he was ready to challenge Pope for the starting job but a high ankle sprain against the Chiefs will keep him out until at least the opener. They even had to sign a tight end of the streets after Troy Bienemann couldn't get healthy. Through two games the tight ends have combined for 3 receptions for 23 yards and that kind of production won't get the job done.

Are the Special Teams really special?: The Cardinals lost four games by less than a touchdown and in those games Neil Rackers missed 3 field goals, including losses to Baltimore, Washington, and San Francisco. When the season ended the Cardinals were 31st in the league in field goal percentage and one of only ten teams to miss an extra point. There was some thought that Rackers would have a better year in 2008 because he likes Dirk Johnson as his holder and he's finally recovered from a sports hernia that plagued him in 2007, but Rackers hasn't been terribly good in the preseason with a missed extra point and kickoff that ended up out of bounds. The Cardinals need Rackers to return to the kicker who made over 93% of his field goals (including 6 of 7 from over 50) in 2005.

Who's on the Nose?: We knew going in that Gabe Watson would probably miss most of camp and we thought that Alan Branch would come into camp and perform well enough to stake some claim to keeping the job permanently. Much to our surprise though free agent veteran Bryan Robinson opened camp as the starter at nose tackle and he's been good enough to keep Alan Branch running with the second string. Robinson is not exactly to type of player that the coaching staff would want as the center of the defense so him starting is more of a result of what Branch has not done than what Robinson has done. Hopefully Watson will be ready to go by the start of the regular season because if he isn't the center of the defense could end up being a weakness for opposing offenses to exploit. Branch also needs to step up and show the ability that made the Cardinals trade up to snag him just one year ago.

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What do you guys think? Did camp make your expectations higher or lower heading into September 7th? Who else exceeded or fell below your expectations?