by Paul Sakuma - AP

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree laughs at the idea of joining the team anytime soon. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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The Arizona Cardinals are a couple of days away from facing the San Francisco 49ers to open the season and what better way to get an inside look at the 49ers than to ask Fooch of Niners Nation.com. You can also check out my Q&A with Fooch right here.

ROTB: Even though I'm sure that you're tired of talking about this guy and answering this question, what's the status of Micheal Crabtree? Is there any end in sight or is it actually possible that he'll sit out the entire season?

Fooch: Crabtree remains on the shelf unsigned (not exactly shocking news). The signals coming from Team Crabtree (which seems to be growing by the day) are a bit mixed at times. Deion Sanders (former Eugene Parker client) and Eric Davis (not sure his connection) have indicated Crabtree is very willing to sit out the season. He's made enough money from endorsements that he's fine financially and can get by without game checks.

At the same time, he's been working out with Trent Dilfer and he supposedly was living in the Bay Area. The Dilfer thing isn't big as any player would want to remain fresh, especially if he was not gonna see the field until the 2010 season. However, living in the Bay Area (if true) would indicate he might sign before the week 10 deadline (when he can no longer play this year).

The next major time frame is this weekend. A lot of folks think he'll sign by the first game, so we'll know where that stands in a few days. If he doesn't sign by then, I don't see any reason he'd sign until close to the week 10 deadline. It's a philosophical difference and I just don't see anything changing anytime soon. If a deal is done, somebody has to lose face given that the 49ers have said they don't want to meet him halfway. The 49ers have offered slot 10 money and don't want to go above Raji's contract. So really I don't know anything!

ROTB: I'm sure the story line that should have gotten the most attention in the Bay area was the battle for the starting QB spot if not for Mr. Crabtree but what are your thoughts on how it turned out? Was it ever really a battle and did the right guy win?

Fooch: I think the right guy won at this point. Shaun Hill was the so-called "reigning champion" at the position due to his finish last season, and as they say, you have to take the title from the champ. The competition started strong, but sort of petered out midway through the preseason. It ended up sort of being tie goes to Hill. While that is not exactly wildly inspiring, Hill is the man for now. He's never played more than 8 games in a season so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for scouting reports to catch up with him.

Alex Smith is the more athletic of the two, but Hill has consistently been solid. It's hard to say Hill was clearly the man for the job because of the level of competition in many of his starts (which man folks at NN will tell you). However, he was presented with opportunities and took advantage of those opportunities.

The real story of the preseason (not sure if this is good or bad for the short term) was QB Nate Davis. He was facing second, third and fourth stringers, but he showed some very solid skills. At one point there were thoughts he might end up on the practice squad, but he played through that quite ably. The 49ers have been looking for a long term answer at QB for most of the decade, and they might actually have one...or at least potential.

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Last week was the second week of predicting the Arizona Cardinals record for the 2009 season. At the midway point of the season, the Cardinals look to be 5-3, which most may agree is a very respectable record, and may have them at 1st place in the division at that point. Last week's may have also been the toughest stretch of the season, and the Cardinals are projected to finish 2-2 in that span. This week, things are similar, as the Cardinals begin with 2 division rivals, followed by two competitive games.

Week 10: vs Seattle Seahawks 

Key Additions: WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, DT Colin Cole, CB Ken Lucas, DT Cory Redding, LB Aaron Curry

Key Losses: LB Julian Peterson, DT Rocky Bernard, WR Bobby Engram, RB Maurice Morris

Analysis: As stated in part 2 of this segment, Seattle enjoyed a swarming amount of injuries in 2008. They lacked 2nd stringers to cover for their 1st stringers when the injury bug attacked. Seattle hopes to be fully healed in 2008, yet long time, future hall of fame offensive tackle, Walter Jones, has already had back problems this offseason, and is about to go through knee surgery which will take him out indefinitely. Seattle gets a healthy Matt Hasselbeck back at the helm of the offense, and added a wide out threat in TJ Houshmandzadeh.

What to watch for: After predicting a win for the Cardinals on the road in Seattle already, the Seahawks will be heading into this game, hoping to get their revenge. If all stars are healthy, we should be in for a good showing. At this point in the season, the Cardinals may be looking to secure a playoff birth, and getting this against a divisional opponent would be nice. Watch for a competitive game, as Hasselbeck likes to play tough against the Cardinals year in and year out.

Key Match up: Kurt Warner vs Seahawks defense - Warner will be looking to carve up the Seahawks defense, hoping to push the Cardinals into the playoff race.

Prediction: Win - If the Seahawks can't beat the Cardinals in Seattle, what makes it different in Arizona?

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More photos » by Craig Lassig - AP

2 months ago: Quarterback Brett Favre, left, and Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress drive off after Favre arrived at the St. Paul Downtown Airport in St Paul, Minn, on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009. The 39-year-old quarterback arrived in Minnesota on Tuesday to meet with the NFL football team. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

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I just couldn't resist and felt the need to post this breaking news. It's been 2 offseason's in a row, and 2 different teams, and Brett Favre is now possibly officially a Minnesota Viking. The news broke earlier today by Chris Mortenson, that Favre was going to sign with the Vikings, pending a physical. Apparently, that's all taken care of and he's already practicing with the team. Favre took the media on this roller coaster ride last year, announcing his retirement, then requesting to be traded. After an up, then down year with the New York Jets last year, he retired, again, this off season. Things started to spark up with talks of Favre coming out of retirement to join the Minnesota Vikings, who were in need of a quarterback. Three weeks ago, many of us thought the end was near and the Favre hoopla was over. Today things came right back into swing and Brett Favre is the newest starting quarterback for the Vikings. Over at the Daily Norsemen, they've declared it as Favrestock 2009!, and have done a pretty good job covering any breaking news, to new Favre jerseys, to Favre already being on the practice field, and that Favre will likely be in action this Friday. So although this isn't Cardinal related, (other then what Pyromnc pointed out about the Cardinals wanting revenge on that embarrassing loss to the Vikings last year, and the 6 TD performance of Brett against us), what does everybody think? I'd say this stirs up a lot of media hype for the next couple weeks, and a lot of Brett Favre highlights on NFL Network.

Last week we broke down the first 4 games of the Arizona Cardinals season, and at that point, they were 3-1. While it seems like it could be a good start, a few Cardinal homers feel like starting 4-0 is very possible. Either way, the Cardinals will need a strong start to the season, as the rest of the NFC West, let alone the entire league, will be gunning for them right away. Nevertheless, the next four games are as follows:

Week 6 - At Seattle Seahawks

Key Additions: WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, DT Cory Redding, DT Colin Cole, CB Ken Lucas, LB Aaron Curry

Key Losses: LB Julian Peterson, RB Maurice Morris, DT Rocky Bernard, WR Bobby Engram

Analysis: Last year Seattle tried harder to keep players healthy rather then win, evidence being their 4-12 record. At times they were searching for back ups for their back ups, and were bringing in new players on a weekly basis. With that in mind, they went out in search for a receiver that could fill a hole that was gaping last year, and also brought in some defensive talent. This year the Jim Mora Jr regime begins, and there is sure to be an adjustment period. The Seahawks hope to get back to their winning ways, and it starts by dethroning the defending NFC West champs.

What to watch for: The Cardinals will be going into their 2nd game on the road in 2009, and Seattle is known for giving road teams problems. The "12th man" is sure to be there, and that means false starts for the Cardinals. If they can avoid these and win in a place that's always been a tough place to win for them, it's a good sign for things to come. If the Cardinals do win on the road in Seattle, which would be two years in a row, this is the true sign of the changing of the guard in the NFC West.

Key Match Up: Adrian Wilson vs Matt Hasselbeck - Hmm, I feel a repeat of last year on the road in Seattle ; )

Prediction: Win - At this point the Cardinals are beginning a stretch of tough games, and need a win against a division rival.

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More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald, right, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (29) joke around in a break during morning practice at the Cardinals' training camp Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Before the 2009 season officially starts for the Arizona Cardinals in 2 days, here's a look at some of the power rankings from around the web. You can see where the Cardinals got screwed by ESPN, ESPN's rankings, along with a few other websites. This will also be a weekly segment once the season kicks off, just to see what the critics are saying and where they rank us throughout the year. Here are the Pre Preseason rankings that have been posted so far this off season:

ESPN.com- 12th

The defending NFC champs barely crack the top 12 and that came only with an assist from their generous divisional blogger. No respect. (Sando)

Walterfootball.com- 14th

The Cardinals caught fire and made an incredible run to the Super Bowl. They're returning most of their players, and they just had an incredible draft. The problem is, Super Bowl losers have performed very poorly the following year for whatever reason. There's no reason to believe Arizona won't suffer a similar fate.

SI.com- 12th

Just an unsettling offseason, so far. I love the free-agent signing of Bryant McFadden to pair at corner with Dominique Rogers-Cromartie(does any other corner combination in football contain 13 syllables?), but the Cards are too unsettled right now. Will Boldin or Dockett, or both, shoot their way out of town? Will Beanie Wellsbe a good fit for the two-headed running game, along with Tim Hightower? One thing we do know: Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald will be Brady-Moss-like prolific as long as Warner can stay healthy.

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With the start of the 2009 preseason only less then a week away, now's a good time to break down the regular season and predict a record for 2009. Last year, many of us figured a realistic record would be 9-7 or 10-6, and their actual record fell along those lines. This year, the schedule becomes more difficult, coaching changes are made, and different personnel and schemes are brought in that can make predicting a valid schedule very frustrating. This season is sure to feature its ups and downs, upsets and surprising, and many more unknown scenarios. Let's break down the schedule and attempt to bolster a reasonable prediction for the Cardinals 2009 record. We'll do 4 weeks at a time until we have the complete 16 game record complete.

Week 1 - San Francisco 49ers

Key Additions: WR Brandon Jones, CB Dre Bly, WR Michael Crabtree

Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain, WR Bryant Johnson, CB Donald Strickland, QB J.T. O'Sullivan

Analysis: When Mike Singletary took over the 49ers last year, it took a couple of games, but Singletary was able to spark a fire under the 49ers and make them one of the most competitive teams towards the end of last year. That fire is sure to continue on this season, and should create a great season opener as the Cardinals and 49ers have opened the season together the last 3 years together.

What to watch for: The most obvious things to watch for would be how Beanie Wells handles his first regular season game, as he should get a good amount of carries against a physical defense in the 49ers. We should also watch out to see if Larry Fitzgerald's momentum from the playoffs continues into this season.

Key Match Up: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie vs. Michael Crabtree

Prediction: Win - Cardinals coming off a Super Bowl run, at home, should be too much for the 49ers.

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It's been a while and we need to complete our All Cardinals list as soon as possible. Whats better then voting for the Cardinals all time cornerbacks list over the weekend? As you can see here, we started with the quarterbacks back in March. In case you've never noticed, the results so far are on the left side of the home page.  With training camp already starting and the preseason just weeks away, we still have the corners, safeties, linebackers and coaches left. That brings us to the Cornerbacks. As you can see, the Cardinals have had some noteworthy defenders in the past. Here are the candidates.

Roger Wehrli - '69-'82

• 1st Rd Pick
• 7 Pro Bowls
• Hall of Fame
• 193 games, 66 Starts
• 40 INTs, 309 yards, 2 TDs

This may be a lock at cornerback as the Hall of Fame corner played his entire career as a Cardinal. Wehrli was drafted in the 1st round of the 1969 draft after he was an All American in college and ran a 4.5 40 yard dash heading into the draft. Wehrli immediately made an impact in his first season as he became an All Rookie choice. Wehrli was regarded as one of the first true speed cornerbacks. Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach called Wehrli the best cornerback he'd ever played against and claimed the term "Shutdown Corner", originated from Wehrli. Roger went on the make 7 pro bowls during his career with the Cardinals, along with 5, 1st team All Pros. With 40 interceptions during his career, he was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Cardinals Ring of Honor.  

Dick Night Train Lane - '54-'59

• Hall of Fame
• 4 Pro Bowls, 1 1st team All Pro
• 68 Games
• 30 INTs, 628 yards and 2 TDs

Another Hall of Famer that played in the back field for the Cardinals was Dick "Night Train" Lane. Lane was originally undrafted and started his career with the Rams. He began at defensive end, but once the switch was made to corner, it was all over. Lane became one of the hardest hitting cornerbacks for that time, and was also a notable ball hawk. He set a record that still stands to this day, with 14 interceptions in his rookie season. Lane played with the Cardinals from '54 -'59, and recorded 30 interceptions while he was with the team. He was mostly noted for his hard hits, and preferred tackling by the arm and neck. He was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974, and will be remembered as one of the greatest football players of All-time.

Aeneas Williams - '91-'00

• 159/160 Games
• 8 Pro Bowls
• 46 INTs, 653 Yards 6 TDs and 498 Tackles

Williams is one of the greatest shutdown corners to play the game, let alone for the Cardinals. He was also one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals of the 90's. He jump started his career in his rookie season when he tied for the league lead for most interceptions that year. He went on to  go to 6 straight pro bowls for the Cardinals, and 8 in his career. He was also selected to the 1st team all pro team 4 times. Williams was also one of the key parts of that 1998 team that won in the playoffs, ending a drought of not winning their in over 50 years. Williams intercepted 2 passes that game and 1 in the loss to the Vikings after that. Williams was a great cornerback for his era and even though he spent the majority of his career on bad teams, he will always be remembered as one of the best cornerbacks all time.

Lindon Crow - '55 - '57

• 36 Games
• 15 INTS
• 2 Pro Bowls

The sleeper of the list, and honestly the candidate that's here to fill in the list, is Lindon Crow. Crow was born in Denison, Texas, and was drafted out of the 2nd round in the 1955 draft. He was a good size cornerback for his time standing 6'1, 195 pounds. Although he only played 3 seasons with the Cardinals, he piled up 15 interceptions, and led in the league in 1956 with 11. During his time with the Cardinals, he also made the pro bowl 2 out of the 3 years. Crow went on to play for seven more years for the Giants and the Rams before he retired.

That's it for the cornerbacks. Only the top two will be named to the All Cardinal team, leaving a very deserving Cardinal off of the list. So who ya got?

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Karlos Dansby (58) returns an interception. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

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Yesterday the Baltimore Ravens reached a deal with recently franchised linebacker Terrell Suggs. The new contract will keep the star linebacker in purple and black for another 6 years and is worth $63 million, with $33.1 million in bonus money in the first 2 years. Suggs is a Pro Bowl linebacker that is one of the keys to the Ravens defense, and is sure to be the foundation after Ray Lewis retires. That brings us to the next subject that is Karlos Dansby. Dansby's been the talk of the off season along with many other players disputing their contracts. He was franchised at the start of free agency and we had all hoped that something long term would happen before yesterday. Dansby has also expressed that he wouldn't mind being a free agent during a potential uncapped year after next season.

Dansby has progressed each season he's been with the team and has now become a force on the Cardinals defense. He may not be the most prolific player or the star of the team, but he gets his job done efficiently. As you can see, Dansby has been able to improve greatly since his first season and we can only hope that he progresses even further the longer he is with the Cardinals. Since no deal was done by the deadline, Dansby will remain franchised through next year. Once 2009 is over, Dansby will become a free agent. At that point, all things become uncertain. Dansby  would like to wait till next year to be signed long-term. The main reason for that is that it could potentially become an up capped year. If this were to happen, one would have to assume that the Cardinals won't throw around as much money as Dansby would like. Several teams were interested in him this off season, and barring a career threatening injury or a complete meltdown on his part, things won't change much this year. If Dansby were to leave, who's going to fill in his place on the defense? The Cardinals drafted a couple linebackers in this years draft, one potential starter in Cody Brown. One would have to think that the Cardinals would be forced to draft a linebacker of the future in next years draft. This may also create problems as Bertrand Berry, Chike Okeafor, and Clark Haggans are all on the decline, and may not remain on the team much longer. The Cardinals would be faced with multiple holes in the defense. If the team resigns Dansby, they would be dishing out a lot of money to one player, and limiting their spending next off season. One thing's for sure, the Cardinals need to focus on keeping this core of players that led them to the Super Bowl together. Dansby is a play-maker, and can successfully lead the defense. What do you think the Cardinals should do next season?