Time for all of the College Games to get us ready for Sunday.
NFL Week 7: Arizona Cardinals At Seattle Seahawks, Sunday 1:05 P.M. AZT - SB Nation Arizona
The Red Birds head to noisy Qwest Field in Seattle with a healthy Steve Breaston, Early Doucet and (possibly) Gerald Hayes in tout. Can Max Hall and the Cardinals get some separation in the NFC West?
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks - scouting report
The Arizona Republic's Kent Somers breaks down the matchup.
Noise and practice, signifying nothing (with the rehabbed)
No announcements yet on who is playing and who isn’t playing, which really is no surprise. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said after practice wide receivers Steve Breaston and Early Doucet will be checked out both Saturday and before the game before a decision is made. As for linebacker Gerald Hayes, he has to be put on the active roster first, and that can come no later than 1 p.m. Saturday. My guess? If Hayes is activated, he’s going to play, because otherwise, you might as well keep the roster flexibility another week while Hayes sits. I am still pretty confident Breaston plays. Doucet has looked better, but I want to wait and see. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they hold off on Hayes for a week (although I won’t be shocked to see him play either).
Study Hall
Max Hall needs to gain experience and develop chemistry with his receivers, and he’ll have to have success without the prototypical size or arm strength for an NFL quarterback. One thing the rookie doesn’t have to be worried about is being prepared, because that’s an area in which he will never cheat himself. Hall spends plenty of time in the video room, studying.
Blogs Friday before the Seahawks
It was suggested the Cardinals this season were a "mysterious" team. Ken Whisenhunt said that was a "fair assessment."
Arizona Cardinals' Derek Anderson says little about demotion
Derek Anderson hasn't said much, if anything, since being benched as the Cardinals' starting quarterback. He hasn't exactly avoided reporters, but he hasn't always been readily available to field any questions, either.
Week 7: Cardinals vs. Seahawks Preview
First Look - The Ken Whisenhunt Show - Week 7
Whisenhunt On Hall, Injuries And More
Video: Previewing Cardinals-Seahawks - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A quick look at two potential matchups of interest in the Arizona-Seattle game.
22 things to know about the Week Seven injury report | ProFootballTalk.com
Cardinals wide receivers Steve Breaston (knee) and Early Doucet (sports hernia) are on the way back from in-season surgeries, but are listed as questionable to play against the Seahawks. Breaston is considered the surer bet to play. If one of them is inactive, fourth receiver Stephen Williams (back) is probable and would be available for an expanded role.
The Vikings accurately summarize the new NFL focus on dirty hits - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
An unnamed player on the Minnesota Vikings helpfully wrote a Cliff's Notes version of the NFL's video explaining the new emphasis on illegal hits:
NFL Hit Parade Hatchet Job - SB Nation Arizona
Although the NFL is cracking down on hard hits lately, it has a past of using those same blows for profit, and the fans often love the brutality. A return to proper tackling technique may help solve the problem.
azcentral.com blogs - Kevin Hunt Blog - kevinhunt - Football is not a violent sport
I have heard the word violent used numerous times this week as the NFL cracks down on "violent hits". What they're really cracking down on is "flagrant hits". 14 years ago I had a discussion with hall of fame defensive end Reggie White. People were questioning how a man with his religious convictions could play such a violent game every Sunday. Reggie was trying to convey that the sport of football was a very aggressive game not a violent one. Reggie said "Violence is people shooting other people in the street." Violence by definition is the use of physical force to injure somebody or damage something. While you can argue that the Saints were out to injure Kurt Warner and Brett Favre and get them out of the game during last years playoffs that's really not what this sport is about.
Final Word: NFC West - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Five nuggets of knowledge about the NFC West in Week 7:
Defenders want NFL's rules to protect them, too - ESPN
Some NFL defenders are wondering when the league is going to crack down on infractions they see as equally deserving of suspensions as helmet hits, particularly illegal blocks that go on in the trenches.
NFL fines 12 more players in crackdown - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The NFL fined 12 more players Friday, mostly for unnecessary roughness in games last weekend, sending another strong message that violent conduct wouldn’t be tolerated.
Your Week Seven fines roundup | ProFootballTalk.com
The NFL handed down 15 fines this week after breaking down the Week Six game tape. You already know about Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison ($75,000), Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather ($50,000), and Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson ($50,000). The other dozen were issued on Friday.
Keyshawn Johnson: Cowboys can't win with "average" Tony Romo | ProFootballTalk.com
Former Cowboys receiver Keyshawn Johnson says the team he played for in 2004 and 2005 is talented, but the quarterback is holding them back.
Report: Favre called Sterger in June 2009 | ProFootballTalk.com
With the Vikings getting ready to play in another high-profile prime-time game, the reports regarding the Brett Favre investigation continue to pile up. Here are the latest.