Time for some links... Anyone else think it is a joke what they are doing with Wrigley Field right now?
Sorting through Thursday practice
The running back situation hasn’t changed much since yesterday. Jason Wright (concussion) and LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring) each sat out again. While Beanie Wells was limited, I will be shocked if he doesn’t play this weekend. That’s certainly how coach Ken Whisenhunt is talking. The question is whether the Cards are forced to activate Alfonso Smith from the practice squad if Wright and Hyphen can’t go, or if they risk going with two running backs (one of which has been dealing with a knee issue).
azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Thursday afternoon notes
Asked on Thursday to assess the play of his offensive line this season, coach Ken Whisenhunt said the group has been pretty much like the rest of the team. "It's hard for me to sit here at 3-6 and say we're doing anything good," he said. "The only thing that I would say is playing well is special teams. They've been pretty consistent the whole year. "Like every other area of our team, I've seen them (offensive linemen) play very well, I've seen them play not so well. Sometimes the offensive line is judged by the number of sacks they give up and unfortunately this year, we've been in situations where we've trailed in games. And that makes it even more difficult on your offensive line."
Waiting On Beanie
Beanie Wells smiled, but then, he almost always smiles. "They haven’t seen me at 100 percent yet," the Cardinals’ running back said.
KTAR.com - Cards defense has hands full with Chiefs running backs
Sunday's Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs game is a match up of an unstoppable force meeting a movable object. Yes, you read that right. It's not a typo.
KTAR.com - Fitzgerald thankful for Haley's tough love
Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley once referred to Larry Fitzgerald as a "one trick pony" when he was the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals back in 2007 saying that the wide receiver was only good at making leaping acrobatic catches and falling.
Days after being stay-at-home dad, St. Pierre starts for Carolina - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
One week ago, the most pressing issue for stay-at-home dad Brian St. Pierre might have been making sure there were enough diapers around the house for his 18-month old son. On Sunday, the 30-year old journeyman quarterback will have a bigger problem to contend with: Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens defense.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs - scouting report, prediction
Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs - scouting report, prediction, Kent Somers previews Sunday's big game in Kansas City. Will the Cardinals end their skid?
Lots of questionable
Eight Cardinals are questionable for Sunday, so I suppose the good news is that no one is doubtful or out — although LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring) did not practice yet again Friday. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said the Hyphen will be checked again tomorrow, and for instance, if he can only return kickoffs, the Cards will consider that. Seven others (the rest of the questionable list) were officially limited: DT Darnell Dockett (shoulder), LB Clark Haggans (groin), S Kerry Rhodes (hand/back), CB Greg Toler (foot), LB Reggie Walker (just added Friday with a hamstring), RB Beanie Wells (knee) and RB Jason Wright (concussion). Whisenhunt said Wells "looked like his old self" and sounded somewhat optimistic in his tone when talking about Dockett, although Dockett has to be cleared with a strength test on game day to allow him to go.
Those supposed Nike uniform sketches are fake | ProFootballTalk
So PFT has received a bunch of emails over the last couple of days from readers sending us pictures of supposed "concept sketches" of future NFL uniforms by Nike that leaked to the web. The shoe company takes over as the league’s official supplier in 2012. Darren Rovell of CNBC has confirmed the pictures are fakes, apparently made to trick fans and send them into a frenzy. It basically worked.
Video Gallery
Cards on Todd Haley
Video Gallery
Whisenhunt on Beanie, Dockett and more
The Big Red Rage with Wilson and Fitzgerald
WR Larry Fitzgerald joins the Big Red Rage with Adrian Wilson, Paul Calvisi, and Ron Wolfley.
Phoenix Suns suffer without Steve Nash, lose to Orlando Magic 105-89
All those interested in buying into the misguided speculation that the Suns could be trading Steve Nash need only have watched Thursday night's TNT special: Planet Orange without Nash. That terrain could be ugly if Thursday's 105-89 loss to Orlando in their first visit to the new Amway Center is any indication.
Scout taking 49ers to win NFC West - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. joined me in picking the San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC West back before the regular season began. He's sticking with that selection after watching Troy Smith lead the 49ers to consecutive victories. (Gotta stick with your guns huh?)
azcentral.com blogs - Paola Boivin - Football fiasco at Wrigley Field
What is it about Wrigley Field that brings out the futility in people?
Phoenix Suns stay cautious with Steve Nash's groin injury
No more regrets on stretching Steve Nash's limits to carry his Suns team while nursing his health. After Nash played in a Wednesday loss at Miami with a sore groin that hurts him just to put on his pants, they took no chances about aggravating the strain and held him out of Thursday night's loss at Orlando.
KTAR.com - Cardinals dinged up, prepare for Chiefs
The Cardinals, like most teams in the NFL, are dealing with injuries. The Cardinals, losers of four straight, are preparing for a game against the Chiefs without running backs LaRod Stephens-Howling and Jason Right. The good news, though, is that Beanie Wells practiced again and appears to be a go for Sunday.
Futile NFC West projections, take 467 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The chart sizes up remaining schedules for NFC West teams. First, let's take a stab at paving the road to 8-8 for each team in the division.
NFC West Penalty Watch: Week 10 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Our weekly look at penalty leaders focuses on defensive pass interference calls against NFC West players since Oshiomogho Atogwe entered the league in 2005. Some of the players with higher totals have simply spent more time in the division. Longevity favors them appearing in the chart below. I wanted to break out the totals anyway because Atogwe, flagged memorably in Week 10, had incurred only three such calls previously in five-plus seasons.
Warner suspects Cutler isn't fully trusting Martz, team :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears
Kurt Warner has more questions than answers when he's asked about the 2010 Bears.
Losing With No End In Sight: Predictions For Arizona’s Lonely Football Weekend - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
We're living in trying times here in Arizona. The dreaded reverse-trifecta struck for the second time in as many weeks. With Arizona State dropping another weirdly-close matchup to a top opponent, and the Wildcats and the Cardinals perpetuating their own extended slumps, it has been quite a while since the weekends have had any football-related sunshine. Combined, the three teams' losing streak now reaches eight consecutive games -- an exasperating number.
NFL Sends Thousands Of Volunteers To Help Clean Up NFC West | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
The NFL deployed thousands of volunteers Wednesday along with $4.6 million in football supplies to assist in the dilapidated NFC West's rebuilding effort. "This division is a total disaster," said Fred Hudson, co-leader of the NFC West Response Team, who vowed to work every day until the division was restored to tolerable condition following its battering by massive waves of defense and deadly special teams play. "Until the second group of volunteers arrives next week, our main goal is to rebuild all the offensive lines and supply each team with urgently needed quarterbacks. It's not enough, but it's a start." At press time, actor Sean Penn had arrived in the devastated area and was helping the wide receivers of the San Francisco 49ers with their route running.
Buccaneers' Mike Williams charged with DUI - NFL - SI.com
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Mike Williams was charged with DUI early Friday after Florida authorities spotted his black Escalade speeding and weaving in and out of traffic.
Week 11 Friday 10-pack | ProFootballTalk
So here goes this week’s Friday 10-pack, which as usual consists of 10 takes regarding the upcoming weekend of games. As if you couldn’t have figured that out on your own.
Brandon Marshall penalized for handing off to ex-teammate - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
In last night's Dolphins-Bears matchup, which the Dolphins lost, 16-0, Marshall was also busted for a taunting penalty after catching a pass with 10:16 left in the first half. He took a quick hitch pass from Thigpen took the ball upfield for a 16-yard game, was pushed out of bounds by Brian Urlacher ... and then did this:
Peyton Manning bests Tom Brady in ESPN.com's quarterback voting - ESPN
Lamborghini or Ferrari? Godiva or Vosges chocolate? Chateau Mouton Rothschild or Chateau Lafite Rothschild wine? What's better? Now you have a sense of the challenge for our five-person expert panel, which we asked to evaluate the New England Patriots' Tom Brady and the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning in 15 important areas.
Matt Millen is not winning any popularity contests - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
In Thursday's Chicago Bears-Miami Dolphins game, Millen brought out all of his chestnuts -- blowing player names, misidentifying what was actually happening on the field, stepping on the lines of everyone else in the booth -- and throwing in a couple new ones for good measure. Millen wouldn't shut up about his alma mater Penn State for a time, and he called Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli "one of the best coaches I've been around." Marinelli was Detroit's head coach in 2008, when the Lions had the worst single season in NFL history -- the only team ever to finish a season with an 0-16 record.
Miami wide receiver Brandon Marshall leaves game with hamstring injury - NFL - SI.com
Brandon Marshall has left the Miami Dolphins' game against Chicago after aggravating a right hamstring injury.
Pierre Garcon is becoming a problem for the Colts | ProFootballTalk
Somewhere on the way to his fifth MVP award, Peyton Manning has hit a slump. In his last three games Manning has averaged a Moore-like 5.65 yards-per-attempt, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. The Chiefs similarly slowed Manning down in Week Five.
NFL injuries are at an all-time high, so let's push it higher! - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Does it feel like you've seen more NFL players balled up on the ground, writhing in pain than you ever have before? There's a good reason for that. We're in the middle of the most injurious time in NFL history.
NFL.com news: New Smith in town: QB breathes life into 49ers' offense
I don't know if the San Francisco 49ers can win the NFC West after an 0-5 start, but the insertion of Troy Smith as the starting quarterback makes them the division's most dangerous team in the final seven weeks. While the thought of a 3-6 team emerging as a powerhouse is laughable on the surface, a close examination of the film reveals an offense capable of terrorizing opponents behind an old-school formula with Smith as a centerpiece.
NFL.com news: Former NFL WR Curtis tries out for Lions after cancer battle
Former Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kevin Curtis, battling back from cancer, tried out for the Detroit Lions on Thursday, according to a league source. Curtis, 32, underwent an orchiectomy in September to remove a cancerous testicle.
Bears vs. Dolphins - Recap - November 18, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
The Chicago Bears had a ready response for Brandon Marshall 's taunting. Julius Peppers and a swarming defense allowed only 187 yards and a single third-down conversion Thursday night, and the Bears won 16-0 to send the injury-ravaged Miami Dolphins to their second home shutout in 40 years. Marshall drew an early flag for taunting when he flipped the ball at former Denver teammate Jay Cutler , standing in front of the Bears bench.
For Northwestern Wildcats-Illinois Illini game at Wrigley, offense will use one end zone - ESPN Chicago
Only one end zone will be used for offense Saturday at Wrigley Field for the Illinois-Northwestern game because of safety concerns, the Big Ten announced Friday, and the Chicago Cubs said the decision caught them by surprise. The east end zone is just feet away from the right-field wall, and although there is padding, there still were concerns that players could be injured there.