Cardinals Vs. Chiefs: Five Things To Watch For

Now that many teams have completed their first game of the 2012 preseason, the Arizona Cardinals will have a distinct advantage in that they will be entering their second game tonight against the Chiefs.

We saw what they were able to accomplish in game one, both in their strengths and weaknesses. For tonight's matchup, here are five of the things I will be looking out for.

Quarterback Play:

Obviously, this is the one on everyone's mind. Who will win the QB competition. John Skelton is starting the game, so I will be looking for him to throw with some consistency and to read the opposing defense with clarity. For Kevin Kolb, staying healthy and making the right reads will be important for him. Skelton has a leg up in the competition so far, so Kolb has to show that he still belongs in the race.

Pass Protection:

One of the reasons Kolb got off to a bad start is because of the pass protection he got from his offensive line. In particular, the right side of the line feature newcomer Adam Snyder and veteran Jeremy Bridges didn't look all that great. They will need to shore that all up before one of the QB's gets seriously injured.

Keeping The Heat On:

Against the Saints, Sam Acho, O'Brien Schofield and Calais Campbell did a good job of getting pressure on Drew Brees. It wasn't a fluke, either. These guys have talent and the scheme they work in is a damn good one. Still, I want to see if they can keep it consistent once again.

Will The Running Backs Play?

Ryan Williams is listed as questionable to play against the Chiefs, while Beanie Wells is doubtful. While I don't want to see them risk getting injured, I would like to see them play. Hopefully that will come against the Raiders, if not tonight.

Defensive Leaders

Darnell Dockett and Adrian Wilson have been practicing this week after missing the game against the Saints, but will they play tonight? The defense sorely missed their leadership and A-Dub's presence in the secondary cannot be overlooked. With them on the field, the defense is an entirely different unit.

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