ESPN's NFC West Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- Elion245 and leesters, come on down. You're the big winners in forecasting NFC West outcomes as part of You Called It for Week 12.

Elion245 nailed the Redskins-Seahawks score exactly (20-17, Redskins). Leesters nailed the Bears-Rams score exactly (27-3, Bears). Truly impressive. As promised, both will earn spots on the Wall of Fame, scheduled for completion in 2025 or when the Rams win another game, whichever comes first.

Five entrants came within one point of hitting the Redskins-Seahawks score: TheRooster58, FTBallenthusiast, kab1961, roadto_1 and joemeekfreak. Way to go.

A tip of the cap also goes to Huffdogg05 for coming within one point of hitting the 49ers-Cowboys score (35-21 prediction, 35-22 outcome).

Top10pick came closer than anyone on the Cardinals-Giants score, missing by four points (35-27 prediction, 37-29 outcome).

Participants had to predict the winning team correctly to qualify for consideration. Sixty-one entrants forecast at least one outcome correctly.

Twelve entrants forecast all four outcomes correctly. Quite a few Cardinals and 49ers fans missed one outcome by picking their favorite teams. Better to be loyal than correct, apparently.

Of the 12 people to predict all four winners, Bigbluepete came within 9.25 points per game, on average, of hitting each final score correctly. No one fared better. Digitool (10.0) and Week 11 champion joe_cool585 (11.0) were next, followed by jherbal (12.5) and imreallygood (12.5). Bigbluepete's most prescient pick: a 34-20 Cowboys victory (35-22 actual score for a 3-point deduction). Way to go.

Joe_cool585 was cruising toward glory until he missed the Bears-Rams outcome by 24 points. He hit the other three within 5, 5 and 10 points.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune says the Cardinals' defeat was no cause for discouragement, and there wasn't any from coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says there was no mystery behind the Cardinals' defeat to the Giants. Turnovers and field position played decisive roles.

Also from Somers: Rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie continues to improve. Eric Green? Not so much.

More from Somers: The Cardinals think their ground game is close to producing. Their run defense against the Giants was top notch.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals should have been able to win at home after the Giants lost Brandon Jacobs and Plaxico Burress to injuries, but their inability to do so wasn't particularly troubling.

Also from Bickley: Ralph Brown's inability to field a perfect onside kick stood out as a key play. Brown admitted to taking his eyes off the ball as the Giants converged on him.

Somers and Richard Obert dissect Neil Rackers' free kick. Also, Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson has a shoulder injury of unknown severity.

Also from Obert: The Giants' backups came through against the Cardinals.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says there wasn't much new to learn from the Cardinals' defeat.

Also from Urban: A look at the Cardinals' special-teams problems.

More from Urban: Wilson says the Cardinals are past moral victories. Playing the Giants tough wasn't anything to celebrate.

And this from Urban: Do the Cardinals miss Tim Hightower on special teams? It's looking that way.

Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune says Eli Manning might make a better MVP candidate than Kurt Warner after the Giants' quarterback tossed three touchdown passes.

Kyle Odegard of the East Valley Tribune says the Cardinals were generous hosts, supplying the Giants with everything they needed for a 37-29 victory.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Charean Williams of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram says 49ers cornerback Nate Clements expressed confidence even after watching Terrell Owens top 200 yards receiving.

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle puts Clements' rough day in the context of a team struggling more with results than motivation.

Also from Crumpacker: Manny Lawson's strong performance stood out as a rare positive for the 49ers. Lawson collected the 49ers' only sack.

More from Crumpacker: A report card noting how the offensive line wasn't better with rookie Chilo Rachal replacing Tony Wragge.

And this from Crumpacker: Takeo Spikes says the 49ers aren't a bad team, but they do lack confidence and the belief that they'll win no matter what.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider offers drive-by-drive coverage and commentary, plus a critique of the KNBR radio team.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat questions Mike Martz's play calling in the red zone. Martz went pass-run-pass on two first-half opportunities.

Also from Maiocco: Play-by-play coverage featuring a note calling for the 49ers to give Lawson more playing time.

More from Maiocco: A report card with a D-plus for coaching.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee notes in his play-by-play coverage that the 49ers came out throwing deep when the Cowboys were probably expecting Frank Gore to run.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' blown red-zone chances set an ominous tone. Meanwhile, Owens finished with the second-most receiving yards of his career. He previously had more yards for the 49ers in Jerry Rice's final game with the team.

Also from Brown: The Cowboys were pleased to hold Gore to a long run of 7 yards.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune has a tough time criticizing Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck after another interception-filled performance. Besides, no one is tougher on Hasselbeck than the quarterback himself.

Gary Washburn of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says Julius Jones remains mystified by his lack of playing time. Mike Holmgren gave most of the carries to Maurice Morris, who responded with a 100-yard rushing performance against the Redskins.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer checks in with Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson, who experienced another Sunday filled with activity. Also, the Seahawks are 1-5 at Qwest Field this season.

Also from Farnsworth: Former Seahawks cornerback Shawn Springs takes advantage of his former team.

Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer checks in with former Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, who played no role in the Redskins' victory Sunday. Alexander: "When the time comes, I will do damage."

Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says it's fair to wonder if the Seahawks should have done more to keep Jim Zorn.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times takes it a step further by saying Zorn would have been a better choice than Jim Mora as the Seahawks' next head coach.

Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune says Zorn wanted to renew acquaintances at Qwest Field, but doing so would have distracted from his mission as Redskins coach.

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' inability to force turnovers continues to haunt them. The defense forced one big one against the Redskins, but the offense couldn't capitalize.

Jose Romero of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks came unraveled in the third quarter despite Wilson's long kick return to start the second half.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times surveys the Seattle coaching scene as Holmgren, Zorn and Mora converge at Qwest Field. There are enough rumors to go around.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times describes Hasselbeck has "empty" following another difficult defeat. At least the quarterback didn't need an IV this time.

Also from O'Neil: Seattle will suffer its first losing season since 2002.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat sums up the Rams' futility in one mind-bending notebook. Coach Jim Haslett rips one of his players for making a "dumb" decision on a fake punt. Safety Eric Bassey blames the referee for not calling holding on the play. And fan-ripping guard Richie Incognito denies cupping his hand to his ear as he ran off the field to boos.

Also from Korte: Haslett blames the Rams' latest defeat on factors beyond the control of coaches. It's every man for himself at Rams Park.

More Korte: A Rams report card featuring five "F" grades.

Norm Sanders of the Belleville News-Democrat says Haslett couldn't resist taking a shot at Marc Bulger's critics after backup Trent Green tossed four interceptions. Haslett: "Anybody else want another quarterback?"

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch points to the Rams' talent as the problem and suggests Haslett and de facto general manager Billy Devaney can turn around the team if given time.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have become so bad that Haslett has stopped trying to defend them.

Also from Thomas: Referee Terry McAulay explains why officials picked up a flag against the Bears on the fake punt.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Haslett is losing credibility by failing to acknowledge that his team has quit.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says fans pushing for a quarterback change in St. Louis got their wish -- twice. But Edwards and Brock Berlin weren't the answer, either.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

  Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire Arizona's Kurt Warner spent much of Sunday on his back thanks to a New York Giants defense that brought constant pressure in the Cardinals 37-29 loss.

PHOENIX -- If the bruises on Kurt Warner's body could speak, they would ask the Arizona Cardinals to develop a running game, and fast.

They would ask management for a tight end in the mold of the New York Giants' Kevin Boss.

And they would express relief now that only one NFC East team remains on the Cardinals' schedule.

The lessons Arizona learned during a 37-29 defeat to the Giants in Week 12 were not new ones. But they appear likely to determine how far the Cardinals advance in the playoffs.

The temptation will exist for Arizona to blame this defeat Sunday on other factors. The Cardinals' special-teams play was indeed horrendous at times. Their defense buckled in the red zone after Arizona repeatedly gave the Giants' offense a short field. Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston and J.J. Arrington let Warner's passes bounce off their hands.

Those deficiencies affected the course of the game, no question. But a balanced offense would give the Cardinals a better chance against teams with fearsome pass rushes. No one knows that better than a battered quarterback.

"I just understand how hard it is to throw 50 times," Warner said after completing 32 of 52 passes for 351 yards. "I think we are very good at that aspect of the game and probably as good as anybody out there, but it's just tough to do that against good teams and not have turnovers."

The Giants held Arizona to 1.5 yards per carry and a long run of five yards.

"We thought we had a pretty good run plan in there, but we missed one or two blocks early and that led to not having as good a play as we would have wanted," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "When we got down, we had to do what our strength was -- moving the football."

The Giants sacked Warner only once, but they hit him once every 4.4 dropbacks -- 12 times in all. The Giants forced and recovered a Warner fumble. They intercepted Warner once and limited the MVP candidate to a single touchdown pass.

Warner failed to complete 65 percent of his passes for only the third time in 11 games this season and the first time since the Washington Redskins held him to 53.3 percent in Week 3. The Giants also held Warner to a season-low passer rating of 79.9.

"We just have to continue to get more efficient in the pass game and hope that the run game comes along where they can balance it out nicely," Warner said.

Ten more observations from the Cardinals' fourth defeat in 11 games this season:

1. Warner could be vulnerable in Philly.

The last time Warner recalled taking a beating like this one was during a Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

In that case, the schedule offered a bye the following week.

In this case, the Cardinals must travel to Philadelphia for a Thursday night game against the Eagles on Thanksgiving.

The Eagles aren't as good as the Giants, but their pass rush and home crowd could put Warner at additional risk on a short week.

2. Arizona remains undeterred.

The Cardinals' respect for the Giants' efficient, largely mistake-free play did nothing to dampen their own expectations.

Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett predicted a Giants-Cardinals rematch in the playoffs.

"I believe this loss is going to help us in the long run," he said. "We know we can compete with the best team in the league so there are no excuses why this team shouldn't go all the way. We look forward to playing against the Giants again."

Whisenhunt: "I'd like to see what would happen if we don't turn the ball over twice and give them two big kickoffs. I tell you, they are a good football team. They don't make mistakes. But our team showed up and played hard today. And if we don't make those mistakes, I feel good about being there in the fourth quarter with a chance to win it."

3. Special teams were the surprise story.

Will Warner's quick passing solve the Giants' pass rush? Can the Cardinals' defense hold up against the Giants' bruising ground game?

Perhaps we should have devoted more pregame coverage to the special-teams matchups.

The Giants began five scoring drives in Cardinals territory, including two pivotal second-quarter drives after Domenik Hixon's kickoff returns of 83 and 68 yards.

"Hixon's kickoff returns were probably the difference," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.

Hixon couldn't have done it without an assist from Matt Ware. The Cardinals safety committed three penalties on special teams. One of them precipitated the re-kick that Hixon returned 83 yards.

Cardinals punter Dirk Johnson also muffed a hold on an extra point.

4. The score could have been more lopsided.

The Giants played without injured running back Brandon Jacobs. They lost top receiver Plaxico Burress to a hamstring injury early in the game.

Not many teams could beat the Cardinals by a touchdown in Arizona after losing two starters as prominent as Jacobs and Burress.

5. Nothing changes for the Cardinals.

While victories over the Giants and Eagles in back-to-back games would have vaulted the Cardinals into contention for home-field advantage in the playoffs, that was never very realistic.

Arizona remains a lock to win the NFC West and play host to a playoff game. The Cardinals could conceivably win the division in Week 13 even with a loss to the Eagles.

6. Whisenhunt knows his rulebook.

The Cardinals instructed Breaston to signal fair catch on a punt return with 5 seconds remaining in the first half.

The idea?

To send kicker Neil Rackers onto the field for a 68-yard field-goal try on a free kick.

Rackers missed badly, but Whisenhunt was clearly ready for the situation.

"That's something we have talked about and we have worked on at points, but it was one of those situations you don't see very often."

No team in the NFL had attempted one since the Titans' Rob Bironas missed from 58 yards during a 2005 game against the Houston Texans.

No team had executed one successfully since the Chicago Bears' Mac Percival made one against the Green Bay Packers from 43 yards -- way back in 1968.

From Rule 11, Section 5: "The kick must be a placekick or dropkick made by the offense, from behind the line of scrimmage or from the spot of a fair catch (fair catch kick)."

Rules prevented the Giants from standing within 10 yards of the ball. Johnson, the punter and regular holder, held for Rackers at the Arizona 42. Rackers approached the ball as he might have approached a kickoff, only to skull it along the ground.

7. The Cardinals need to upgrade at tight end.

The Indianapolis Colts continued drafting for offense in the first round even after becoming a top-flight team on that side of the ball. The Cardinals might want to consider a similar approach.

Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Todd Haley worked tight ends Ben Patrick and Stephen Spach into the game only twice at the same time. They used one tight end with two backs on seven other plays.

That left the Cardinals with three or more wide receivers on the field for more than 85 percent of the offensive snaps.

A strong blocking tight end with good receiving skills would help the Cardinals achieve more balance and versatility in their offense.

Whisenhunt, a former tight end, surely would make good use of a talented player at the position.

Instead, the Cardinals are switching tight ends from week to week. Leonard Pope, Jerame Tuman, Patrick and Spach have taken turns on the inactive list recently.

Arizona needs more from the position.

8. The stats keep coming for Arizona.

The Giants' defensive backs got away with physical play in part because their pass rush prevented Warner from waiting long enough for receivers to recover.

Boldin still caught 11 passes (albeit for only 87 yards). Larry Fitzgerald caught five passes for 71 yards.

Along the way, Fitzgerald became the youngest player in league history to reach 400 career receptions. Randy Moss also did it at age 25, but he was older than Fitzgerald by 186 days.

Boldin holds the NFL record as the fastest player to reach 400 receptions. He needed 67 games. Fitzgerald needed 71, second-fastest in NFL history.

Warner surpassed 300 yards passing for a fifth consecutive game, tying Joe Montana and Kerry Collins for the longest streaks in NFL history. Warner, Steve Young and Rich Gannon share the record (six games).

Warner is on pace to throw for 5,099 yards this season, which would surpass Dan Marino's NFL record of 5,084 yards, set in 1984.

Warner has also thrown a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games, tying Neil Lomax for the franchise record.

9. The Giants' offensive line is as good as advertised.

The Giants didn't put up huge numbers on the ground, but they finished with seven first downs rushing, five more than Arizona.

"They came out and played us as hard as any offensive line has played us all year," Cardinals defensive end Antonio Smith said. "We had to get them out on third downs and we didn't do that. That was the only thing I thought they were efficient at."

Eli Manning completed 78.8 percent of his passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. His rating was 127.3.

10. Arrington might be the Cardinals' best back.

Rookie Tim Hightower scored two more rushing touchdowns near the goal line, but J.J. Arrington might be better suited for the Cardinals' style of offense.

Arrington played 26 of 33 snaps from the Cardinals' four-receiver offense. He caught five passes for 38 yards and proved elusive in the open field.

Hightower's superior size makes him the more logical choice in a traditional offense. He would be the choice if the Cardinals could run more effectively with a tight end on the field.

But if the Cardinals remain a passing team that tries to manufacture rushing yards on reverses and draws, Arrington becomes the better option. That's why he's playing more.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- The Cardinals won't have to worry about facing an opponent as complete as the Giants until the playoffs. That's a good thing for Arizona.

The Giants pounded quarterback Kurt Warner once they proved that Arizona posed no threat on the ground. Warner's ability to get rid of the football quickly has usually been enough against lesser opponents. The Giants also showed they could cover downfield, however, throwing off the timing of the Cardinals' receivers.

A Cardinals victory would have vaulted Arizona into the race for home-field advantage in the NFC. That goal was never very realistic. As a result, nothing much changes for the Cardinals after losing this game. They'll still win the NFC West and host a playoff game.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Seahawks showed glimpses of what life can be like with Matt Hasselbeck back under center. They also showed how limited the offense has become in 2008.

This marked the fourth time in a row and the seventh time in eight games that Seattle has failed to exceed 20 points.

Hasselbeck led two crisp touchdown drives, but he also threw two interceptions, giving him five in two games since returning from injury. Hasselbeck has thrown an interception on his final throw in each of the last two games, both when a Seattle touchdown might have won the game.

The Seahawks, with Dallas and New England on their schedule next, will likely take a 2-11 record into their Dec. 14 game at St. Louis.

Seattle then closes its schedule against the Jets and Cardinals, putting the Seahawks in position to finish 2-14 or 3-13 in Mike Holmgren's final season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- Neil Rackers' streak of 15 consecutive made field goals ended in unusual fashion when he badly missed a 68-yard attempt on a free kick to end the first half.

Rules allowed the Cardinals to attempt the free kick after signaling for a fair catch on a punt with 5 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Punter Dirk Johnson held the ball at the Arizona 42. There was no snapper and the Giants could not line up within 10 yards of the ball.

Rackers took a running start and kicked the ball the way he might have on a kickoff. But much like a golfer who swings too hard, Rackers failed to strike the ball cleanly. He skulled it and the ball barely got off the ground. The Giants returned it 29 yards as the half ended.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- A hamstring injury has forced Giants receiver Plaxico Burress from the game. The Giants are listing his return as doubtful.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Don't blame the 10 a.m. PT start for the 49ers' struggles against the Cowboys. Interim coach Mike Singletary had the 49ers ready to play and it showed early in the game.

The talent imbalance proved too much for the 49ers to overcome once Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens hit stride with a 75-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter. That one play seemed to get Owens and the Cowboys interested in this game. And when the 49ers fell behind, their offense wasn't suited to handle the Cowboys' pass-rushers.

The 49ers' biggest disappointment against Dallas was the trouble they had establishing Frank Gore and the running game. But Vernon Davis' ongoing emergence as a receiving threat stands as a positive development.

Three of the 49ers' next four games are on the road. The team isn't going to suddenly start winning games. The little victories -- Davis emerging, for example -- will have to suffice.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Each blowout defeat increases the likelihood that Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom will make sweeping changes to the front office, coaching staff and roster. 

The Rams' opponents have outscored St. Louis by a 123-13 count in first halves over the last four games. 

That reflects poorly on every aspect of the organization. 

Feel no pity for fired Rams coach Scott Linehan. He is better off without the Rams. It's getting harder to tell if the Rams are better off without Linehan.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- The Giants listed Brandon Jacobs, Gerris Wilkinson and Jerome McDougle as probable on their Friday injury report.

The team then named all three inactive for Week 12.

"Probable" means a player has a 75 percent chance of playing in a game. How improbable does a Giants victory become without Jacobs?

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- Running back Brandon Jacobs made the list when the Cardinals and Giants declared their inactive players for their Week 12 matchup at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Giants inactives: kicker Lawrence Tynes, safety Sammy Knight, Jacobs, cornerback Sam Madison, linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, tackle Adam Koets, receiver Mario Manningham and defensive end Jerome McDougle.

Cardinals inactives: linebacker Clark Haggans, tackle Elliot Vallejo, tackle Brandon Keith, defensive tackle Alan Branch, receiver Early Doucet, tight end Leonard Pope and tight end Jerame Tuman. Brian St. Pierre is the third quarterback.

The Cardinals are playing musical tight ends. Pope, Tuman and Ben Patrick have been battling injuries. The coaching staff has sought better production from the position. Patrick and Stephen Spach get the opportunity this week. Spach will start.

Defensive end Bertrand Berry and corner back Eric Green will start for Arizona. Berry starts ahead of Travis LaBoy. Green starts ahead of Rod Hood.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Bulger

Most teams can't afford to lose their starting quarterbacks. The Rams' problems go so far beyond Marc Bulger that his injury absence against the Bears probably makes no difference.

The Bears have a 21-3 lead late in the second quarter. The Rams are home for Miami in Week 13 before heading to Arizona for an almost sure defeat to the Cardinals.

Will the Rams get to three victories this season? Situations change abruptly in the NFL, but the Rams have the look of a team that has quit.

Let's take a look at the Rams' first-half performances over their last four games, counting the ongoing game against Chicago. The scoring: Opponents 123, Rams 13.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The 49ers have to be mostly happy with their performance through the first quarter of their game against the Cowboys. A few observations:

• The Cowboys still resemble a front-running team. The 49ers hit 'em in the mouth early and the Cowboys didn't seem into the game.
• Vernon Davis continues to emerge in a positive way for San Francisco. The 49ers found him deep for a 47-yard reception. This is a hugely positive development for the 49ers. Davis entered this game having caught scoring passes in consecutive games. He is now relevant as a receiver.
• Referee Mike Carey and crew appeared to miss a routine pass-interference call near the goal line, forcing the 49ers to settle for a field goal when a touchdown would have meant so much more. This wasn't one of those tough calls officials might miss from time to time. Unless the ball was tipped and I missed it, this was about as blatant as pass interference can get.
• Tony Romo gives the Cowboys a chance to overcome a rough start. The way he bought time before finding Terrell Owens for the long touchdown reception showed what Romo offers the offense. Having Romo in the game for Dallas reduces the 49ers' margin for error. Owens did run into Nate Clements partway through the route, a key to getting open, but the contact seemed incidental.
  

The 49ers are still hanging tough in this game but the Cowboys have regained their balance. I don't see San Francisco's pass protection holding up if the 49ers have to play from behind.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

PHOENIX -- Officiating generally isn't a hot topic until the flags have flown (or not flown, or been picked up after being thrown).

But the referee assignment for the Giants-Cardinals game caught my attention. Peter Morelli, whose crew botched key calls during the Cowboys-Cardinals game in Week 6, gets the assignment at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 12.

Morelli's crew assessed 12 penalties against each team during the Cardinals' 30-24 overtime victory over the Cowboys in Week 6. Two calls involving Darnell Dockett's attempts to take down Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo nearly cost the Cardinals a victory. The plays became secondary story lines once the Cardinals prevailed. As I wrote at the time:

The blown call on Dockett's fumble-forcing sack might have become the story had the Cardinals lost this game.

Referee Peter Morelli and crew needed a replay reversal to fix the other play involving Dockett. The reversal, though warranted, shined light on the confusing and controversial tuck rule.

The NFL loses when officiating decisions threaten to influence outcomes while defying logic.

Expect a follow-up item if the Cardinals sack Eli Manning and force a fumble, only to have officials rule Manning down by contact. On a side note, the NFL might be moving past shielding referees from games involving aggrieved teams.

Here are today's inactives from around the league.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Shane from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Hey Mike... What do you think the chances are of the Cards winning a road playoff game? They still haven't beaten a winning team on the road this season.

Mike Sando: On the surface, I don't like their chances in a road playoff game. But I do think Arizona would be a dangerous team for anyone to face. The Cardinals are going to get one home playoff game. That means they would already have a playoff victory under their belts before heading out onto the road. The pressure would be off.

The divisional-round opponent would have been idle for the wild-card round. Perhaps that team would be a little tight. Perhaps that team wouldn't match up very well. Ken Whisenhunt is an aggressive, unapologetic coach and I think the players are the same way. The Cardinals do not appear to be the type of team to shy away from a challenge.

Andrew from Cave Creek, Ariz., writes: Sando, you are being pretty diplomatic on this whole Edge-release story. So I'll do the talking for you a bit, if you don't mind. What is it with this moron James who wants to be released when his team is ready to clinch the division? People quickly forget he left the Colts for free agent boku dollars (to come to the Cardinals) and then the Colts went on to win the Super Bowl the next year. Now he wants to leave when the team he is with is #2 in the league in offense and has a solid shot at home in the postseason. Is he crazy? I mean, maybe he should go - maybe it's a good omen! I mean I know his creepy agent has to make such requests, but what a gamble! What if he went to the seahawks or some lousy team like that? Ugh terrible.

Mike Sando: I also though Edgerrin James' timing could have been a lot better. I understand why he's frustrated. He could defensibly look at the other running backs on the team and wonder what any of them has ever accomplished. But to come out and ask for a release, and then to have your agent talk about it at length in public?

Chris from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Hey Sando, great job on all the info and analysis you provide. Last night my brother and I were talking about the Cards passing attack and how Warner will need to make quick decisive throws against this Giants D. How much of a factor do you see Hightower and JJ becoming in this game catching out of the backfield?

Mike Sando: That depends to a degree on how many receivers are on the field and whether the Cardinals need to keep the back home for pass protection. I still see Warner targeting his wide receivers most of the time.

Bobby from Atlanta writes: First, I agree with your assessment of Patrick Willis, and the Niners defense as a whole. I think this can partly be attributed to loss of Bryant Young. Not only was he a steady performer on the D-Line, but his leadership and work-ethic were unparalleled.

Even with the addition of Justin Smith, I don't think the Niners have filled that leadership void on defense. Second, I feel that the Niners' defense will never truly turn the corner until they get an impact nose tackle (if they're going to be a 3-4 team, they never seem to make up their minds) and better play from their safeties. Neither Michael Lewis nor Mark Roman can cover -- I don't know how many times I've seen them get beat this season. I'm hoping Dashon Goldson gets healthy, when he plays, he always seems to be around the ball.

Finally, how do you feel about the QB situation in San Fran? I know Shaun Hill plays with guts and is competitive (see his helmet-less dive for the first down against Arizona on MNF), but I just don't feel he's the long-term solution. Do you think the Niners will pursue a QB in the upcoming draft? They'll most likely have a relatively high draft pick, but I think they may be gun-shy about taking a QB in the first round after their problems with Alex Smith (which is a whole other story). What do you think? Where do you think they need the most help?

Mike Sando: I agree with your assessments and I do expect the 49ers to address the quarterback position in the offseason. They would prefer not to draft one early and they very much want to avoid throwing a rookie onto the field as the starter right away. They did that with Alex Smith. In a perfect world, the 49ers would acquire a veteran capable of getting them through a year or two, at which point a younger prospect might take over the job.

Greg from Wilmington, N.C., writes: With the season pretty much a wash for us faithful Seahawk fans. What do you see in store for the Seahawks i.e. resting injuried players so they can evaluate other players. Also, what sort of changes do you see in the near future with them changing coaches?

Mike Sando: I don't see Mike Holmgren playing a bunch of youngsters down the stretch, in part because a lot of those youngsters have played already. The defense without Patrick Kerney ranks fifth-youngest in the league entering Week 12 games.

Staff-wise, I expect Jim Mora to hire some of his own assistants this offseason. I expect Seattle to become more aggressive defensively and more of a running team on offense.

Chris from Washington, D.C., writes: Mike, thanks for all your work on the blog, I've read you since the beginning of Seahawks Insider. As a Seahawks fan, I am already looking for other things to do with our time. Do you have any suggestions for football related reading to put on my Christmas list? I loved Blindside (maybe Oher to Seattle in April:), and I'm looking to learn more about game planning and the inside of the game.

Mike Sando: You're welcome. Thanks for the support. I haven't read a ton of football books over the years, but two stand out as ones I enjoyed. David Maraniss' When Pride Still Mattered opened a window into the life and times of Vince Lombardi. A great read. I also enjoyed the book Michael Strahan authored last year. That one provided some funny stories and a look at how much things have changed since Lombardi's time.

Strategy-wise, I once spent quite a bit of time at westcoastoffense.com, but the site went away without much fanfare at some point over the last few years. If anyone knows what happened to that site or if its materials are available elsewhere, please let us know.

You can find quite a bit of coaching-related stuff online. I like this site, too.

You might also look into coaching clinics in your area. I've signed up for them in years past and tried to absorb what various major college coaches were explaining to coaches from the high school ranks.

Casey from Camano Island, Wash., writes: Sando, I keep having this random hair-brained idea pop in to my head. Everybody around the UW, former players, fans, boosters, etc. really want to see them bring in Jim Mora to coach the team. Lawyer Milloy has said he want's Mora in an article and Cam Cleeland went as far as saying no other coaching hire would get him excited. I know he's locked in to the Seahawks job right now, but there is a certain large jawed coach that broke our heart in in Super Bowl XL. Is there any way the Seahawks let Mora go and pursue Bill Cowher? Do you think Cowher would be interested?

Mike Sando: I don't see the Seahawks' management going that route. Tim Ruskell wanted Mora all along. Hiring someone such as Bill Cowher would probably require handing over some personnel control. I'm thinking Ruskell isn't looking to go that route.

Machiavellie821 from Renton, Wash., writes: Mike, I thought your analysis of Ruskell in response to several emails were balanced. I agreed with you that he was instrumental in getting the Hawks to the Super Bowl.

However, your analysis did not evaluate his recent drafts, which I think he has failed miserably. The defensive line couldn't put a pass rush on the opponent's QB and CBs are physically overmatched. He brought in Baraka Atkins, Tapp, Jackson, and Mebane for the d-line, and Jennings and Wilson for CBs.

With the exception of Mebane, and possibly Wilson, they all stink. They are too undersized but do not have any special speed to compensate for it. Tapp and Jennings are examples of that. Tapp doesn't have an explosive first step to get around the tackles. Jennings is way too skinny. Yet, he wasted a 2nd and 1st round picks on Tapp and Jennings, respectively.

Same story with the offense. Spencer, Sims, and Wrotto are complete busts. Obomanu and Taylor are no more than practice squad players. Even if Branch had turned out to be an okay player, Ruskell got ripped off by the Patriots. He outbidded himself by giving up a 1st round when no other team besides the Jets wanted to trade for him, but NE was not going to trade him to a division opponent.

As fans, we got so excited to see people give out good grades about your team on draft day. I am guilty of this too. But it takes a couple years to evaluate the success of the picks. Time has shown that Ruskell has drafted poorly. Those poor decisions have finally showed up on the field. However, this year is not the end of it. The Hawks will continue to pay for them for the next couple years in rebuilding the d and o-lines, and receiving corps. You mentioned the Rams. Look at how they have fallen to where they are now. A couple years of bad drafts at O-line and cornerback. I agreed Holmgren was not that good of a GM. I don't miss listening to his BS about Robinson, Stevens, and Alexander As recent as Wednesday, he argued that Alexander can still play. With those type of comments, I am glad he is not our GM now. However, he was able to build an offense that became dominant.

Ruskell puts a lot of draft picks and money into the defense. But it is not even among the top 15 in the league. Ruskell used to go onto Q13 pregame show during the home games and professed about how things were done in Tampa. It was very frustrating for me to listen to him because I thought he took too much credit for their success. Given how Ruskell has built the defense in Seattle, we now know that Jerry Angelo and Monte Kiffin are mostly responsible for Tampa's success, and not Ruskell.

It is even more frustrating because he just totally disappears during this losing stretch. I haven't seen him on the pregame shows the last couple of home games. Anyway, I am disappointed that Seattle sports writers and talk shows hosts have brought the spotlight on Ruskell. Maybe they just disagree with me. I like to know what you think about my takes on Ruskell. Thanks, Mike.

Mike Sando: We will find out starting next season. Everything is on Ruskell at that point. As time has passed, I think it's fair to wonder how much Ruskell's personnel has matched what Mike Holmgren and John Marshall are doing scheme-wise. The points you raise might come to pass. I'll give Ruskell until this time next season before drawing more definitive judgments. We need to see players hitting stride under the Ruskell-hired coaching staff.

All hope is not lost. Five of the seven players up front on defense should be top players. Kerney, Mebane, Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill and Julian Peterson. Ruskell brought all five of them to Seattle. Kerney's healthy will tell us how that front four pans out, in my view. Rocky Bernard hasn't been the same this season (making me wonder how much Chuck Darby had to do with pushing him). I think Bernard will be gone in 2009.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who suggests the Giants will have to earn his respect.

Sheldon Mickles of the Advocate says Kurt Warner is giving Drew Brees a run for the MVP award. Saints coach Sean Payton states his case for Brees, a case that goes beyond raw passing stats.

Bob Baum of the Associated Press reflects on the Cardinals and Giants in light of the Giants' decision to bench Warner for Eli Manning.

Kevin Shields of WCBSTV.com says the Giants need to stick with their run-first game plan and "just run the ball down Arizona's throat."

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals and Suns have traded places in the Phoenix sports hierarchy.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Giants and Cardinals are a study in contrast.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic profiles Fox sideline reporter Tony Siragusa, who will work the Cardinals-Giants game at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune says the Cardinals' culture is changing under coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune takes a humorous look at the Cardinals' past futility, noting that those covering the team could always count on down time come January.

Also from Bordow: Giants coach Tom Coughlin lists stopping the Cardinals' ground game among his team's top priorities. Yeah, right.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee outlines four steps that would help Mike Singletary remain head coach beyond this season. Having Shaun Hill emerge as a long-term option at quarterback would certainly help.

Also from Barrows: A look at key matchups.

More from Barrows: Terrell Owens' dark side can appear at any time.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Tony Romo's even keel helps keep Owens from imploding.

Also from Maiocco: A look at trends and key matchups from the 49ers-Cowboys game.

Brian McIntyre of Scout.com predicts a 20-17 victory for the Seahawks against the Redskins. He expects improved play from Matt Hasselbeck.

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers are looking to reverse a five-year run of futility on the road, particularly in games that kick off at 10 a.m. PT.

Also from Crumpacker: A quick look at what to watch for in the 49ers-Cowboys game.

Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle appreciates the versatility, intelligence and toughness of 49ers running back Michael Robinson.

Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle takes inventory at Texas Stadium, home of the $350 (and rising) used urinal.

Jose Romero of the Seattle Times says Mike Holmgren wants to win as many games as he can this season. The coach isn't interested in preparing the team for 2009.

Also from Romero: Key questions from the Redskins-Seahawks matchup. Don't expect Shaun Alexander to play much against his former team.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times looks at trends in NFL coaching hires. First-time head coaches seem to be faring well, from Jim Zorn to Tony Sparano to John Harbaugh to Mike Smith.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune looks at the uncertain contractual future of Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill. Will a losing season affect his value?

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune sizes up the Zorn factor in the Redskins-Seahawks matchup.

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald says the Seahawks have become spoilers. They face five playoff contenders in their final six games.

Also from Johnson: A look at Zorn's rise through the coaching ranks in spite of Chuck Knox's refusal to hire him as an assistant coach.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams need a quality alternative to injured running back Steven Jackson.

Also from Thomas: The Rams are having problems with shotgun snaps.

More from Thomas: A look at key matchups in the Bears-Rams game. He gives the Rams an edge when they pass the ball.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom, who says he's "underwhelmed" by the performance of the front office and what he sees on the field. Rosenbloom recommits to keeping the Rams in St. Louis.