Cardinals Friday Practice Report

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Arizona Cardinals had their final major practice before Super Bowl XLIII today. Quarterback Kurt Warner looked very sharp. It was probably his best day of the week. Only three balls hit the ground during the two-hour and 20 minute workout. The team spent a good deal of time during the middle of practice working on punt protection. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt said:

“I thought it was a good week of work. You always wonder when you go on the road and your team is practicing in another facility if they’re going to have the consistency that you’ve had. No question that it helped us that we’ve already done this once this season.”

Yeah, but that didn’t work out so well. The Cards stayed in the Washington, D.C. area between their September 21 game against the Redskins and the following Sunday’s game in the Meadowlands against the N.Y. Jets. They lost both games. Naturally, coach Whisenhunt is hoping for a different result this time around. I think this is a different team. They may have the same personnel, yes, but they also have a different attitude. So I will expect a much better effort than the way they played against the Jets.

Coach Whisenhunt had a three-minute huddle with his team at the end of practice but wouldn’t say what he was talking to them about or what the team’s weekend plans were (like if they were switching hotels). The team will have a half-hour walk-through tomorrow morning.

The injury report is the same as the previous two days with one exception. Defensive end Antonio Smith had full participation in practice. Running back J.J. Arrington (knee), punter Ben Graham (left groin), and defensive end Travis LaBoy (biceps) were all still limited in their practice time and will probably be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

Thanks to fellow PFWA member John Czarnecki for today’s pool report.