NFL Briefs

Rookie offensive tackle Sam Baker returned for his first limited participation in practice since his back surgery on Oct. 30.

Baker, a first-round pick from Southern Cal who started five games, had missed practice since the procedure to remove herniated disk material. Baker participated in some drills and then had extra running after Wednesday's practice.

Cardinals

By losing their last two games, the Cardinals aren't exactly rushing toward their first division title in 33 years. In fact, they aren't rushing anywhere these days.

The question is whether they have to. With quarterback Kurt Warner putting up MVP-type numbers and receivers Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston creating matchup nightmares for opponents, the Cardinals (7-5) may be better off flinging the ball all over the field.

"We're doing some things well moving the football, and I don't think you can ignore that," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "If it does require for us, to continue to be successful, throwing the ball a little bit more, then I think that's just being smart with the personnel that we've got."

Still, Whisenhunt wants to run better, and it would be hard for the Cardinals to be much worse. They rank 32nd in in rushing, averaging 76.4 yards per game, less than half as many as the league-leading Giants.

Relief could be on the way. On Sunday, the Cardinals play host to the lowly St. Louis Rams, who are 30th in rush defense.

A victory would give the Cardinals their first division title since 1975 and guarantee the second home playoff date in club history; the first came in 1947, when the Cardinals nested in Chicago.

The only thing that stands in their way is St. Louis (2-10). The last time the teams met, Arizona romped for a season-high 177 yards in a 34-13 victory on Nov. 2 in St. Louis.

Asked if he thought the Cardinals would emphasize the run on Sunday, Rams coach Jim Haslett replied, "I think they will because that's what they did against us the last couple times. They were successful against us, and we didn't do a very good job stopping the run. So we feel that that's probably how they'll attack us."

Bears

Considering he left the field on a cart with a sprained right ankle last month, quarterback Kyle Orton has a ready-made excuse for his recent struggles.

Not that he would use it.

While his ankle injury didn't help, the Bears (6-6) aren't exactly getting healthy contributions from their receivers lately. With a chance to take control of the NFC North, Chicago stumbled badly last week in a 34-14 loss at Minnesota and fell a game behind the Vikings.

Their quarterback had his worst game, and instead of bailing him out, the receivers dropped passes and got locked up by the defense. Now, the team that can't seem to catch the ball lately is playing catch-up.

"Obviously, it doesn't take a genius to point out that we're not really executing, not doing too well right now, especially in the passing game," tight end Greg Olsen said.

Orton clearly hasn't been himself since he got carted off the field near the end of the first half against Detroit on Nov. 2. He sat out against Tennessee the following week and has been just a 49 percent passer the past three games, with three touchdowns and three interceptions - all of the picks at Minnesota last week.

It was an uncharacteristically sloppy night for Orton, who had gone six games and thrown 206 passes without getting picked off. That streak ended in the third quarter when Darren Sharper intercepted a pass that was badly underthrown.