--The Cardinals could go with a rookie, either Max Hall or John Skelton, as the No. 2 quarterback. Coach Ken Whisenhunt admits the move would be a risk. "That's always a dicey thing, when you're talking about a rookie in a backup role," Whisenhunt said. "But I've been very impressed with how both of those young men have handled themselves. You are going to have to understand that you have to live with some things with those guys, but where we are right now, I definitely feel more comfortable with those guys being on your regular season roster than maybe I would have at the starting training camp."

--WR Larry Fitzgerald insists he's staying out the quarterback controversy and hasn't been asked for his opinion. "I'm just a hired hand, man. I'm just a pawn on the chessboard."

--QB Matt Leinart and Whisenhunt met to clear the air, but don't expect either side to budge much in the dispute. Leinart doesn't think he was treated fairly. Whisenhunt believes he was above board in evaluating the quarterback situation. "The philosophy is you want the best 11 guys to play. I feel like I've proved that with my performance," Leinart said. "I don't really know what else I could possibly do, so it probably goes beyond football. For me, I just really want an explanation and I haven't been given one."

--Steve Breaston caught Matt Leinart's first TD pass of the preseason. But Breaston questioned his own intelligence after diving in the end zone and taking a hit. Breaston was hit on the play, and with fellow starting receiver Larry Fitzgerald out with a knee injury, the Cardinals can't afford to lose Breaston, too.

"I don't think that was a smart move, but it was just instinct," Breaston said. "Just being the playmaker I am, I wanted to make plays. You still have to show the NFL that you are still a playmaker. I got to put a little bit of fear out there."

BY THE NUMBERS
4 -- The Cardinals won four times as many playoff games the last two years as they won the previous 61 years.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I feel like I've outplayed the competition, training camp, preseason. I think my play speaks about that. For me, this goes beyond the football field." -- QB Matt Leinart on being replaced by Derek Anderson.

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