Cards will rotate injury-plagued receivers more often

With their stars banged up, the Cardinals will rotate their receivers more than usual Sunday at New Orleans. Anquan Boldin, who has a sore toe, is listed as questionable for the game.

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Coach Ken Whisenhunt said a determination on whether Boldin can play will be made after he works out before the game. Boldin said he is likely to play.

With Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, who has a sore groin, playing at less than 100 percent, “There will be more rotation involved, at least to start,” Whisenhunt said.

Bryant Johnson, the usual No. 3 receiver, figures to play a lot, while Jerheme Urban, Steve Breaston and Sean Morey could all be in the mix.

Boldin’s starting status, assuming he can play, isn’t clear.

“A lot of that will be dependent on how he works out before the game,” Whisenhunt said.

“It’s hard to do that when you don’t practice, especially as limited as he’s been.”

The game will mark the return of safety Aaron Francisco, who has missed six of the past seven games with knee and calf problems.

“Aaron looked rusty in practice, which you would expect,” Whisenhunt said.

“Last time we got him back and he hurt himself in practice. … We were careful with him in practice this week.”

Francisco should help the depleted safety spot, plus he’ll return to special-teams duty, though, according to Whisenhunt, “He won’t take every special-teams play like he’s done in the past.”

CALLING THE SHOTS

Like Whisenhunt, Saints coach Sean Payton also calls the team’s plays.

“I think it is challenging,” he acknowledged. “You are trying to manage a game. And you want to pay attention to all aspects of the game, and yet you are trying to stay up to speed with any adjustments that are being made.

“I think the one thing you lean heavily on is a good staff. I know Ken does the same there in Arizona. You count and rely on your assistants.

“That’s the one biggest change from being the coordinator play-caller to being the head coach play-caller. Your weekly responsibilities can pull you away from, maybe, sometimes where you want to be but you can’t be.

“I try to as best I can learn and find a balance in the schedule and I don’t know that there is a perfect balance.”

HE’S THE GUY

Quarterback Drew Brees is the guy to watch for the Saints.

With only a modest, at best, running attack, Brees has the pressure of running a precise passing attack for the Saints to win.

“As a quarterback, you always have the philosophy that, ‘I’m ready if they need to put it on my shoulders,’ ” Brees said.

“I think I have that pride and confidence level that if we have to throw it 60 times, we’ll do that and be effective and successful. We can win doing that.”