Cardinals notebook: Cardinals wary again of struggling 49ers

To avoid a problem with looking ahead, the Cardinals need only glance backward.

Looking past Monday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers would seem to be an understandable trap. Unless, of course, they haven't forgotten last year.

"That's the team that kept us out of the playoffs last year," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said, pointing to the Cardinals' pair of losses to the 49ers.

Beyond this, the 49ers are one of two teams that have beaten the Cardinals at home since coach Ken Whisenhunt took over before last season (the other was Carolina).

"We're not going to forget that," Whisenhunt said. "This team is dangerous. They have a number of very good players."

Though aware of how quickly fortunes can change, Whisenhunt acknowledged he'd happily take the Cardinals' three-game division lead halfway through the season and is most excited about having five of the final eight games at home.

"We've proven we're a pretty tough team at home. If we take care of business, we're going to accomplish what we want to accomplish."

PLENTY HAS CHANGED

That season opener in San Francisco seems more than two months distant.

Since then, the 49ers - though putting up some tough battles against teams that had them overmatched - have switched coaches from Mike Nolan to Mike Singletary.

Though under less severe circumstances, the Cardinals, too, have evolved since their Week 1 matchup.

"We've developed a little more of an identity on offense, and maybe as a whole team," quarterback Kurt Warner said. "We were still fighting the first few weeks to figure out what our identity was going to be and how we were going to make our mark.

"We've learned a lot about our team. We've got some different players ... playing big roles. A lot of stuff has changed. They'll probably see some different looks than they saw in the first game of the year."

HONORING AENEAS

The Cardinals are installing Aeneas Williams, arguably the franchise's best player since the move to Arizona in 1988, into the team's Ring of Honor at halftime Monday night.

"He had tremendous consistency," Whisenhunt said of the Cardinals' former cornerback. "He was a guy who could change the course of a game, because he could intercept the ball and run it back. He was very physical and also ran very well.

"I think it's great he's going into the Ring. It's well deserved. He's been a great player for a long time.

"I wish he could dress up and play for us Monday night."

EXTRA POINT

Tight end Leonard Pope has a lingering ankle problem and was supposed to start practicing again this week, but it hasn't happened so far. ... Cornerback Eric Green, whose starting spot is being pressed by rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, sat out much of practice with a sore knee.