Cardinals lose Spach for season

Amidst a weekend of hoopla around the Cardinals came at least one nugget of bad news.

Tight end Stephen Spach suffered a torn ACL in his right knee against Carolina on Saturday, ending his season.

Spach was signed by the Cardinals on Oct. 28. He had two receptions for 15 yards during the regular season, both against St. Louis in Week 14, but he caught three passes for 34 yards, including the game-clinching 23-yarder on third down against Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs, and became a key component of the Cardinals’ improved rushing attack.

Leonard Pope and Ben Patrick could see more time against Philadelphia on Sunday, and coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team likely would sign a player early this week, or perhaps bring back Jerame Tuman, whom the team released in late December.

Similar to last week, receiver Anquan Boldin’s hamstring is going to be a wait-and-see approach. The team doesn’t practice until Wednesday.

“Obviously we’re a week further along with the process of getting that hamstring getting better, so hopefully he’ll be able to do something this week,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ll see as the week progresses.”

PLAYOFF PALS

Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and Eagles running back Brian Westbrook are training buddies during the offseason and have been for several years.

Combine that with Dockett’s view that the No. 1 seed New York Giants were favorites and darlings in the nation’s No. 1 media market, and Dockett had no trouble rooting for the NFC’s other underdog.

“It’s funny because I wanted him to win, but I don’t want to play against him,” Dockett said of Westbrook, who had 110 yards rushing and four touchdowns against Arizona in the previous meeting on Thanksgiving night.

“They were in the same situation we were in, a team which didn’t have a chance, and to get where they are is a great accomplishment. So, yeah, I wanted them to win. Plus the Giants get too much hype and media attention about the greatest team and all that, so I kind of root for the underdog.”

NICE DREAM

Fullback Terrelle Smith was holding court across from his locker room, mixing in humor and a few one-liners to accompany his insight into the Cardinals and this postseason run.

Toward the end he revealed his mother passed away last month, but not, he said, before she had a dream in which the Cardinals played a conference championship game at home.

“She’s up there with my father,” he said. “Gotta do what she asked me to do.”

EXTRA POINTS

A few Valley TV stations reported that a few more tickets to Sunday’s game would be available nationwide, but the Cardinals issued a statement Monday reiterating that the game is “completely sold out,” and that “no additional tickets or seats are being added.” ... Whisenhunt, on the retirement of Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy: “It’s unfortunate to see a man of his character and integrity not coaching anymore. I really applaud him for what he’s done. I’ve had great talks with him during the years. You never want to see someone who’s meant so much to the game and a number of organizations decide he doesn’t want to do it anymore.”