The scene was the same as six years earlier: A top-five draft pick, holding up a No. 75 jersey, with the unspoken promise he would anchor an offensive line renaissance. The Leonard Davis era never worked out that way.

Arizona visits Seattle to take on the Seahawks at 1:05 p.m. Sunday. Here's what to look for:

While in Pittsburgh, Ken Whisenhunt watched the Steelers play a 3-4 alignment on defense. It’s been a popular theory that the Cardinals will themselves switch to such a look.

The Cardinals have a comfortable two-game lead in the NFC West thanks to San Francisco losing at home to Tennessee last week. Now Arizona has to improve its home record, which stands at 1-3. Losing to lowly Carolina just two weeks ago should motivate the Cardinals to be at their best; they know what happens when they don’t prepare or play well.

The Arizona Cardinals have released starting safety Antrel Rolle.

The Cardinals’ last attempt at a Monday night memory was a disaster. The NFL is giving them a chance to rectify that right away in 2007.

The NFL schedule-makers haven't done the Cardinals many favors at the season's start through the years. For the 19th time in 21 seasons in Arizona, the Cardinals will open on the road when they visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The Cardinals take the national stage for the second time in less than a week. Though the Eagles aren't nearly the equal of the Giants. this would seem to be their season's toughest test, considering the travel and compressed practice time. A win wraps up the division title, though this will get done at some point any way. Much of the nation will be watching to see if the Eagles continue to implode. If they do, the home crowd could well turn on them in ugly fashion. 

The Cardinals have released 22 players, including linebacker Chris Harrington, the team’s sixth-round draft pick; plus veteran defensive end Joe Tafoya and veteran linebacker Matt Stewart to get down to the 53-player limit.

The Cardinals are choosing to eat up salary cap room quicker than in past years for one simple reason: The players still available as free agents aren’t worth saving space.

The St. Louis Rams are 1-8, but the team is playing hard for first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo. St. Louis gave New Orleans a tussle last week before losing, and it probably won’t make life easy for Arizona on Sunday. Still, this is a game the Cardinals should win handily if they’re focused and they play well.

The Cardinals’ passing game is supposed to revolve around Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but quarterback Kurt Warner’s main target Sunday was running back Tim Hightower.

Lyle Sendlein, the undrafted rookie who played at Scottsdale Chaparral High School, won the praise of his teammates and coaches after starting his first game at center for the injured Al Johnson.

FLAGSTAFF - Praise is flowing for the offensive line. No, this is not a misprint. And anyway, none of this will mean much until the team at least starts playing its exhibition games.

Levi Brown was sweating profusely in the 100-plus-degree heat Saturday morning when his first NFL workout was over.

Matt Leinart is the Cardinals’ starter. Kurt Warner is the quality backup. But the key quarterback on Arizona’s roster right now is … Shane Boyd?

Roderick Hood wants to start. The Cardinals will give him that chance, although they didn’t want to guarantee him anything. The two sides were able to reconcile those ideals Saturday, when the free agent cornerback agreed to a five-year contract with the Cards that is worth about $15 million.

The game will mark the halfway point of the season for Arizona, and we’re still not sure who these Cardinals are. Are they the team that marched into New Jersey and manhandled the New York Giants or the team that came home and was embarrassed by the Carolina Panthers?

Kurt Warner for MVP? "I certainly think he should be given consideration for it, absolutely," coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday, in response to a reporter's question.

As Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt ran off the field Sunday, he spotted a familiar face and rolled his eyes toward the heavens.

Here are the local athletes expected to sign Letters of Intent with colleges beginning Wednesday. For additions, email varsity@evtrib.com and include the athlete's name, high school, sport and college of choice.

The Cardinals have a two-game lead in the NFC West, so Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t seem so critical. But it is.

A few weeks ago, this looked like an easy win for the Cardinals. But the Titans have won four straight games since starting 0-6 and they’re talking confidently about running the table the rest of the season.

Tampa, Fla. • Kurt Warner had a few words to say about his future, but they didn’t add up to much: