According to Adam Schefter via his Twitter page, the Cardinals don’t expect wideout Anquan Boldin (ankle/knee) to play against the Saints on Saturday.

As crazy as it sounds, Arizona might be better off.

The mere thought that the Cardinals are better without Boldin in the lineup sounds ridiculous. He’s an underrated playmaker that makes teams pay for double-teaming Larry Fitzgerald. He has the size and speed to win one-on-one matchups with a defender of any size and he’s a load to bring down in open space. Of course the Cardinals are better with him.

That said, over the last two seasons the Cards are 6-1 when Boldin didn’t play. And as the Wall Street Journal points out, they’ve averaged 33.9 points per game without him in the lineup, compared to the 24.5 PPG and 17-13 record with him. They also racked up 41 points in the one regular season game (vs. the Bears) that he missed this season and 51 points last week against the Packers, so the numbers would indicate that they’re better off without him.

But this is one of those times when numbers can be misleading. Arizona has survived without Boldin because they have an abundance of depth at the wideout position. Steve Breaston has shown the ability to be a playmaker when he starts and Early Doucet showed last week that he could be a star in the making. Fitzgerald aids both receivers by commanding double-teams, and having a quarterback in Kurt Warner that can deliver the ball in a timely manner so his wideouts can make the catch in stride and pick up yards after the catch is critical as well.

Can the Cardinals win without Boldin? Absolutely – and they’ve proven it. But are they better? That’s debatable. The numbers would suggest that they are, but teams are always better when they have their full complement of weapons, especially during the postseason.

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According to the Arizona Cardinals’ official website, wideout Anquan Boldin was held out of practice on Tuesday but is optimistic that he will play against the Saints on Saturday.

The Cardinals got through an admittedly sluggish first day back on the practice field, no surprise since it’s been such a short time since they last played. Because it’s Tuesday, the Cards aren’t required to discuss injuries or file and injury report, leaving some things in the dark until tomorrow’s initial official injury update. But Anquan Boldin did say he felt “a lot better,” reported that he was able to move around more (although he didn’t practice) and he is “definitely” optimistic he will have a chance to play Saturday against the Saints.

With the way Early Doucet played against the Packers, it didn’t matter that Boldin wasn’t on the field last Sunday. But at this time of year, teams need all of their weapons and Boldin is a game-changer when healthy.

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The Arizona Republic is reporting that Cardinals’ receiver Anquan Boldin will be a game-time decision on Sunday vs. the Packers.

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Antrel Rolle were both able to practice for Arizona on Thursday, however

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and free safety Antrel Rolle practiced Thursday on a limited basis, an encouraging sign for the Cardinals, who are battling significant injuries on defense.

Rodgers-Cromartie, who suffered a knee contusion last week, participated in a good portion of practice, coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
DRC said: “I was out there full speed and it felt good. It felt good to be out there flying around, to be back with these guys practicing and working toward something good.”

Receiver Anquan Boldin remained out with a sprained knee and ankle. Boldin’s status likely won’t be known until Sunday. Guard Deuce Lutui also missed practice with back spasms, but Whisenhunt expressed confidence that he would play.

If the Cardinals want to avoid being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs then they’re going to have to do two things: Run the football and pressure the quarterback.

Even if Boldin plays, he won’t be at 100% and the Packers match up well with the Cardinals’ passing game regardless. So if ‘Zona can’t get Beanie Wells and the ground game working early, then the Cards might be in store for a long day. And teams that have had success against Green Bay this season have all been able to get after Aaron Rodgers.

Obviously the Cardinals want Boldin to be healthy; he’s a game-changer when he’s on the field. But in the end, he won’t be the difference between victory and defeat.

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The Arizona Republic is reporting that Anquan Boldin has a sprained left MCL, as well as a high left ankle sprain.

Receiver Anquan Boldin — He told me he has a high left ankle sprain and a sprained left medial collateral ligament. He worked with a trainer during practice but it’s questionable if he’ll play Sunday against the Packers.

Even though the Arizona Republic reports that it’s “questionable” that he’ll play, sprains of that nature can take players weeks to recover from. That said, Boldin is extremely tough and will likely suit up. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, even if he does play, he probably won’t be close to 100%.

This bodes well for a hot Packers team that already matches up well with Arizona’s passing attack.

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