News And Events

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tim Hightower had no interest in the silver lining.

Not that it was a surprise, given that the Cards had just lost their fifth straight game to the Chiefs. But with the return of Beanie Wells to the lineup, the Cardinals did run the ball well with both he and Hightower.

Hightower had 62 yards on 12 carries – a 5.2-per-carry average – and Wells had 39 yards on eight carries – a 4.9-per-carry average.

“When you’re not able to win … that’s what it is about,” Hightower said. “Whether we ran the ball well or we didn’t, if this was the beginning of the season and we were trying to build something, you have room for those errors. You see that light at the end of the tunnel.

“But now we need results, and today we didn’t get results. That’s the only thing I am looking for.”

Coach Ken Whisenhunt was in much the same frame of mind.

“If we would have been able to stay with that plan, I think we were pleased with what we were able to get accomplished in the run game,” Whisenhunt said. “If there is one area we can have a little bit of hope in I think that is it because we ran the football a little better.”

After missing the first game of his career last week, defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was back in the lineup against the Chiefs, credited with two tackles and a quarterback hit.

“It was tough but I sucked it up,” Dockett said. “They needed me in there and I did the best I could.”

Many of the passes of quarterback Derek Anderson sailed high Sunday. He said the win – which was swirling hard down on the field, made a difference.

“There were some throws that … had some gusts,” Anderson said, noting in particular an overthrow of a wide-open Steve Breaston when Breaston had gotten behind the defense.

“The ball was moving around. For the most part, the balls that were on target guys would corral them. They were moving and that’s something we don’t see.”

Wide receiver Early Doucet soared to catch a pass, and would have made an impressive 18-yard gain – except he couldn’t finish the reception after he was knocked cold when he landed and the ball squirted loose.

Doucet’s concussion wasn’t the only injury. Linebacker Will Davis was carted off with a left ankle injury, while defensive end Calais Campbell’s playing time was limited after suffering an ankle injury.

The Cardinals were already missing four key players because of injury Sunday, none of which were a major surprise – running backs LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring) and Jason Wright (concussion), cornerback Greg Toler (foot) and linebacker Clark Haggans (groin).