Justin Bethel had said this summer he played with a small stress fracture in his foot. He was fine. He rested up on it, and then got back to working out early in the offseason. That's when it gave out, when Bethel had to have surgery, and left him where he is now. The veteran cornerback and Pro Bowl special teamer was supposed to earn the cornerback job opposite Patrick Peterson. The foot derailed that plan.

Now, Bethel is trying to play with his sore foot, and after 22 special teams snaps against the Patriots (none on defense), coach Bruce Arians didn't think that went all that well either.

"Justin has to decide that he's going to play with that foot," Arians said. "He was just an average spectator on special teams (Sunday night). He missed two tackles. If he's going to play, he needs to play better. Or he shouldn't play."

The Cards need Bethel. Even if he can't go at cornerback -- meaning rookie Brandon Williams will stay in and take his lumps, unless newcomer Marcus Cooper gets in the mix -- Bethel is a decorated special teamer on a special teams unit that did not play well in the opener. When Bethel is right, he can change the game in transition. It's a situation to watch as the season plays out, since, as Arians has noted, Bethel likely will have to play with the foot issue all year.