FanHouse Deuce Lutui

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around pointing skyward, while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.

Studs

Kurt Warner, QB Arizona (22-32, 261 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs) -- Last week, Warner had five interceptions, looks his age, didn't appear to be comfortable with a receiving core most would quarterbacks in the league would die for. This week, in a much-needed victory over the Chicago Bears, Warner flipped the switching, tossing five touchdowns to tie his career high and put his Cardinals back in the driver's seat of the NFC West.

In doing these Between The Lines posts, it's always interesting to see if mismatches jump out, or if there is a player that seems either underrated or overrated.

Normally it doesn't happen. The conventional wisdom on most teams is pretty accurate, and it's really hard to find a stud on the offensive or defensive line that hasn't been noticed at all. But as the Falcons get ready to play the Cardinals this weekend, there is a mismatch that jumps out from paying attention to the two team's lines: if the Falcons are wise with where they line up John Abraham, he could dominate this game.

There are a lot of factors to consider in Saturday's game: how will Matt Ryan react to his first playoff start, can the Cardinals slow down Michael Turner and is the Cardinals' triple-threat at receiver too much for the Falcons secondary, but as I see it, this game will first be decided by whether the Cardinals can block Abraham.

Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm are men on a mission and they know exactly what they want out of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line. However, there is no specific description for what they're looking for. Whisenhunt and Grimm want the line to be powerful yet have some finesse; they want them to be able to smother defenders yet able to pull guards.

It was a message that came across loud and clear to Deuce Lutui when he was told to lose some weight. Arizona is looking for the 338 pound Lutui to slim down so that he can pull more effectively -- similar to what the New York Giants guards did with Tiki Barber running behind them.

"What it comes down to is the weight their body and frame can hold and how they move that weight," Whisenhunt said.

Lutui and the rest of the Arizona Cardinals are hungry to win and if the coaches believe slimming down will help that cause, you can bet they'll do it.

I expect the Edgerrin James and the Cardinals offensive line to have a remarkable season. The days of 3.0 - 3.3 rushing yards per attempt are over.