FanHouse Levi Brown

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

After astonishing everyone and heading to the Super Bowl last season, the Arizona Cardinals now face truly raised expectations for the first time in memory. We all remember the magical postseason run, when Larry Fitzgerald established himself as the NFL's premier wideout (even if Andre Johnson wants to argue), Kurt Warner polished his legacy, and the defense showed its capability -- one we had not seen much in the regular season.

You'd think a second-year offensive lineman who had started all 16 regular-season games and both playoff games for a team that's just one game away from the Super Bowl would be hearing nothing but praise right about now. But for Arizona right tackle Levi Brown, the most common question he gets is some version of, "How much do you think the Cardinals regret drafting you?"

Stay on top of all the postseason action with FanHouse's NFL playoff coverage.

It's the battle of the unlikely birds.

We have the Falcons, who are just a year away from being the league's laughingstock with a quarterback in prison and a coach who bailed the first time things got tough, against the Cardinals, who make the playoffs about as often as Vanderbilt wins a bowl game.

The Cardinals wrapped up a playoff spot weeks ago, but they're considered potential frauds because of their easy NFC West schedule. The Falcons had to wait a while longer, and they have to carry some skepticism because they've gone from being considered one of the league's worst teams to a playoff team in the span of three months and conventional wisdom often takes longer than that to catch up.

But both of these teams are only three wins away from the Super Bowl. It doesn't matter how they got here, as a couple of wins and fans can start dreaming of a trip to Tampa--even if there aren't enough Cardinals fans to sell out their stadium, much less to travel to the Super Bowl.

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.

Every week we take a look at some aspect of line play around the league. Click the link for previous Between The Lines.

The last time the Cardinals won a division title, Jim Hart was throwing to Terry Metcalf and Mel Gray. In between there has been a franchise move, 30+ years of ineptness, one Jake Plummer-led playoff win and years of disappointments.

But here they are, having wrapped up a playoff spot with three weeks still to go in the season. It hasn't hurt that the Cardinals play in the NFC West, but Arizona has made some pretty clear steps forward, as they showed by beating Dallas and Miami earlier this season.

What impresses me is how the Cardinals went out and fixed the team's most glaring problem. Back in the Denny Green days, Arizona had a solid quarterback (Kurt Warner), a big money free agent tailback (Edgerrin James), two outstanding receivers (Anquan Boldon and Larry Fitzgerald), but they were hamstrung by an awful offensive line.

The Arizona Cardinals are undefeated.

Yeah, it's only after two weeks ... in wins over the Niners and Dolphins. I just wanted to see what it would be like to type in that first line. You don't often get to do so after two games. As a matter of fact, 2008 is the first year ever when that intro could have been used after week two. The last time the Cardinals franchise started with two victories was 1991, when they were known as the Phoenix Cardinals. Hopefully for the Cards' sake, history doesn't repeat itself, though, because that '91 bunch finished 4-12.

The franchise has only had one winning record since 1984, so you'd think this start would be cause for celebration.

Not for these Cards.

According to The Arizona Republic, it is not business as usual for the Arizona Cardinals.

The players' postgame reactions in the locker room were mostly tempered. Words were chosen carefully. Celebrations were mild. And it was the same way Monday when they met at their Tempe training facility to watch game film.

That kind of attitude is new to this franchise under second-year coach Ken Whisenhunt and his staff. In the past, a 2-0 start would be cause for reckless boasts and party planners.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: Matt Leinart enters his third year and he finally seems to understand that football is actually more important than bonging beers with Nick Lachey. If he struggles early, though, head coach Ken Whisenhunt won't hesitate to go with 37-year-old Kurt Warner. Heat Index: 5

Running backs: Edgerrin James' best days are (way) behind him, and Marcel Shipp, J.J. Arrington and rookie Tim Hightower are all "just guys." Which is to say: defenses will continue to play the pass until the running game proves otherwise. Heat Index: 3

Receivers: Larry Fitzgerald is extremely happy; Anquan Boldin, not so much. Still, they are two of the best wideouts in the league. No one will miss Bryant Johnson, and rookie Early Doucet will get every chance to win the slot receiver job. Assuming Leinart doesn't regress in '08, both Fitzgerald and Boldin should have 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Heat Index: 8

There are a lot of maybe's and could be's surrounding the Arizona Cardinals these days, but coach Ken Whisenhunt is preparing for all of them.

Rookie tackle Levi Brown, who has primarily played on the right side, could stay on the left side this weekend if Mike Gandy (calf) is unable to play. Replacing Brown at right tackle would be guard Elton Brown, who has spent the majority of his career as a back-up. And while all that seems like the beginnings of a migraine, Arizona seems ready for the situation.

Levi Brown said the main hurdle in switching from the right to the left side is "getting used to left-handed stance and switching the plays over in your head."

"I had gotten the plays down to where I don't have to think about anything."

Brown had a couple of problems with the switch at Washington but in general - considering he'd missed three games with an ankle injury and was playing a new position - "I think he performed very well," coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

Meanwhile, Karlos Dansby said he's "50-50" on returning this week, which is 50% more than two weeks ago against Washington.

The linebacker sprained his knee early in week six against the Carolina Panthers and has been sidelined ever since.

Two of the Cardinals' most important offensive players, wide receiver Anquan Boldin and right tackle Levi Brown, will miss today's game against the Rams.

Just about everyone knows what a good receiver Boldin is, but don't underestimate the importance of Brown, the Cardinals' first-round pick this year. In his absence, the Cardinals will turn to Elton Brown, who hadn't played tackle since high school until he was pressed into duty to replace Levi Brown last week.

And that means the Cardinals will have trouble protecting the blind side of left-handed starting quarterback Matt Leinart. And that means Kurt Warner might be a better choice than Leinart.

Of course, I think Warner is a better choice than Leinart anyway. But he's especially the better choice with Levi Brown out.

One of the worst things that could happen to the Arizona Cardinals and first year head coach Ken Whisenhunt would be losing wide receiver Anquan Boldin and right tackle Levi Brown for the Steelers game. Unfortunately, that nightmare appears to be becoming a reality.

According to Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune, both players are listed as doubtful and will be game-time decisions.

"You want to be smart about it," Boldin said. "There are a lot more games in the season, so you don't want to put yourself in jeopardy in the long run."

If Boldin and Brown are unable to go, they will be replaced by Bryant Johnson and Elton Brown respectably.

For the Steelers, the news isn't much better. And while it may not make this any easier for Cardinals fans to swallow, Pro Bowl wide receiver Hines Ward has been listed as out for tomorrow's game.