TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals could be without Pro Bowl wide receiver Anquan Boldin and starting right tackle Levi Brown for the second game in a row on Sunday when the team plays the Rams in St. Louis.
Boldin hasn't practiced in two weeks after injuring his hip in the team's 26-23 loss at Baltimore. He underwent an exam on Monday that showed no damage to the bone. That means the soreness he is experiencing is coming from a muscle injury.
"I don't know if he partially tore it or strained it or what," coach Ken Whisenhunt said on Wednesday.
Brown, sidelined by an ankle injury, took part in practice but spent most of the time in rehabilitation. After the workout, the rookie first-rounder from Penn State sat glum-faced at his locker and obviously wasn't interested in talking.
When asked if he thought he'd play Sunday, Brown said, "We'll wait and see, just like last week."
Elton Brown would start again in Levi Brown's place. Bryant Johnson would again move into the starting lineup in place of Boldin.
Boldin wasn't in the locker room after practice.
Quarterback Matt Leinart said the offense obviously misses Boldin, who caught 22 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns in the first two games this season.
"Anquan is kind of the heartbeat of the offense," Leinart said. "He's the fire that gets the guys going and he's probably the best player on the team, just what he brings on the offensive side of the ball."
Whisenhunt said Boldin looked good in rehab work on Wednesday and was relieved the injury wasn't more serious. However, the coach said if Boldin doesn't practice this week, he would not play on Sunday.
"I believe you need to practice no matter who you are," Whisenhunt said. "I just think that not only for yourself but for the team, too, because of the timing with other guys."
The Cardinals don't want Boldin to rush back too fast.
"We don't want to have any setbacks," Whisenhunt said. "So we want to make sure the soreness goes away."
With Boldin out, Larry Fitzgerald caught 11 passes for 123 yards in the team's 21-14 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Jerheme Urban caught five passes for 53 yards, including a touchdown.
"You've got to prepare every week like you're going to get to play because you never know when your number is going to be called," Urban said. "Anquan is one of our best players, but you can't change the offense just because somebody goes down. You've got to keep going. I like to pride myself in being ready to go and stepping in."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
