TEMPE, Ariz. -- A funny thing happened while the Arizona Cardinals took the weekend off: The other three teams in the supposedly awful NFC West won.
Most significantly, the Seattle Seahawks beat the Bears 23-20 in Chicago to improve to 3-2, tied with Arizona atop the division. That puts sole possession of first place at stake when the Cardinals venture into the Northwest to face the Seahawks on Sunday.
Injured Arizona wide receivers Steve Breaston and Early Doucet are expected back this week, as is inside linebacker Gerald Hayes, who has been out since undergoing back surgery in the offseason.
After the Cardinals practiced Monday, coach Ken Whisenhunt said that while he didn't like seeing the Seahawks win, the St. Louis Rams beat the San Diego Chargers 20-17, and the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Oakland Raiders 17-9, it showed that "maybe the division isn't as bad as some people think it is."
Arizona won the division the last two seasons, going 4-0 against Seattle in the process, but that was with Kurt Warner at the controls of a prolific passing offense. Now it will be undrafted rookie Max Hall making his second start, and first on the road. At least he should have the services of Breaston and Doucet to compliment Larry Fitzgerald, who caught seven for 93 yards a week ago when the Cardinals upset the New Orleans Saints 30-20 in Hall's debut.
Breaston hurt his right knee against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 and tried to play through it the following Sunday against the Raiders. Tests afterward showed torn cartilage that required arthroscopic surgery. Doucet, the team's No. 3 receiver, went down in the season opener at St. Louis with a sports hernia that also required surgery.
Breaston said he ran some routes Monday and was "good to go Wednesday."
"I've been pushing it and I've been looking forward to getting back on the field, especially this week," he said. "You just don't just sit there and not practice throughout the week and expect to be good Sunday, so I'm going to be out there and try to go Wednesday, Thursday and Friday."
Lest anyone forget, Breaston is an imposing weapon alongside Fitzgerald. In the season-opening 17-13 victory at St. Louis, Breaston caught seven passes for a career-best 132 yards. In that game, he made arguably the most impressive play thus far in Arizona's season after Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson fumbled and the Rams' Clifton Ryan picked up the ball, then rumbled toward the end zone. Far away from the situation, the speedy Breaston was able to run down the big defender and strip the ball from him just short of the goal line to save a touchdown.
Breaston downplayed having to adjust to the different throwing style of Hall, who has far more touch on the ball than does the rocket-armed but erratic Anderson.
"It's kind of overrated how everybody talks about chemistry and stuff like that," Breaston said. "Someone throws the ball, you catch it, that's the biggest thing. ... It's not rocket science."
Breaston said he wasn't surprised to see his division's weekend sweep.
"I guess somebody thought I was joking when I said that's just way the NFL is right now across the board," Breaston said. "Everybody's always poking shots at the NFC West, but we went out there and went 3-0. I mean, this is the way the NFC is right now, basically the whole league. They're playing football. Any given Sunday you've got to go out there and play football.
"Now people are starting to understand. I hope they understand. There's a lot more season left but it's very competitive out there."
Hayes has been a steady starter at inside linebacker for the last four seasons, but he has been on the physically unable to perform list this year. He will be eligible to practice for the first time Wednesday. His return would give the team some much-needed experience and depth at the position, where veteran Paris Lenon has been outstanding and rookie Daryl Washington has shown speed and skill in Hayes' absence.
Also eligible to practice Wednesday is rookie outside linebacker O'Brien Schofield, who blew out his left knee practicing for the Senior Bowl. Schofield, who played defensive end at Wisconsin, was considered one of the top defensive players in the draft before his injury. The Cardinals, knowing he would need time to recover from the major surgery, selected Schofield in the fourth round, the 130th pick overall.
Schofield said it has been an arduous journey, but he has had plenty of time to learn the system and can't wait to practice.
"I just want to show the coaches I've been paying attention," he said.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
