The Arizona Cardinals got some good news ahead of Sunday’s match up against the New Orleans Saints. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back Rashard Mendenhall are expected to play today, per ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring) and RB Rashard Mendenhall (toe) are expected to play today vs. Saints.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2013
Fitzgerald was optimistic all week ahead of the game and never seemed to question whether he’d play this weekend. When told there was a “school of thought” that he should sit to rest his hamstring he responded with “never been to that school before.”
WR @LarryFitzgerald , when told there was a school of thought he should sit Sunday to rest his hamstring: "Never been to that school before"
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) September 19, 2013
Fitzgerald missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday but returned to practice on Friday and appears to be healthy and good to go. Mendenhall also missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday as he recovers from a toe injury. Like Fitzgerald though, Mendenhall returned to practice on Friday.
Both players line up against a banged up New Orleans Saints defense. As of right now the Saints have the 8th ranked defense against the pass allowing and average of 196 yards per game. They aren’t as stout against the run with the 27th ranked defense allowing 124 yards per game.