Sam Bradford apologized. He wasn't going to give many -- any? -- details about what the Cardinals' new offense might look like, after a preseason in which it often didn't look like much, both in production and in the way offensive coordinator Mike McCoy vanilla'd it up. I mean, when David Johnson barely plays, and Larry Fitzgerald barely plays, you're never going to get a true gauge. So Bradford was asked and the quarterback pleasantly said what he could -- which wasn't really anything -- and he apologized for not being able to be more specific.

But the question remains, just what will this offense do?

I mean, the defense, even if it too was vanilla, gave off a sense of what was coming. Aggressive in going after turnovers. More zone. A lot of nickel. But what of the offense, coach Steve Wilks? What are you expecting to have?

"Hopefully touchdowns," Wilks deadpanned. "Hopefully moving the chains. Hopefully converting on third down. Hopefully scoring in the red zone and not kicking field goals."

Wilks too knew he wasn't giving much. But as the Cardinals head into their opener, there is so much to consider. The last time the Cardinals had a high-profile veteran quarterback take over, the offensive production was hit and miss. It took Carson Palmer and the unit half a season to "get" it, and then, the Cardinals played really well. Is that what might happen with Bradford and this group -- which doesn't have a lot of experience at receiver other than Fitz?

-- One guy who has been repeatedly mentioned as a a candidate to surprise is tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. Seals-Jones flashed a couple of times last year, but he's still a former college receiver trying to figure out a new position. McCoy talked about Seals-Jones being a work in progress. Fitzgerald talked RSJ up. Seals-Jones, for his part, isn't going to boast, but he's ready for what is needed.

"I still have a lot more to learn and be able to do, but that year on the (practice) squad and being pulled up helped a lot," Seals-Jones said. "I feel good. I'm far from being great, but I just keep at it."

-- Adrian Peterson wasn't here long -- he came a month into the season last year and he all but disappeared once he was on IR the last few games -- but if there is anything I am certain of when he returns Sunday, it's that he'll want to show the Cards made a mistake in releasing him in March and that the league as a whole made a mistake by letting him get to mid-August before a team signed him. We'll see if he is Vs. Tampa-Vs. San Francisco Adrian Peterson. The Cards can't let that happen.

-- As far as Peterson-on-Peterson crime, Patrick was asked his plan if Adrian got past the first level and was coming at Pat P in the open field. "Tie his shoes for him," Pat P said with a smile. "Hopefully he trips up along the way."

-- Reports have the Cardinals working out a couple of veteran wide receivers in Braxton Miller and Corey Coleman. We'll see if it turns into anything. As a reminder, a veteran on the roster in Week 1 has his salary guaranteed for the season. Anyone signed after that doesn't have a guaranteed salary, so if he doesn't work out and is released, the club wouldn't be on the hook for the money.

-- With a catch against Washington, Fitz will have a reception in his 212th straight game, snapping a tie with former tight end Tony Gonzalez. That was brought up to Bradford. "Don't say that. Don't say that," Bradford said. "I don't want that pressure."

-- The reality of the NFL: Both defensive end Vontarrius Dora and safety A.J. Howard made the initial 53-man roster. Sunday, both were waived/injured, and once they weren't claimed, went on injured reserve. Friday, according to the NFL transactions list, they were waived again with an injury settlement and, if they go unclaimed, will be free agents.

-- Back when the Cardinals and Redskins were in the same division, at the beginning of this 19-season stretch of covering this team, there were some memorable moments. In 2000, Aeneas Williams returned a fumble 104 yards in Sun Devil Stadium and the Cards improbably won a game they shouldn't have, and two days later, the vote passed to build what is now State Farm Stadium. The next year, the game in Washington was supposed to be the season opener and instead was the season finale, bumped because it was originally supposed to be played on Sept. 16 -- five days after the 9/11 attacks. That ended up being a Cards' loss in the rain, notable because rookie safety Adrian Wilson made a 61-yard interception return for a touchdown -- Dub loved to show off his wheels -- and because it turned out to be the last NFL game played by Pat Tillman.

-- The Cardinals have practiced outside every time since training camp broke. On this, Wilks believes strongly, and that didn't change when the weather got to players for both the Eagles and Falcons Thursday night.

"There's a reason why we do those things," said Wilks, noting that plenty of people have wondered why the Cards never go inside. "Get in the bubble and you get away from the elements, you'll see in the game and it affects you."

-- It feels like the Cardinals' lines -- a defensive line waiting to see what Robert Nkemdiche can do, along with getting Corey Peters and Olsen Pierre back healthy, and an offensive line that will take on an underrated Washington D-line -- will be the key to the game.

-- The season is here. Talk to you Sunday.