Quarterback Kevin Kolb said he is "doing my best" to return to the field this season for the Cardinals after hurting his ribs.
Every injury Kevin Kolb has suffered through has been frustrating, but his latest issue – detached ribs that have put the quarterback on the sideline indefinitely – has been especially difficult.
"It doesn't come around all the time, when you feel like you are seeing things crystal clear and things come easily to you," Kolb said. "When that happens you want to keep rolling with it."
That's why Kolb had told himself, after replacing John Skelton at quarterback when Skelton got hurt that no matter what injury he might suffer, "I was playing through."
That ended as soon as two Bills jumped on him a couple weeks ago. "This is just an injury I can't play through, unfortunately," Kolb said, "because I didn't want to lose that feeling."
Kolb isn't practicing yet, but he said the past few days have been positive and his treatment has gotten more aggressive. Instead of having to simply rest to heal, Kolb said he is actually doing some rehab.
"My focus is week-to-week," Kolb said. "There's no doubt in my mind I am doing my best to come back this year." That includes making sure he is in all the meetings despite his current status, "because I want to stay sharp and make that hill to climb a little less steep when I get back."
Kolb shrugs at the freak way he was hurt, on a broken play, after all the punishment he had taken both with pass-rush pressure and a handful of rushing attempts against Buffalo. He was fine until the one fateful play. That happens, Kolb figures.
He's admitted he's been hardened by the realities of the sport. This is just another setback to work around, like his foot and head injuries last season, and all the criticism he has played through not only since becoming a Cardinal but since he showed up in the league.
That's why Kolb has made sure to reach out to teammate Ryan Williams, after the running back suffered through first a crucial fumble in New England and then a second straight season-ending injury. Kolb has learned to endure, and he wants to pass on the knowledge.
"It's good for him to see things like that because when I was in Philly and I was a young player, I thought Donovan McNabb hung the moon," Kolb said. "I thought everything always went good for those guys. But then I'm sitting there like, 'Man, they are killing him,' or 'They're killing Mike (Vick)' and I was like, 'Oh, everyone goes through this.'
"You just have to make it through, because the ones that persevere are the ones with long careers."
A RETURN THAT WOULD BE SPECIAL
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he expects both linebacker Reggie Walker (concussion) and fullback Anthony Sherman (knee) to be able to play this week, which would be a boost to special teams. Walker and Sherman are the Cards' special teams captains.
It's hard to quantify exactly what it would mean for the two to come back, but it would make a difference.
"We've got a couple of young guys in there (lately) that sometimes get it and sometimes don't," punt return man Patrick Peterson said. "But at the end of the day we have to keep working those guys up."
Because the Cardinals don't play until Monday against the 49ers, the team's first injury report isn't out until Thursday. There were no other injury updates.
FINDING POINTS WHERE THEY CAN
Whisenhunt said he thought Skelton's play against Minnesota was undercut by his two turnovers, a fumble that cost the Cards at least three points and an interception returned for a touchdown. Without those things, "then John plays really well, but that didn't happen," Whisenhunt said.
Skelton acknowledged the need to score points whenever possible, given that opportunities aren't coming as often as the Cardinals would like.
"You can't squander it," Skelton said. "You can't give it away. The way our defense is playing, any points on the board is really a win for us, because we know we're not going to have to get into a shootout with anyone at this point."
