• Somers, McManaman preview Cards-Cowboys

    Somers, McManaman preview Cards-Cowboys

  • Arizona Cardinals Harold Goodwin and James Bettcher on prep for Cowboys

    Arizona Cardinals Harold Goodwin and James Bettcher on prep for Cowboys

  • Somers, McManaman report on Wednesday's practice

    Somers, McManaman report on Wednesday’s practice

  • David Johnson speaks for first time since injury

    David Johnson speaks for first time since injury

  • Cowboys are coming: don’t sell your tickets!

    Cowboys are coming: don’t sell your tickets!

  • azcentral sports' Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals victory over Colts

    azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals victory over Colts

  • Bruce Arians discusses his thoughts about Colts, Cowboys

    Bruce Arians discusses his thoughts about Colts, Cowboys

  • Kent Somers, Dan Bickley discuss Cardinals' win

    Kent Somers, Dan Bickley discuss Cardinals’ win

  • Shot Clock: Cards (eye) roll; ASU's 'real' player

    Shot Clock: Cards (eye) roll; ASU’s ‘real’ player

  • Cardinals game vs. Colts preview with Kent Somers and Dan Bickley

    Cardinals game vs. Colts preview with Kent Somers and Dan Bickley

  • Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

    Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

    CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

  • azcentral sports' Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

    azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

  • Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

    Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

  • David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

    David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

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    Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

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    Bickley and Somers on Cardinals’ season-opening loss

  • Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson's injury

    Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson’s injury

  • Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

    Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

  • Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

    Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

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    Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

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    Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday’s practice

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    Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

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    Cardinals report: How will Bucannon’s absence affect team?

  • Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

    Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

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    Reaction to Cardinals’ move at punter

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    Somers wraps up the Cardinals’ preseason finale

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    Cardinals vs Broncos preview

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    Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals’ Tuesday practice

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    Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

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    Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz’s Supper Club

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    Arizona Cardinals break camp

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    McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

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    Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

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    Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

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    Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

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    Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked ‘sluggish’

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    Shot Clock: Cards’ Palmer, ‘D’ gotta get better

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    Kent and Bob break down Cards’ preseason loss to Bears

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    Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals’ ‘boring’ camp

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    Somers, McManaman on Arians’ anger, receiving issues

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    Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

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    Insider: Was Arians’ criticism truth or motivational chatter?

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    Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

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    Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

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    Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

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    Gabbert’s big chance, special team auditions

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    Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

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    Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

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    Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

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    Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

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    Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

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    David Johnson’s work load; D-Backs’ head games

  • Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

    Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

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    Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

  • Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

    Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

  • Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

    Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

  • Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

    Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

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    Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

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    David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

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    Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

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    Keim, Arians striking gold in draft’s third round

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    Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

  • Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament

    Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament

  • Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers

    Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers

Entering last week’s games against the Colts, Cardinals coaches were concerned with the left side of their offensive line, where two backups were starting because of injuries.

But it was the right side – guard Evan Boehm and tackle Jared Veldheer – that struggled, and coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator/line coach Harold Goodwin made it clear this week they expect improvement.

“I’m trying a new approach, I’m not screaming as much, not as many curse words,” Goodwin said this week.  

Boehm, a fourth-round pick in 2016, is in his first full season as starter. Veldheer, in his eighth season, is in his first year at right tackle after playing the left side most of his career.

“They’ve got to step up, and Jared knows it,” Goodwin said. “Jared’s been playing right tackle long enough that being over there should not be an issue any more.”

On Saturday, Veldheer said he is still working through technique changes required by the switch.

“It’s kind of humbling when you go to one side from the other and you have this standard of viewing yourself when you’re watching tape,” Veldheer said. “It’s not where I want it to be. There’s no magic potion for it. It just takes a lot of work.”

PODCAST: Cowboys come to town for Monday Night Football showdown

Veldheer gave up a sack on the second play of last week’s game against the Colts. It was a one-on-one situation with the rusher, and Veldheer needs to win more of those, Goodwin said.

“Either he’s going to whip your butt or you’re going to whip his butt,” he said. “Unfortunately, we lost that and we can’t let that happen this Monday.

“I feel bad for Carson (Palmer), second play of the game and you get sacked. Before he even hits his fifth step. We’ve got to do a better job up front.”

Palmer and Veldheer have been teammates for six years, two with the Raiders and four with the Cardinals, and have a tight bond.

“I love him,” Palmer said. “He was my blind side for a long time, and now he’s on my front side. Like I said, bad plays happen. You miss some guys when they’re open. You throw interceptions. Guys are going to get beat in one-on-one situations sometimes. That’s the game. There are good players on the other side of the ball, too.”

MUST READ: Cardinals undecided if they will protest Trump’s comments

Injury update

Cardinals receiver John Brown (quadriceps) and left tackle D.J. Humphries (knee) have been ruled out of Monday’s game. Linebacker Deone Bucannon (ankle), tight end Jermaine Gresham (ribs), guard Mike Iupati (triceps) and receiver J.J. Nelson (hamstring) are questionable.

Of that group, Bucannon and Iupati seem the least likely to play.

For the Cowboys, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring), cornerback Nolan Carroll (concussion) and linebacker Anthony Hitchens (knee) are out. Carroll and Hitchens are listed as starters.

Receiver Terrance Williams (ankle), defensive tackle Stephen Paea (knee) and receiver Brice Butler (ankle) are questionable.

SCOUTING REPORT: Who has the edge on Monday night?

Wrap, run, rally

As soon as he said it, Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher knew it sounded trite. Monday night’s game against the Cowboys will come down to how well the Cardinals tackle.

“Maybe that’s a statement you’d hear from a coach who is coaching in middle school, elementary school,” Bettcher said. “But that’s what it’s going to be about. We’re going to have to tackle well on early downs to put us into position on second and third downs to do some of the things we want to do defensively.”

The main tackling target will be running back Ezekiel Elliott, who led the NFL in rushing last season with 1,631 yards. Elliott gained 104 yards on 24 carries against the Giants in Week 1, but the Broncos held him to eight yards on nine attempts last week.

“You’ve got to wrap, you’ve got to run, and we’ve got to rally when we tackle this guy,” Bettcher said.

MORE: It’s huntin’ season for Cardinals linebacker Markus Golden

Star-studded practice

There were several personalities on parade at the Cardinals practice on Saturday. HBO is doing a piece on the McDonough brother: Sean, Terry and Ryan. Sean does play-by-play for Monday Night Football on ESPN. Terry is the Cardinals’ vice president of player personal and Ryan is the Suns’ general manager. The piece is scheduled to run on Tuesday night.

ESPN’s Jon Gruden was there as well as comedian Frank Caliendo, a Valley resident and Cardinals fan.

MORE: Cowboys bring bag of drama to Cardinals game

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