National Football League

Injured Kolb sits out practice, uncertain for Rams

Published Nov. 3, 2011 12:08 a.m. ET

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb sat out practice Wednesday with a turf toe injury and said his ability to play against St. Louis on Sunday will be determined by how much his condition improves on a daily basis.

Kolb said he would be able to play with limited practice.

''That's what we are leaning toward right now. That's what we want to do,'' he said. ''We'll just have to assess once we get to that point. Like I said, see tomorrow if I get a chance to practice and if I don't, move on to Friday and do it all over again.''

If he can't go, the team would turn to second-year pro John Skelton, who started four games as a rookie late last season.

Running back Beanie Wells also did not practice because of a sore right knee, a problem that he will try to work through and be ready to play against the Rams as he was able to do last Sunday at Baltimore. Fullback Anthony Sherman (ankle) and tight end Rob Housler (groin) also did not practice on Wednesday.

Kolb has taken more than his share of physical punishment since he came to Arizona. He's been sacked an NFC-high 24 times, six by the Ravens on Sunday.

He was able to take off the walking boot on his injured right foot and called that ''progress.''

''I have good movement today and the color is getting better,'' he said. ''So as long as we keep progressing, that's the main point.''

Kolb was injured early in Sunday's 30-27 loss at Baltimore but stayed in the game. He said trainers are trying ''the whole gamut'' on the injury.

''We are getting into now where we are working on the movement and getting all the flexing back into it,'' he said. ''They are trying to drain some of the swelling that's in there and stuff like that. Hours upon hours of it really.''

Being able to play is only partly about pain tolerance, Kolb said.

''Part of it is how effective can I be, being that it's my right foot, a lot of power comes from that,'' he said. ''You just don't want to get out there and have the ball start sailing and doing things it wouldn't have normally done. There are lots of things that weigh into it.''

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Kolb ''has come a long way'' since he was hurt against the Ravens.

''That thing was swollen and black and blue,'' Whisenhunt said. ''He really took a shot on it in the game. It's good to see him making that kind of progress''

Whisenhunt said that whether Kolb can play Sunday is ''going to really depend on his ability to run and to plant off it

''It's going to be how much movement he can get back into it and if the swelling will go down,'' the coach said. ''We'll see where it is as it progresses, but it has made a lot of progress since Sunday.''

Skelton, a hard-throwing, 6-foot-6 fifth-round draft pick out of Fordham in 2010, said the experience he got last year, when he was 2-2 as a starter, will be invaluable if he has to step in for Kolb.

''I've got a year under my belt in this offense now,'' Skelton said. ''We're playing a division opponent that we played twice last year, so you're kind of familiar with them. Experience helps you in so many different ways and I'm just so much more comfortable now than I was last year.''

Whisenhunt is hopeful to have tight end Todd Heap back, at least in a limited role. Heap has missed three games with a sore hamstring but practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday.

Wells, despite the nagging knee problem, rushed for 83 yards in 22 carries against Baltimore.

''I think he is going to be in this cycle where he works back into shape for the game every week,'' Whisenhunt said. ''I mean, he is really a tough sucker to play on his knee like he did and give us that effort. He's going to have soreness. He's going to be limited or work through things earlier in the week and he'll get more as the week progresses.''

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