Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is healthy again, but Josh McCown has essentially replaced him as the starter - at least until he plays himself out of the job. But if McCown keeps the No. 1 spot the rest of the season, don't be surprised if Warner decides to call it a career. Remember, after being benched by the Giants in favor of then-rookie Eli Manning last season, he told people he'd rather retire than be a backup. Well, he got a chance to be the starter in Arizona and won the job in the offseason. But he has lost his starting job three straight years, and it's doubtful someone will want to hire him as a starter next year at age 35.

With Chad Pennington's future as the starting quarterback in doubt, it seems that everybody has a crystal ball, trying to predict the '06 starter. Here's one to put in the rumor mill - the Titans' Steve McNair. Unless his contract is renegotiated after the season - a prohibitive $50 million bonus will force the two sides to the bargaining table - McNair will be looking for a team. McNair, 32, is the Brett Favre of Tennessee, always talking about retirement, but if he wants to play in 2006 and needs a team, the Jets could be an interesting option. He played for Mike Heimerdinger in Tennessee, so he knows the offense. The Texans' David Carr, the human pi?ata, also could shake free. The looming QB search is going to be fascinating, and it will say plenty about how the organization feels about Pennington's chances for a full recovery.

The Arizona Cardinals have lost rookie cornerback Antrel Rolle, the team's first-round draft choice this year, for the rest of the season. Rolle suffered what was originally believed to have been cartilage damage to his left knee in a Sept. 25 loss at Seattle, and was expected to be sidelined for three or four weeks. But during Monday morning surgery by Dr. John Uribe of Miami to ostensibly repair the meniscus cartilage, more severe damage was discovered. The arthroscopic surgery revealed ligament damage, which was not anticipated, and the involvement of the ligaments is sufficient enough to sideline Rolle for the balance of the season. The severity of the knee problem came as not only a surprise to Arizona officials but also a blow to the Cardinals' defense. Rolle was also said to have been shocked by the more serious knee condition.