Cardinals Playing the Waiting Game

The Arizona Cardinals aren’t waiting for their season to resume. They’re waiting for it to begin.

“It’s been a long time,” rookie offensive guard Leonard Davis said after the team sweltered through another practice Monday at Tempe, Ariz.

Because the Cardinals had a bye on the opening weekend, and because Sunday’s game at Washington was canceled along with the rest of the NFL schedule, Arizona stands alone atop the NFC East at 0-0.

The Cardinals, the only team in the league yet to play, last snapped a football in game conditions Aug. 31 in the preseason against San Diego.

Arizona is scheduled to finally open its season Sunday night at home against the Denver Broncos. It will be the first time the Cardinals have opened at home since they moved to Arizona in 1988.

“I’ve never been here before,” Coach Dave McGinnis said of the long layoff. “I do know the mental state and the physical and emotional aspect of this football team. They’ve been on a very progressive path and had a very positive attitude as far as being ready to play.”

Running back Michael Pittman was back with the team Monday, but he doesn’t know if he will be allowed to play against Denver. Pittman was suspended for last week’s scheduled game against Washington after two arrests related to violent confrontations with his wife.

He finished his five-day jail term last week.

Under NFL rules, Pittman was not allowed to practice with the team last week and couldn’t even come to the training facility.

He believes he should be allowed to play Sunday because the cancellations after the terrorist attacks could not be foreseen.

“For them to suspend me for the Denver game, I think, would be totally unfair,” Pittman said. “What happened was very tragic, but it was in no way my fault that it happened. I spent my time in jail and I didn’t get paid last week, so hopefully I’ll be out there with my teammates this week because I think I did what I had to do.”

Pittman said the NFL told him he would be suspended only for the Washington game. If that game is replayed at the end of the season, he believes that should be the one he sits out.

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Miami Dolphin receiver James McKnight left practice after tearing the skin between two fingers on his right hand.

McKnight, who had two receptions for 25 yards in Miami’s opener, injured his hand catching a pass and might need stitches.

Nonetheless, Coach Dave Wannstedt expects McKnight to play Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

“He’ll play this week,” said Wannstedt, noting that receiver Oronde Gadsden had the same injury last season and didn’t miss any playing time. “He wears gloves, anyway, so it shouldn’t be a factor.”

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Dallas defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban had surgery on a herniated disk and will be sidelined about two months.

Ekuban was hurt in a season-opening 10-6 loss to Tampa Bay on Sept. 3. He missed most of the second half.

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Tommy Parks’ dream of punting in the NFL lasted one game.

Parks, a former minor-league baseball player and itinerant punter, was released by the New York Jets. With regular punter Tom Tupa apparently recovered from hip and groin injuries, the Jets waived the 32-year-old Parks.

In his only NFL action, he averaged 47.6 yards on five punts against Indianapolis in the season opener. He was not available for comment.

Parks became noteworthy during training camp when it was discovered he lied about his age to get an NFL tryout. Parks was in San Francisco’s training camp in 2000 and was listed as being born on Oct. 14, 1971. His actual birth date is Oct. 14, 1968.

Parks said he was told by people in baseball not to give his accurate age.

“They advised me not to give a correct age,” he said. “Some people won’t give you a look. Football never asked my age. I have been going by that age for so long, it has become a part of me.”

Parks played semi-pro football in Taiwan and minor league baseball in Colombia, among other places. He kicked for Mississippi State, and grew up without parents in Tupelo, Miss.