A huge goal of the Cardinals as they enter the post-bye portion of their schedule is to shore up the special teams.

Here’s some food for thought:

n      They rank No. 31 in net punting average at 32.8 yards.

Mike Barr had been doing a good job of punting inside the 20-yard line until the last game at
Washington. There, he was 0-for-3 from 50-plus yards. Those misses helped cost the Cards a close game.

n      They allow 16.1 yards on punt coverage (No. 30 in the NFL). The NFL average is 9.5 yards.

n      On field goals, Neil Rackers is a modest 10-for-15, including 3-for-6 from 50-plus yards.

…Safety Aaron Francisco and tackle Mike Gandy returned to practice Wednesday, but linebacker Karlos Dansby did not.

 If Gandy can continue to go, I would look for him to start at left tackle with Levi Brown, who filled in for Gandy at
Washington, to head back to right tackle as a starter.

 Karlos Dansby told me there’s a “50-50” chance he’ll be able to play Sunday at
Tampa. Dansby, the Cardinals’ standout linebacker, missed the Cards’ narrow loss at
Washington with a sprained knee, then used the bye week to rest and recover. On Monday, he went through exercises while the other players practiced. Also, Levi Brown continues to practice at left tackle while starter Mike Gandy recovers from a sore right calf.  He expects that’s the way it will be Sunday; Gandy says “I’m going to take it day by day.”  If this is the case the Cardinals will have a rookie in Brown at left tackle while Elton Brown – a career backup at guard – will continue to start at right tackle (where Levi Brown started the season).

Kurt Warner said he got rid of the ball more quickly than usual Sunday in the Cardinals’ loss at
Washington.   Warner said the reason he did so was that the Redskins’ defense was so tough that he needed to anticipate and throw the ball earlier than he normally would, hoping he and the receivers would be on the same page. In doing so, he threw two early interceptions that got the Cardinals in a 14-0 hole, one that proved too deep.

 But you have to think the reason got the ball out quickly is that he knows that – while nursing an injured left (non-throwing elbow) – he can’t afford to take a bit hit. The result would be a fumble or — worse — a season-ending injury.

 Whatever the reason, here’s the bottom line: He’s got to stop the turnovers or the Cardinals are done.

The Cardinals’ trip to FedEx Field on Sunday morning was marred by a motorcycle crash involving police officers accompanying the team’s two buses. Two motorcycles collided, leaving the two officers injured, according to witnesses. Both officers sustained minor injuries and were released from a nearby hospital, a spokesman for the
Washington D.C. police said. The two buses proceeded to the stadium. The Cardinals’ team doctors were on board the second bus, according to others who were on the bus and saw the injured officers. Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton said nobody on the buses actually saw the accident.  
Dalton, who arrived at the stadium earlier, said other officers at the scene – who are trained first-responders to medical emergencies — waved the buses through the accident scene. “It shakes you up,” Kurt Warner said of the accident. “ It lets you know how fragile life is.” SPITTING INCIDENT? The Redskins Chris Daniels said the Cardinals’ Antonio Smith “spit in my face… he just totally disrespected me.”
 He said the two were “jaw jacking, just talking trash” when the incident took place.  No penalty was called in the incident. Smith was unavailable for comment. GAMBLING MANYou gotta like Ken Whisenhunt’s flair for gambling.– With six seconds left in the first half, the Cardinals had the ball at the Redskins’ 2-yard line.

 Down 14-0, coach Ken Whisenhunt figured the Cards needed more than a field goal.  So he had Warner throw, and the quarterback found Anquan Boldin open over the middle for a touchdown.

 –  Tim Rattay threw a one-yard touchdown pass, his only throw of the game.

 Whisenhunt had him in for goal-line situations because players are bunched more tightly, meaning Kurt Warner’s injured left elbow is more likely to get bumped.

– On the next play, he had Anquan Boldin take a snap as quarterback, then sweep right with the option of running or passing.

 Just like a college quarterback. Which is what Boldin once was.

 Larry Fitzgerald was open in the back of the end zone. If Boldin hits him, then the game goes to overtime.

But, “I threw it too low,” Boldin said, and the ball never got to Fitzgergald.

 “When those plays work, they’re good,” Whisenhunt said. “When they don’t, people will question them.

 “If you’re scared to call them, you’re not going to have success with them,” Whisenhunt said of such trick plays.

“We put the ball in one of our best players’ hands.”

Quarterback Kurt Warner is active for today’s game.

The Cardinals’ inactive players are fullback Tim Castille, safety Aaron Francisco, linebacker Karlos Dansby, guard-tackle Brad Badger, guard Keydrick Vincent, receiver Sean Morey, defensive tackle Ross Kolodziej and quarterback Tim Hasselbeck.

 For the record, because of the uncertainty surrounding the Cardinals QB situation, here’s my prediction: Washington 17, Cardinals 14.

 The Cardinals’ trip to FedEx Field was marred by a crash involving two motorcycles accompanying the Cardinals’ two team buses.

 The two motorcycles collided, leaving at least one officer seriously injured, according to a witness.

 According to WRC-TV, the seriously injured officer was flown to a hospital by a helicopter. No further information is known at this time.

The Cardinals’ injury situation continues to brighten.

Kurt Warner told me he felt “a lot better” Thursday practicing with a brace and says the pain in his injured left elbow has all but disappeared.

“When you start working, you’re able to work some of that pain and irritation out.

“Hopefully over the next few days I’ll be able to work more of it out and I’ll be able to do something on Sunday.”

Whether he plays at
Washington remains a game-day decision.

The Cardinals also got good news when tackle Levi Brown, who has missed the past three games with a sore ankle, went through a full practice.

“He should be OK for the game,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. 

 The only players out appear to be linebacker Karlos Dansby and backup safety Aaron Francisco. Both have knee injuries. Francisco said he may be out three or four weeks.

Kurt Warner told me he went through just about everything he normally does in a practice. But he’s not ready to commit on whether he can play on Sunday at
Washington.

 He said the main ligament in his left (non-throwing) elbow is torn.

“Would I love to love to play on Sunday? Sure I would…

 “I’m going forward with the idea that I can…Right now I’m not leaning one way or the other.”

“A huge key is finding the right brace,” he said. He tried on a number of them Wednesday.

One encouraging point: “Gripping the ball is no problem,” he said.

 That has been perhaps coach Ken Whisenhunt’s main concern about Warner playing.

 “Throwing was pretty good. Handing off, there was a little more discomfort”

 Warner also said that injuring the elbow further by playing is unlikely.

 A decision on whether he plays might not be made until Sunday, he said.

 Whisenhunt said if Warner can’t go, he would choose between either Tim Rattay, who filled in on Sunday vs.
Carolina, or the just-signed Tim Hasselbeck.

 In other developments, Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin returned to practice and said he should be ready to go Sunday. He has missed the past three games with a sore hip.

 “A long as he continues to practice, it shouldn’t be an issue,” Whisenhunt said.

 Safety Adrian Wilson sat out practice with a sore hamstring, but vowed, “I’m playing” on Sunday.

 Kurt Warner, his left arm heavily wrapped and inside a brace, took the practice field Wedneday morning in shoulder pads.

 But whether he’ll really be able to practice fully, much less play on Sunday at the Washington Redskins, remains to be seen.

 Warner has a torn ligament in his left (non-throwing) elbow. The chief concern is his ability to hang onto the football. That’s an issue even when he’s healthy.