Dealing Cards: Patrick Peterson to go to work Sunday, another line change

TEMPE, Ariz. – Most weeks Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson sees very little action. Almost to the point of boredom. Opposing quarterbacks don’t often throw the ball in his direction.

That won’t be the case this Sunday at Houston.

Peterson is expected to shadow Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who not only leads his team in catches, yards and touchdowns but is ranked among the best at his position in the NFL.

Hopkins is No. 5 in receptions (58), No. 2 in receiving yards (803) and No. 1 in receiving touchdowns (8).

“I know this week, for sure, 1000-percent, that I’m going to get action,” Peterson said Thursday. “Obviously, I anticipate that each and every week but the numbers don’t lie —108 targets through 10 weeks, that’s unbelievable. This matchup is definitely is something that gets me up because, like I said, I know that I’m going to get work Sunday.”

Peterson referred to the matchup — one that he anticipates to be physical — as his Super Bowl.

This will be the first regular-season meeting between the two.

“I’m excited to see it,” defensive coordinator James Bettcher said. “I think anybody that loves the game of football is going to love to see that thing on the outside go on and it’s going to be just a battle all game long with those two guys.”

Hopkins is coming off his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. He had a team-high seven receptions for 111 yards at the L.A. Rams.

Watching from afar, Peterson sees the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Hopkins as a mix between Dez Bryant (competitive edge), Julio Jones (strength) and Brandon Lloyd (catching ability).

“He’s a great athlete. There’s no doubt about it,” Peterson said. “He has very, very exceptional speed. You can tell he wants to be great, he wants to be involved in the gameplan no matter who is covering him. He wants the ball, he wants to have that opportunity to make plays. He’s going to have that opportunity Sunday.

“I know I’ve got my plate full and I’m quite sure I’ll be ready for this ballgame, for sure.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Peterson has been targeted only 32 times this season, allowing 12 catches and one touchdown in nine games.

And partly because of that limited action, Peterson has yet to record an interception.

“I know I’m going to get work, I’m expecting work, and it’s something I’m looking forward to,” he said.

Offensive line changes

When it comes to the Cardinals offensive line, the one constant — aside from center A.Q. Shipley — has been change. Already this season, there have been five different five-man combinations.

Get ready for a sixth.

Right tackle Jared Veldheer will move to left tackle, replacing the injured D.J. Humphries, and John Wetzel will step in at right tackle.

Veldheer had been a left tackle his entire career prior to making the switch this season to the right side.

“He just looked at me and said OK,” offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Harold Goodwin said, recalling his conversation with Veldheer. “The thing is, he was actually starting to play pretty good at right tackle. The thing he said to me is, it’s like riding a bike, so hopefully he’s right.”

Before this week, the offensive line had seen the same five players start four weeks straight.

“It’s been an interesting season,” Goodwin said Thursday. “But, we always said from Day 1 that the next man up so that’s got to be the motto. We started having some success there playing the same guys but once again, something new is coming up. But at the end of the day, they’re all professionals, they all got to do what’s asked of them and play well so hopefully they can do that.”

John Brown setback

A bad back seems to have gotten worse for wide receiver John Brown. He did not practice on Thursday after being limited the day before. His status now for Sunday is most definitely up in the air.

Brown is the Cardinals’ sixth-leading receiver with 16 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns.

Earlier in the year, Brown missed two games due to a quadriceps issue.

Defensive lineman Corey Peters (ankle) also was absent from the practice field. He’s not expected to play this week.

Listed limited were Shipley (shoulder), quarterback Drew Stanton (knee) and tackle John Wetzel (back). Linebacker Karlos Dansby was a full participant, following a scheduled off day.

The Texans had five players not practice: linebacker Dylan Cole (hamstring), tackle Julien Davenport (shoulder), wide receiver Will Fuller (ribs), wide receiver Chris Thompson (knee) and defensive end Carlos Watkins (not injury related).

Reports out of Houston have Fuller not playing against the Cardinals on Sunday.

Roster move

With an open roster spot, the Cardinals decided to elevate offensive lineman Vinston Painter to the active roster from the practice squad.

Painter was on the Cardinals active roster in Week 4 and appeared on special teams before re-signing with the team’s practice squad on Oct. 3.

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