Coach Whisenhunt still not ready to name Kolb Arizona’s starter

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt was not ready to declare Kevin Kolb his starting quarterback for Sunday’s tilt in New England, no matter what team president Michael Bidwill said Tuesday.

“He said that,” the coach asked when told of his boss’ comments. “I think we still have some days until we play.

“I know he [Bidwill] was excited by the way Kevin played, and deservedly so. Kevin did a nice job.”

Whisenhunt said injured starter John Skelton has continued to improve after spraining his ankle late in the win over Seattle, but said Kolb will continue to get the reps until the Week 1 starter is able to get back on the field.

Besides, he said, whoever ends up playing will be expected to be ready to go.

Most feel Kolb will indeed get the nod Sunday against the Patriots because, while Skelton’s injury is not as bad as originally feared, the odds of him being completely healthy and ready to go are pretty slim.

Still, until Whisenhunt names a starter people will wonder, and he does not seem prepared to do so anytime soon. After all, he hasn’t told Kolb anything one way or the other.

“No I have not,” Kolb said when asked if he’s been told he’ll be the starter. “We’ll keep it at that.

“I’ve got to prepare like I’m going to be the starter.”

Receiver Larry Fitzgerald, as he did all preseason, said it doesn’t really matter who the starter is. In fact, he noted, going from Skelton to Kolb is really not too alarming, likening it to the back-and-forth nature of the team’s QB competition in training camp.

“We’re used to the competition switch-a-roo drill, so we’re conditioned for this,” he said. “We’re going to play this to our advantage.”

Perhaps.

Of all the things Arizona must to to pull off the upset, one of the main things Kolb pointed to was not giving the Patriots any extra chances because, the QB said, they are a team that will capitalize on each and every one of them.

“Our biggest thing is just making sure we execute every play,” he said. “Because you can’t give them any mistakes, you can’t give them any turnovers.”

Arizona Sports’ Craig Grialou contributed to this report

Follow @theAdamGreen