Leinart still starter, but Warner to play

Matt Leinart still is the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.

Kurt Warner will be waiting in the wings as the team’s “no-huddle” specialist after nearly leading a comeback victory at Baltimore on Sunday.

“We’re going to try to find ways to keep Kurt playing based on how he played yesterday,” Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday. “But I don’t feel like Matt has done anything to lose the job.”

What Leinart thinks about this unusual two-quarterback approach is a mystery. As reporters crowded around Warner in the locker room Monday, Leinart walked past with a towel over his head, grabbed the playbook out of his locker, and left.

The Cardinals trailed, 20-3, at the half and 23-6 after three quarters, but Warner threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin, then Neil Rackers’ 41-yard field goal tied it at 23-23 with 1:50 left. Baltimore eventually won with a field goal.

Warner completed 15 of 20 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Leinart was nine for 20 for 53 yards.

“It’s not maybe the perfect scenario,” Whisenhunt said, “but I think of out respect for Kurt and what he’s done, and also as Matt’s worked hard and done what we’ve asked him to do, that’s the best approach for us right now.”

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson will sit out at least one week because of a partial tear of his left groin, an injury suffered in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss at Tampa Bay.

Rookie Brian Leonard will replace him.

Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall faces “substantial discipline” that might include a suspension following his meltdown on the field and on the sideline in Sunday’s loss to Carolina.

Hall drew three penalties for 67 yards on Carolina’s game-tying drive in the third quarter, followed by a tirade against Coach Bobby Petrino.

When asked whether Hall could be suspended Sunday against Houston, Petrino said: “We haven’t come to any conclusions yet. We’re keeping all our options open, but we certainly will do something.”

Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman did not get a vote of confidence after throwing three passes for interceptions Sunday in a loss to Dallas.

“Will Rex Grossman start Sunday?” Coach Lovie Smith asked, repeating the question. “Well, our evaluation process is going on right now, and if you come out to practice Wednesday, you’ll have a better idea of who will be starting at all positions.”

Houston Texans defensive tackle Cedric Killings was able to stand in the hospital, and doctors are confident he’ll soon be walking, a day after he left the field on a stretcher after fracturing his C4 vertebra in a headfirst collision with Indianapolis receiver Roy Hall.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme is day to day after an MRI exam found no damage in his strained right elbow. . . . Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander has a broken left wrist but will continue to play with a protective cast, said Coach Mike Holmgren. . . . Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said an MRI exam on his bruised knee revealed no damage. The team said it will update his status today.