Kingsbury mum on Watt for playoffs; Cardinals' Conner questionable, Edmonds says he's ready

There were more loud grunts, cheers, and hand claps from Cardinals players than usual throughout their practice's open media portion on Thursday.

They were pumped up in their first practice before facing NFC West champion and rival Los Angeles Rams on Monday night in Arizona's first playoff game since 2015.

Several notable injured players participated in team drills, including J.J. Watt, rookie wideout Rondale Moore (ankle), starting running back Chase Edmonds (ribs/toe), cornerback Marco Wilson (shoulder) and defensive tackle Phillips (knee). Two other RBs James Conner (ribs) and Jonathan Ward (knee) were seen doing work off the field on the sideline.

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said Watt was "very limited" in his first practice since he blew out his shoulder in the Cardinals' home win over the Houston Texans on Oct. 24.

Watt was designated to return from the injured reserve last Friday after he was placed on the list Nov. 6. However, he hasn't been activated, and Kingsbury backed Watt's Wednesday statement to not determine him playing at Los Angeles.

"We're not going to get ahead of ourselves whether he's gonna play or not for awhile," Kingsbury said to reporters Thursday. "It was great having him back out there and get him involved in some of the drill work ...

"He was done with his rehab, done with all he could do in the weight room, and so we wanted to get him back out doing some functional football, exercises and that was the step today."

Kingsbury said Arizona's top rusher and touchdown leader Conner will likely be a game-time decision for the fourth consecutive game. Conner played last Sunday and left early in the fourth of the regular season finale loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Kingsbury said backup Ward is questionable as well. Edmonds, Moore, Phillips, Wilson and Ward missed the Seattle game.

Kingsbury added Conner and Moore as day-to-day, and backup cornerback Kevin Peterson cleared the concussion protocol Wednesday. He also said Wilson is "progressing" toward hopefully having him play Monday.

Kingsbury said Edmonds is day-to-day, too, but Edmonds vehemently said to reporters he's "feeling good to go" and will play against the Rams.

Murray trusts passing to Ertz

There's much media chatter about the Cardinals' disadvantage without DeAndre Hopkins, which contributes to the Rams being favored to beat them.

Arizona has gone 8-2 this season when he's in the lineup and 3-4 without him, but Kyler Murray puts much of his trust in Zach Ertz as a playmaker moving the sticks in their passing game.

Through 11 games Ertz has played for Arizona since acquiring him from Philadelphia on Oct. 15, Ertz averages five receptions per game, a 69.1% catch rate, 11.84 yards per catch, and scored 3 TDs.

Murray doubled Ertz's target average from 3.5 in his first two games for the Cardinals after Hopkins' season-ending knee injury in their home loss to the Rams on Dec. 13.

Ertz has held the team-high for targets in three of their past four games, and had the second-most in their Dec. 19 loss at Detroit Lions.

"He’s just a comfort level,” Murray said.

Murray added while laughing, “It’s crazy … you go back and watch it, he’s always open. I don’t know how, I don’t know why. But he literally is. I go back and look, I threw the ball the other way, if go back and watch Zach, nine times out of 10 he won his route. He’s a savvy guy who knows how to get open, knows every defensive coverage known to man, and he’s a great teammate."

Murray, Hicks honored by PFWA

Murray and Cardinals linebacker Jordan Hicks received Pro Football Writers of America's Arizona Chapter awards on Thursday.

During the Cardinals' Thursday press conference, The Republic's Kent Somers presented the Lloyd Herberg MVP Award to Murray for his outstanding performance this year, and gave Hicks the Steve Schoenfeld Good Guy Award for his cooperation and insight in dealing with the media.

The MVP award was named after Lloyd Herberg, a former Cardinals beat writer for The Republic from 1988, when the team moved to Arizona, until he passed away in May 1994.

The good guy award's namesake is The Republic's late writer and PFWA's former national president Steve Schoenfeld. He covered the Cardinals and NFL from 1988 to October 2000 when he was killed by hit-and-run driver.

Cardinals hosting playoff pep rally

Cardinals Cheerleaders and team mascot Big Red will host a pep rally at Legacy Traditional School in Glendale (13091 N. 67th Ave) at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, January 14.

Two back-to-back pep rallies will be held for students grades K-8. Prizes will be handed to the students. They'll participate in a “Rise Up, Red Sea” battle chant, a touchdown dance routine and a crowd wave led by Cardinals Cheerleaders and Big Red.

Injury report

Cardinals players who didn't practice besides Conner and Ward on Thursday were defensive end Zach Allen (ankle), offensive linemen Kelvin Beachum and Rodney Hudson (both rested), Ertz (rest), and CB Antonio Hamilton (tooth). Their limited players were Edmonds, Moore, Phillips and Wilson. TE Demetrius Harris was a full participant.

Rams out from practice were defensive lineman Aaron Donald (rest), LB Leonard Floyd (back), RB Buddy Howell (hamstring), and safety Taylor Rapp. Their QB Matthew Stafford (toe), WR Van Jefferson (shoulder), and CB Darious Williams (shoulder) were full participants.

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals injury updates from first practice before playoff game vs. Rams