"Final impressions matter in football.

Unlike the college team in town, the Cardinals will try not to leave a mess.

Start with Ken Whisenhunt, who can end his winless streak against Seattle's Pete Carroll. From the head coach's perspective, there is a huge difference between 8-8 and 7-9.

One set of numbers represents a stunning success. The other is just another losing record.

John Skelton will likely have one more chance to play a complete game, shedding a growing stigma and setting up a legitimate quarterback competition heading into the offseason. Early Doucet can atone for his strange trip in Cincinnati, the one that prompted a curious Twitter rebuke from Larry Fitzgerald's father.

Meanwhile, Calais Campbell can remind everyone that he deserves to represent the Cardinals' defense in the Pro Bowl, and not Adrian Wilson.

"It would've been nice to go," Campbell said. "But I know I played my heart out. And I know I helped my team win games."

The Pro Bowl is a diluted, diminished disgrace of a football game. It's not even worth the outrage, even though Campbell wasn't one of five alternates at his position. But for the sake of posterity, Wilson's fourth consecutive appointment is not a fair depiction of a resurgent defense in Arizona, or how erratic Wilson has performed over the past two years."