"In the NFL, two games can be both an eternity and an instant, especially for coaches and quarterbacks.

Six teams already have made mid-game changes at quarterback based on performance. And in Minnesota, Brett Favre looks like he could have helped the Vikings more by staying retired than playing.

Two games in can be both a time for patience and a time for panic. Deciding which is appropriate separates the good coaches from the bad.

The sketchy performance of the Cardinals' offense in the first two games has prompted many questions about quarterback Derek Anderson. Can he improve the accuracy of his passes? Can the Cardinals win a third consecutive NFC West title with Anderson at quarterback? And the old reliable: Derek Anderson? How did the Cardinals get to this point?

A chronology:

At this time last year, the Cardinals believed Kurt Warner would play through his two-year deal, which was to end after the 2010 season. They were confident that Warner loved the game so much he couldn't walk away while he was playing well. Plus, he was due to make $11.5 million in the final year.

But Warner retired, leaving Matt Leinart as the heir apparent.

Whisenhunt, however, never felt confident enough in Leinart to shove his chips in the middle of the table and say, "This is the guy I'm betting on.""