"The bars around the Cardinals' downtown hotel here are full of musicians playing country songs about lives altered by the decisions of others.

Quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson know something about the issue, too, especially after Thursday, when coach Ken Whisenhunt announced that Anderson was replacing Leinart as the starter in Saturday's preseason game against the Bears in Chicago.

"I don't think we've performed the way we've needed to perform on offense in the preseason," Whisenhunt said after practice at Vanderbilt University. "And we're just looking at different players at different spots, trying to find a little groove. It's a great opportunity to look at combinations of different personnel."

Whisenhunt insisted that Saturday's game is not a "dress rehearsal" for the regular season, even though his players will be dressed and rehearsing.

But the competition at quarterback has obviously tightened, and Whisenhunt is curious about how both players will react in different roles.

Leinart declined any comment until Friday after Whisenhunt announced the decision. Anderson chose not to say much.

"I think the last couple weeks have been good, and I just want to keep building on that," he said.

There are other changes in the starting lineup. Greg Toler will replace Trumaine McBride at left cornerback. Rookie Daryl Washington will start at inside linebacker for Pago Togafau, and other reserves, such as guard Deuce Lutui, could get some time with the starting units.

But those are honky-tonk acts compared with the quarterback drama. Whisenhunt admitted he was curious as to how Leinart would react and play after being the starter through the off-season, and how Anderson would handle the promotion.

Anderson and Leinart will reverse their roles of the first two preseason games. Anderson will start and play about a quarter, as Leinart did in the first two games, with Leinart entering in the second quarter and starting the third. If there is a two-minute drill at the end of the first half, Leinart will run it."