1999 record: 6-10.

Last five years: 30-50.

Coach: Vince Tobin (27-39 in four years with Arizona).

Playoff past: The Cardinals have been in the playoffs in a non-strike year only once in the past 25 years. They beat Dallas in the first round two years ago to end a 51-year playoff victory drought.

Outlook

There's nothing he can do about it, so Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Joe Greene doesn't fret that it's curtains for the "Cactus Curtain."

He knows he was supposed to be coaching one of the NFL's most dominant defensive fronts -- three first-round draft choices in Simeon Rice, Andre Wadsworth and Eric Swann and seventh-round gem Mark Smith, together a rare combination of size, speed, strength and quickness.

"The other (Cardinals) coaches use to give me trouble," said Greene, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, at the team's camp in Flagstaff. "They'd say I could coach in a rocking chair."

Two years ago, Cardinals fans named the line the "Cactus Curtain," a label Greene never liked. He didn't think the group had done enough to deserve a nickname.

When the Cardinals opened training camp last month, none of the big names were on the line.

Jake Plummer will work to improve an offense that ranked 29th overall last season.(Allsport)

Rice and Smith were holdouts. Wadsworth is out until September after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Swann was released in a salary cap move and signed as a free agent with Carolina.

"On paper, it looked real good," Greene said. "But potential is just that until it's realized. It never materialized.

"The whole thing is very distasteful because a lot of what happened was because of foolishness and greed."

Smith was scheduled to be in camp by Aug. 4. He knows he'll have to or he won't get credited for the season, keeping him from becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

Rice is another story. He no longer refers to the Phoenix market as the "armpit of the NFL" but isn't satisfied with the $4.25 million he would earn as the franchise player.

For now, the starters are veteran backup Brad Ottis and second-year pro Tom Burke at ends, free-agent acquisition Tony McCoy, formerly of Indianapolis, and Jerry Drake at tackles.

The defensive line is the biggest reason one Las Vegas oddsmaker has the team that won a playoff game two years ago as 80-1 shots to win the Super Bowl this year.

A year ago, the Cardinals were last in the NFL at stopping the run and this line is less talented than that group.

"I have a mindset that I'm getting these guys ready to play," defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis said. "It's just like Vince (head coach Vince Tobin) says, "I'm going to welcome the (holdouts) back when they come in, but I'm not concentrating on the guys who are here."

The Cardinals, anticipating problems on the defensive line, drafted three players there -- Tennessee tackle Darwin Walker in the third round, Idaho defensive end Mao Tosi in the fifth and Washington tackle Jabari Issa in the sixth. But none is expected to start.

"I feel good about these guys," Greene said, "and I hope they can get into a position where they can play and play with confidence and that we can trust them."

Until that unit comes around, the Cardinals offense is going to have to carry the team, the same offense that was 29th in the league in rushing and had the lowest-rated quarterback in Jake Plummer.

"I believe we're going to have a good defense," Plummer said. "Regardless of what everyone writes or says on talk shows, we're going to have a solid defense that plays harder than anyone in the league.

"But we have to worry about ourselves (on offense). We didn't score a touchdown in the first quarter last year. That's pathetic, and we should all take that personally."

Getting off to a fast start is a must for the Cardinals, who, for the first time since moving to Arizona in 1988 have five of their first seven games at home.

Tobin is in the last year of his contract and likely won't be retained if the team doesn't make the playoffs or have a winning record.

"To me, my future is irrelevant to the football," said Tobin, entering his fifth season. "The football team is what's important."

On Nov. 7, the Maricopa County (Ariz.) voters will decide on a stadium initiative. If that vote fails, the team likely will leave for San Antonio.

NFL football in the Valley of the Sun would be curtains.

Schedule preview: Because of the extreme Sonoran Desert heat, the Cardinals normally play few early games at home. They usually have only one home game in the month of September, but this year they have two of their three September games at home. They had better win early. Five of their last seven games are on the road, with only a Dec. 17 game against Baltimore at home during the final month. Their final two road games are brutal -- Dec. 10 at Jacksonville and Dec. 24 at Washington.

1999 offensive ranking: No. 29 overall, No. 27 passing, No. 29 rushing.

1999 defensive ranking: No. 22 overall, No. 9 vs. the pass, No. 30 vs. the rush.

Key players lost: C Aaron Graham (to Kansas City), James Dexter (to Carolina), Adrian Murrell (to Washington), Eric Swann (to Carolina).

Key additions C Mike Gruttadauria (Rams), PK Cary Blanchard (Giants), DT Tony McCoy (Colts).

Rookies to watch: The Cardinals thought Virginia's Thomas Jones was the best running back in the draft, yet he isn't expected to start despite being picked seventh overall. Don't be deceived. Michael Pittman will open the season as the starter, but Jones will play often. Second-round pick Raynoch Thompson, outside linebacker from Tennessee, has an outside chance to start. Third-round pick Darwin Walker, defensive tackle also from Tennessee, will compete for a starting job because of the mess on the defensive line. Two other defensive linemen drafted -- Idaho end Mao Tosi in the fifth round and Washington tackle Jabari Issa in the sixth -- will add depth.

Offensive line: For the first time in years, the Cardinals have some stability at tackle. They think second-year pro L.J. Shelton, a first-round draft pick a year ago, could become a great one on the left side. Right tackle Anthony Clement, a second-round pick three years ago, finally is over back problems. Gruttadauria's experience should be a big help to the young tackles. The question marks are at guard. Matt Joyce, a journeyman most of his career, and Chris Dishman, coming off a disappointing season a year ago, will battle at left guard. Lester Holmes, a solid run blocker who struggles when he has to move his feet in pass protection, will be the right guard. Two free-agent additions -- Ethan Brooks, out of football a year ago because of his wife's illness, and Norberto Davidds-Garrido, formerly of Carolina -- are talented enough to step in and play in a pinch if Shelton and Clement are injured.

Wide receivers/tight ends Wide receiver was supposed to be the team's strength a year ago, but the trio of Rob Moore, Frank Sanders and David Boston never lived up to potential. Moore was a holdout for much of training camp and then got hurt. His numbers (37 catches for 621 yards) were the worst of his 10-year career. Sanders dropped too many balls. Boston, forced to learn three positions because of Moore's holdout, struggled except for an eight-reception game for 101 yards against the New York Giants. All three were in training camp this year and are expected to have a big season. They also should be aided by the return of tight end Chris Gedney, who was cut a year ago after undergoing colon surgery. He is the team's best pass-catching tight end. Starter Terry Hardy, a third-year pro, must improve his blocking.

Running backs: How many years have the Cardinals been trying to find a starting running back? They've gone through Stump Mitchell, Tony Jeffery, Johnny Johnson, Ronald Moore, Garrison Hearst, Leeland McElroy, LeShon Johnson and Adrian Murrell since moving to Arizona in 1988. Now, they're at it again after having the league's 29th-ranked running attack. This year, third-year pro Pittman and rookie Jones will get a shot. Pittman showed flashes of brilliance last season. He gained 133 yards against the Detroit Lions in November but suffered a turf toe had seldom played the rest of the year. He weighs 220 pounds and is built like Charles Atlas so he should be able to take a pounding. Jones, 5-10, 216 pounds, is built low to the ground and tough for defenses to wrap up. The fullback will be one of two second-year pros -- Joel Makovicka or Dennis McKinley, both of whom will be primarily blockers.

Quarterbacks: Plummer couldn't have had a worse year in '99. He never was healthy. His problems started in the preseason when suffered a dislocated thumb. He came back too early and was ineffective. Then, he got hurt again, suffering a fractured ring finger on his throwing hand and hip and groin injuries. He missed five starts and was horrendous when he played. He finished with nine touchdown passes and 24 interceptions. "We spent a lot of time in the offseason, retrospecting, deciding what type of player he wants to be," offensive coordinator Marc Trestman said. "We went through his interceptions. We looked at other players who play the position. He's conscience of where his perception is now around the league. But the only thing he has to worry about is himself."

Defensive line: Volunteers still are needed. So the Cardinals are expected to scour the waiver wire each week. Only McCoy is a sure starter. The team expected Ottis, Drake and Burke to be backups. This position is the biggest question mark on the team unless Rice re-signs, Smith comes into camp with a better attitude and Wadsworth gets healthy. The three rookies have potential, but can't expect to do much but provide depth. The Cardinals should get a boost in October when Rashod Swinger returns from a knee injury. Swinger, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, began training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

Linebackers The Cardinals discovered last year there was life after Jamir Miller, who bolted for expansion Cleveland after the Cardinals' playoff victory two years ago. His replacement, Rob Fredrickson, set a team record with 22 tackles against the New York Jets and was solid all season. But he began training camp not fully recovered from off-season arthroscopic knee surgery. The Cardinals thought they might lose middle linebacker Ronald McKinnon in free agency, but he re-signed. He is small (6-0, 240) and most effective when the linemen keep the blockers off of him. Johnny Rutledge, a second-round draft pick out of Florida a year ago, will start at the other outside linebacker position until last year's starter, Zack Walz, fully recovers from knee surgery for a torn ACL.

Secondary: Aeneas Williams recently was selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1990s. Even at age 32, he still is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. This is a big year for the other starting cornerback, Tom Knight, who has slowed by injuries in his previous three seasons and hasn't played anywhere close to what the team expected when they drafted him ninth overall in 1997. If strong safety Tommy Bennett (knee) can return by October, he and free safety Kwamie Lassiter give the Cardinals solid but not spectacular play. Third-year pro Pat Tillman, a converted outside linebacker, will start until Bennett is ready. This is probably the deepest position on the team. Corey Chavous has started at cornerback. Rookie David Barrett, a fourth-round pick from Arkansas, has been impressive in early workouts.

Special teams: Jacke won't be missed. He converted only four of 10 field goals from 40 yards or beyond. Blanchard hit 9 of 10 from the same distance for the New York Giants last year. He had his best season playing for Cardinals special teams coach Hank Kuhlmann in Indianapolis, but he needs to improve his kickoffs. Mac Cody was the NFC leader in punt returns as a rookie with an 11.7-yard average. Mario Bates was seventh in the NFC in kickoff returns and had a 68-yard return.