2011 Arizona Cardinals Need Beanie Wells To Play To Capture NFC West Crown

The time is here for Beanie Wells to show that he is ready to be a featured back in the NFL.

To do that Beanie must show that he is reliable and can be counted on to play in games.  So far he hasn't done that.

Rarely does a week go by that there is not injury concern surrounding Wells.  He is a constant member of the questionable list.  He is a source of frustration for coaches and fans alike.

If Wells did not possess such amazing talent and show glimpses of the potential he holds, it would be a different story.  When Beanie is healthy and in the games, he is a force.

He played in all 16 games in his rookie season, then 13 last season—rushing for a miserable 397 yards—and he only made it through two games this season before taking himself out of the lineup.

It's unfortunate because Beanie Wells, even at less than 100 percent, likely would have made a difference last Sunday against the Seahawks, and the Cardinals would probably be sitting at 2-1.

It is difficult to know what another person's body is feeling, but time and time again former and current players admit to playing hurt, to never feeling 100 percent and taking cortisone shots just so that they can take the field and be there for their teammates.

The frustrating part of Beanie Wells sitting out last week's game is that he did it on his own accord.  It was not a trainer, doctor or coach who held him back...it was him.

Beanie Wells not playing has become such a regular issue that when the Cardinals had the opportunity to draft Ryan Williams after he fell to them in the second round, they jumped at it—surpassing players who  would have filled many other needs, such as offensive line or a pass-rusher.

Injuries and unreliability are nothing new with Beanie Wells.  It is the reason that he fell from likely being a top 10 draft pick to the 31st pick in 2009.  After the draft, Wells vowed to prove all his detractors wrong. 

Three years later and we're still waiting.