Arizona's Beanie Wells still trying to prove durability

As the Vikings prepare to host Arizona on Sunday in a game between two sputtering teams, they have to be asking themselves: is Cardinals running back Beanie Wells 100 percent healthy? That direct question was asked to Ken Whisenhunt earlier this week and the Arizona coach simply laughed. "Is there anybody in the league who's 100 percent right now?" he asked in return. Well, probably not. But health issues are a much bigger deal with Wells, who sputtered through the 2010 season while dealing with a nagging knee injury. Last week against the Giants, Wells looked to be at full strength, plowing for 138 yards and three touchdowns. But the week before that he was held out of Arizona's game in Seattle with hamstring issues. And he was a limited participant at Cardinals practice all week. "Better safe than sorry," Whisenhunt said. Wells' health is plenty significant. If he is operating Sunday with the same power he showed last week, the Vikings may have to bring safety help up to stop the run. That in turn could loosen things up in the secondary for receiver Larry Fitzgerald. But if Wells is limited, Vikings safeties may have to focus more concentration on limiting Fitzgerald. Whisenhunt hopes Wells' durability isn't an issue going forward and senses him jelliing into a premier NFL back. "This year's been a little bit different for him," Whisenhunt said. "He was the guy coming in. He didn't have copetition. And he's gotten a lot more comfortable with our run schemes. And you can see it in the way he's running. Part of that is making sure he was good in his protections and some of the other areas that go along with being a running back. Which he's made improvement in. And I think that's allowed him to grow more comfortable with his overall game. Getting more reps in practice, having a better comfort level with where the ball's going to head or where we're trying to take the run schemes, he's feeling more confident."