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Arizonas gigantic defensive end Calais Campbell talked this week about how he hates the 49ers with a passion.

That kind of remark might provide bulletin board material if this was some college showdown. These NFC West rivals have played each other enough to know what feelings are and arent involved, and that talk is usually just talk.

Besides, Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson noted, Campbell doesnt have a filter on his mouth.

Hate is a strong word, San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith said. I mean, theyre a division opponent.

Obviously theres a lot of history there, we play them twice a year. Great rivalry; hate is a word I wouldnt use.

Hate-speak aside, what matters Monday night is what happens when two of the best defenses in the NFL take the field, the 49ers (5-2) looking to widen their lead in the division, the Cardinals (4-3) trying to end a three-game skid and move into a tie with San Francisco atop whats become one of the leagues toughest divisions.

We have some bad blood between the two teams with the success that theyve had in recent years and we had before that, Arizona quarterback John Skelton said.

Wilson has a hard time calling this a rivalry when the 49ers have won five of the last six in the series. That victory, though, came in their last meeting, 21-19 in Glendale on Dec. 11. It was one of only three regular-season losses for San Francisco. In that game, Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb took a knee to the head in the first series and was replaced by Skelton, who finished out the season at the position.

With Kolb now out for the second game in a row with rib and chest injuries, Skelton will be at the controls again Monday.

He threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted twice against San Francisco last year.

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Cardinals take ‘hatred’ of 49ers to Monday night