Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Without question, Bruce Arians has had superb success handling QBs throughout his career. From Peyton to Big Ben to Andrew Luck and most recently to Carson Palmer, BA has reaped big rewards. One could even say that BA got solid production this past season from Drew Stanton.
BA has indicated recently that he intends to give Logan Thomas a "ton of work" this off-season---mostly on Field 2 with the younger guys, but also some work with the first team, especially now that Carson and Drew are coming back from injuries.
BA said that last year he didn't want to rush Thomas along too quickly, because the scars of early failure can tend to stay with young QBs. Well, we Cardinals fans have seen this all too often---most recently with Ryan Lindley.
So---bringing Thomas along slowly does in that context make a tincture of sense.
What doesn't make a good deal of sense, however, is BA&SK's misreading of the Lindley situation. At the time when Lindley was brought back, the thought was that Drew Stanton would be able to return for the playoffs.
So---it made sense that Lindley knew the playbook and would have a significant head start over any new QB.
However, and I put this more on Steve Keim who was in the organization when Lindley was thrust into a starter's role when he was thoroughly undeserving and unqualified for the task, what BA&SK failed to understand is the negative psychology associated with Lindley's return.
In short, Ryan Lindley remained a symbol for the dysfunctional past...and for the players who were on the roster three years ago and for those of us fans who remember all to well...bringing Ryan Lindley back was a dasher of hope, rather than a tincture of it, particularly because Lindley was still so raw and inexperienced.
Thus, the irony is...BA&SK brought back a player who more than any other young QB suffered the very scars that BA spoke of to play in front of a young QB whom they wanted to protect from similar scars.
Now---mind you---BA is about as cocky as they come in thinking he can get QBs to play winning caliber football. And it should be noted that BA managed to get a key win at St. Louis that made the Cardinals playoff eligible with Lindley at QB. Lindley did just enough to get the job done.
At SF in Week 17, after deciding against going with Logan Thomas, BA stuck with Lindley and he played a very good first half. Same could be said perhaps to a lesser degree at Carolina where the Cardinals maintained a 14-13 half-time lead. But, in both game the wheels came off in the second half---not just for Lindley, but for a team that looked defeated and dreadfully lethargic in all three phases of the game.
While injuries and fatigue were cited as the reasons for the Cardinals' demise, ultimately it may have been the psychology of having Ryan Lindley at QB and the general lack of confidence the team felt under those circumstances.
What was surprising is that when Palmer was out versus Denver early in the season and then Stanton was knocked out, which forced BA to play Thomas, when it was evident that the Cardinals were vulnerable at the position---and at the same time obvious to BA&SK that Logan Thomas was not a viable option, was the fact that Steve Keim did not make a trade or any move for a QB. For a team that had its sights on the Super Bowl, this non-decision remains perplexing.
Does Logan Thomas have a legitimate chance to become the team's #2 and possibly the team's starting QB within the next year or two or three?
The team has already seen BA show no confidence in Thomas. How much confidence is the team supposed to have in Thomas at this point? Any, at all?
You see---BA has always said that young QBs don't get anything out of standing around.
It therefore is very difficult to envision that Thomas, no matter how much work he gets on Field 2 or with cameo reps with the first team offense, is ever going to evolve as a key QB in BA's plans.
Of course, if Steve Keim does this year what he says he'd like to do every year---which is take a QB somewhere in the draft----that in itself could be yet another signal that Thomas is not squarely in the team's present and future plans.
Very few young QB avoid incurring the early scars---the game is too challenging for young QBs to master at the outset. What coaches have to hope for is young QBs who are resilient and tough-minded.
What makes the Thomas situation a bit more curious is that BA was the one who went and worked Thomas out before the draft---and it could well be that Steve Keim granted BA the pick. Thus, in this sense, if this is indeed the case, BA has a lot invested in making things work with Thomas.
I think the Cardinals are still right where they were with Thomas a year ago. Can any of you imagine a scenario where this year Thomas would be called upon to play meaningful snaps, unless by default?
If the answer is no---shouldn't the Cardinals learn from last year and do all they can to have three viable QBs on the 53 man roster?
It should be very interesting to see how this scenario evolves.
And if let's say BA&SK pick up an extra 3rd rounder and take Sean Mannion or Garrett Grayson, for example, will Logan Thomas still get a "ton of work" this off-season?
BA has indicated recently that he intends to give Logan Thomas a "ton of work" this off-season---mostly on Field 2 with the younger guys, but also some work with the first team, especially now that Carson and Drew are coming back from injuries.
BA said that last year he didn't want to rush Thomas along too quickly, because the scars of early failure can tend to stay with young QBs. Well, we Cardinals fans have seen this all too often---most recently with Ryan Lindley.
So---bringing Thomas along slowly does in that context make a tincture of sense.
What doesn't make a good deal of sense, however, is BA&SK's misreading of the Lindley situation. At the time when Lindley was brought back, the thought was that Drew Stanton would be able to return for the playoffs.
So---it made sense that Lindley knew the playbook and would have a significant head start over any new QB.
However, and I put this more on Steve Keim who was in the organization when Lindley was thrust into a starter's role when he was thoroughly undeserving and unqualified for the task, what BA&SK failed to understand is the negative psychology associated with Lindley's return.
In short, Ryan Lindley remained a symbol for the dysfunctional past...and for the players who were on the roster three years ago and for those of us fans who remember all to well...bringing Ryan Lindley back was a dasher of hope, rather than a tincture of it, particularly because Lindley was still so raw and inexperienced.
Thus, the irony is...BA&SK brought back a player who more than any other young QB suffered the very scars that BA spoke of to play in front of a young QB whom they wanted to protect from similar scars.
Now---mind you---BA is about as cocky as they come in thinking he can get QBs to play winning caliber football. And it should be noted that BA managed to get a key win at St. Louis that made the Cardinals playoff eligible with Lindley at QB. Lindley did just enough to get the job done.
At SF in Week 17, after deciding against going with Logan Thomas, BA stuck with Lindley and he played a very good first half. Same could be said perhaps to a lesser degree at Carolina where the Cardinals maintained a 14-13 half-time lead. But, in both game the wheels came off in the second half---not just for Lindley, but for a team that looked defeated and dreadfully lethargic in all three phases of the game.
While injuries and fatigue were cited as the reasons for the Cardinals' demise, ultimately it may have been the psychology of having Ryan Lindley at QB and the general lack of confidence the team felt under those circumstances.
What was surprising is that when Palmer was out versus Denver early in the season and then Stanton was knocked out, which forced BA to play Thomas, when it was evident that the Cardinals were vulnerable at the position---and at the same time obvious to BA&SK that Logan Thomas was not a viable option, was the fact that Steve Keim did not make a trade or any move for a QB. For a team that had its sights on the Super Bowl, this non-decision remains perplexing.
Does Logan Thomas have a legitimate chance to become the team's #2 and possibly the team's starting QB within the next year or two or three?
The team has already seen BA show no confidence in Thomas. How much confidence is the team supposed to have in Thomas at this point? Any, at all?
You see---BA has always said that young QBs don't get anything out of standing around.
It therefore is very difficult to envision that Thomas, no matter how much work he gets on Field 2 or with cameo reps with the first team offense, is ever going to evolve as a key QB in BA's plans.
Of course, if Steve Keim does this year what he says he'd like to do every year---which is take a QB somewhere in the draft----that in itself could be yet another signal that Thomas is not squarely in the team's present and future plans.
Very few young QB avoid incurring the early scars---the game is too challenging for young QBs to master at the outset. What coaches have to hope for is young QBs who are resilient and tough-minded.
What makes the Thomas situation a bit more curious is that BA was the one who went and worked Thomas out before the draft---and it could well be that Steve Keim granted BA the pick. Thus, in this sense, if this is indeed the case, BA has a lot invested in making things work with Thomas.
I think the Cardinals are still right where they were with Thomas a year ago. Can any of you imagine a scenario where this year Thomas would be called upon to play meaningful snaps, unless by default?
If the answer is no---shouldn't the Cardinals learn from last year and do all they can to have three viable QBs on the 53 man roster?
It should be very interesting to see how this scenario evolves.
And if let's say BA&SK pick up an extra 3rd rounder and take Sean Mannion or Garrett Grayson, for example, will Logan Thomas still get a "ton of work" this off-season?
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