Leinart Eager to Seize His Chance - Lee Jenkins at Cnnsi.com

[Arizona's Finest]

For a guy who hasn't gotten much burn the last couple of years on the field, he sure is a hot topic nationally.....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/lee_jenkins/07/19/matt.leinart/index.html?eref=sihp

LOS ANGELES -- Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell walked into the VIP Room of Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood on Thursday night, wrapped quarterback Matt Leinart in a massive bear hug, and whispered in his ear: "I'm hearing a lot of good things."
Word has apparently leaked back to Phoenix of Leinart's daily workouts with fellow USC quarterback alums Carson Palmer and Matt Cassel at top secret locations around Orange County. Leinart and friends have to vary their choice of local middle school and high school fields to keep USC-partisan crowds from forming in the stands


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...tt.leinart/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0uAEnJUFk

 

[Solar7]

I really do believe that the guy will pull it off. I think a lot of people are going to be surprised when the season comes around.

I'm also praying that he pulls it off, because I believe we'll fail miserably with Derek Anderson.

 

[seesred]

I agree with Solar7. I hope that Matt makes it. We need him now and if he performs well we can have him for the next 10 years.

GBR
40

 

[Bobcat]

Best article on Matt in a long time...!!! Now that the Defense is behind him could mean that they will try to put the ball in Matt's hands as quickly as they can.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

If he really is "eager", that is a fantastic sign. I hope he can pull this off because I remember him falling to us at #10 and I also remember declaring on here that we have our QBOF....

 

[ajcardfan]

If he really is "eager", that is a fantastic sign. I hope he can pull this off because I remember him falling to us at #10 and I also remember declaring on here that we have our QBOF....

I said the same thing that day. I couldn't believe our good fortune. Things like that just didn't happen to the Cardinals. And, I still believe he can be a starter in the NFL for a long time.

Time for him to show it.

 

[slanidrac16]

Much of our success last year was due to the quick start and quick leads. My biggest fear for Matt is we pull the reins in too much and we depend too much on the ground game.

This team still needs to be the high powered offense it was designed to be, no matter who is at QB. Look back at the history. This is a passing league especially the first 3/4 of the season. Come crunch time and playoffs that changes a bit.

Yes, our ground game has improved. But you won't win many games with the ground game if you find yourself down 14 pts. with 10 minutes to play.

The game will be much easier for Leinart playing with a lead. Even Warner became human when we fell behind early in games.

I have faith in Whiz. Give Matt Leinart the entire playbook and let it rip. If you can't make all the throws at the start of the game, what makes you think you can make all the throws in crunch time at the end of the game?

I saw what Matt could do as a rookie. There is no reason to think he hasn't learned, matured and gotten stronger while watching Warner the last couple of years.

 

[MrYeahBut]

I'm sure his every mistake or bad throw will be dissected ad nauseum. I can only hope it doesn't effect his confidence to where it forces him to try too hard to make plays and it just compounds his mistakes

 

[JeffGollin]

Interesting John Clayton interview on KTAR - I agreed with his process of analysis of the Cardinal QB situation, but not necessarily with his conclusions.

He said that (a) the QB position now drives team performance and division rankings throughout the league, (b) that what you try to do when there's a QB change is to measure the net gain/dropoff from the former guy to the new guy and (c) since Kurt Warner will be a HOF player and Matt remains untested, there will be a big dropoff. He (d) rates (a healthy) Hasselbeck best QB in the division.

Here's my problem: While I agree that Warner has earned his way to HOF status, he was by no means perfect (ball-security being the most notable of his issues). And it wasn't as if Leinart was the second coming of Jeff George either.

My gut assessment - Warner may not have been quite as good as the pundits are now touting him. Leinart isn't as bad as some of his distractors say he is. Therefore, the dropoff may not be as much as many people think.

The workout reports are certainly encouraging, but we'll just have to wait and see. But I must admit to being more & more hopeful and wouldn't be shocked if Matt came out and positively surprised us all.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Word has apparently leaked back to Phoenix of Leinart's daily workouts with fellow USC quarterback alums Carson Palmer and Matt Cassel at top secret locations around Orange County.

I wonder if these "top secret locations" have easy access to hot tubs, pacifiers, and glow sticks.

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

Old-Time NFL....

The situation with Kurt moving on and Matt stepping in reminds me of the early days of the league. How the QB situation was handled then. The super-rookie prospect basically held the clipboard and watched and learned. Everything from the basic plays to the nuances of the game. Nowadays, you can't sit your kazillion dollar QB on the bench so he's basically thrown in the deep water from the get go--sink or swim.

I say all this to simply make a point. The QB sitituation for the Cards worked out perfectly. Potentially. Matt has learned from one of the best to ever play the game. Both on and off the field. I believe the talent is there and more importantly, the desire. One of the greatest motivators in the world is to be told repeatedly...YOU SUCK! You can't do it! Especially as a guy that hits a major nerve. Look at our current roster. It's filled with guys who've been told that over and over. The end-result is a hungry, driven team.

I fully expect Coach Whiz' and his staff to get the most out of each and every player. Matt will win! The style will be a lil' different. But the result will be the same. WE WILL WIN!! GO CARDS!

 

[CardLogic]

He (John Clayton) rates (a healthy) Hasselbeck best QB in the division.

Thing is...

Hasselbeck hasn't been healthy for going on three years now! His back will flare up again this season; it a matter of when, not if.

 

[Buckybird]

Much of our success last year was due to the quick start and quick leads. My biggest fear for Matt is we pull the reins in too much and we depend too much on the ground game.

This team still needs to be the high powered offense it was designed to be, no matter who is at QB. Look back at the history. This is a passing league especially the first 3/4 of the season. Come crunch time and playoffs that changes a bit.

Yes, our ground game has improved. But you won't win many games with the ground game if you find yourself down 14 pts. with 10 minutes to play.

The game will be much easier for Leinart playing with a lead. Even Warner became human when we fell behind early in games.

I have faith in Whiz. Give Matt Leinart the entire playbook and let it rip. If you can't make all the throws at the start of the game, what makes you think you can make all the throws in crunch time at the end of the game?

I saw what Matt could do as a rookie. There is no reason to think he hasn't learned, matured and gotten stronger while watching Warner the last couple of years.

I totally agree. Teams will stack the box & look to stop the run 1st & I believe we will throw much more than peeps expect.

 

[Buckybird]

I'm sure his every mistake or bad throw will be dissected ad nauseum. I can only hope it doesn't effect his confidence to where it forces him to try too hard to make plays and it just compounds his mistakes

I think the opposite. Matt will ask & want to "let it fly" in my opinion because he knows this is his shot in Az. If he doesn't perforn at a very good level he will be cut & playing for a new team in 2011 if the CBA allows him too. I think the biggest factor in his success is he doesn't have to worry about Warner playing parts of a game or even starting. Leinart in my book is the best QB on this roster & he knows it. Look for a solid season from #7