Leinart is Toast

[Mitch]

Is it time to face the music?

Matt Leinart is still on the roster because Rod Graves' pride is wrapped up in him.

Leinart is being pushed on Whiz the way DC Clancy Pendergast was.

Whiz is trying to be a team player and give Leinart a chance...he's pampered him, coddled him, coached the heck out of him...all for little return.

As feared by many fans, Matt Leinart is not a fit in Whiz's offense.

First and foremeost, he's not a fit because he can't make all the throws in this offense. John Skelton showed in his brief cameo an ability to throw passes that Leinart cannot make.

Secondly, he is not a leader...some of his teammates actually have very little respect for him. They think he's a wuss.

Thirdly, he's a china doll.

Fourthly, he's a run and duck player, even after the games.

Whiz has never truly warmed up to Leinart. With respect to Rod Graves Whiz has tried to groom him...but had Whiz been the HC in 2006, Leinart would have never been a Cardinal.

Whiz has tipped his hand toward Derek Anderson in a couple of ways. One is he revealed to Adam Shefter his excitment about Anderson when he was caught off-guard during a golf trip to Florida. Two is how Whiz stayed with Anderson this past Saturday as long as it took to get him playing well. Whiz and Anderson both needed that.

During the week Whiz kept emphasizing that he wanted Anderson to play behind the starting line. Why such emphasis?

Anderson---very much in need of Whiz's coaching---has something that Leinart doesn't: the big arm.

He has one other uncanny thing going for him...he's never been sacked more that 14 times in a season.

On December 2, 2007 Whiz watched the worst and best of Derek Anderson right here in Glendale. After coughing up 14 quick points off an interception (71 yds. by Roderick Hood) and a lost fumble which led to a Warner to Pope TD, Anderson reeled off a 304 yard, 2 TD performance, which included a 67 yard TD to Braylon Edwards and nearly included a perfectly thrown 37 yard strike to Kellen Winslow Jr. on the last play of the game that should have been called a game-winning TD or at least a pass interference, as the Cardinal DB clearly hit Winslow before the ball arrived and pushed him out of bounds.

At that time, it was only the Browns' second lost in their last 7 games...and Anderson was heading to the Pro Bowl.

Whiz believes he can smooth out Anderson's rough spots and is confident that with the Cardinals' WRs, Anderson can deliver some big numbers.

It's that simple.

Almost.

What makes it even more simple is what just happened to the team's All-World WR Larry Fitzgerald. Leinart led him---in a pre-season game no less---right into the teeth of the tiger---which resulted in a catch, but a nasty hit that sprained Fitz's MCL...a similar play that cost Anquan Boldin the opportunity to play in the home playoff game versus the Packers.

Today, one of Fitz's greatest supporters and friends, Cris Carter, implied to the media that---even though Carter insists Fitz didn't say it directly (to cover for Fitz)---Fitz needs to play with a QB with a stronger arm and a stronger sense of how to protect him.

Here's what may happen very quickly: (1) the Cardinals may make a move to trade for another QB to add to the mix; or (2) Anderson gets the start versus the Bears in pre-season game 3 and never looks back, and (3) with John Skelton playing so well in Game 1, that Skelton wins the #2, with Max Hall as #3, and Leinart is sent packing.

Brace yourselves. This is already in the works.

 

[devilfan02]

Nice post, Bickley

 

[82CardsGrad]

Wow Mitch... something tells me you might live to truly regret this post when it smacked upside your head after Leinart proves you wrong.

Or,

You just might be onto something...

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Wow Mitch... something tells me you might live to truly regret this post when it smacked upside your head after Leinart proves you wrong.

Or,

You just might be onto something...

Way to go out on a limb there, buddy....

 

[Buckybird]

Mitch, I see the signs but I'm not buying it. #7 will get his shot.

I wonder what offense Matt Leinart does fit?

 

[stewdog1]

What makes it even more simple is what just happened to the team's All-World WR Larry Fitzgerald. Leinart led him---in a pre-season game no less---right into the teeth of the tiger---which resulted in a catch, but a nasty hit that sprained Fitz's MCL...a similar play that cost Anquan Boldin the opportunity to play in the home playoff game versus the Packers.

This is what concerns me the most. I made this comment last season as well. He is going to singlehandedly cause our WRs careers to be shortened.

Now don't get me wrong. I think he will do fine, but he will cause injuries to our receivers.

 

[TJ]

Glad this is coming from Mitch, who has yet to make an accurate assessment on QBs since being on asfn. If Mitch was a coach, St. Pierre would still be frozen in the pocket.

Come on Mitch. This is a knee jerk reaction to one preseason game, where I should remind you that he went 6 for 7 with his sole incompletion being a batted ball at the line. Meanwhile, DA looked like...well....DA from Cleveland. Big arm, no accuracy. Jeff Geore v 2.0. Leinart actually has the capability of being accurate (66% in the regular season, 70% in the post season last year). DA doesnt.

Ohh and I said this to someone else. The argument for a QB leading his receiver to alleged doom is garbage. The defender made a cheap shot to the knees and undercut Fitz. I seem to recall a play where Warner threw a ball to Q with both safeties spear tackling him from each side, smashing his jaw in. Is Warner a bad QB for doing that? Because by your logic, he is.

And now you are asserting that not only is Anderson better, but so is Skelton and Hall. Wowsers.....just wowsers.

 

[WarnerHOF]

Wow Mitch... something tells me you might live to truly regret this post when it smacked upside your head after Leinart proves you wrong.

Or,

You just might be onto something...

We have zero reason so far to believe Leinart will prove us wrong.

 

[football karma]

a few thoughts:

1. the play of the two QBs relative to starting offensive lines is exactly the same as Whis did last year -- when Warner was the clear cut #1. Whis promised Anderson an opportunity when he signed here, and is keeping his word.

2. Leinart also played into the 2nd quarter. He stayed with both to try to get the offense going.

3. With Whis' contract extension and performance the last two years -- he is officially immune to any coercion from Rod Graves. If Whis didn't want Leinart, he would be gone already.

4. So Derek Anderson led a furious passing comeback rally against the Cardinals after going down a couple scores. That makes him exactly like pretty much every other QB in the league. Based on that, we are trading for David Garrard.

 

[D-Dogg]

Thanks for that. It was awesome.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled reality.

 

[Mitch]

a few thoughts:

1. the play of the two QBs relative to starting offensive lines is exactly the same as Whis did last year -- when Warner was the clear cut #1. Whis promised Anderson an opportunity when he signed here, and is keeping his word.

2. Leinart also played into the 2nd quarter. He stayed with both to try to get the offense going.

3. With Whis' contract extension and performance the last two years -- he is officially immune to any coercion from Rod Graves. If Whis didn't want Leinart, he would be gone already.

4. So Derek Anderson led a furious passing comeback rally against the Cardinals after going down a couple scores. That makes him exactly like pretty much every other QB in the league. Based on that, we are trading for David Garrard.

Funny that you mentioned David Garrard. I could see a scenario where USC man Jack Del Rio trades Garrard for Leinart...and in the ironies of ironies, Leinart is unable to unseat Luke McCown (Josh's bro) as the starter.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I am not going to argue with you on this Mitch. I wouldn't dare take this definitive of a stance after one preseason game, good or bad.

All I will say is time will tell.

And it would be sad to me if people who consider themselves true Cardinal fans were secretly happy of the failure of our first Number 1 QB pick in ages, just so they could say they were right.

 

[Mitch]

I am not going to argue with you on this Mitch. I wouldn't dare take this definitive of a stance after one preseason game, good or bad.

All I will say is time will tell.

And it would be sad to me if people who consider themselves true Cardinal fans were secretly happy of the failure of our first Number 1 QB pick in ages, just so they could say they were right.

That's a great response, AF.

Hey, if Leinart wins the job and the Cardinals win, I will be ecstatic. I would imagine we all would be.

 

[Stout]

Ah, good. We haven't had a nice Mitch insanity rant for quite some time.

Screw Anderson...why don't we just bring back Brian St. Pierre...right Mitch?

 

[Mitch]

Thanks for that. It was awesome.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled reality.

Right, Donald!

Thanks for taking it in stride!

 

[D-Dogg]

And what is this faux argument that Fitz was hurt because Matt led him? Matt threw a good looking ball to Fitz, leading him not into trouble, but into an open area. The defender dove and hit him low in the legs, flipping him. This is the NFL, when players go over the middle, they can take hits. This isn't a secret. Matt didn't throw the ball in a way that Fitz had to stop and jump to catch it in the middle, he led him through the route, Fitz grabbed it on the run and he got hit low and flipped. Happens all the time. That was the route being run...and it's one of the throws in the offense as Whis runs it a lot. Used to be Boldin's route more than anyone else's.

If you WANT to argue about something, Matt threw the drag route to Early later on behind him, forcing him to stop and not catch it on the run and negated a shot to get the first down. If he'd have thrown a similar ball as he did to Larry in that case, Early would have had a good shot at the first. If he'd have thrown the Early throw to Fitz, then you'd have a case (and Fitz would probably be in the hospital).

Good throw, good catch, good route, bad hit. Boo Matt.

Please.

There will be plenty to boo the guy about, I'm sure. That wasn't it, stretch armstrong.

 

[Mitch]

Ah, good. We haven't had a nice Mitch insanity rant for quite some time.

Screw Anderson...why don't we just bring back Brian St. Pierre...right Mitch?

What we will never know, Stout, is what BSP could have done if he was healthy. I swear to you, he had a chance, health permitting.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

wow

 

[TJ]

What we will never know, Stout, is what BSP could have done if he was healthy. I swear to you, he had a chance, health permitting.

Just like we dont really know what we have in Leinart due to circumstances like health.

Knife cuts both ways, buddy.

 

[Second Deck]

I keep going back to the Denny Green melt down game. Matt just destroyed the undefeated Bears defense. He also had a decent game filling in for Warner last year.

The book is still open but would not give up now. I do think with the money due him if Skelton can perform at a high level through out the preseason he will be hard to ignore as the QBF.

 

[Buckybird]

Mitch, just curious what kind of offense do you feel Leinart fits? If any.

Sure seems like the USC/Wiz Steeler offenses were very similar.

 

[Mitch]

And what is this faux argument that Fitz was hurt because Matt led him? Matt threw a good looking ball to Fitz, leading him not into trouble, but into an open area. The defender dove and hit him low in the legs, flipping him. This is the NFL, when players go over the middle, they can take hits. This isn't a secret. Matt didn't throw the ball in a way that Fitz had to stop and jump to catch it in the middle, he led him through the route, Fitz grabbed it on the run and he got hit low and flipped. Happens all the time. That was the route being run...and it's one of the throws in the offense as Whis runs it a lot. Used to be Boldin's route more than anyone else's.

If you WANT to argue about something, Matt threw the drag route to Early later on behind him, forcing him to stop and not catch it on the run and negated a shot to get the first down. If he'd have thrown a similar ball as he did to Larry in that case, Early would have had a good shot at the first. If he'd have thrown the Early throw to Fitz, then you'd have a case (and Fitz would probably be in the hospital).

Good throw, good catch, good route, bad hit. Boo Matt.

Please.

There will be plenty to boo the guy about, I'm sure. That wasn't it, stretch armstrong.

Sorry to rebut your argument, Donald, but as Cris Carter pointed out about the play...was that the ball should have been thrown sooner and faster...which would have enabled Fitz to juke the safety. He's right about that.

Warner was great at this kind of timing...obvioulsy he sacrificed it with Q on a desperation 4th quarter pass in NY...which is why Warner contemplated retirement afterward.

But Warner was special when it came to protecting his WRs.

 

[joeshmo]

Whiz is trying to be a team player and give Leinart a chance...he's pampered him, coddled him, coached the heck out of him...all for little return.

Wiz has never done anything of the kind, with any player. He was very critical of Matt and Derek in his interviews today.

Whiz has tipped his hand toward Derek Anderson in a couple of ways. One is he revealed to Adam Shefter his excitment about Anderson when he was caught off-guard during a golf trip to Florida.

He does that with all of the players he brings in. If he weren't excited about them he would have never brought them in.

Two is how Whiz stayed with Anderson this past Saturday as long as it took to get him playing well. Whiz and Anderson both needed that. During the week Whiz kept emphasizing that he wanted Anderson to play behind the starting line. Why such emphasis?

Whiz kept him in because as he alluded to today WR's, TE's and RB's were not lining up in their proper spots, RB's were not running to the right holes, and OL were not blocking their assignments. Wiz also kept Wells in for a long time as well for the very same reason. He wanted players to work through their mistakes and show some character. Wiz also emphasized starting OL playing in front of Warner as the backup Wiz first year here and the last two years for Matt. Playing players longer then expected and letting the top 2 QB's play behind the starting OL is just standard operating procedure for Wiz and the preseason. SOP here nothing else, no ulterior motives.

What makes it even more simple is what just happened to the team's All-World WR Larry Fitzgerald. Leinart led him---in a pre-season game no less

Wiz said it was a good throw, Wiz could have said so if it thought it was a bad one. Watching this guy over the last 4 years we should know that about the guy by now. Fitz didnt have to lay out his body or expose his body like Boldin had to do last year. If the safety doesn't go low we aren't even talking about this. We will actually see a lot more of this with the newer rules making safeties focus on going low on receivers so they don't get a head shot penalty. The head shot rule was a gain a point of emphasis in Ref meetings with teams this year again.

Here's what may happen very quickly: (1) the Cardinals may make a move to trade for another QB to add to the mix; or (2) Anderson gets the start versus the Bears in pre-season game 3 and never looks back, and (3) with John Skelton playing so well in Game 1, that Skelton wins the #2, with Max Hall as #3, and Leinart is sent packing.

Very doubtfull until Anderson actually plays better then Matt in a preseason game, which hasnt even come close to happening yet. Heck even Bickley who doesnt like Matt wrote that exact thing today.

I actually agree with you though Matt is not a QB in the style Wiz would prefer. Ben, Skelton, Anderson all have similar attributes. Which also doesn't bode well for Max Hall.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch, just curious what kind of offense do you feel Leinart fits? If any.

Sure seems like the USC/Wiz Steeler offenses were very similar.

Great question, Bucky. I don't think he's tough enough to fit any NFL offense. Combine that with an average arm and mobility and you really have to wonder where he would fit.

 

[joeshmo]

3. With Whis' contract extension and performance the last two years -- he is officially immune to any coercion from Rod Graves. If Whis didn't want Leinart, he would be gone already.

I still cannot believe people still think Graves is pushing stuff on Wiz anymore. They truly have a symbiotic relationship, or Graves wouldn't allow Wiz to be in high profile contract negotiations as of late.