Lienart in Limbo....

[Gambit]

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Leinart's obviously bitter. People forget after his first few games at USC including a loss at Cal where he was picked three times the Trojan faithful were calling for his benching in favor of John David Booty. Leinart will recover, he's been here before.

I didn't want to post these in the other (celebratory) thread, but they seem appropriate here:

Matt after being pulled:

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Not a happy camper. But I think he will grow from these trials. He definitely grew a lot in that clinching drive.

 

[JC_AZ]

Matt did not play bad at all this week. His receivers dropped about 5 passes. He held onto the ball a couple of times too long. Warner almost fumbled away the game for us again.

Are you referring to Johnson's hike that would have been high even for ML?

 

[D-Dogg]

Two quotes in that article make it mean absolutely NOTHING to me.

Exhibit A)

"He reacted just the way I hoped he'd react," Whisenhunt said afterward. "He was mad, and he wanted to play. That's the sign of a competitor – of a guy who can be our franchise quarterback for a long time."

Exhibit B)

Says Warner: "I joke with Matt, 'Hey, I'm pretty good,' but that's part of this, too. It's a hard situation for him; if I were the starter, I'd be upset. As the backup, I have no complaints. All I can ask for is a chance to play every week. It's working, for now. We'll see how it plays out."

Honestly, I think I'd be far more concerned if it seemed like Matt was peachy keen with this scenario.

 

[abomb]

Two quotes in that article make it mean absolutely NOTHING to me.

Exhibit A)



Exhibit B)

Seriously. This is the biggest non-story ever.

 

[CardLogic]

Cardfan's comments at the beginning of the thread echos my sentiments on this topic.

Just to 'reiterate', Suck it up, Matt!! Want to stay on the field full-time, play better!!! It really is that simple.

To Kurt Warner: You are showing the character of a true man! My respect and appreciation of you could not be higher.

 

[D-Dogg]

There is a reason Matt doesn't have the "C" on his jersey and that decision was made prior to the QB rotation.

When the "C's" were announced... was this not a question for everyone? This is a HUGE point being made...

I'm sorry, but Q is the heart and soul of this team...he's a special, special player on the field and in the locker room. Matt (or Kurt) not having a C on their jersey isn't about them...it's about the insane respect for Q that the team has, and that he has definitely earned. I would not be surprised if Q was a damn near unanimous choice.

 

[Gambit]

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Check out Levi in the background, he looks pretty surprised. I wonder if he's shocked Matt was out so soon, or what.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Are you referring to Johnson's hike that would have been high even for ML?

Yep. The snap was not high, but Warner alligator arm'd it.

 

[CHAPTER 7]

One more thing:

I have lost a little repect for Leinart.

This article combined with his attitude the last two games with Warner in the game...he has acted like an immature person, not a leader of men.

Warner is the first to high five Matt when he makes a play and Kurt is a true leader.

There is a reason Matt doesn't have the "C" on his jersey and that decision was made prior to the QB rotation.

Who has the "C" on the offense? Boldin? I can't remember...

 

[NYCARDS]

DCR:

I think what Whisenhunt's doing is brilliant, in refusing to accept that his only options are to (1) play Leinart no matter how much he struggles, or (2) bench Leinart until/unless Warner gets hurt or regresses. And after watching yesterday's game, I don't know how any unbiased observer could call this experiment anything but successful.

WC

This is a great point. Leinart is getting experience and also learning at the same time- and most importantly the team has played better because of it.

We havent been this excited/optimistic four games into the season in a long, long time.

The Cards actually have more PF than PA after a quarter of the season and were in every game.

 

[Wild Card]

Two quotes in that article make it mean absolutely NOTHING to me.

Exhibit A)
"He reacted just the way I hoped he'd react," Whisenhunt said afterward. "He was mad, and he wanted to play. That's the sign of a competitor – of a guy who can be our franchise quarterback for a long time."

Exhibit B)
Says Warner: "I joke with Matt, 'Hey, I'm pretty good,' but that's part of this, too. It's a hard situation for him; if I were the starter, I'd be upset. As the backup, I have no complaints. All I can ask for is a chance to play every week. It's working, for now. We'll see how it plays out."

Donald:

The problem with your "exhibits" is that they're quotes from Ken Whisenhunt and Kurt Warner, the architect and beneficiary respectively of the Cards' QB shuffle. That, and both KWs sound like grown-ups, not pouting children. For an example of the latter:

"I just want them to ride or die with me... If I'm the franchise quarterback, play me and let me stumble... I know coaches want to win now, and I guess they have their reasons. But I don't understand it, and this switching back and forth is almost worse than getting benched."

Here's an idea, Matt. Play better. Earn 100 percent of your team's offensive snaps. Make the coaches' decision for them. That should be easy enough to understand.

WC

 

[Gambit]

Donald:

The problem with your "exhibits" is that they're quotes from Ken Whisenhunt and Kurt Warner, the architect and beneficiary respectively of the Cards' QB shuffle. That, and both KWs sound like grown-ups, not pouting children. For an example of the latter:

"I just want them to ride or die with me... If I'm the franchise quarterback, play me and let me stumble... I know coaches want to win now, and I guess they have their reasons. But I don't understand it, and this switching back and forth is almost worse than getting benched."

Here's an idea, Matt. Play better. Earn 100 percent of your team's offensive snaps. Make the coaches' decision for them. That should be easy enough to understand.

WC

the problem is, give him a chance to keep playing. Even when he is struggling. I know Leinart isn't on Romo's level yet, but look at Romo yesterday. A bad first quarter. And then....

Sometimes it takes a while to get going. Leinart won't have the chance to if he gets the hook so quickly.

 

[D-Dogg]

Donald:

The problem with your "exhibits" is that they're quotes from Ken Whisenhunt and Kurt Warner, the architect and beneficiary respectively of the Cards' QB shuffle. That, and both KWs sound like grown-ups, not pouting children. For an example of the latter:

"I just want them to ride or die with me... If I'm the franchise quarterback, play me and let me stumble... I know coaches want to win now, and I guess they have their reasons. But I don't understand it, and this switching back and forth is almost worse than getting benched."

Here's an idea, Matt. Play better. Earn 100 percent of your team's offensive snaps. Make the coaches' decision for them. That should be easy enough to understand.

WC

Kurt says that if he were the starter, he'd be upset. Whis says basically "we've got Matt right where we want him...we want him angry and fired up" and Matt says "it's frustrating, it is harder than being benched, but I have to go out and do my part."

I don't see the problem there.

 

[JeffGollin]

First - What was the source of that story, Dreamsrocks? It's a well-written article, but for all we know, it could be one of those PFT fabrications.

Regarding the impact on tender egos of making "Warner-Leinart, Inc." the "office of the QB", the only thing I care about is if the strategy is effective. If this is what got us to 2 & 2 (almost to 3 & 1) and we're pretty sure we wouldn't get there if we didn't, the decision becomes a no-brainer.

I'm sure that, at some point when most of us played team sports, we either found ourselves demoted from a starting role or playing backup waiting for our shot. Typically, we had no choice but to accept the coach's decision (and we lived with it - for better or for worse).

Assuming that the offense can operate effectively in a 2-QB scheme, I don't see any reason why the position should be treated any different than if it was at guard or linebacker. Whatever works, works.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

First - What was the source of that story, Dreamsrocks? It's a well-written article, but for all we know, it could be one of those PFT fabrications.

Regarding the impact on tender egos of making "Warner-Leinart, Inc." the "office of the QB", the only thing I care about is if the strategy is effective. If this is what got us to 2 & 2 (almost to 3 & 1) and we're pretty sure we wouldn't get there if we didn't, the decision becomes a no-brainer.

I'm sure that, at some point when most of us played team sports, we either found ourselves demoted from a starting role or playing backup waiting for our shot. Typically, we had no choice but to accept the coach's decision (and we lived with it - for better or for worse).

Assuming that the offense can operate effectively in a 2-QB scheme, I don't see any reason why the position should be treated any different than if it was at guard or linebacker. Whatever works, works.

Michael Silver from Yahoo Sports.

 

[Shane]

Matt did not play bad at all this week. His receivers dropped about 5 passes. He held onto the ball a couple of times too long. Warner almost fumbled away the game for us again.

He stunk in the first half.

 

[D-Dogg]

He stunk in the first half.

No, he didn't. He looked a TON better. Feet were a little bit happy, but footwork was very much improved.

he stunk it up in Crackmore last week, but the drops in this game in the first half were BIG drops (BJ).

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No, he didn't. He looked a TON better. Feet were a little bit happy, but footwork was very much improved.

he stunk it up in Crackmore last week, but the drops in this game in the first half were BIG drops (BJ, Fitz had one, Pope, Morey etc.).

Fixed that for you.

 

[Black Jesus]

Does Matt not realize that it is a business and you put yourself in the best position to succeed and if Arizona was smart, they would use Warner all the time, because he puts Arizona in the best position to succeed.

 

[82CardsGrad]

No, he didn't. He looked a TON better. Feet were a little bit happy, but footwork was very much improved.

he stunk it up in Crackmore last week, but the drops in this game in the first half were BIG drops (BJ).

Damm Donald... What the hell are you standards for good versus bad play??

Matt was horrendous in the first half, and for yet again almost got one of our guys killed (Shipp)!! He still looks confused and unsettled. His best play was another toss up ball to Fitz. Yea... Matty can throw up jump balls!!

C'mon man... Matt was 4 for 10 for 37 yards in the first half!!! He was pitiful...

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Damm Donald... What the hell are you standards for good versus bad play??

Matt was horrendous in the first half, and for yet again almost got one of our guys killed (Shipp)!! He still looks confused and unsettled. His best play was another toss up ball to Fitz. Yea... Matty can throw up jump balls!!

C'mon man... Matt was 4 for 10 for 37 yards in the first half!!! He was pitiful...

4 of those drops were in the first half. He should have been 8 of 10 for about 100 yards.

Matt played average in the first half, and even better in the 4th.

 

[Wild Card]

the problem is, give him a chance to keep playing. Even when he is struggling. I know Leinart isn't on Romo's level yet, but look at Romo yesterday. A bad first quarter. And then....

Sometimes it takes a while to get going. Leinart won't have the chance to if he gets the hook so quickly.

Gambit:

That's a fair point. But as you pointed out, Tony Romo's not the best standard for comparison. Matt Leinart didn't take his team to the playoffs and go to the Pro Bowl last season, after all.

The Cardinals' QB shuffle isn't all about Leinart's development, either. My sense is that Kurt Warner sees the field at least in part based on when Ken Whisenhunt believes that a shift to the no-huddle will be most effective, not solely on how much Leinart is struggling.

And it's not like Leinart was on an especially quick hook yesterday. Warner saw his first action with 4:56 left in the first half, after Leinart had quarterbacked the Cards first three possessions. After Warner played through the third quarter, Leinart came back in with 11:33 left and played the rest of the way. For those keeping score at home, that's almost three quarters for Leinart to just over one for Warner.

I'm mostly disappointed with Leinart airing his hurt feelings to a sportswriter and not keeping whatever grievances he thinks he has behind closed doors. I'm also surprised that he's complaining this publicly after a game in which he closed out an exciting home win over a favored opponent. How bad can it be when you've just taken a knee against the Steelers, after leading your team to the winning points?

WC

 

[D-Dogg]

Fixed that for you.

true. I only called out BJs because it was like 30 yards downfield and I still don't know how he dropped it.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

true. I only called out BJs because it was like 30 yards downfield and I still don't know how he dropped it.

Still don't know how it wasn't a catch. It looks like he came down with the ball until he hit the ground from being tackled.

 

[Gambit]

true. I only called out BJs because it was like 30 yards downfield and I still don't know how he dropped it.

I still think that was a catch. It never touched the ground and he only loosened up well after he was down anyway