azdad1978
Championship!!!!
As Warner prepares to pilot the Cards, team searches for a backup
By DARREN URBAN
Kurt Warner is the lone healthy quarterback on the Cardinals' roster right now, but the team plans to sign a veteran this week.
Anquan Boldin played some quarterback at Florida State, and he is the Cardinals’ emergency third quarterback when he is healthy.
So now that the Cards need a backup QB after Matt Leinart fractured his collarbone, “It’d be a perfect time to get back, huh?” quipped Boldin, who has missed the last two games with a hip injury.
Boldin admitted he was “just playin’, ” but it wouldn’t matter. The Cardinals will sign a veteran backup – no later than Tuesday afternoon – dashing Boldin’s hopes and dreams to rise above third string.
The Cardinals are being quiet over who that could be. It almost certainly will not be anyone but a free agent – coach Ken Whisenhunt said nothing could be ruled out, but the Cardinals don’t need to give up a draft pick to find a suitable replacement – but it will be someone who has played.
“With only one quarterback healthy, there is a chance the way the league is going right now, a good chance, that this guy will have to see some playtime,” Whisenhunt said. “You would like to have someone who has played who can adapt to your offense.”
The Cardinals did extend phone calls to at least two prospective candidates Monday, general manager Rod Graves said. Kurt Warner and Leinart are the only two quarterbacks on the active roster.
How long Leinart will be out remains unclear. Leinart was scheduled for more tests Monday. According to sportsinjuryclinic.net, a fractured collarbone can take four to eight weeks to heal, and the athlete should avoid physical activity -- including running -- in that time.
Whether that applies to Leinart should be known in the next day or so.
“The most disappointing thing is he was playing really well in this game,” Whisenhunt said of Leinart. “I know he threw the interception but he really made some good throws and you could see his progress as far as his progressions went and with some of his throws and now he has the setback.
“It is a test for him mentally now to stay up with the team and stay focused. We don’t want to lose ground with him.”
And that, Warner said, is one of the reasons this will be the “hardest thing he’s dealt with” in football.
“It’s going to be hard, sitting around, knowing you are not going to get to play, trying to stay focused and learn while dealing with the pain of the injury,” Warner said. “It’s so easy to be separated from the situation because you aren’t practicing and you aren’t hanging out with the guys as much. That has been my biggest encouragement, stay as much a part of it as you can.”
Having Warner slide into the starting lineup is easier than normal because Warner has already gotten playing time for three straight games.
Warner said the Cardinals may even benefit because, given his proficiency at running the no-huddle, the Cards can run it more often since he will always be in the game.
That would also seem to leave Warner open for more abuse from defenders, a dangerous proposition for a team already down one quarterback. But both Warner and Whisenhunt said the Cardinals couldn’t play scared.
“Where I feel comfortable is when we spread it out and force the defense’s hand. And that is one of the strengths of this offense,” Warner said. “You can’t play this game with those things in the back of your head.”
Added Whisenhunt, “We have to resolve the situation at quarterback but I think we have to prepare and plan the way we have. We can’t restrict ourselves or put ourselves in handcuffs because of that. We want to win the game. If it puts Kurt at risk a little more at times, that’s what we have to do.”
EXTRA POINTS
Tackle Elton Brown (knee) was awaiting word from his MRI to determine his status but said the swelling was down from Sunday (when Brown was forced to leave the game) and he was walking much better. Brown said it is the meniscus that was a problem and it has been bothering him for a while.
The man Brown replaced, Levi Brown, said he likely will not practice Wednesday but hoped to practice on his sprained ankle at some point. With the injury situation on the offensive line, Whisenhunt said the Cards may sign free-agent guard Keydrick Vincent, if Vincent passes a physical and is in decent shape. …
Boldin said he went through a hard workout Monday and felt the sore muscle around his hip was improving. But he said he continues to be day-to-day and isn’t sure he can play Sunday against Carolina because he wants to take a long-term view on his status.
“I really think with this team we are going to be making a push for the playoffs and I want to be in there when we do,” Boldin said.
Contact Darren Urban at [email protected]. Posted 10/8/07
http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=1979
By DARREN URBAN
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Kurt Warner is the lone healthy quarterback on the Cardinals' roster right now, but the team plans to sign a veteran this week.
Anquan Boldin played some quarterback at Florida State, and he is the Cardinals’ emergency third quarterback when he is healthy.
So now that the Cards need a backup QB after Matt Leinart fractured his collarbone, “It’d be a perfect time to get back, huh?” quipped Boldin, who has missed the last two games with a hip injury.
Boldin admitted he was “just playin’, ” but it wouldn’t matter. The Cardinals will sign a veteran backup – no later than Tuesday afternoon – dashing Boldin’s hopes and dreams to rise above third string.
The Cardinals are being quiet over who that could be. It almost certainly will not be anyone but a free agent – coach Ken Whisenhunt said nothing could be ruled out, but the Cardinals don’t need to give up a draft pick to find a suitable replacement – but it will be someone who has played.
“With only one quarterback healthy, there is a chance the way the league is going right now, a good chance, that this guy will have to see some playtime,” Whisenhunt said. “You would like to have someone who has played who can adapt to your offense.”
The Cardinals did extend phone calls to at least two prospective candidates Monday, general manager Rod Graves said. Kurt Warner and Leinart are the only two quarterbacks on the active roster.
How long Leinart will be out remains unclear. Leinart was scheduled for more tests Monday. According to sportsinjuryclinic.net, a fractured collarbone can take four to eight weeks to heal, and the athlete should avoid physical activity -- including running -- in that time.
Whether that applies to Leinart should be known in the next day or so.
“The most disappointing thing is he was playing really well in this game,” Whisenhunt said of Leinart. “I know he threw the interception but he really made some good throws and you could see his progress as far as his progressions went and with some of his throws and now he has the setback.
“It is a test for him mentally now to stay up with the team and stay focused. We don’t want to lose ground with him.”
And that, Warner said, is one of the reasons this will be the “hardest thing he’s dealt with” in football.
“It’s going to be hard, sitting around, knowing you are not going to get to play, trying to stay focused and learn while dealing with the pain of the injury,” Warner said. “It’s so easy to be separated from the situation because you aren’t practicing and you aren’t hanging out with the guys as much. That has been my biggest encouragement, stay as much a part of it as you can.”
Having Warner slide into the starting lineup is easier than normal because Warner has already gotten playing time for three straight games.
Warner said the Cardinals may even benefit because, given his proficiency at running the no-huddle, the Cards can run it more often since he will always be in the game.
That would also seem to leave Warner open for more abuse from defenders, a dangerous proposition for a team already down one quarterback. But both Warner and Whisenhunt said the Cardinals couldn’t play scared.
“Where I feel comfortable is when we spread it out and force the defense’s hand. And that is one of the strengths of this offense,” Warner said. “You can’t play this game with those things in the back of your head.”
Added Whisenhunt, “We have to resolve the situation at quarterback but I think we have to prepare and plan the way we have. We can’t restrict ourselves or put ourselves in handcuffs because of that. We want to win the game. If it puts Kurt at risk a little more at times, that’s what we have to do.”
EXTRA POINTS
Tackle Elton Brown (knee) was awaiting word from his MRI to determine his status but said the swelling was down from Sunday (when Brown was forced to leave the game) and he was walking much better. Brown said it is the meniscus that was a problem and it has been bothering him for a while.
The man Brown replaced, Levi Brown, said he likely will not practice Wednesday but hoped to practice on his sprained ankle at some point. With the injury situation on the offensive line, Whisenhunt said the Cards may sign free-agent guard Keydrick Vincent, if Vincent passes a physical and is in decent shape. …
Boldin said he went through a hard workout Monday and felt the sore muscle around his hip was improving. But he said he continues to be day-to-day and isn’t sure he can play Sunday against Carolina because he wants to take a long-term view on his status.
“I really think with this team we are going to be making a push for the playoffs and I want to be in there when we do,” Boldin said.
Contact Darren Urban at [email protected]. Posted 10/8/07
http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=1979
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