Mort Just Said Leinart to Start!

[azmike74]

Milford Brown caused the fumble that lost the game for us.

True, but if anyone has this on Tivo still, please explain why Warner turns to his right after taking the snap while the FB and Edge both go to Warner's left and Edge appears (to me) to be getting ready for a handoff. I wanted to post this last night, but alcohol was a factor. To me, it looks like Warner maybe blew the play? Help anyone?

 

[Evil Ash]

Milford Brown caused the fumble that lost the game for us.

True, but if anyone has this on Tivo still, please explain why Warner turns to his right after taking the snap while the FB and Edge both go to Warner's left and Edge appears (to me) to be getting ready for a handoff. I wanted to post this last night, but alcohol was a factor. To me, it looks like Warner maybe blew the play? Help anyone?

I didn't replay it over because I didn't need any more reason to induce vomiting.

However Warner said the fumble was HIS fault, so I say we go with that

 

[azmike74]

I am excited that Matt may start, and I may have to swallow vomit for saying this, but didn't we have a pretty good year in 98 when we had a quarterback that made "rookie mistakes"? I am not really sure starting Leinart is the right choice, but I am sure he could throw a swing pass to edge or hit that big ass TE we just drafted.

 

[mesacardsfan]

Sorry but I would have to disagree with most of you. Warner should be the starter period. Leinart is not ready to play now, thats just the way it is. We start him and basically we are calling it a season after one loss that should have been a win. The Seattle game was absolutely not Warners fault he was getting murdered all day. What I find really interesting is how you all overlook all the great things Warner does and simply point out the negative. I am sorry but there is no way in hell Leinart makes the reads and makes this offense produce like Warner does. He made one and say again ONE bad interception throw yesterday. The first one to fitz that bounced off someones helmet was just a freak play and the one to boldin the guy made a great play to dive an int a ball that would normally be on the ground, not to mention boldin should have made a much sharper cut on that dig route. To bench Warner for this obvious bad game for him is just wrong. It speaks of desperation on Greens part and will end badly. This move as a coach is just flat out weak basically tossing the season in week 3 does not speak of strong coaching leadership. I am sorry but we have a MUCH, MUCH better chance of winning with Warner at the helm. If midway through the season we are out of it I say bring on Leinart, but it is WAY, WAY to early to be making a decision that Green is reported to be making. Hopefully this is just ESPN doing their normal jumping the gun since this has not been announced by anyone on the Cardinals!

 

[Zeno]

Plummer played behind an OLine even worse than this his rookie year and had less talent at WR and RB. He played 10 games with 9 starts and threw 15 TDs and 15 Ints. I have to believe Leinart is a better QB as a rookie than Jake was...just based on what we saw from both of them in college.

Other rookie QBs in recent years...

P. Manning 16 starts (he also held out in to training camp) 26 TDs 28 Ints
E. Manning 7 starts 6 TDs 9 Ints (Leinart is more prepared--heck I wouldn't trade them straight up at this point in their careers)...not to mention Leinart will be throwing to better WRs and his OL is no worse, anyone remember how many sacks Berry had against the Giants that year?
McNabb 6 starts 8 TDs 7 Ints--he played with a bad football team and had to learn to be patient in the pocket--more athletic than Matt not a better QB coming out of college
Roethlisberger 13 starts 17 TDs 11 Ints--he's bigger and stronger than Leinart and had a better team around him but he came out of college as a junior and his level of competition in college doesn't compare to what Leinart faced.

To say that Leinart won't succeed because he is a rookie is ridiculous. He will make mistakes, thats to be expected because he is a rookie, he will learn from them--Kurt obviously hasn't.

 

[Jttsaz]

I have to say this is a bit premature..unless Green is absolutely convinced Warner is done..Once you put in Matt you have to leave him there..barring injury..no matter how hard he struggles..I think you need to give Warner atleast 1 more game..

 

[D-Dogg]

Sorry but I would have to disagree with most of you. Warner should be the starter period. Leinart is not ready to play now, thats just the way it is. We start him and basically we are calling it a season after one loss that should have been a win. The Seattle game was absolutely not Warners fault he was getting murdered all day. What I find really interesting is how you all overlook all the great things Warner does and simply point out the negative. I am sorry but there is no way in hell Leinart makes the reads and makes this offense produce like Warner does. He made one and say again ONE bad interception throw yesterday. The first one to fitz that bounced off someones helmet was just a freak play and the one to boldin the guy made a great play to dive an int a ball that would normally be on the ground, not to mention boldin should have made a much sharper cut on that dig route. To bench Warner for this obvious bad game for him is just wrong. It speaks of desperation on Greens part and will end badly. This move as a coach is just flat out weak basically tossing the season in week 3 does not speak of strong coaching leadership. I am sorry but we have a MUCH, MUCH better chance of winning with Warner at the helm. If midway through the season we are out of it I say bring on Leinart, but it is WAY, WAY to early to be making a decision that Green is reported to be making. Hopefully this is just ESPN doing their normal jumping the gun since this has not been announced by anyone on the Cardinals!

Everything you said.
















But exactly the opposite.

 

[DaCards]

Tell you what, Im benching Kurt Warner on my fantasy team. CAUSE HE SUCKS!!

This is gonna be like ripping a band-aid off....just do it now, make it quick!

 

[mesacardsfan]

Classy post D-dogg







But exactly the opposite!

 

[D-Dogg]

Classy post D-dogg







But exactly the opposite!

Copycat.



Get yer own material.

 

[Rats]

Sorry but I would have to disagree with most of you. Warner should be the starter period. Leinart is not ready to play now, thats just the way it is. We start him and basically we are calling it a season after one loss that should have been a win. The Seattle game was absolutely not Warners fault he was getting murdered all day. What I find really interesting is how you all overlook all the great things Warner does and simply point out the negative. I am sorry but there is no way in hell Leinart makes the reads and makes this offense produce like Warner does. He made one and say again ONE bad interception throw yesterday. The first one to fitz that bounced off someones helmet was just a freak play and the one to boldin the guy made a great play to dive an int a ball that would normally be on the ground, not to mention boldin should have made a much sharper cut on that dig route. To bench Warner for this obvious bad game for him is just wrong. It speaks of desperation on Greens part and will end badly. This move as a coach is just flat out weak basically tossing the season in week 3 does not speak of strong coaching leadership. I am sorry but we have a MUCH, MUCH better chance of winning with Warner at the helm. If midway through the season we are out of it I say bring on Leinart, but it is WAY, WAY to early to be making a decision that Green is reported to be making. Hopefully this is just ESPN doing their normal jumping the gun since this has not been announced by anyone on the Cardinals!

Everything you said. Warner ran for his life in Seattle, he was rattled. The first two int were as you say. One was thrown to a spot on the ground that Boldin should be the only one grabbing and the other was a freak play off a helmet. Leinart is not ready and this team will suffer the growing pains in a season that is not yet lost. We can get this train rolling in Atl with a good showing from all of the big guys and Warner at the helm.

 

[mesacardsfan]

Copycat.



Get yer own material.

haha

 

[Jersey Girl]

I have to say this is a bit premature..unless Green is absolutely convinced Warner is done..Once you put in Matt you have to leave him there..barring injury..no matter how hard he struggles..I think you need to give Warner atleast 1 more game..

As much as it pains me to say it, I'd give Warner one more game, too. If he stinks up the field as bad as he did this past Sunday, then put Leinart in in front of the home crowd against the Chiefs.

 

[D-Dogg]

Copycat.



Get yer own material.

haha

 

[Arizona's Finest]

D-Dogg is absolutely right. If this move works or doesn't work it really is not on Denny. Denny had to make this move. Lets look at some of the quotes.

Step said it "was a good snap" and "he did his job"

Dockett - "No comment," he said. "I can only worry about myself and the guys playing next to me. I can't worry about what the offense has going on. I have to worry about keeping it together right here (on the defensive line.) . . . We've got to get ready to play Atlanta."

Edge - He threw Warner under the bus saying you can't win with "so many turnovers"

Rolle - Said the players need an attitude adjustment (more on this in a moment)

And most deafning was known Warner supporter Boldin being "speechless" after the game

Everyone was piling on Warner and you heard very little out of anybody regarding "Kurt being our leader" "Kurt still gives us the best chance to win"

I remember reading the ESPN article about Edge from last week where he told Leinart that this is "his" team....and i remember thinking that was very odd being that Warner had just lead the team to a win at SF


I have thought about it all day andi think I am starting to realize where Dockett and Rolle were coming from with their comments about attitude adjustments and who is going to be willing to work after this adversity. It reminds me of Warners final days with St. Louis in that many of the players didn't think he was as committed to winning football as he was to Jesus and his family. You rarely hear of Warner staying after practice to throw with his recievers. And when Martz was benching him for Bulger you didn't hear any of the guys on that team come to his defense then either. I think players get tired of Warners rhetoric and talking a good game but not sacrificing to make it happen. This is all speculation based on quotes from both incidents and what i have read but i think it has truth nonetheless.

I never really understood what happened in St. Louis with Warner....until today. Nothing turns a team against you like single handedly ruining everyone elses effort and Warner has done that two weeks in a row with his flair for turnovers. Needless to say i dont think the guys are buying in anymore.

If this move doesnt work out Green will shoulder much of the blame and perhaps rightfully so. But the seeds we sewn by the players. trust me on this....

 

[D-Dogg]

As much as it pains me to say it, I'd give Warner one more game, too. If he stinks up the field as bad as he did this past Sunday, then put Leinart in in front of the home crowd against the Chiefs.

I thought just as you did until midday today. But after looking at the stats, the history and the game yesterday I changed my mind. The change was coming, the players were grumbling and we're taking action instead of waiting until it is far too late to get back in it. Warner lost the team, but with this move Green may have won them back (or kept them, as your perception may be).

 

[HardBall]

Hopefully this will be the the injection of motivation and focus this team needs. I pray that we 1) keep Leinart alive, 2) eliminate the turnovers, 3) put pressure on Vick, 4)get a win.

I know, it is a lot to ask.

 

[mesacardsfan]

Just messing with D-dogg! But I do think it is way to early in the season to just say screw the season and start a rookie! While I beleive Leinart will be great and lead us to great things it is simply not the time, YET! If warner stinks it up the next couple of games then you make the switch, but not now on the road against ATL. Just not a smart move by Green if he indeed does this.

 

[Evil Ash]

Just to add a little more fuel to the fire...

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=74945

ESPN reports Leinart will start for Cards Sunday
By Darren Urban, Tribune
September 24, 2006

If Matt Leinart is the Cardinals’ starting quarterback, coach Dennis Green declined to say Monday. But Kurt Warner may be on his way to the bench.

Green insisted Monday morning “I have not thought about who the starting players are right now” and pointed out he won’t talk about personnel until today during staff meetings. But ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on the "Monday Night Football" pregame show that Leinart, the 10th pick overall in April’s draft, would be Arizona’s quarterback Sunday in Atlanta.

“It’s probably all just false,” said Leinart, who was hosting a kids’ football camp Monday evening at the team’s Tempe facility. “What I heard is coach Green said he would name someone Wednesday.

“My whole mindset is just to prepare like always. Kurt is the guy here. He’s the leader. If I am going to play, I will be ready to play. If not, I will continue to be ready if my name ever gets called. All the speculation, people can say what they want, I’m sure Kurt is the guy.”

There may be a matter of semantics at play. Just because Green hasn’t announced a quarterback change doesn’t mean he hasn’t decided to make a switch. And Green does have ties to ESPN — he has worked there in the past and his son Jeremy still works for the network.

Questions about a quarterback change were inevitable after Warner threw three interceptions and fumbled away a late possession that likely would have led to a game-winning field goal in Sunday's 16-14 loss to St. Louis.

Pressed on whether he is even considering switching to Leinart, Green said, “I’m not talking about it is what I’m not doing right now.”

A switch to Leinart would all but signal a surrender to the season, which wouldn’t set well with veterans in the locker room just three games into the season. It’s one thing for a Ben Roethlisberger to take over a team led by its defense; Green even acknowledged Monday the Cardinals have to win via their offense.

Besides, Warner is just two games removed from winning NFC offensive player of the week honors. Of course, in the past two games he has fumbled five times (losing two) and thrown four interceptions (while having two others negated by defensive penalties). The Cards have generated 24 points.

Warner was not available Monday, but after the game he said he wasn’t worried that his teammates have lost faith in him.

“I know what I need to do on the football field and I made some mistakes,” Warner said. “I deal with it, I’m man enough to accept it and I go on. This isn’t the first time, I hope it will be the last time.

“All I can do is battle every snap I am out there and bring what I can to the table every time I show up. I’m going to do that no matter what goes against me, no matter what we have to overcome. I think everyone in the locker room knows that.”

Replays of Sunday's game showed that Warner’s arm may have been hit on his end-zone interception. They also showed a possibility — the video looked inconclusive — that the final fumble that sealed the loss may have happened when guard Milford Brown hit the ball as he was pulling.

But Warner made no excuses after the game and Green said Monday he hadn’t seen those things when he watched the tape.

Green had said he wanted Leinart to watch from the sideline all season, but that plan may be scrapped if Green has to keep searching for a way to change his team’s fortune.

Whatever happens, Green acknowledged his own frustrations and said he is questioning whether he can indeed get the job done with the Cardinals.

“Anytime a coach doesn’t win enough he’s got to think that,” Green said. “He’s crazy not to.”

Contact Darren Urban by email, or phone (480) 898-6525

 

[Divide Et Impera]

“It’s probably all just false,” said Leinart, who was hosting a kids’ football camp Monday evening at the team’s Tempe facility. “What I heard is coach Green said he would name someone Wednesday.

Hey! I took my daughter to one of those last week and all we got was Marcel Shipp!

 

[moklerman]

While I have been just as disappointed and disgusted by Warner's ineffectiveness recently, how quickly do you pull the plug on an established veteran? Brett Favre is a good example of this. He was a turnover machine and everyone "knew" he was washed up. Brad Johnson's been written off more than once as well. I'm sure there are other examples and I wonder if these thoughts are premature? When do you support and when do you cut 'em loose?

I haven't heard anything in regards to Warner not working with his receivers or working hard in general so I can't comment on that. I do know that Warner has often been criticized for not taking responsibility for his poor play or acknowledging his limitations. In both of those cases he seems to be aware, responsible and claims to be working on the problem(s).

Lastly, it wasn't that long ago that many were complaining that Warner wasn't throwing up the ball and letting Quan and Fitz make the play and now there is an outcry of "just dump it off to Edge or the tight end(s)". Could this be a case of never being satisifed?

I'm biased and want to see Warner prove he can still perform and win for the Cardinals. I used to have faith that he could but now I don't. Now I'm nervous everytime the ball is snapped. It used to be that I was nervous whenever he dropped back but I can't even assume that anymore. I know that he won't be able to turn things around if he isn't playing and I would guess that his teammates are willing to give him one more chance. That kind of pressure against Atlanta, coming off of a loss to New Orleans, on the road, thinking about not fumbling or making mistakes and another rookie qb breathing down his neck probably wouldn't be condusive to a solid effort. But I do think he deserves another chance. Yes, I was calling for his head on Sunday but when I think about all the hits behind the horrendous o-line play that he's endured the past year and a half for the Cardinals, one or two games of poor/horrendous play shouldn't culminate in him being benched.

All of that being said, I was pretty sure that Leinart looked ready to step in and perform after his first couple of preseason appearances but after his last preseason start, I'm a little more skeptical. He struggled with the 1's as well as hurt his shoulder. Is he even 100% at this point? Is it really worth it to stick Leinart in too soon? Big Ben and to a lesser extent Eli are good examples of guys coming in right away but do the Cards really want Leinart to start taking those helmet to helmet shots right now?

If they're going to scale back the offense and feature Edge to help protect Leinart, why can't they do the same for Warner? Take some of the pressure off. Let him get back into the rhythm he showed in week 1. It's probably too late for that but that seems like the best way to do it.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

My daughter is on the far right in the light blue shirt....

 

[Burg72]

Hey! I took my daughter to one of those last week and all we got was Marcel Shipp. My daughter is on the far right in the light blue shirt....

What do you mean "all you got was Marcel Shipp". Clearly he's standing next to Fitz.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Actually, that tall kid being there was tripping me out. I mean, look at the general age group of all the other kids - probably 5-9. Then you have this tall bean pole of a kid out there running kid drills too....

 

[40yearfan]

My daughter is on the far right in the light blue shirt....

What a little doll. It's obvious she gets her good looks from her mom.