Rate Leinart's year....

[Cardiac]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/stats?playerId=4459

According to this link, he at least played (if not started) 13 games....

It also shows he was drafted in 2003 and has 4 years experience while only listing 3 years of game stats. This would mean that he sat his entire rookie year.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Ah. My bad....

 

[Cardiac]

Ah. My bad....

Easy mistake, they should have listed 2003 with zero's. I remember the big debate about sitting him his rookie year and then the tough decision of starting him over Kitna in 04 since Kitna had a very solid year in 03.

Turned out to be a very good/easy choice by the Bengals.

 

[slanidrac16]

I gave him an A because of the way he performed under the circumstances. I think everybody would have gave him an A had we gone on to win the Chicago and KC game, which cannot be blamed on him.

 

[football karma]

an Eli Manning comparison is a good one -- played in 9 games his rookie year -- 6 tds, 9 ints and a rating of 55

interestingly, his second year was all of 24 td/17 int and a 75 or so rating -- while enjoying the benefit of a very productive running game

Also -- for perspective: a Qb rating for the year of around 85 puts you in the top third of the league --- of Matt's 11 starts, he was above 85 in 6 of them -- the Cards were 4-2, with the two losses being the give aways to Chicago and KC.

I think there is still lots he needs to work on --

when he gets hit early in games-- he tends to start to rush throws and they sail high --

he more often than not underthrows deep balls -- and his accuracy sometimes wanders on crossing routes --

all this I think will correct itself as he becomes more confident in his game and the pocket.

I will always take a Qb with an average arm that knows exactly where to go with the ball over a Qb with a cannon that guesses half the time

 

[Stout]

Anyone who gives Leinart less then an A must be forgetting that he is a Rookie. For a Rookie QB to perform this well is extremely rare. Then factor in the Oline and coaching mess and you have to be thrilled with what he has accomplished.

Maybe everyone is still holding him to one of the most NFL ready QB's to enter the league in....well maybe ever. That's why Matt hasn't sucked behind an Oline that was the worst in the league with no running game and horrible pass protection. Change in OC's which took away some of the one on one coaching he would have received.

I challenge anyone to come up with 5 QB's who played better in their rookie year in the past 25 years.

My concerns about Matt are his durability and arm strength. These are the same concerns on why he dropped in the draft.

Exactamundo.

 

[conraddobler]

Anyone who gives Leinart less then an A must be forgetting that he is a Rookie. For a Rookie QB to perform this well is extremely rare. Then factor in the Oline and coaching mess and you have to be thrilled with what he has accomplished.

Maybe everyone is still holding him to one of the most NFL ready QB's to enter the league in....well maybe ever. That's why Matt hasn't sucked behind an Oline that was the worst in the league with no running game and horrible pass protection. Change in OC's which took away some of the one on one coaching he would have received.

I challenge anyone to come up with 5 QB's who played better in their rookie year in the past 25 years.

My concerns about Matt are his durability and arm strength. These are the same concerns on why he dropped in the draft.

It's very handy having a poster post the correct answer for you.

 

[PJ1]

I personally don't think it is fair to compare him to Young and Cutler. Not the same circumstances. Cutler just started to play and has a good line and running game. Young may not have the receivers but Travis Henry has been awesome this year and the pickup of Mawae at center has proven fabulous for their offensive line. Article about it on front page of paper in Nashville today. The guy(Mawae) has been a true leader in the huddle.

Matt has done just fine and is a big reason we turned the season around in the second half.

 

[Russ Smith]

I gave him a B.

Pros, keeps plays alive much better than Warner, frankly better than Josh who's faster but never knew how to use his legs(when he started running he stopped looking downfield). Smart kid, born leader, tough, doesn't seem to run from adversity.

Cons, checks down too quickly, still taking that dumpoff more than he should IMHO. Still a bit inconsistent throwing, too many balls behind guys, not sure if it's getting used to the short drops and throwing lanes(USC didn't do that) but he seems to at times just not be as accurate as you expect. Needs to learn to use the ball to protect himself, pumpfake to avoid sacks or getting hit etc.

Great player, Cutler is having the better rookie year but he has a proven run game and hasn't had to deal with all the changes matt has in terms of coaching. Cutler has the better arm without question.

 

[Pariah]

Cons, checks down too quickly, still taking that dumpoff more than he should IMHO.

I agreed with everything but this.

I think Lienart has been very effective in using the dump-off and suspect it's at least partially by design--especially around mid-season when our run game was severly broken. It's almost become a cliche when talking about offenses like the Eagles (who recently found a bonefide run game), but that short pass is an extension of the running game--in some games it was our running game. Low-risk passes that have an average that looks more like a per-carry than a per-pass average.

I'm of the mind that those passes are what make our offense go. We're built for it much moreso than making a living on the big play.

 

[Russ Smith]

I agreed with everything but this.

I think Lienart has been very effective in using the dump-off and suspect it's at least partially by design--especially around mid-season when our run game was severly broken. It's almost become a cliche when talking about offenses like the Eagles (who recently found a bonefide run game), but that short pass is an extension of the running game--in some games it was our running game. Low-risk passes that have an average that looks more like a per-carry than a per-pass average.

I'm of the mind that those passes are what make our offense go. We're built for it much moreso than making a living on the big play.

I guess what I mean is I think there are times where someone may be open downfield but Matt is still checking down? I know that's hard to see on tv but I'm basing it on WR reaction coming back to the huddle. I saw it again a couple of times on Sunday, guys downfield waving their hands.

That said, for example the long play to BJ, watch the replay, Boldin completely gives up on the play, he just stops because the short route wasn't open, Matt got flushed out, and Anquan seems to be waiting for Matt to run so he can block. BJ turns upfield and Matt makes a big play, so that's one example where he did NOT take the short play and made a big play. I just think there are plays where the deeper guy is open but Matt takes the shorter throw.