Somers Take on the night

[AzStevenCal]

Geez, that freezes up a lot. Just me?

I was fine for the first half and then it just froze and stayed that way. Still I saw enough to be confident that Whiz prefers DA over Leinart. To me, it was pretty obvious in the comments he made and the animation he showed when talking about each of them. He even came pretty close to making an excuse for his upcoming decision to start DA over Leinart in the Rams game.

Steve

 

[Shane]

I was fine for the first half and then it just froze and stayed that way. Still I saw enough to be confident that Whiz prefers DA over Leinart. To me, it was pretty obvious in the comments he made and the animation he showed when talking about each of them. He even came pretty close to making an excuse for his upcoming decision to start DA over Leinart in the Rams game.

Steve

He was WAY more animated when referring to DA. It was almost giddiness IMO.

 

[Mulli]

Freezes with sound off.

 

[clif]

i really can't believe that DA has impressed whis that much in such a short time based on what I've seen. Again he praised Matt all offseason..he even praised his response to being tested in practice. i just don't see where the switch was flipped. i really think not starting matt after all these years would be a huge waste.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He was WAY more animated when referring to DA. It was almost giddiness IMO.

Yeah, at one point talking about DA he's so animated you can almost see him reeling himself back in. Barring some kind of miracle in our last game I believe DA is a lock to start the season.

Steve

 

[nashman]

If DA gets the start of the season then we will have some issues! I believe and rightfully so Matt will demand a trade and be a huge distraction to the team if he is benched for a guy he has outperformed. And then we will be stuck with a QB who has proven well to put it bluntly sucks, and then be left with no veteran QB. This whole situation is kinda beyond stupid Matt should be the starter and if he falters in REAL GAMES the change could be made without all the backlash. I really just feel the way Whiz has handled this is completely wrong and could end badly for the Cardinals!

 

[binkar]

I personally don't think DA was all that impressive tonight. The results were obviously there, but he still makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I hate knowing that he is going to be the QB this year. We will all be flaming this guy by week 4. Just wait.

 

[thirty-two]

Geez, that freezes up a lot. Just me?

It froze at the halfway mark for me

 

[nashman]

Backing up a Hall of Famer in Warner is a hell of alot different than backing up a career loser like Derek Anderson! And Matt would be right in not wanting to be here if he was not given a chance to be the man especially after outperforming DA so far this preseason, because it reaks of a personal issue the coach must have with him!

 

[AzStevenCal]

i really can't believe that DA has impressed whis that much in such a short time based on what I've seen. Again he praised Matt all offseason..he even praised his response to being tested in practice. i just don't see where the switch was flipped. i really think not starting matt after all these years would be a huge waste.

DA really hasn't impressed anyone this off season so I think this is just about Matt. Coach had nothing but good things to say about Matt this off season but there never seemed to be much enthusiasm in his manner or his words. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but I think he was trying to talk himself into believing in Matt almost as much as he was trying to show support for the guy. And we may never know how much of this was pushed on him by management.

Steve

 

[nashman]

Well Matts performances have all been very good under the circumstances so not sure how any rational thinking person could look at DA and think he should start over Matt!

 

[Sunburn]

Matt got it done tonight. DA was brought in to be a back-up, and that is all he should be. Matt has shown no reason why this should not be the case. ML just can't catch a break. If DA starts ahead of him, ML should ask for his release because it would be utmostly apparent that anything short of slob-******** Whiz won't be good enough.


PS-Unless of course the team does not stand fully behind Matt, of which I'm hearing rumblings. That would complicate things. Fitzy swinging by Whiz's office and saying he's not all for Matt could definitely be a torpedo that sinks the Leinartania.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Well Matts performances have all been very good under the circumstances so not sure how any rational thinking person could look at DA and think he should start over Matt!

Well, I'd be hard pressed to call his performances "very good". It seems to me that he's outperformed DA but that doesn't mean much. Matt finally moved the chains tonight but that's a QB's job every game not just every 3rd game. He didn't get the help or the protection he needed but he didn't help himself much either.

Steve

 

[Sunburn]

Well, I'd be hard pressed to call his performances "very good". It seems to me that he's outperformed DA but that doesn't mean much. Matt finally moved the chains tonight but that's a QB's job every game not just every 3rd game. He didn't get the help or the protection he needed but he didn't help himself much either.

Steve

I feel this was the first game he actually got a chance to show what he could do and he did it. He got it done. Under enormous pressure. ML's my guy. At least over DA.

 

[green machine]

Leinart moved the ball some in the first game, not sure why that got lost.

I was not very impressed with Anderson, but the way Whiz talked made it seem like he was. Mentioning avoiding the rush when you're not expecting it (a shot at Leinart?) and making a play downfield.

Ahh well, if DA is the guy Whiz has my support, but I'm not terribly optimistic about the decision.

 

[green machine]

Leinart moved the ball some in the first game, not sure why that got lost.

I was not very impressed with Anderson, but the way Whiz talked made it seem like he was. Mentioning avoiding the rush when you're not expecting it (a shot at Leinart?) and making a play downfield.

Ahh well, if DA is the guy Whiz has my support, but I'm not terribly optimistic about the decision.

 

[nashman]

Come on azstevencal you can't honestly believe it was Leinart who was at fault for this teams offensive early struggles in the first two games? This was the FIRST time this preseason he was actually put in a position to be succesful. The first 2 games he has ZERO running game and terrible OL play and he still performed well and did not turn the ball over. All you can do in those situations is take what the defense gave you and he did it very accurately and with ZERO turnovers, and against a heavy blitz most of the time.

 

[Buckybird]

Mortenson had a report today that said Whis wants Hall to start by the end of the year.

Really? I didnt hear that. If it's true I hope the HC is right. I like Hall but its way 2 early tell how good/bad he can be 3 games into his career. Definately shows some upside.

 

[nashman]

I have a hard time believing any of the Vets would want a rookie UNDRAFTED FA as their starting QB. I am sorry but he has looked pretty good against guys that probably won't even make rosters, can't exactly judge his performances as a guy you want starting in this league so soon!

 

[Dayman]

Really? I didnt hear that. If it's true I hope the HC is right. I like Hall but its way 2 early tell how good/bad he can be 3 games into his career. Definately shows some upside.

Actually, I'm completely wrong. The recap of the segment I read added the speculation about Hall starting, but Mort only said they see Kurt Warner qualities in him. Sorry about that. Lazy, late night posting on my part, although that would actually make some sense out of giving up on Leinart so soon. Not too much sense, but some.

 

[conraddobler]

Whiz doesn't like Matt it don't get more complex than that.

 

[Reddog]

Assuming nothing changes he has to go lienart because it gives him the most options. Meaning if it doesn't work he put Anderson in who will still be motivated to steal the job. If he goes Anderson and it doesn't work I don't see Matt recovering from being demoted. Matt will have a short leash and if he has a lights out season they negotiate an extension although that is unlikely all the way around. Seems they have to get through this season with whoever and need to be thinking ahout solutions for the future at QB.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Maybe Matt has already told the FO he ain't resigning with the Cards

 

[ReddBird]

Too much Matt love here for me. He's got a soft arm, looks scared in the pocket, moves the ball four yards when the Cardinals need nine, and doesn't inspire his teammates. He's a dink-and-dump QB who was saved by the system at USC (and his two RBs).

You're right, his completion percentage is good. When a QB makes most of his passes under five yards, percentages will soar. The argument that he needs to start because he's been here so long is weak. If he'd outplayed Warner, he'd have stayed our starter. (And Warner wasn't "Future HOF'er Kurt Warner" when he showed up here. He was "over-the-hill Kurt Warner". He had to fight past the doubters for the job.)

If you missed the first couple of preseason games, ask someone for a tape and watch 'em. Leinart started those games, had every opportunity to dazzle, and impressed no one. Worse, he thought he did just fine both games.

Whiz picked the right QB when he went with "washed-up" Kurt Warner; I hope he picks the right QB again. If he wants "washed-up" DA, I'm with him.

 

[kerouac9]

Too much Matt love here for me. He's got a soft arm, looks scared in the pocket, moves the ball four yards when the Cardinals need nine, and doesn't inspire his teammates. He's a dink-and-dump QB who was saved by the system at USC (and his two RBs).

You're right, his completion percentage is good. When a QB makes most of his passes under five yards, percentages will soar. The argument that he needs to start because he's been here so long is weak. If he'd outplayed Warner, he'd have stayed our starter. (And Warner wasn't "Future HOF'er Kurt Warner" when he showed up here. He was "over-the-hill Kurt Warner". He had to fight past the doubters for the job.)

If you missed the first couple of preseason games, ask someone for a tape and watch 'em. Leinart started those games, had every opportunity to dazzle, and impressed no one. Worse, he thought he did just fine both games.

Whiz picked the right QB when he went with "washed-up" Kurt Warner; I hope he picks the right QB again. If he wants "washed-up" DA, I'm with him.

This line of reasoning continues to fly in the face of reality. Last night Derek Anderson averaged 7.83 yards per attempt. Matt Leinart averaged 8.4 YPA. Matt Leinart will be the more efficient quarterback at moving the team down the field, because he gets you more yards every time he drops back without bouncing passes off of receivers' hands.

Blah blah blah Captain Checkdown blah blah blah.