Leinart Is The Most
Leinart is not toast.
Far from it.
In fact, he is The Most PREPARED QB to lead the Cardinals into the Post-Warner era.
Leinart has now played in Whiz's system for three years. His familiarity with the system and with his teammates gives him an enormous advantage.
He's waited patiently.
He knows the system works.
He knows the personnel around him is strong.
This is why he wanted to stay with the Cardinals even when Kurt Warner was signed last year for two more years...and teams around the league were desperate to sign or trade for good young QBs.
Leinart could have demanded a trade.
He did nothing of the sort.
Instead, he prepared diligently with the understanding that if Warner were to get dinged up, he would be ready so that the team would not miss a beat.
In his one chance to start, at Tennessee last year, Leinart was efficient and did more than enough to help the team win. In fact, he rallied the team from behind and had the team ahead with under two minutes to go in the game. But, Vince Young pulled a rabbit out of the hat by directing his Titans on a game-winning 99 yard TD drive which culminated on a last second TD pass under the left goalpost to rookie WR Kenny Britt.
There was no time left on the clock for Leinart to answer.
Thus, this Monday night, Leinart will be back in Tennessee under the bright Monday Night Football lights ready to answer any doubts about his ability to lead the Cardinals to a third-consecutive NFC West Championship.
For those who believe in full circles...it is fitting that Matt Leinart will attempt to resurrect his career starting with a Monday Night Football exhibition, for it was four years ago that Leinart shined on that national stage when he pitched a great game versus the then invincible Chicago Bears and their vaunted defense led by Brian Urlacher.
In that extraordinary game, which led to Denny Green's now infamous "they were who we thought they were and we let them off the hook!" post-game tirade, Leinart actually had a little time on the clock to give the Cardinals a chance to still win that game.
At the time, after the Cardinals had done the unthinkable by squandering a big fourth quarter lead by coughing up a fumble that was returned for a TD and then on the next possession giving up an easy punt return TD to Devin Hester, all the air seemed to be sucked out of the Cardinals' sails.
But, Matt Leinart had an answer. He methodically led the team in a precise two-minute drill. And in extremely impressive fashion was able to get the team close to the Bears' 30 yard line, which enabled a 47 yard field goal attempt by Neil Rackers.
You know, sometimes funny things happen on the way to the forum. One has to wonder what would have ever happened if Neil Rackers had made that field goal and had the then hapless Cardinals gone on to win the game.
Sure, football fans would have been deprived of one of the most amusing post-game rants since Jim Mora's hysterical "PLAYOFFS??? did you say PLAYOFFS???" rant.
But, imagine what might have happened otherwise. Would that stunning win have propelled Matt Leinart into the upper eschelon of good, young and promising starting QBs? Would that win have prolonged Denny Green's tenure in the desert? Would that win have relegated Kurt Warner to the sidelines for good?
The Cardinals fell in like a house of cards after that. The offensive coordinator was fired following the game, even though it was Denny Green's insistence to pound Edgerrin James into the Bears' defensive wall ad nauseum play after play in that fourth quarter.
Leinart was up and down...just as the Cardinals were...and the culture was unstable...even volatile.
Fast forward to today and in light of the stability and structure that Ken Whisenhunt has brought to the Cardinals, what you have in Matt Leinart is a young man who has matured both as a football professional, but as a father and a person. Like his predecessor Kurt Warner, Leinart has given very generous amounts of his time and money to people in need. He does it without any fanfare...he simply does it out of the goodness of his heart.
This off-season Leinart prepared for the season by working closely with Tom Brady and by being a regular participator in John Lott's strength and conditioning program. Lott asserts that few players worked harder or are in better shape than Matt Leinart.
When John Lott believes in you...you've got a great thing going.
Sure cynics still question Leinart about his much discussed off-the-field debauchery as pictures of Leinart chugging down beer bongs and preening in hot tubs surrounded by an array of big-breasted young blondes are still popular hits on the internet.
Yet, Leinart is getting lei-ed in a different way this time around...
He organized and financed a trip to Hawaii for the members of his offensive line. He even included newly acquired guard Alan Faneca who is certainly no stranger to Hawaii, as the stalwart Faneca has been a Pro Bowler every year for the last nine years.
Great move by Leinart. And a generous one at that.
In a year where the exploits of his USC National Championship team have been marred and stripped of their glory thanks to the exposing of egregious violations committed by Reggie Bush and other student athletes...
Matt Leinart has the opportunity to distinguish himself and his career as an NFL quarterback.
Four years ago...there was a Monday Night Football swagger and quiet confidence to Matt Leinart that has since faded...and now this week...this Monday night...Matt Leinart can retrieve that swagger and that quiet confidence and prove to the football world that he is back under the lights where he belongs, this time to stay.