Warner the problem with our running game

[az jam]

Warner is one hell of a passer. He is one of the best in reading defenses and getting the pass off. However his big weakness is he has horrible mechanics on establishing a running game. He sets up too late and moves too slowly for the draw play. His handoffs have never been smooth. Our opponents are aware of the run. When Leinart comes in he knows how to fake handoffs, move in the pocket and doesn't telegraph running plays.
What I am saying is that as long as Warner is the QB our running game will be mediocre. Don't get me wrong he is a great passer, but you guys that have all the video replays, just go back and look at how poorly Warner manages the running game. In my humble opinion managing the running game is his weakness and the passing game is his strength.

As always your comments are appreciated. But please just check out the game videos.

 

[az jam]

I'm not saying bench him or anything like that. There is no better pure passer. I'm just saying that with him as QB our rb game will be average at best.

 

[Ryanwb]

I've been thinking this same thing for about a year. Watch how quickly Leinart comes off of center versus Warner. Any additional time the blockers have to block benefits the running game

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Not Again! This is so last year!

 

[D-Dogg]

It's true. Right now it's his biggest weakness since he seemed to have gotten the ball control issues down.

But when he is slinging it like he did last year, you suck it up and take the weakness.

 

[slanidrac16]

Warner is one hell of a passer. He is one of the best in reading defenses and getting the pass off. However his big weakness is he has horrible mechanics on establishing a running game. He sets up too late and moves too slowly for the draw play. His handoffs have never been smooth. Our opponents are aware of the run. When Leinart comes in he knows how to fake handoffs, move in the pocket and doesn't telegraph running plays.
What I am saying is that as long as Warner is the QB our running game will be mediocre. Don't get me wrong he is a great passer, but you guys that have all the video replays, just go back and look at how poorly Warner manages the running game. In my humble opinion managing the running game is his weakness and the passing game is his strength.

As always your comments are appreciated. But please just check out the game videos.

We made it to the super bowl last year. I think I'll take my chances with Warner.

 

[az jam]

All that I am saying is that Warner is one of the best ever at directing a passing game but only average ( now, at his age) at managing a running game. He is slow on these mechanics. Rather than argue just look at the film. I'm not saying bench him or that he is a crappy qb just saying that this is not his strength.

 

[Rats]

Yeah, I think we will take our chances with Kurt....our running game has sucked forever.

 

[Stout]

Guys, he isn't saying we shouldn't go with Warner, that he sucks, or he shouldn't lead this team. He's simply giving an opinion about his liability in the running game. It sounds like a valid point, though neither he nor I are advocating a change at QB because of it.

 

[az jam]

Not Again! This is so last year!

So you are against someone voicing an honest observation???? I think Warner is outstanding, I'm just saying that managing the running game is a weakness probably because of his age which impacts his mobility.

 

[Buckybird]

I doesn't help that this teams strengths and offensive mindset is to pass first, given its weapons in Kurt, Boldin, Fitz and Breaston. If it's 3 & 2 what do you think this team will do? 90% of the time that answer is probably a pass. This Cards team will always pass first and run only enough to keep you honest just like the Rams when Warner played there. Until Kurt is gone or the Oline's run blocking improves thats just the way it will be.

 

[daytripper]

az jam does have a point KW seems to struggle with getting the RB the ball more often than not. He seems to either be reaching or out of sync. That said, it should be an easy fix for the coaching staff to address.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

So you are against someone voicing an honest observation???? I think Warner is outstanding, I'm just saying that managing the running game is a weakness probably because of his age which impacts his mobility.

He hasn't had much to work with and he didn't seem to hold Faulk back any when he was in St. Louis. He's always been an arena style QB. I'm not arguing that it is a weakness, but it's not really worth noting when this is an arena style offense anyways. He is still one of the best when firing the deep ball.

 

[az jam]

az jam does have a point KW seems to struggle with getting the RB the ball more often than not. He seems to either be reaching or out of sync. That said, it should be an easy fix for the coaching staff to address.

Thanks for the compliment but I don't think its a fix. Warner is a gunner. He will never be the leader(at his age) for an efficient running game. He loves working out of the shotgun, that is his strength and damn it he got us to the Super Bowl with one of the best passing attacks ever (Fitz, Boldin, Breaston).

This post is not a Warner knock just an observation that he really does poorly on the mechanics needed to establish an running game. That is why we are ranked at the bottom in the league in rushing.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Thanks for the compliment but I don't think its a fix. Warner is a gunner. He will never be the leader(at his age) for an efficient running game. He loves working out of the shotgun, that is his strength and damn it he got us to the Super Bowl with one of the best passing attacks ever (Fitz, Boldin, Breaston).

This post is not a Warner knock just an observation that he really does poorly on the mechanics needed to establish an running game. That is why we are ranked at the bottom in the league in rushing.

That could also be in part due to an aging Edge and Hightower being a rookie. Again I agree with much of what you said, but who's to say he's had that much to work with? I wonder how he would have looked with Coffee against Denver the other night.

 

[Duckjake]

He hasn't had much to work with and he didn't seem to hold Faulk back any when he was in St. Louis. He's always been an arena style QB. I'm not arguing that it is a weakness, but it's not really worth noting when this is an arena style offense anyways. He is still one of the best when firing the deep ball.

1. Warner was 8,9,10 years younger in St.Louis.
2. Faulk was one of the most elusive RBs ever and was a real threat as a WR with over 80 catches a season '99-'01.

But it really is irrelevant unless we have to go play in places like Green Bay, NY or Philly in January 2010.

 

[Shogun]

I figured this out when Edge started complaining about touches the year before last. He mentioned that Warner would audible a lot to pass plays. Warner just has a gunslinger mentality and feels a lot more comfortable passing than he does handing the ball off.

I remember me and IAWarnerfan arguing about this before.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

I figured this out when Edge started complaining about touches the year before last. He mentioned that Warner would audible a lot to pass plays. Warner just has a gunslinger mentality and feels a lot more comfortable passing than he does handing the ball off.

I remember me and IAWarnerfan arguing about this before.

Agreed! It's not a bad system and is working very well with today's offenses. Indy is much the same way.

 

[PoolBoy]

azjam makes a good point. He's not saying there is anything wrong with it, he is just saying its unfair to expect big rushing numbers with Warner as our qb.

adding to that, running numbers also won't be great because we will, and should, pass the ball a ton.

 

[az jam]

I figured this out when Edge started complaining about touches the year before last. He mentioned that Warner would audible a lot to pass plays. Warner just has a gunslinger mentality and feels a lot more comfortable passing than he does handing the ball off.

I remember me and IAWarnerfan arguing about this before.

Damn, what you are saying is that I am not stating something new ! (smile).

 

[IAWarnerFan]

[/b]
Damn, what you are saying is that I am not stating something new ! (smile).

Note my first reply.

 

[az jam]

Good discussion. I actually thought about this last year but some of you are way ahead of me on this. No disrespect to any of you, just was watching the preseason game again like many and thought to myself that Warner really doesn't fit in to a basic running game as he is a slinger. (nothing new here.)

I'll bet that after he retires and Leinart (?) takes over, the running game#'s will improve. But who knows what could and may happen by then!

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Hopefully Leinart will be ready to lead a team by then(if he's not already now), keep his Ints to a minimum, and throw quite a few TDs as well.

 

[SuperSpck]

A sore hip isn't going to help him out any.

But...

I say just go with shovel passes and the college pistol formation. It's the new wildcat.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I think this is a vaild point but am also quick to point out that when Kurt protects the ball there is no one better in the NFL at directing the fast break offense. Running game be damned.

But it is impossible not to notice how slow developing the running plays are with Kurt literally falling over as he gets back to the point of hand off. Its almost kind of funny.

Then again Jaws had a ridiculous stat the other day. He said last year when Warner passed out of play action (which they didn't run much of) he had a QB rating of 130+. Thats ridiculous and I am looking forward to more of it this year.

To use a basketball analogy its like Steve Nash and his propensity to kill your defensive game plan. However his offensive virtues make that easier to over look or compensate for.

It will be interesting to see if the running game improves once Leinart is under center.