Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals / Image: Zuma Press

As it turns out, Matt is only the second NFL player to come back after one day of Jay’s training regimen—meaning the workout was so difficult, very few return to be punished beyond one day. Therefore, Matt is not only reaping the physical rewards, but also the mental benefits of sticking it out:

“I think the biggest thing is how far you can push yourself. It’s got me mentally tougher and obviously we’re not playing games right now but it really helps you build this attitude that nothing can stop you. It sounds like a lot, but if you saw the workouts these MMA guys do, it’s ridiculous. It’s a whole other animal ….. It’s pushing me to my limits.”

Matt needs all the help he can get. And as Jay tries to rid Matt of his “pretty boy” personna—and as Kurt Warner gets better with age—the heir apparent to the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback throne is playing a waiting game. MMA workouts certainly won’t hurt him, but game reps these workouts are not. And until Matt can get under center and “face the bullets” in real time on a regular basis, his growth as an NFL quarterback will be hindered. He needs snaps—game snaps. He needs to play football.

Source: The Dan Patrick Show

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Matt Leinart Surviving MMA Workouts

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Arizona Cardinals finally came to their senses and took care of business with quarterback Kurt Warner today. Of course, my feeling is they never should’ve let Kurt leave town (he visited the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week), but what matters most, especially as far as AZ Cards fans are concerned, is that Kurt signed a two-year, $23 million deal to remain the starting quarterback. Typically, he kept things in proper perspective:

“It’s one of those things that can be bittersweet, especially at this point and time in the economy and where people are struggling. I understand all the dynamics. My whole role with having this blessing is understanding my role in it and having the most impact I can, whether it is with my family or the community. That’s how I look at it, as a responsibility.”

Let’s face it. Kurt needs receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. They’re probably the two best receivers in the National Football League. I’ve said that more times than I can remember, even before it became fashionable to do so. And while I won’t go so far as to say that Larry and Anquan need Kurt, they’re probably a lot better off with him than without him. I want to believe that backup QB Matt Leinart (who is cursing the Niners today) could step in and win games for Arizona, but the truth is we just don’t know. Not that he hasn’t had the chance to prove himself. Kurt just proved he was the better man for the job when the two have battled it out on a level playing field. So, while the Arizona Cardinals unfortunately won’t field exactly the same team that got them to Super Bowl XLIII last season, the parts that matter most are still intact. And I believe they’re still the team to beat in the NFC.

Source: AZCardinals.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Cardinals Re-sign Kurt Warner

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Matt Leinart’s journey to the role of backup quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals is almost as interesting as Kurt Warner’s ascension to the starting spot. At Super Bowl XLIII Media Day this morning, Matt didn’t have a podium (like Kurt) or a lot of interested ears. But he certainly had a story. Here’s a guy who was on top of the world as the quarterback for the USC Trojans and then drafted to be the franchise QB and face and future of the Arizona Cardinals. Yet three seasons later, he’s holding a clipboard. Granted, he’s in a very unique situation playing alongside a former Super Bowl MVP and future Hall of Famer. But the fact remains, he has not met expectations. And that’s got to be a tough pill to swallow for someone who had such tremendous college creds. Still, he knows his time could be as soon as the next snap:

“I’ve learned a lot, about the quarterback position, sitting back and realizing this is what I need to do to become a better football player, whether I’m playing or not. I feel like I’ve been ready every single play, every game this year. You have to prepare, study, put in the same amount of time. If your number’s called you don’t want be the guy who’s not prepared. That’s something that I think about. I’m going to be prepared if my number’s called.”

Source: NFL.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Matt Leinart is Prepared to Play

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

In beating out franchise quarterback Matt Leinart for the job, Kurt Warner has been named the starting QB for the Arizona Cardinals to start their 2008 season. After what he termed a “fair evaluation” of the position, head coach Ken Whisenhunt said that Kurt gives the Cards their best chance to win right now. Kurt is more then ready to handle the responsibility, but understood the awkwardness of the process:

“It’s probably rare to see it play out this way than the other. (Teams) are always looking for the next guy to be able to run the show. You also realize in this business — you want to win now and who’s going to give us that best chance to win now.”

It would seem the Cardinals are in an enviable situation with two players capable of starting at quarterback, but it’s not so much that the decision was difficult based on quality of play. Matt played well in a backup preseason role last week against Denver (10-of-14 passing for 177 yards and a TD), but he really didn’t do anything to prove he deserved the starting spot prior to that game and that’s disappointing because he was drafted and paid to be the aforementioned franchise quarterback for this team. Kurt Warner is the perfect backup with his ability and experience, but you have to believe the Cardinals are concerned with Matt’s development. And Matt’s really not going to improve his game watching from the sidelines. Still, the business of the National Football League is to win and win now. And I agree with everyone who was involved in making this decision — Kurt Warner does give the Arizona Cardinals their best chance to win football games right now. If Matt is ready to take the starting spot at his next opportunity (due to injury or poor play by Kurt), he could still become the unquestioned leader of this team.

Source: AZCardinals.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Kurt Warner Named Starting QB for Cards

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Reports surfaced today that the Arizona Cardinals were ready to name Kurt Warner their starting quarterback, but according to head coach Ken Whisenhunt, no such decision has been made:

“I haven’t read the paper today or seen the Internet … nothing has changed. Look, we’ve put in a lot of work and it’s based on a body of work. We don’t have to make that decision right now.”

They do have to make that decision pretty soon, though. After Matt’s 4-of-12 passing, three interception performance against the Raiders this past weekend, his chances of being the team’s starting QB had to be greatly diminished. I know what the Cards want Matt to be. But he clearly isn’t there yet. Kurt Warner gives the team their best shot at winning games right now.

Source: AZCentral.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Whisenhunt on QBs: ‘Nothing Has Changed’

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Don’t be so sure that Matt Leinart will be the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals when they open the season on September 7 against San Francisco. Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt said today he’s thinking about giving Kurt Warner the start in this Saturday night’s preseason game against Kansas City. In fact, I think you can count on it:

“The one thing I want to make sure we do is make sure Kurt gets some time with the ones, and I think the best way to control that (is to) … start him in the game. You just don’t know how (playing time) will play out because we haven’t decided how long our offensive line is going to go yet. In order to get (Kurt) time in a game with those guys and not worrying about whether that is in the second quarter or later on, I am kind of thinking about (starting him).”

Hmm. Looks like a full-blown quarterback controversy in the desert. But even Kurt admitted that from day one, coach Whisenhunt said there would be an open competition for the starting QB spot. Preseason games are the time to get these things figured out and Kurt has earned and deserves a chance. One thing’s for sure, the Cards have a luxury not many teams have — two starting quarterbacks. And may the best man win the starting job.

Source: AZCardinals.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Kurt Warner or Matt Leinart in Arizona?

Finally, the other guys. After two weeks of going against teammates in training camp, all NFL clubs will be able to see a real, live opponent this weekend. It’s the first full weekend of NFL preseason football, bookended by nationally televised games tonight and Monday night.

Tonight – New Orleans at Arizona (ESPN, 8 p.m.) New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who has completed the most passes for the most yards in the NFL over the past two years, thinks there is always room for improvement — by himself and his team. He wants to get back to the playoffs. Arizona’s Matt Leinart returns from a broken collarbone suffered last October. He has spent camp perfecting head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s offense, a process that was interrupted last season.

Monday – Cincinnati at Green Bay (ESPN, 8 p.m.) For Green Bay, it will be the first outing as starting quarterback for Aaron Rodgers, the club’s first-round draft choice of 2005. Head coach Mike McCarthy will give Aaron plenty of playing time this summer, starting him in all four preseason games. The Bengals want to get things back to where they were in 2005, when they went 11-5 and won the AFC North. They think they are on the way with a No. 10 finish in total offense last season and a No. 7 in passing. Cincinnati has added to quarterback Carson Palmer’s top-flight receiving corps headed by Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and will use the preseason to work-in the newcomers. The Bengals signed tight end Ben Utecht from Indianapolis to strengthen their passing game down the middle, and rookie wideouts Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson have been strong in camp and will see plenty of action starting Monday.

Other Games to Check Out This Weekend

Tonight: N.Y. Giants at Detroit, Baltimore at New England, N.Y. Jets at Cleveland, Kansas City at Chicago; Friday: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, Seattle at Minnesota, San Francisco at Oakland; Saturday: Buffalo at Washington, Tampa Bay at Miami, Atlanta at Jacksonville, Indianapolis at Carolina, Denver at Houston, St. Louis at Tennessee, Dallas at San Diego.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

First Full Preseason Weekend Kicks Off

In a follow-up to my previous post on Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart’s broken left collarbone, he was forced to call it quits on his 2007 season today. Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt said:

“We didn’t want to rush him back. To hold a roster spot for that long is difficult, with some of the areas we are banged, with the hope he can get back in time. I am more concerned about him trying to rush back and maybe jeopardize his future. Whenever you have a fracture there will be six weeks or however long it takes to heal, and then, especially because it is his throwing shoulder, you have to do the rehabilitation of it throwing the football. Who knows what it could have been? Could have been 8 weeks, could have been 12 weeks.”

As previously stated, Kurt Warner will take over the starting role, but the team brought in Tim Rattay as Kurt’s backup. With the way things were going, I don’t think this really effects the Cards a whole lot. Kurt was playing better football. He had better stats. The platoon system wasn’t proving to be a big success. The only way this thing gets ugly is if Kurt goes down and the team has to turn to Tim Rattay who is brand new to the team. As far as Matt Leinart is concerned, he will enter his third NFL season in ‘08 with (still) a lot to prove.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Matt Leinart is Out For the Season

I guess the quarterback shuffle in Arizona is over for a while. QB Matt Leinart suffered a broken collarbone today. And Kurt Warner went 14 of 28 for 190 yards with two TDs (one rushing) in beating his old team. Arizona hung on to defeat St. Louis 34-31. Matt will be out indefinitely so it’s Kurt’s job now. I’m not a fan of the two-QB system anyway and unless head coach Ken Whisenhunt plans on getting Lang Campbell from the Cards’ practice squad into the mix (AZ only had two QBs on the active roster), Kurt Warner will be running the offensive controls in solo mode for a while.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Matt Leinart Breaks Collarbone in Win, Arizona Cardinals QB Platoon Over

Matt Leinart is unhappy with the quarterback shuffle going on in Arizona these days. Despite the Cards’ 21-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday, Matt feels he should be at the offensive controls as long as he is healthy:

“I just want them to ride or die with me. If I’m the franchise quarterback, play me and let me stumble, because I’ll fight through it, and that will help me and our team in the long run. I know coaches want to win now, and I guess they have their reasons. But I don’t understand it, and this switching back and forth is almost worse than getting benched.”

Well, part of what Matt said is very true. Cards’ head coach Ken Whisenhunt does want to win now. His job depends on it. And if you compare the stats between Matt and Kurt Warner, Kurt gives them the best chance to win right now. Kurt is completing over 70% of his passes with three TDs, no INTs and has a 125.1 QB rating. Matt is only at 53.5% with two TDs, three picks and a 63.8 rating.

I like Matt Leinart’s game and I don’t blame him for wanting to be in there full-time, but if he’s not getting the job done, Coach Whisenhunt is going to play someone who is. And that someone is Kurt Warner. Matt should either play better or spend his time learning from an older and currently better QB instead of complaining about his playing time.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Matt Leinart Unhappy With Cards’ QB Shuffle