FanShot

Positive comments about Matt Leinart? I haven't seen those in a while...

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Both of these are from Sports Illustrated, part of the first one: "In a league desperate for quality quarterbacks, Leinart is a rarity -- a pedigreed passer who couldn't get the necessary snaps. Although he is often regarded as a first-round bust, the statistics tell a different story. As a rookie, he threw for more than 210 yards per game. He has completed more than 57 percent of his career passes. In his only start last season, he was 21 of 31 for 220 yards and no interceptions at Tennessee. He has not been Warner, by any means, but he has not been Ryan Leaf, either. This season will do much to reveal who Leinart ultimately becomes. Even though the Cardinals acquired Anderson in March, their offense seems well-suited to Leinart. Their dual running backs, Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells, are reminiscent of Reggie Bush and LenDale White at USC. Those close to Leinart believe that Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt will protect him the way he did Ben Roethlisberger when Whisenhunt was the Steelers' offensive coordinator and Roethlisberger a rookie. That means the Cardinals will pound the ball with Wells, pitch it to Hightower, and let Leinart work off play action. He will obviously miss departed receiver Anquan Boldin, but Larry Fitzgerald is the best security blanket a young quarterback could have." The other one: "If the expectation level is wildly over-optimistic, say, in line with Kurt Warner, circa 2008-09, Leinart is likely to be viewed as a disappointment no matter what the 2006 first-round pick accomplishes this season. But if the Cardinals keep in mind Leinart has played little the past three seasons and wisely shift more of the focus to their running game early on, they might just find they have a 27-year-old quarterback whose upside has survived all that inactivity. As I wrote in late January in the wake of Warner's retirement, Leinart played better than most remember in his first incarnation as the Cardinals starter. Not approaching Warner-esque, but more than competently given the team he had around him. True, Arizona brought in Derek Anderson as its insurance policy, and there will be a clamor for him the first time Leinart sails a pass high and wide in the secondary. But I still say Leinart is primed and in great position to make the Cardinals his team. Better late than never."