Thoughts on the Leinart Situation

I’m not totally down on Leinart. As you noted the OL has done him no favors at all. That said, he hasn’t look good in the preseason – but we’ve seen very little of him. To me it’s the coaching decision that is odd. If this is actually a competition then I don’t understand why he’s been given so very few snaps to show what he can do. If this isn’t a competition name a starter and be done with. I’m definitely not buying the idea that it’s all a big charade to fool other teams. As far as not wanting to gameplan the preseason or show anything – I understand that. But given how Matt has looked on the field so far, he needs the dress rehearsal even if the coaching staff doesn’t.

Unfortunately the way this is being played leads me to believe the pundits are right – the coaching staff doesn’t like Leinart and have painted themselves into a corner where they’re stuck with Anderson starting. If they are that down on Leinart they should have admitted it to themselves much earlier and found a better option than Anderson for this year. I suspect we’ll end up like the Browns last year – rotating ineffective QBs and spinning our wheels.

I will say this DA brings a spark ML doesn’t…his presence and leadership are much more felt on the field than ML has ever done in four years….guess Saturday is make or break for both I guess unless they both play bad LOL!

The first thing I have to get off my chest is the issue of everyone saying Matt lacks leadership intangibles and has terrible body language in the huddle and on the field. I do kind of agree so far this preseason, but I know he has it in him. I remember back in 2006 when Matt first took over the starting job he was incredibly poised in the huddle. During the MNF game against (coincidentally) the Bears, when we collapsed and Denny Green had his infamous post-game blow up, Leinart was mic’d up for the game and his soundbites were really reassuring. He was fired up and did a great job of leading the team down the field. The only thing that killed us in that game was Denny calling dive left every play for -.5 yards after we had the lead.
I think this situation will really show us what Leinart can do. By going in the second and third quarter, he’ll get a lot more reps than he was seeing as the preseason starter. The O-line also seemed to protect a lot better for DA the last 2 games, which was kind of a theme for them the last 2 years. They seem to take a possession or two to settle down and get going. Finally, the fact that Matt will be playing with Beanie will make a huge difference. Hightower has looked pretty bad this preseason, in large part because of the O-line, but he also doesn’t have the ability to turn nothing into something like Wells can. I think we see Leinart come out with a fire and really move the offense.

JoeCB - I’ve watched DA through his years with the Browns, and you’ve hit the nail on the head in identifying 2 defects (they’re not the only ones) that will forever keep him from being what his wonderful arm promises -

(1) DA cannot throw short passes. It isn’t just a lack of touch, though that is a major problem. He just can’t hit receivers consistently within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. It’s remarkable. He’ll throw a rope 40 yards and hit a receiver in the numbers, but he’ll consistently miss people in the flat and on short slants. It’s maddening, and he did it every single game he played in Cleveland.

(2) And I don’t doubt for a second Leinart has a better grasp of the offense. Watching DA run a 2 minute drill I sometimes felt I could’ve done a better job when I was 8 years old. He’ll never check down to the 3d or 4th receiver. As far as I could tell from his years in Cleveland, he never had a clue where they were. He seems to have no vision for the field, and he doesn’t seem to have the instincts that tell him what he’s got to do in any given situation in the game.

Give him time and his primary receiver downfield and you’ll be convinced he’s the second coming of Dan Fouts. But he’s never yet shown the skills of a starting NFL QB in the absence of those conditions.

I am so glad that Coach Wiz does not disappoint when it comes to stirring up sports journalistic excrement. We are entering the final stages of preseason with almost no injuries. I wish we had captured Toby Gerhart and Ryan Wolfe in the off season but there is still time. Atlanta does not seem to know what they have in Wolfe and the Vikings are putting a target on the back of Gerhart by overusing him. If Atlanta does not hold onto Wolfe I urge The Cards to pick him up as a go to guy for Leinart when he gets flushed from the pocket, Wolfe is money in the bank when it comes to having a nose for the ball. Anderson is a decoy that needs all the reps he can get prior to the start of the season. Leinart will be just fine as long as coach Wiz does not become predictable with the “run on first down” mentality. A “run on third down” mentality will keep any defense honest especially if he crosses them up with a flea flicker every third or fourth series of downs that allow for for a third and short. The way I see it the Cards should start the season with two wins away (the Rams and the Falcants) that will set the table for busting up Oakland and then travel down the freeway to remove the heart of the San Diego Chargers after S.D get bruised up by KC and the Jags. I think the Chargers will have a lot of self doubt if they win in a squeeker over Seattle and face an undefeated Cardinals team looking for a tune-up prior to facing the world champ Saints.
I predict that the Saints and Cards will meet in a matchup that everyone will be talking about the Saints, as the team to beat on the road to the superbowl and the Cardinals have been lucky to have had such a light schedule to start the season. They will claim that Atlanta was the victim of bad luck and San Diego was not the team that was advertised in the pre-season. Even after the Cardinal Defense opens a can of whup-ass on N.O. and wins the game going away the experts will say that the true challenge for the Arizona team will be the Forty-Niners. Only problem is, the Niners don’t see the Cardinals until week 12 and the season may be over for them by their bye week at the start of November. The Arizona team may be on cruise control by that time playing their complete roster to give everyone experience and inspiration. Don’t be surprised to see Kurt Warner on the field with his arm around his protege’ yucking it up several times during the season. It may sound too good to be true but I have faith in coach Wiz and the manner in which he demands respect from his players, ask Anquan Boldin who’s the boss? He will show you the splinters he had removed from his rear from riding the pine. Matt Leinart knows that Wiz is just being Wiz and reminding the Young Buck on what side his bread is buttered on. Leinart will not try to test the old man and he will become a great because of it and the lessons he learned from Mr. Warner on how to conduct oneself as a man and as someone to emulate on and off of the field.
Good luck and my prayers go out to to you Matt Leinart for your continued success and blessings that you have waited patiently for. It’s Game time young man, wear your uniform well and with the dignity the young fans deserve from their sports heros.