Ken Whisenhunt Must Do The Just Thing And Restore Order To The Arizona Cardinals
by Greg Esposito on Sep 1, 2010 5:14 PM MDT
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Last week on SB Nation Arizona I wrote a piece about how Ken Whisenhunt coaches the Cardinals like The Joker. I went as far as to call Whisenhunt an agent of chaos, like the Joker calls himself, for his strategies in the preseason. With the exhibition schedule coming to an end and the games counting come next Sunday, it's time for the Cardinals head coach to take off his Joker mask and put on his coaches hat. It's time for Whisenhunt to stop the mind games and do the just thing.
You are probably wondering what justice has to do with this. Well last night I was watching the show White Collar -- if you have seen it I highly recommend it-- and one of the characters said something that made a lot of sense when it comes to the Cardinals current situation.
"Justice is restoring order not prolonging chaos."
It's time for the coach to restore order to his locker room. The chaos of training camp, preseason and position battles are coming to and end an, for the most part, the process revealed a group of players ready to play for an old school coach like Whisenhunt.
The one exception was obviously Matt Leinart who didn't, and never really did, deal well with Whisenhunt's desire to create competition and disrupt the status quo. Leinart wanted to feel safe in his position while the coach wanted to push him. Because of this, things with the fans, the team and the media are about as unsettled as a 13 year old kid getting "the talk" from his mother (people still do that right?).
In order to move forward and focus on the task at hand, winning a third straight NFC West title, Whisenhunt has to either name Leinart the starter, something about as likely as Josh McCown being inducted in the Cardinals ring of honor, or get rid of him.
I know many of you are of the belief that Leinart hasn't been given a "fair shot" to win the job, and maybe that's true, but he's made it very clear he isn't willing to be a back up to anyone. Keeping him here only causes more distractions for the team.
Trading Leinart --which will be tough seeing as the Cardinals are basically playing poker with their cards glued to their forehead for everyone to see while negotiating with other teams-- or cutting him is the only way for Ken Whisehnhunt and Rod Graves to ensure that the chaos isn't prolonged and that order is restored to the Red Birds.
It's the just thing to do.
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Good article.
I personally back Leinart, but I think I share an opinion with everyone here, as long as we win, I don’t care who our qb is.
good point made
Starting DA for the 3rd game seemed to be a way to “fire up” ML. If that was case it has gone completely out of control.
The time line from starter to about to be released puzzles me.
ML was playing well in OTA’s and training camp since spring.
Whiz was happy with his progress/work ethic/ and leadership.
ML started the 1st preseason game and came out early because DA needed to familarize himself with the system better. -Both played like crap (DA against 2nd and 3rd Stringers) and Skelton played well.-ML completed a 9 yard pass—hightower rushed for
The 2nd game4 yards making it 3rd and 5-ML completed a 4 yard pass. 2nd drive on 3rd down he completed to Ducet crossing the middle but was stopped short. 3rd possesion—he completed to Roberts who bobbled the ball preventing him from getting a 1st down. DA took over—played like crap(against 2nd and 3rd stringers again) and Whiz kept him in till the 4th Quarter because of it until they scored a TD.
Then came the 3rd game and both played well (although it took DA till his 4th drive to score). (IMO—ML played better)
I think ML has a better upside. I’m scared of what will happen if DA is the starter for the regular season.
by Cuckoo for Coco Puffs on Sep 1, 2010 6:02 PM MDT reply actions
I'm scared too but right now the upside is much higher with Anderson than a damaged Leinart
I once tried to quit a job using a dry erase board. Unfortunately I wrote the first part in Sharpie so I couldn't finish.
by Greg Esposito on Sep 1, 2010 6:07 PM MDT up reply actions
Where is the upside in Anderson?
I’m sorry I just don’t see the upside in a QB that has a career 53% completion percentage and has 46 career touchdowns to 45 career int’s. Even his pro bowl year he didn’t even convert at 57% and he threw 19 picks. Nothing DA has done in the preseason makes me think he will ever have any better #‘s than he did in 2007. He just isn’t a starting caliber NFL qb. As for Leinart that remains to be seen. He knows the offense, we know he can sling the ball but we all just seem to forget. He holds an NFL rookie qb record for most passing yards in one game (412 yds or something) and he tore up Green Bay last pre-season, he’s made smart decisions with the football this pre-season and I believe he deserves the chance. We know what we’re getting with DA but ML’s most significant amount of playing time came as a rookie. Let’s give him a chance and see what he’s learned because DA is not the answer.
by myotherrideisyourmom on Sep 2, 2010 8:44 AM MDT up reply actions
+1
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad. And don't switch to whichever team wins the Super Bowl each year.
Matt Leinart
Prediction: The Arizona Cardinals will lose every game this year.
And the worst one will be when they get beat by the New York Giants
with Matt Leinart playing quarterback for the Giants.
We don't play the Giants this year.
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan [I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad. And don't switch to whichever team wins the Super Bowl each year.
Good Call
I couldn’t get a response from a post that offered a bet for under 8 wins, I don’t suppose you’d be willing to offer one for this brilliant prediction?
Leinart and fine china ego in NY – if this post was in jest very good. If serious, seek help.
Enough of these predictions
If you are upset that is fine, but to say we won’t win any game without Leinart is awful, leave that to the 49ers fans, we need to back our team and save that hate for the rest of the NFC west… and just to be perfectly clear, I am very dissapointed with the Leinart thing, I even have his jersey, and was expecting great things from him when we drafted him 10th overall (Deny Green even said he was a gift from heaven or something like that), I even defended him all summer, but the truth is that he didn’t show anything, even the Breaston touchdown, was a checkdown in which Steve made a great play (not very prudent), but it was not a great throw or a great read, so this is a good time to show who really is a die hard fan and who is just an ocasional, bandwagoner…GO CARDINALS
paco cabrera
by pacocab on Sep 1, 2010 7:09 PM MDT up reply actions 3 recs
As season ticket holder, I will support the Cards no matter what!!!
As one of ML’s fan from USC days, I feel bad for him. Go Cards, sweep the Niners!!
While it's obvious that all this has created a ton of chaos here
who knows if it’s even being discussed in the locker room, just as possible that all this is old news to them.
Whatever the case, to reiterate there is no doubt in my mind that the Whiz will do what’s in the best interests of the AZ Cardinals and their win-loss record.
Not sure how it wouldn't affect a locker room.
To have the additional media coverage, being asked about comments a teammate is making and also not 100% knowing who is the quarterback has to on some level be distracting.
I once tried to quit a job using a dry erase board. Unfortunately I wrote the first part in Sharpie so I couldn't finish.
by Greg Esposito on Sep 1, 2010 6:45 PM MDT up reply actions
Can't especulate
Nice article Greg, but we can’t know for sure what is going on in the locker room, all I can tell is that players haven’t talked in public about the QB thing, not even Docket who tweets all the time… I think we have great leaders in the locker room who will handle this and who know more than we do, we can just guess what is going on, but we don’t know for sure, when I first read about the possibility of Leinart being cut or traded (before the anouncement of DA starting against Chicago), it was Michael Lombardi who wrote that, at the time almost made me laugh, but he knew something most of us didn’t… we can’t predict Whisenhunt and we can’t know what is going on in the locker room, but I am sure our coach is comunicating with the players, specially the leaders and they know what is going on and what is going to happen once the season starts, this is a playoff team with or without Leinart… GO CARDINALS
paco cabrera
That's a great point
Our locker room has stayed drama free, that’s a good sign of a tight ship.
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that." - Bill Shankly
by Jesse Reynolds on Sep 1, 2010 9:48 PM MDT up reply actions
My guess is the locker room already knows who the starter is
but I’ll concede (at the very least) your point about having to field questions about it from the media.
Time to move on...
I was angry and bitter for 8 hours, but it’s fine now. We need to support DA.
It's not what we see it's what we hear.
When Wiss sits here and tells everyone they are giving Matt Leinart a fair share, are we to believe that when the Cards tried to deal Leinart before preseason even started to the Seahawks. He is another USC boy, left on the team that hasn’t been cut by Wiss. Leinart with an 82.6% completion, and a 110.6% passer rating, who is he going to find that is better than that. And don’t think there wasn’t something behind the Jeff Fisher deal, when the Titan’s blitzed Leinart every play and none of the others, and then we practiced with them the next day? Something FISHEY!
Whisenhunt
I no longer question Whisenhunt’s tactics. In the first couple of seasons there were moments I did (particularly when he was calling plays I thought were conservative to a fault). But now I firmly believe, my Cardinals bias aside, he is one of the more underappreciated coaches in the NFL. He had NEVER BEEN A HEAD COACH before when he swooped in and took the team with a sorry history to .500 in his inaugural year. Then we all know what happened next, 9-7 and a defensive breakdown away from the SUPER BOWL TROPHY, then 10-6.
I don’t think this Matt Leinart deal is a crisis at all. D.A. has a strong arm and is the better QB even though he is obviously sloppy at times. For the money, and the situation, I think grabbing D.A. was a VERY savvy move. Whiz gave Leinart every opp to become a better QB and lets face it, he hasn’t gotten over the hump. Time to cut ties. Its really not a crisis at all….I firmly believe D.A. could lead us back to a third division crown, with all the amazing talent around him. And contrary to all the “scares” of having 2 rookies behind him, is not scary to me. Max Hall can handle it right now, and Skelton is as good a prospect as you can ask for. He is essentially a very raw Peyton Manning, in theory.
http://www.reverbnation.com/chrisfarmer
by Undrafteds on Sep 2, 2010 8:51 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Welcome back, it's been a while since I've seen you post.
I think you might be a little too high on the rookies. If we cut Leinart and something happens to DA, we’re in trouble and this season is toast. I like both these guys but neither is ready to take over a team and get them to the playoffs.
by Birdman from Mesa on Sep 2, 2010 9:01 AM MDT up reply actions
cheers Birdman
I am back doing music almost full time, but my love for football and the Cardinals cannot be denied hahahaha
well perhaps I am getting a little overboard with the rooks, but I can’t help it, they are both such strong prospects
http://www.reverbnation.com/chrisfarmer
+1...except for the very raw Peyton Manning part
Where did that come from?
Section 135, Row 35
by AJ BirdWatcher on Sep 2, 2010 9:25 AM MDT up reply actions
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5124133
I once tried to quit a job using a dry erase board. Unfortunately I wrote the first part in Sharpie so I couldn't finish.
by Greg Esposito on Sep 2, 2010 12:58 PM MDT up reply actions
Very cool
guess that answers that question.
Section 135, Row 35
by AJ BirdWatcher on Sep 7, 2010 8:34 AM MDT up reply actions
I am sure sports science
colored my words!! haha….but still, 6’6", strong armed classic pocket QB. and in the first action I saw him in he had a perfect QB rating which ultimately doesn;t mean much, but add that to some perfect throws and I got pretty excited.
http://www.reverbnation.com/chrisfarmer
Something we are forgetting
Just to start I would like to say the Cardinals are the first team I started watching when I was 12 in Phoenix in 88. I have been a fan through thick and thin (mostly thin) and am an eternal optimist. However I do what to shed some light on the newfound DA fans. There are alot of people who point to Leinarts failure when he lost the starting job to Kurt. Let’s remember something. Derek Anderson lost the starting job to Brady Quinn. So Leinart lost his job to a future Hall of Famer while Anderson lost his to a developing rookie who later washed out and was traded. I have several die-hard Cleveland fans who know that Anderson is not the answer. Just some perspective. Though all that I will continue to support the boys is red (whether they crash and burn or rise like a Phoenix).
by Suns Fan For Life on Sep 2, 2010 9:11 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
I, for one,
am not an Anderson fan, but a fan of Whisenhunt. Not in a way that I blindly follow along, but the current run of Cards success is because of his leadership and decisions, not in spite of it.
If he’s wrong, he’s wrong. But he knows more about this team, and football, than all of us combined.
coaches can make bad calls
Belicheck went for it on 4th and 1.
Grady Little left pedro in in the ninth.
Whiz is a smart man but he’s also a human.
by fansincejakenrob on Sep 2, 2010 10:56 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
what do your examples prove?
I’m saying that the coach that has made the Cards not a laughingstock anymore, but relevant, should be afforded some leeway for his decisions.
Again, he knows more than you and he knows more than me about this team and football. If he makes a mistake with this, so be it. But he has much, much, much more information about the situation than you, or I, do.
i dont argue his football iq
but have you ever had decision to make and it was 50/50 that you would be right or wrong.
i think thats the position he’s in right now.
and he could make the wrong move.
either way my allegiance is not to matt its to the cards.
by fansincejakenrob on Sep 2, 2010 11:33 AM MDT up reply actions
even the greatest have made mistakes
He is human after all, however Whisenhunt knows what he wants, it’s not just about winning is about doing it the right way, with leaders setting the standard, that is why I can see him working great with players like Docket and Porter and that’s why he had problems with Big Ben, there is a method behind all this madness (believe or not!!!!)… having said that, it’s clear to me that Leinart doesn’t fit with the kind of player Whisenhunt wants leading the team, and I am right with KDean, he should be afforded some leeway, and I am sure he knows his team better than all of us do, he can be wrong, but at least he has much more information to make that decision than we do, so let’s see what happens and support the Whiz for all the great work he has done with the Cardinals… In Whiz we trust… GO CARDINALS
paco cabrera
my bottom line is
wihtout getting into specifics, in my eyes, leinart is clearly the better q, not by much but the better qb.
come 9/12 DA or ML i’ll still root for the cards.
leinart made a mistake monday, he engaged in a media fued with his coach and made everyone doubt his leadership skills.
but i just think bottom line he gives us the better chance to succeed.
by fansincejakenrob on Sep 2, 2010 11:56 AM MDT up reply actions
your eyes
aren’t making the decision.
I trust Whiz eyes more than yours.
You still suck bags of DICKS KDean75!
Who would win in a fight, Whisenhunt or a Hurricane?
Hold on, hold on, what if the Hurricanes name was Whisenhunt?
Daaaaaaaaaa Cards, Da Cards Da Cards Da Cards Da Cards!!!
Leinert
A leader must be able to get along with all types of personalities. It is obvious that Weisenhunt cannot do this, and has thus created a problem with Leinert. Leinert is more laid back in jhis personalty whereas Weisenhuntt is “amcho”. Rather than trading Leinert, fire Wiesenhunt and get a coach who will support all his players.
There is no doubt that Lenart is the best quarterbak the Carinals have. His statistics are much better than Anderson’s. Leinart throws a “soft” pass which is easier for trhe receivers to catch versus Anderson’s “bullets”. Leinert is alos more accurate. The game against Chicago emphazed this difference. Anderson di have a touchdown, but Leinert would havve had two touchdowns if Wells had not fumbled. The ratings were 135 to 111 in favor of Leinert, yet Wiesenhunt favors Anderson.
Get rid of the coach.
You suck 2 bags of dicks!
Hooray Beer!!!!!!!
Who would win in a fight, Whisenhunt or a Hurricane?
Hold on, hold on, what if the Hurricanes name was Whisenhunt?
Daaaaaaaaaa Cards, Da Cards Da Cards Da Cards Da Cards!!!
Get rid of a Super Bowl coach for a career back-up?
Maybe we’re being a little hasty in our criticism of that idea. So many of the league’s greatest coaches were known for coddling their players the way you suggest (Lombardi, Parcells, Belichick, Noll).
Hmmm, no, as I think about it I’m liking the work Whisenhunt has done in his three + seasons with us. I’ll take division titles over consistently being in the race for a top 10 pick every year.
How did so many of Leinart and Nick Lachey’s ladies find this site all of the sudden? Was there an anti-Whisenhunt demonstration at the most recent SC sorority drive?
Not lifelong Cards fan but..
I think Leftwich’s injury hurts your options. I have to wonder if Whiz wasn’t planning on picking up Batch from the Steelers as a backup after big Ben comes back. The Steelers will need to release somene. Batch has a history with Whiz, is a capable backup and could use his experience to train your rookie(s). That would have been much less scarey than having two rookie backups and allowed them to dump Leinart. Both your rookies look good so it would be nice to keep them. With Leftwich going down, the Steelers may not drop Batch.
Leinart seems to have too much of an “entitlement” attitude being highly publicized from a quality college. He may have decent stats but I’ve not been impressed with his ability to get points and though points and stats usually go together, I’d take points over stats any day.
May be way off speculation but hey… that’s what we like to do. :)
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