In an offseason that has featured rumblings from Arizona regarding discontent with new starting quarterback Matt Leinart, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt now says that the 10th overall pick in the 2006 draft is moving in the right direction.
“You see it in [Matt's]
confidence, how he runs the huddle and how he sees the plays,”
Whisenhunt said, per Darren Urban of the team’s official website. “His reads are much more decisive. He is throwing the
ball with confidence. And I think he knows what is in front of him.
more comfortable with the whole process, not just throwing a pass or
knowing where guys line up. He understands the concepts of the plays and
he has the ability to get us in and out of certain plays, all those
things you see more assuredness from him. I am excited with what he has
done in the OTAs so far.”
“My confidence is back,” Leinart said. “It’s hard to explain . . . but I am
good. I have to keep progressing but I can’t wait. I kind of want to
just jump-start to the season and play. It’s coming easier to me than it
ever has.”
It all sounds good, but the reality is that Leinart has failed in the past to secure the confidence of a head coach who didn’t draft him, prompting the surprise (at the time) decision to go with Kurt Warner as the starter at the outset of the 2008 season.
And given that we’ve learned never to take anything that an NFL coach publicly says at face value, Whisenhunt’s decision to talk up Leinart could simply be aimed at holding down the financial demands that could be made if/when the Cardinals decide to make a play for March Bulger.
March Bulger? is that Marc’s brother that can actually take a hit and throw the ball?
June Bulger!
March Bulger? Well atleast they aren’t going after Marc Bulger, because Matt Leinart would have to end up playing 3/4 of the season anyway.
July Bulger!!!
Or maybe he is answering a question to the best of his knowledge right now. Strange no mention of Derek Anderson.
making fun of typos??? really? I think it’s time for you to go to school.
Happens every offseason, some dweeb player/coach is really making enormous strides and is in complete control; a superstar in the making. Then the games begin and they usually fall back to where they were before but slightly better.
What does this have to do with Bennie assaulting chicks?
Geez!!!
BTW: Leinart won’t make it happen for the Cards this year. As soon as there is a real team rushing him, he will fold.
Don’t you mean Marc Bulger? Also that could be good or him and Cards if Matt can turn it around. You also need to look at it this way. Matt was the so called stud in college and got drafted by a crap team and they hoped he could turn it around which he could not “rookie guys come on” so they took in a vet “Kurt Warner”. Yeah I know Mark Sanchez was a rookie and made playoffs, but they Jets didn’t make playoffs because Sanchez was so baller, it was like a 67-68% comp an the 2nd most INT’s and also came in like 20th in passing yards, so really the Jets did good because of the run game and te soild DE they had.
“Happens every offseason, some dweeb player/coach is really making enormous strides and is in complete control; a superstar in the making. Then the games begin and they usually fall back to where they were before but slightly better.”
_________
See: Campbell, Jason
Honestly I didn’t think he was ready for the NFL anyway. He should have stayed at USC for at least one more year.
You got ICED, BRAW!!!!
“I am excited with what he has done in the OTAs so far.” – About the most overrated and useless statement one could make, he’s in what, his 4th, 5th year? And he’s excited about what the kid can do in shorts and a t-shirt? Why not come watch me play football in my backyard with my kids and then get hyped about it.
“My confidence is back,” – Where’d it go? Be a man, if you lost it, you probably never really had it to begin with. You just mean you’re glad Kurt’s not there cause you’d be riding the pine again. Now you’re the “best” of the worst QBs in the league (I did like Derek Anderson a few years back), that’s like being a high schooler playing football in the Pee Wee league and feeling good about how great of a player you are. Smells like trouble in the desert this year.
“got drafted by a crap team”
Oh, do you mean the same team that Warner took to the SUPER BOWL with one of the best WR tandems in the game the last few years? Yeah, what a crap team!!!
He has always stunk in the pros and will always stink. He is a career clipboard holder at this level and if the Cardinals don’t realize it soon enough, they will not win the division again this year.
Coach Whisenhunt, we don’t believe you, you need more people
All he has to do is throw 8 yard slants and 50 yard bombs to Fitz. The guy cathes everything.
Mutt Leinart is not happy with all the March Bulger rumors flying around.
Let me translate that; I know im not going anywhere with Derek Anderson AND ESPECIALLY a “shell shocked” Marc Bulger … so I need to talk this kid up and get his confidence up. I did see Leinart light up a team in pre-season, so he needs to keep his head and Fitz has to make plays. there is NO WAY that Alex Smith or Matt Hasselbeck or Charlie Whitehurst is as good. he has skills, but he has to put up or shut up this year.
I have more faith in Neil Lomax guiding the Cards to a winning record this year than this do-nothing. Seems like the second coming of J P Losman. Awesome in June, lost in Sept.
TheOne-LOL, are you freaking serious? Got draft by a CRAP team? Oh my God, you have lost your damn mind. If you want to know what being drafted by a crap team is, look at the beginning of Alex Smith’s career….wow, what a stupid statement.
Tatum32- Lighting up a team in the pre-season…wow, should the NFL get his bust ready for Canton now, or should we actually wait for him to be good in a regular season game? In the preseason, teams don’t gameplan, and they use vanilla coverages…you know you have a problem when your offense can’t move at all in the preseason.
“Mutt Leinart is not happy with all the March Bulger rumors flying around”
hahaha and Perrick Anderson doesnt want to be a 3rd string passer.
Kenny Whis, man save yourself the heartache and pain go get former heisman winner “TROY SMITH”. Give this kid a chance you will be much better off.
To all you haters; don’t hate, the man is only not starting due to some illness and its not like a franchise is going to pay a 60+ mil first round draft choice to hold the clipboard.
News just in Leinart is still soft!!! Thanks
Confidence?
Matt was pretty confident coming out of college. Over-confident, if anything.
I don’t think “confidence” was the issue…
Start Derek Anderson!!!
Anderson = superbowl
If Leinart really was taking over and showing confidence, the coaches would be talking about him as a starter, etc….which they aren’t
Everyone knows he isn’t stepping up