Posted by Scouts Inc.'s Keith Kidd
The quarterback carousel in Arizona continues to turn and it looks like
Kurt Warner will be named the opening-day starter. He is experienced, consistent and familiar with the Cardinals' offensive system -- not to mention
Matt Leinart looked awful on Saturday against Oakland.
However, when training camp started, I didn't believe this was a true quarterback competition because Leinart hadn't proven anything yet and hadn't shown himself ready to be a starter. Plus, it is looking like his shoulder injury from a year ago has really hindered his development.
Leinart didn't play with poise or confidence against the Raiders. The former No. 10 overall pick consistently threw into double coverage, which showed that he wasn't comfortable with his reads or progressions.
More importantly, he still has trouble handling the blitz. It showed versus Oakland, and more telling, it showed last year -- particularly against Baltimore in Week 3. Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and the Ravens attacked Leinart with multiple zone fires and zone dog blitzes. He was unable to handle the pressure and couldn't figure out where the blitzes were coming from. But, when Warner came in to replace him, the offense began to move the chains because Warner was poised and able to attack the blitz, the only way to handle an aggressive defense.
Arizona is still going to depend on the running game with RB Edgerrin James, which will force defenses to creep into the box and open up the passing game. Warner is the better fit for this offense right now and he gives the Cardinals their best chance to win.
Offensive coordinator Todd Haley can expand the playbook by using different personnel groupings, route combinations and protection schemes with Warner under center. Warner's pocket presence and three-quarters delivery allows him to slide and throw through tight windows with rhythm and timing, which enables WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald to make plays after the catch.
Warner processes faster than Leinart and is very comfortable under center and in shotgun. On top of that, the former Super Bowl MVP prepares like a pro and brings the leadership and intangibles, which pay huge dividends in the locker room.
However, Warner is 37 years old and tends to be mistake prone. He had 17 interceptions last season, which is a big reason why the Cardinals originally named Leinart the starter. He always seems to be a turnover waiting to happen because he tends to take chances downfield in critical situations and will put the ball on the ground when hit in the pocket.
The Cardinals have the right pieces to be the team to beat in this division. Based on their schedule, there is a distinct possibility that they could be 4-2 or even 5-1 to start the season, so head coach Ken Whisenhunt didn't want to let the season slip away early with Leinart under center.
But it remains to be seen what this means for Leinart's future because right now Arizona doesn't have a guaranteed quarterback of the future based on the Warner's age and Leinart's uncertainty.
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
