ProFootballCentral.com

By PFC Cardinals Writer Kelley Smelser

Kurt Warner’s QB controversies have one thing in common, Kurt Warner. Bulger, Manning, Leinart are not better NFL quarterbacks just safer options for the teams. Jerry Jones said recently something to the effect, that NFL games are decided more by team’s mistakes than by outstanding performances. Kurt is not alone; He is just a prime example of greatness neutered by pride. He joked He would pass every down if they let him. I’m not laughing, it is Kurt’s nature and he might be stocking shelves somewhere without this drive. But can he focus on managing a NFL balanced offense or is he doomed to go down in flames of glory?

Is he a great QB or just a great passer? the best NFL fairytale ever witnessed is slaying his last dragon, in my humble opinion, it just happens to be himself. Champion of champions or happily ever after, starts in 3 weeks.   Kurt” Why can’t a veteran guy become the face of a franchise? Why can’t he be the guy?” Warner asked. “I would love for it to be that way.”

Of course Kurt would love to start but it’s the negative symptoms of his performance that rips his chances apart! To clarify a negative symptom is what’s subtracted from a performance compared to a positive symptom that adds to a performance. Fans on the Cardinal’s Board often complain that they can’t understand me and I have been flagged by the moderators for nonsensical topics. Is it my fault they are not crazy enough to understand? Probably! But I try to think outside their box to make sense on the Gridiron.   I hear this all the time.
And it is very true! The positive Symptoms Warner played eight seasons since he went from obscurity to Super Bowl champion MVP with the St. Louis Rams, he is coming off one of the best performances of his career in 2007 – 27 touchdown passes, 3,417 yards and an 89.8 passer rating. Even more impressive was Warner’s second half of the season, when he threw 21 touchdowns in Arizona’s final eight games, leading the Cardinals to a 5-3 record in that span. All the while, Warner was playing through a dislocated elbow on his non-throwing arm.

I rarely see this. And it is very true also. The negative symptoms Warner had 17 interceptions and 12 fumbles with 6 fumbles lost (29) while starting 11 games and playing in 14 games in 07. The Cards started out the season running and ended up passing over 60% of the time. Head Coach Whisenhunt placed Warner on the pine in goal line situations opting for Tim Rattay because of the injury to Warner’s arm to reduce the chance of turnovers.

Kurt Warner is still trying to improve he began wearing a glove in the 06 season as the latest attempt in an ongoing effort to correct his sloppy ball security that lost him the starting QB position for the Rams, Giants and the Cardinals. Kurt Warner is a high risk high reward QB he has 80 fumbles with 33 lost in his career and 100 interceptions to go with his 152 Touchdowns MVP and Super Bowls. 98 of those touchdowns were in the 99/00/01 seasons 27 was in 07 that makes 27 Td’s for the remaining 6 seasons. but the fumbles and turnover remain consistent.  Kurt” The indications are that I’m going to get a shot – that the best player is going to play,” Warner said. “I’ve been there before and had coaches who tell me one thing and do another, so you’re always skeptical. You know how this business works with draft picks and money and all of those things. But until the people here prove me wrong as far as what they say, I’ve got no reason to doubt it. … They told me the best player is going to play come the first Sunday of the fall.

That’s what I hang my hat on.” Whiz would be the first Coach in the NFL willing to start Kurt over Matt if he earned it. The Cards are blessed! The FO knows Kurt is being paid enough with incentives to start and Matt is cheaper on the bench with his incentive laden contract. Both will be paid well but it would be cheaper on the team if Kurt started and Matt sat. And yes Matt would make more than Kurt on the bench or on the field! Matt’s cap number was over 10 million last year! Both would upgrade many teams in the NFL at the QB position!

The whole team not just Matt and Kurt was in a new offense beginning last year. It would be worthy, and not a deal breaker to start Kurt if he earned it. Kurt would be hard for most QB’s to outperform. The problem with Kurt is turnovers and fumbles even when we retain possession it stops drives kills morale and trust. He try’s to make up for it with heroics and experience. But the turnovers are Kurt’s deal breaker, it is the one thing he’s concentrated on and failed since 1999. Any coach, player or fan worth their salt knows that turnovers are the most important stat in football.  The clock and Game management were horrible at crucial times last year.

Huddling in the last minute and not panicking made my stomach butterfly. It actually worked out more often than not! Kurt was stronger than the coaches and audible and forced passes for better or worst. Several delay of games, penalties and timeouts on the goal line were flat stupid football. But Kurt got to pass as he desired. 2 Td’s on 4th down to tight ends is exciting but if the Card’s want to win and advance in the playoffs I believe they must strive to be a little more BORING. 

Maintaining the same offense and Coach Haley taking over the Offensive play calling should correct some of the confusion. I asked Coach Grimm in the 07 preseason through the coach’s corner his responsibilities with the Assistant Head Coach title.

Grimm said that helping the head coach with game and clock management in crucial situations was part of the job description. They all must get better this year in my opinion. Gibbs and Holmgren schooled the rookie head coach last year. The Cards would have made the playoffs easily if they would have been within the NFL average of turnovers and penalties. The coaches as a unit must get better but Kurt needs to be teachable to start. Kurt as a 10 year veteran is a wonderful man and mentor but on the field he compromised his team and put them under unnecessary pressure both offensively and defensively.

It’s not his fault but it is his responsibility, It’s Kurt’s nature and he can’t change that.
But he must run the offense that the Cards changed coaches to obtain. We are suppose to look a lot more like Washington’s Super Bowl years with the power running or Pittsburgh’s recent Super Bowl season. Both of these blueprint franchises had decent passing games but it didn’t start with the pass. We built for this and are still building and developing for this change in philosphy. last season proved Bill and Michael Bidwill right, a change was needed.  Last year we looked more like a Denny green team than Denny Green’s Cards looked! If Kurt wins the start it is going to be by not putting the Cards in the hole in preseason and eliminating the NEED for a Hero every game! Like Haley screamed and Kurt countered last year.

Kurt may place Matt on the Pine but that doesn’t mean that Matt would not start on other teams. We are blessed. Whiz has not blown smoke up to many skirts since he got here. He said he would play both QB’s and he did. I believe him when he says Matt’s the starter.  I think he says what he means and means what he believes and that is where it is 3 weeks before camp. If we were better as a team, I would say it’s a Steve Young behind Montana scenario, And it might end up that way but I personally hope Kurt wins the job and finishes his contract and starting career in the playoffs in 08, Accepts an extension and backs up Matt and retires as a Cardinal. 

Edge“Everything revolves around the quarterback, so whoever is in there has got to keep getting better,” James said. “We’ve shown this is an offensive team. With all the weapons and everything,

Matt should be all right. It all revolves around Matt.” “Man, I’m the wrong person to ask about that stuff,” James said. “Whatever they decide to do, I’m here to support either decision. I’m friends with both of those guys, so I don’t want to get in the middle of it.” “Kurt came in, and we saw what kind of an offensive team we could be,” running back Edgerrin James said. “He was experienced and knew his stuff. A lot of quarterbacks, they get even better as they get older because of the mental part of the game. That’s what Kurt is doing.” “The bottom line, the talent is here to win – period.”