Bleacher Report - Articles by Tom Highway

Kurt Warner: Arizona Cardinals Are (Finally) Claiming Him As One of Their Own

Tom Highway — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:59:31 -0500

This week, the Arizona Cardinals' front office Web site is running with the theme that Kurt Warner has now played more games as a Cardinal than as a Ram. The general idea is that now he's finally a "real" Cardinal.

For those who have followed the Cardinal franchise, this theme is curious. Until only recently, the Bidwill family seemed intent on not claiming Warner as one of their own at all.

Were it not for the foresight of current head coach Ken Whisenhunt, Warner would likely have been run off the roster long ago by the Bidwills to clear the way for their prized first-round draft pick: the chronically-immature, under-skilled and oft-injured Matt Leinart.

However, if the Bidwills were sincere today in their newly-developed wish to cement Warner's place in Cardinal football history, they should have begun earlier.

Perhaps even last year would have been an opportune time to start.

Kurt's legacy as a Cardinal would have been even more firmly solidified had he been awarded the NFL MVP last season, which he deserved more than any other player in the league. Instead, the award went to Peyton Manning.

The award is based upon regular season performance, and Warner bested Manning in almost every quarterback category. And it's difficult to argue that any player was more valuable to his team last season than Kurt Warner.

The injustice was made even more obvious once the postseason got underway. Manning lost his first playoff game. He's lost in the Colts' opening round six times now. Warner, meanwhile, elevated his game, tied Joe Montana's single-postseason touchdown record and led the Cardinals to their first-ever Super Bowl.

Here is a summary of their respective 2008 regular season statistics:

Kurt Warner
4,583 yards, 401-of-598, 67.1 percent, 7.7 YPA, 30 TDs, 14 INTs, 96.9 rating.

Peyton Manning
4,002 yards, 371-of-555, 66.8 percent, 7.2 YPA, 27 TDs, 12 INTs, 95.0 rating.

Why did Manning receive the 2008 MVP? Well, he won it—in large part—because his team actively lobbied for him to receive it.

The Bidwills, on the other hand, directed their Web site shill, Darren Urban, to actually write that Warner didn't deserve it in the middle of the 2008 season.

Was this strategy calculated based on Warner's becoming a free agent after the 2008 season? Did the Bidwills instruct their lackey to downplay Warner as an MVP to drive down his looming contract asking-price?

Based on the track record of the miserly Bidwills and the undistinguished history of their in-house propagandists, the answer is clearly Yes .

Cardinal Offense Needs Quarterback-Running Back Chemistry

Tom Highway — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:22:02 -0400

Last offseason, I penned several editorials here at Bleacher Report predicting a Super Bowl run for the Cardinals in 2008—but only under the condition that head coach Whisenhunt bench the ineffective, first-round draft bust Matt Leinart and return Kurt Warner to the starting QB job.

Since then, and due to my previous insight, many have inquired of my predictions for this upcoming season.

This year, my crystal ball tells me that the running back position will see dramatic improvement—not necessarily in total rushing yards but certainly in yards per carry and pass receiving.

When defenses slant their formations to cover Arizona's formidable passing attack, the Cardinals will finally become a threat to gash the opposition with big gains on the ground, as opposed to the past three seasons in which Edgerrin "No Gain" James would stumble along for two-yard carries despite facing predominantly spread-out, nickel defenses.

When the dust settles from James' release, I also expect more of his story in Arizona to see the light of day. We all remember him arriving and declaring that the Cardinal offensive line had better not "(bleep) up his hall of fame", and his stubborn refusal to attend voluntary offseason workouts with his teammates. And who could forget his regular, public finger-pointing at the offensive line for his lack of production?

And then there was the rumor that he skipped a practice before he laid that egg in the 2008 regular season Carolina game with a fumble, a dropped screen pass, and 2.4 yards-per-carry (the game that finally got him benched); and most thought it despicable that he tried his best to disrupt the team with his demand for a release while the Cards were destined for the playoffs.

Finally, there was the case of James' awful receiving hands. Most realized that he was not a speed back, but the discovery that he couldn't catch the ball was a shocker. Dropping key screens turned out to be one of his trademark specialties in Arizona. He even dropped an important one in the Super Bowl (on the very next play after his 15-yard illegal chop block penalty).

For three seasons, James carried himself as if he were too good for the Cardinal organization, but in the end the Cards turned out to be too good for him.

If Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, and Jason Wright can be productive and develop the kind of receiving chemistry with Warner that James could not—or simply would not—then the offense will become even more potent than last season.

The chemistry between Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk was legendary in their "Greatest Show on Turf" days. Even on passing plays, the checkdown to Faulk became one of the Rams' most dangerous weapons. And the chemistry between Warner and Tiki Barber was equally deadly during their nine games together with the Giants in 2004. In that stretch, Barber posted the highest all-purpose yardage of his career, as Warner helped elevate his per-game totals up to those of an MVP-caliber running back. In fact, in 1999, Faulk was a 1000+ yard receiver; and in 2004, Barber was on-pace to exceed 1000 receiving yards, as well.

Is it a coincidence that Kurt Warner has helped elevate 4 wide receivers to the Pro Bowl? And is it a coincidence that Warner helped elevate 2 running backs to MVP-caliber, all-purpose production? The answer is an obvious "no". All phases of an NFL offense are triggered by the quarterback, and Warner has proven to be the master at utilizing every surrounding weapon at his disposal to carve up opposing defenses.

If quarterback/running back synergy can be established in the desert in 2009, then the Cardinals will keep opposing defenses off-balance, continue their dominance of the NFC West, and make another run at the Super Bowl.

Kurt Warner Silences Mike Martz and His Media Lapdog Bernie Miklasz

Tom Highway — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:30:38 -0500

With Arizona Cardinal quarterback Kurt Warner preparing for next Sunday's Super Bowl and with the entire nation taking measure of his phenomenal back-to-back seasons in the desert, football fans must wonder, "How could the Rams have parted ways with a quarterback who possesses such special talents?"

Five years after his release from the Rams, this topic is still as controversial and white-hot as ever...And until the story is addressed honestly, it won't be going away anytime soon.

At the center of the storm are two questionable characters—former Rams head coach Mike Martz and St. Louis sportswriter Bernie Miklasz. In the early 2000s, Martz and Miklasz forged a mutually-beneficial relationship.

Martz routinely gave Miklasz exclusive access to his inner thoughts, and in return Miklasz delivered favorable Monday-morning analysis. The coach/reporter relationship became so incestuous, that Miklasz was even widely referred to as Martz's "Lapdog."

And when Mike Martz set out to run Kurt Warner out of St. Louis, he enlisted the aid of his friend Bernie Miklasz. A head coach cannot push a two-time MVP QB with a Super Bowl ring to the curb without some media cover. His friend Bernie was more than happy to deliver.

Under the guise of "objective reporting", Miklasz regurgitated a series of Martz's paranoid rants against Kurt Warner across the sports page, giving Martz all the cover he needed to get rid of Kurt and replace him with Marc Bulger. Today, replacing Warner with Bulger sounds like a ridiculous concept, but yes—it actually happened.

As a general rule, NFL coaches and management speak no ill of their players abilities or health—a wise business approach to maintaining their trade value. Yet Martz, through Miklasz, saw to it that Warner was portrayed as washed up and possessing a "crippled claw" throwing hand.

Not only was it bad business, it turned out to be a petty and vindictive attempt to end Warner's career.

And the results were indeed damaging. Warner was exiled to New York where fans were calling for No. 1 draft pick and "quarterback of the future" Eli Manning before Warner ever took the field.

And despite leading a terrible 2004 Giant team to a 5-4 record and despite becoming the Giant QB with the highest completion percentage in franchise history (that record still holds today), Warner was still benched. With Eli Manning at QB, the Giants finished the season 1-6, wholly validating Warner's accomplishments with a team in rebuilding mode.

Then, with a still-tarnished reputation, courtesy of the Martz/Miklasz fabrications, Warner could only find work at the least successful franchise in the history of the NFL—the Arizona Cardinals.

And in true Bidwillian fashion, his talents were again dismissed...This time in favor of Matt Leinart—another "quarterback of the future" with no talent and perhaps no NFL future.

And yet Warner pressed forward and kept himself ready...until 2007...In which Matt Leinart engineered the worst passing offense in the NFL in the season's first five weeks and was subsequently injured, allowing Warner to take over and help build the top passing attack in the league.

In the process, as Kurt amply demonstrated, he never lost his ability...Only his reputation.

And now for the past year and a half, Warner has averaged almost 300 passing yards and over two touchdowns per game. This season, Warner was named to his fourth Pro Bowl, and led his team into the postseason.

And in his three playoff games, he led his team to three upset victories, throwing eight touchdowns and only two interceptions. And in the past month, sportswriters across the country are discussing Warner's bid for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But not in St. Louis.

There, Bernie Miklasz is busy building a defense against a tidal wave of criticism. At this time and under these circumstances, one would expect an objective St. Louis sportswriter to be asking a few tough questions right about now of former Rams head coach Mike Martz and Rams president John Shaw: "How could you have let that one get away?"

However, this is the question that Miklasz would not dare to ask, because he shares as much culpability as they do. Instead, this week, he penned a self-serving spin piece in which he tried to re-write history in his favor, all the while ignoring the obvious facts that shred his flimsy case. Several readers took Miklasz to task, pointing out his most glaring omissions:

First, Miklasz tossed out a cherry-picked win-loss record for Warner in his last two injury-plagued seasons with the Rams, but he failed to mention that most of Warner's losses were on the road against stronger opponents than Marc Bulger faced.

And of course he failed to mention that neither the Rams nor Marc Bulger have had a winning season since Warner was released.

And he neglected to mention the absurdity and shamefulness in throwing a two-time league MVP, Super Bowl MVP and pillar of the community to the curb because he was injured.

He did manage to produce a second-hand quote from Mike Martz, the guy who supposedly made the right call in firing Warner, but neglected to mention that Martz has since been fired thrice himself and will be watching this year's Super Bowl from the NFL unemployment line.

And Miklasz once again failed to mention (or name) the Rams coach who mocked Warner's religious beliefs in practice in front of his teammates.

And of course there was no mention of the fact that the vindictive Mike Martz, with Miklasz as his accomplice, tried to sell Warner as damaged goods to the rest of the NFL after they fired him...As opposed to how Tom Coughlin helped Kurt get another starting job after he left the Giants.

The slander of Kurt Warner in 2003 by Martz and his most ardent media apologist and lapdog is a sleazy story that will (hopefully) someday be analyzed by an outside, credible writer.

But meanwhile, Kurt Warner has overcome that smear campaign to elevate the Arizona Cardinals to their first-ever Super Bowl. Unlike those who set out to destroy him and his career, he is a true winner and champion.

Arizona Cardinals Need to Keep Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin to Stay on Top

Tom Highway — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:13:31 -0500

In today's Arizona Republic, Cardinals GM Rod Graves was reported to be optimistic that the club would be able to extend wide receiver Anquan Boldin's contract.

Although the two sides have not negotiated since last summer, "He's made it clear he didn't want to talk until the end of the season," Graves said. "My sense is he's enjoying this team and likes playing with Kurt and in this offense."

And therein lies the key issue with keeping Boldin—Kurt Warner's continued presence.

If the Cardinals do not re-sign Warner, an unrestricted free agent after this season, the Cardinals will likely turn to Matt Leinart in 2009. What would this mean for Boldin and the other wide receivers?...And what would this mean for the future of this year's NFC West Champions?

Well, first of all, the dropoff from Warner to Leinart is almost too steep to fathom...It would likely resemble the dropoff from Tony Romo down to Brad Johnson.

With identical weapons at wide receiver last season, Matt Leinart averaged a measly 129 passing yards per game (lowest in the NFL), posted a 61.9 passer rating (also lowest in the NFL), only 5.8 YPA, and only completed about 53 percent of his passes.

Through five games, he tossed one touchdown to Boldin and zero to Larry Fitzgerald. And Leinart threw two interceptions for every touchdown. Were he not injured, he was on pace to finish the season with six touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 2070 yards.

That same year, after Leinart's season was ended with a broken collar bone, Warner finished with an 89.8 passer rating and tossed one touchdown per game each to Fitzgerald and Boldin, and finished in the top-10 in most QB categories—including touchdowns, yards per game, touchdowns per game, completion %, YPA, etc, etc...

In the second half of 2007, Warner threw even more TDs than Tom Brady during his record-breaking season.

While Leinart is known to lock onto his check-down receiver, Kurt Warner is the master at locking onto four or five targets simultaneously. This season, there's a very good possibility Warner will have three wide receivers finish with over 1,000 yards, and that's only been accomplished twice before in NFL history.

It is unchallengeable fact that Boldin and Fitzgerald were under-used with Leinart. Were the Cardinals to return to Leinart, history has shown that Fitzgerald and Boldin again become the most expensive decoys in the NFL. It's as elementary as Leinart+Fitzgerald+Boldin+Bryant Johnson=129.

And can anyone imagine combining Leinart with Arizona's pathetic running game? I can, and it looks like an ugly 2-14 season.

If Graves and the Bidwills do not re-sign Warner, then the entire house of cards falls down. With a return to Leinart and 129 passing yards per game for all receivers to divide up, Boldin knows that his future market value would drop considerably. Kurt Warner simply must be re-signed.

And finally, would Graves and Whisenhunt really want to take the huge risk of letting an MVP-caliber quarterback walk to the Vikings, especially with Leinart's history of fragility?? After all, Matt has suffered two season-ending injuries in his last five sacks!

Cardinals-Jets: Preview at the Bleacher Report Roundtable

Tom Highway — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:22:01 -0400

Welcome to the Roundtable Preview of tomorrow's NFL matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Jets. Weighing in with pregame commentary are Jets' Community Leader Angel Navedo and Cardinals' Community Leader Tom Highway.

Both teams are coming off disappointing losses in Week Three. How will your team be looking to rebound on Sunday afternoon?

AN: For the Jets, the focus has to be on chemistry and continuing to simplify the offense. The Jets spend too much time in the early parts of the game feeling out their opponents before executing their own gameplan.

The problem is that once they've felt out their opponent, they've already allowed them to develop a rhythm.

Offensively, the Jets need to revert back to the pitch-and-catch style that worked well in the second half against San Diego.

TH: The Cardinals have placed a premium on keeping their winning record intact. Deciding to spend the past 10 days on the East Coast to eliminate the fatigue of travel was smart. Will this make a difference? We’ll soon know.

But the crucial question for the Cardinals is: Will the team develop, and accept its offensive identity?

Does coach Ken Whisenhunt have the flexibility to put aside his unsuccessful “run-to-set-up-the-pass” philosophy in favor of a “pass-to-set-up-the-run” attack?

This season, the Cardinals are ranked seventh in number of rushing attempts, yet are ranked 29th in yards-per-attempt.

In other words, they’re stubbornly emphasizing something that simply isn’t working.

What are the feelings like in the hometown so far? Are the teams exceeding/meeting expectations from the fans this season?

AN: The New York Jets are the butt of the joke right now. An expensive offseason capped off with a trade for one of the greatest quarterbacks in the NFL set expectations beyond realistic measures. All of that is coming back to bite the fans as they cope with the growing pains.

It's difficult in New York, though. This is a Giants' town, and fresh off a Super Bowl victory, and 3-0 start, the Jets aren't what the city revolves around. Especially not now with baseball season drawing to a close, and the city bidding farewell to two monuments in Yankee and Shea Stadiums.

TH: The hometown support of the Cardinals has been lukewarm thus far.

Owner Bill Bidwill’s management of the club has drawn deserved skepticism based upon an entire lifetime of, for lack of a better word, “cheapness.” The result has been a city filled with potential fans that are wondering whether a playoff-caliber club is anywhere in their near future.

I believe that this team may be it, but most Arizonans seem to be reserving judgment. It doesn’t help that the Bidwills dumbed down expectations in the offseason when they were pressuring Whisenhunt to “ride or die” with the inferior Matt Leinart at QB.

Can the Jets stop Warner and his receivers?

TH: If Warner gets into a rhythm with his receivers, then I don't think they can. Neither Boldin nor Fitzgerald has elite speed to gain wide separation, but both have size and excellent hands.

AN: I would think New York would try and follow Washington's blueprint from Week Three, but I'm sure that's something Whisenhunt and friends are working on this week. Regardless, New York will need to have safety support over the top.

TH: Fans who have never before watched them in action will see balls threaded into very tight spaces.

"Q" and "Fitz" use their size, positioning, and leverage to reel it in. It’s a unique approach, but effective. But with such a heavy reliance upon accuracy, timing, and trust between Warner and the receivers, it’s important that Whisenhunt not allow them to get cold. He needs to keep feeding them a steady diet of passing plays so they don’t lose their rhythm.

AN: Warner's is a veteran, so he's instantly going to target rookie Dwight Lowery. Having someone so young out there might be a liability, but Lowery has played well these first three weeks.

He's had some mental errors, but I'm confident in his ability to disrupt the pass. So if the Cards are dependent on timing, I think Lowery has enough of a nose for the ball and good enough coverage skills to compensate.

Will Arizona be able to establish the run in New York?

TH: Whisenhunt would like for the Cardinals to be a rushing team, yet their rushing offense has ranked among the league’s worst in recent years. Edgerrin James has slowed down considerably from age and knee surgery. He's never averaged over four yards per carry in Arizona.

It wouldn't even be accurate to say he’s “lost a step.” He seems to have lost two steps, which is why he cannot make defenses pay dearly for cheating toward the pass.

Furthermore, he lacks the receiving and pass-blocking skills exhibited by recent premier running backs, such as Clinton Portis, Tiki Barber, Marshall Faulk, and Frank Gore, to name a few.

AN: But with the pass working so well, I don't think the Cards' will need to. But if the Jets can put a blanket on the receivers, I don't think James or Tim Hightower will be able to move the ball effectively enough.

But a lot of that is contingent upon Kris Jenkins' health. If his back injury suffered from Monday night is really healed up, the defense will be able to roll on all cylinders.

That means the run will be stifled, and OLBs Bryan Thomas and former Arizona Cardinal Calvin Pace will be able to rush the passer more effectively.

TH: After the 49ers game, the Cards abandoned the run against the Dolphins and decided to attack through the air. The first play was a 79-yard touchdown to Boldin.

But against the Redskins, Whisenhunt went back to a run-first strategy. With 116 rushing yards and five-yards per carry, it would appear that the run was effective. But considering that Washington played nickel packages almost exclusively, the Cards’ running game was a dismal failure.

However, they gained just enough yards that Whisenhunt kept going back to it. Was he lulled into following the Redskins’ plan? It sure seemed that way.

The Jets' kick-return unit features the elusive Leon Washington, currently ranked sixth in the NFL in kick returns. How does the Cards’ special-teams stack up?

TH: Leon Washington and his 33.1-yards-per-return will be difficult to contain. But the bigger problem is Arizona’s subpar kicking.

In both the first and second games this season, Cardinal kicker Neil Rackers booted a kickoff out of bounds. Against the Redskins, with the wind at his back, Rackers popped up the opening kickoff to the 23-yard line. The 'Skins' returned that to the 40, setting up an opening-drive touchdown.

AN: Leon's stats are incredible, but that average was definitely helped by San Diego scoring so much in Week Three. He made some incredible returns, without a doubt, but if the Jets' defense does their job, he won't have the same opportunities.

Kicking woes are very familiar here. Our starting kicker, Mike Nugent, has been injured since Week One, and newly-signed Jay Feely's first field-goal attempt as a Jet went very wide right. It'll be scary if the Jets need to rely on field goals to stay in the game.

TH: Rackers also missed a short field goal in the opener, and they missed another short field goal at home versus the Dolphins, although it was negated by a penalty.

Cardinal fans were hoping that his consistency would drastically improve over his 2007 performance. He single-handedly lost three games with missed extra points and field goals.

If Rackers makes another mistake Sunday, he should be cut.

Yes, he’s that big of a liability.

What are the keys for the opposition to win?

AN: If the Cards' want to beat the Jets, they need to play tough on defense.

They need to throw blitz packages out, and disguise their schemes often. Brett Favre doesn't like sending players in motion. Most teams call for motion to see if the defense is in man-to-man or zone. If Favre continues to limit that, he'll be forced to improvise and find out what the defense is doing the hard way.

On the offensive side of the ball, it's clear that Warner likes to air it out, but that may not be best.

In their two losses, the Jets have shown the most vulnerability against screen plays and slants. It's slow, boring football, but those plays can be worth as much as eight yards—more if blocked properly.

TH: Last weekend, by simply setting up in predominantly nickel defenses, the Redskins successfully tempted Whisenhunt to abandon the passing attack. If the Cards allow other teams to dictate their approach so easily, then they will continue to be vulnerable—especially on the road.

Defensively, the Cardinals feature a good pass rush along the line, creative blitzing, and good coverage in the backfield. However, the Cardinals' defense is weak against runs between the tackles and against screen passes.

If the Jets get out to an early lead, they may be able to run out the clock by attacking these soft spots.

Matt Leinart Pouts While Warner, Boldin, & Fitzgerald Carve Up Miami Defense

Tom Highway — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:06:27 -0400

Thus far, Kurt Warner has played as well as I had predicted. By far, he's the best QB on the Arizona Cardinals' roster, and he's one of the best in the NFL. After two games, he's second in the league in passer rating, first in yards per attempt, and was just named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the seventh time in his storied career.

With Warner behind center, the Cardinals' offense is in good hands. However, a problem is brewing on the sideline that will undoubtedly cause turmoil in the locker room as the season progresses—Matt Leinart's pouting attitude. What I saw from my seat last Sunday was disturbing.

While Warner, Boldin, and Fitz were carving up the Dolphins' secondary, Leinart was disengaged from his teammates and coaches and in full pout mode. During timeouts and while the defense was on the field, Cardinal offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Kurt Warner, and third-string quarterback Brian St. Pierre were constantly talking and going over strategies.

However, Leinart would not get involved at all. He just kept his distance with a dour look on his face. When Warner hit Boldin for the 79-yard touchdown, and also when Fitzgerald leapt over two defenders and made that great run to Miami's one-yard line, Leinart's reaction to each was one of ambivalence.

With so much to be excited about, Leinart stood out as the sole Cardinal who wasn't cheering the offense on during its pummeling of the Dolphins' defense. In addition, a couple series before Warner came out, Leinart called a trainer over and made a major sideline hollywood production out of having his hamstrings stretched.

Somebody needs to inform the prima donna that he's simply not good enough to warrant a personal stretcher. Just bend down yourself, and touch your toes a few times. Sheeesh. Even when he was put into the game, the sour expression on his face did not disappear.

Does Leinart actually believe that his weak arm, or his last-in-the-NFL 61.9 passer rating, or his three-interception meltdown versus the Raiders this past preseason somehow qualifies him to start over Kurt Warner? A top-10 QB in 2007 and two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl winner who just tossed his third career perfect game (tying the NFL record) and is top-five in almost all QB categories this year?

The Arizona Cardinals' season is trending up, but Leinart is looking increasingly like a clubhouse cancer whose presence is not conducive to team success. Unfortunately, in addition to being a "bust", all evidence points to Matt Leinart being a loser, as well.

9/22/08, Leinart Pouting Update:

Sunday, while the Cardinals played the Redskins at Fedex Field, Matt Leinart continued to disengage from his teammates and coaches.

Numerous times, Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley was shown on the TV broadcast planning and strategizing with Kurt Warner and 3rd string quarterback Brian St. Pierre. Leinart was conspicuously absent.

This isn't about "one bad day" versus the Dolphins. It's a disturbing trend, and this story is not going away anytime soon. Stay tuned.

Arizona Cardinals Name Team Captains

Tom Highway — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:19:57 -0400

As reported this morning by Mike Jurecki of XTra Sports 910 Radio, the Arizona Cardinals players voted five of their teammates to represent the squad as team captains:

Kurt Warner (Quarterback), Reggie Wells (Left Offensive Guard), Karlos Dansby (Linebacker), Aaron Francisco (ST, Safety), Sean Morey (ST, WR).

Anquan Boldin, who has been a team captain in the past and is now embroiled in a contract dispute with the Cardinal front office, was conspicuously absent from the list.

Also noteworthy is the players' vote of confidence for Kurt Warner. Warner, who unseated Matt Leinart as the starting quarterback, led the NFL in touchdown passes during the second half of the 2007 season and sealed the job in a training camp battle this summer.

Calling All Arizona Cardinal Scribes!

Tom Highway — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:47:37 -0400

Ever since its inception, Bleacher Report has enjoyed a steady rise in popularity.

Driven by a talented community of amateur sportswriters and editors, this website has drawn in hordes of readers—readers that are seeking fresh sports reporting and editorials.

To those who seek an alternative to bland articles and team-fed propaganda, this is the place to read and to be read. And who better to deliver cutting-edge viewpoints than a community of actual fans?

Kurt Warner connects with Anquan Boldin for a touchdown versus the Ravens in 2007.

And for the writers and editors of Bleacher Report, the rewards are numerous and gratifying. The articles are typically headlined on the major news search engines, such as Google and Yahoo—attracting sports fans from across the country and even across the globe.

Furthermore, with its built-in mechanism for reader/author interaction, Bleacher Report has planted a seed from which a true sporting-enthusiast community was born.

But the continued success of this website is dependent upon a rich and continuous supply of articles, delivered by interested and talented fans.

And so with that goal in mind—and speaking as the Community Leader of Bleacher Report's Arizona Cardinal Section—I am putting out a call across the Internet for all the top amateur Arizona Cardinal writers... Compelling scribes with wide followings, such as George Boone, MadRussianFan, Korbo, Mike Furrette, Legend of Kurt, Damtoni, pg13, Fan43, FastCashAz, NyYankees2001, moklerman, kong_3, scienceguy, Cards_Campos, kjbad, redbird242, Stuart Garrison, and many, many others.

Kurt Warner connects with Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown versus the Rams in 2007.

Come join us here at Bleacher Report this season!

With the Cardinals poised to make a run at the Super Bowl this year, we're going to have nothing less than a blast sharing our opinions with a growing community of NFL fans!

Ken Whisenhunt: Arizona Cardinals' Head Coach or Saboteur-in-Chief?

Tom Highway — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:41:50 -0400

Saturday afternoon, with Arizona's preseason games completed and only one week remaining before opening-day kickoff, head coach Ken Whisenhunt stood before the Arizona press corps to announce the final roster and to name the Kurt Warner as the starting quarterback.

One would expect that his announcement would be delivered with a sense of excitement and convey the heightened expectations of a coach and his team embarking upon a new season with most of its key players in good health.

Instead, a sullen Whisenhunt delivered a prepared speech in which he could not hide his disappointment in the result of the so-called quarterback competition.

It has been widely suspected that Whisenhunt had no desire to open the job up to competition and resented having his hand forced into actually delivering one.

Last season, the so-called "face of the franchise," QB Matt Leinart, performed at arguably the worst level of all starting NFL signal callers.

His 61.9 passer rating was the lowest in the league, and he averaged only 129 passing yards per game—also an NFL low. He averaged only 0.4 touchdowns per game, and threw two interceptions for every touchdown.

And despite throwing to the best wide-receiver duo in the NFL, he threw only one touchdown to Anquan Boldin and zero to Larry Fitzgerald through five games.

After Leinart's season was ended with a broken collarbone (his second season-ending injury in his last five sacks), Kurt Warner was spectacular in his stead.

In only 11 starts, Warner tossed 27 touchdowns—including 21 in his final eight games.

Boldin finished the year with nine TDs and Fitzgerald finished with 10 and made the Pro Bowl. Warner also finished in the top-10 in most quarterback categories, including passer rating (89.8), yards per game, and touchdowns per game. In the last half of the season, he even threw more touchdowns than Tom Brady.

Yet, the day after the 2007 season ended, Ken Whisenhunt announced Matt Leinart as the 2008 season starter. His rationale was the tired, old cliché that "a player shouldn't lose his job to injury"—although there are countless examples in all sports that suggest otherwise.

Arizona Cardinal fans were incredulous that the obviously better Warner was being pushed to the curb for Leinart, who, up until his injury, was doing a convincing impersonation of Ryan Leaf.

Fans widely sensed that management was pressuring Whisenhunt to promote their golden boy, and that Whisenhunt was siding with management over the good of the team. And with Anquan Boldin making a similar claim this summer, this seems to be developing into a disturbing trend.

And it's unlikely that Warner would have accepted this undeserved demotion without demanding a release, a trade, or threatening retirement.

So would Whisenhunt have the nerve to enter training camp with only an immature Leinart and no credible "Plan B," in case Leinart once again flops or fails to focus on football—as he did in the 2007 training camp?

WARNER AND WHISENHUNT: ENGAGED IN A GAME OF "CHESS"?...OR "CHICKEN"?

We know only that Warner walked out of Whisenhunt's office and told every reporter he could find that Whisenhunt promised him, "The best quarterback would play." So, did Whisenhunt intend to keep that promise?...Or was he merely attempting to manipulate Warner into staying—to serve as a kind of "stalking horse" to keep Leinart in line?

But Warner's public comments were not easily refuted. What could Whisenhunt say?..."No, the best player is not going to play?"

And so the players, fans, and press corps expected to see a competition. Warner had set in motion a game of chess—or chicken—between himself and an organization hell-bent on elevating Leinart as the starting quarterback.

However, a defiant Whisenhunt wouldn't even acknowledge that a competition existed until an uproar ensued after he failed to allow Warner to even play in the preseason opener versus New Orleans.

Whisenhunt relented, and Warner was allowed some preseason snaps, although it was less than half of those allotted to Leinart. But Warner made the most of those and demonstrated solid performances in all his brief appearances.

And after Leinart posted a poor outing versus Kansas City's first string and after a three-interception meltdown versus the Oakland Raiders, Whisenhunt was forced to promote Warner—or lose credibility in front of the team, fans, and the press.

THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN PUTTING YOUR QUARTERBACK ON A ONE-GAME LEASH...IS TO ANNOUNCE THAT HE'S ON A ONE-GAME LEASH.

When announcing the final result of the sham competition, Whisenhunt went wishy-washy. Once again, he became Ken "Weaselhunt." And rather than talk up the victor, he went on to concede only this:

"We've decided at this point that the person that best gives us the chance to win next Sunday at San Francisco is Kurt Warner. So, he will start for us at San Francisco, and I think we just said we'll just see how that goes...."

"Once again, when it comes down to what we feel is the best situation for us in our opener against San Francisco ... I felt like it was Kurt."

Huh?

So after throwing 21 touchdowns in the final eight games and winning the eight-month offseason quarterback competition, Warner gets rewarded with one start—and a road game at that? Can anyone name a quarterback in recent memory who began the season with a one-game anvil hanging over his head?

This is incredibly foolish on Whisenhunt's part. And does anyone actually believe that such a weak setup provides either Kurt Warner or the team with the confidence required to play their best? Of course not. Ken Weaselhunt owes his team—including Kurt Warner—better.

Later in the press conference, when asked about Matt Leinart, he responded with:

"I have no doubts, when it's his turn this year to play, that he'll respond the same way."

Let me see if I've got this straight:

The Cardinals haven't yet played a game this season, and he already knows with certainty that Leinart will see the field...that he is certain that his starting quarterback will either fail or get injured?

Is coach "Weaselhunt" actively trying to sabotage the season?

His words certainly aren't helping the team to prepare to win. So what is his motivation here? Is he more concerned with soothing Matt Leinart's fragile "psyche" than putting his starting quarterback in the right mindset?

Is he more concerned with maintaining his inappropriate concern with Rod Graves' job and the Bidwills' marketing goals—to the detriment of his own players?

"Weaselhunt" should remember this above all else: On average, throughout the last four decades, the Bidwills have fired their head coach every 2.8 years.

So, he'd better focus on winning and let go of his desire to cross the line into management or to play amateur psychologist to a perpetually immature Matt Leinart. Frankly, with at least three losses last season directly attributable to major coaching-blunders, he has enough on his plate to worry about.

If he's interested in keeping his job, then he needs to keep his focus on coaching the team through a winning season and making a run to the playoffs.

The rest is not his concern.

The Kurt Warner-Matt Leinart "Sham" Quarterback Competition: Part III

Tom Highway — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:02:02 -0400

The Arizona Cardinals' "sham" quarterback competition seems to be closing in on a resolution. Not necessarily the resolution that was all but predetermined at the outset, but a resolution nonetheless.

In last night's preseason game versus the Oakland Raiders, Matt Leinart made the least of his opportunity to keep a grip on a quarterback job, which he never deserved.

Facing vanilla defensive schemes and very little pocket pressure, Leinart completed only four of 12 passes for 24 yards, tossed three ugly interceptions, and threw zero touchdowns. His passer rating was 2.8 for the night...basically, he looked no better or worse than the 2007 Matt Leinart.

After the game, Ken Whisenhunt once again tried to resurrect Leinart with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, blaming the receivers and anything else he could think of for Matt's poor performance. He also suggested that "how Matt reacts to this bad game in his next outing" will be a part of the test.

His next outing?? Huh??

To demonstrate the absurdity of Whisenhunt's latest apologetics, let's review Leinart's terrible first half versus Kansas City last week: In three possessions, he completed only two of six passes for 13 yards, almost threw two picks, managed three three-and-outs, and fumbled deep inside Arizona territory.

But, as pointed out in Bleacher Report last week, Whisenhunt trotted Matt and the starting offense back out for the second half to pad his stats versus the Chiefs' second, third, and fourth-string defenders.

Evidently, Whisenhunt is committed to giving Matt Leinart unlimited "do-overs" until he "wins" the sham competition—or until the fans and players mutiny, whichever comes first.

Well here's something fresh for Whisenhunt to ponder regarding "how Matt reacts to adversity..."

In the Oakland game, when Leinart wasn't on the field throwing interceptions, he reacted by choosing to stand or sit separate from his teammates, sulking and pouting on the bench. Perhaps he didn't notice that Arizona's defense was in the middle of a tremendous shutout of the Raiders on the road.

Way to support and lead your team, Matt!

And when it was Kurt Warner's turn, or third-string quarterback Brian St. Pierre's turn to run the offense, was Matt Leinart there helping them from the sideline? No, but Kurt Warner met both Leinart and St. Pierre each time they came off the field for a timeout or change of possession to talk with them.

And after the game was won—but before the press was allowed into the locker room—Leinart decided to sneak out the back door, leaving Warner behind to answer the questions that he dared not face.

Such is Matt Leinart's reaction to adversity.

Didn't Leinart declare this was "still my team" back in December? Or is it only "his team" when he plays well?

As observers learn more about Matt Leinart, it becomes obvious that he is looking less and less like someone who belongs in a professional league. His arm is not strong, his character is not solid, and he doesn't possess the leadership qualities required of an NFL quarterback through the ups and downs of a season. He's looking like today's incarnation of Ryan Leaf.

This morning, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Ken Whisenhunt is going to announce Kurt Warner as the winner of the "sham" quarterback competition tomorrow.

But can the finality of the decision be trusted? And whom will we really hear from tomorrow?

Will it be Ken Whisenhunt...declaring Kurt Warner as the clear and final winner? The starting quarterback for the 2008 season?

Or will it be yet more from "Ken Weaselhunt"...the orchestrator of this "sham" competition, continuing to play his smug, coy game, leaving fans guessing as to how he's going to resurrect Matty Leinart, bench Kurt Warner, and polish Bill Bidwill's boots—all at the same time?

In other words, did Warner's victory in the sham competition buy him one start on a short leash?

The fans and players will be watching closely. And the result will determine the course and success of Arizona's 2008 season.

Anquan Boldin Wants Out after Ken Whisenhunt Sides with Bidwills

Tom Highway — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:22:09 -0400

Going into the 2008 season, the effects of Ken Whisenhunt's decision to place a higher priority on licking Bill Bidwill's boots than actual coaching are beginning to send shockwaves throughout the locker room.

In a radio interview with Michael Irvin on ESPN Radio yesterday, Anquan Boldin made the revelation that Whisenhunt injected himself into the contract-negotiation process.

Now, perhaps that wouldn't be so upsetting to Boldin, except that Whisenhunt admitted to helping craft an absurd contract extension that included NO guaranteed money. Given Boldin's NFL accomplishments, such an offer is insulting.

And Boldin is just one of several unhappy campers on the Cardinals' roster.

Linebacker Karlos Dansby sought a contract extension, but the Cardinals forced him to accept the franchise tag after negotiations broke down. Adrian Wilson, the Cardinals' safety, who is among the league's best, feels that he's being undercompensated and has unsuccessfully sought a new contract.

And top defensive tackle Darnell Dockett has also asked for—and not received—a contract extension.

Kurt Warner, the best QB on Arizona's roster, sought a contract extension as well. However, the Bidwills have built a slick marketing campaign around the underachieving and oft-injured Matt Leinart, and they appear willing to let Warner become a free agent after 2008.

These constitute the three best defensive players and two of the top three offensive players on the Arizona roster.

How can Whisenhunt mollify these grumbling stars and keep them motivated in 2008?

The answer is by showing a commitment to the players first and by showing a commitment to winning. Yet Whisenhunt, thus far, has only shown a commitment to following the meddling Bidwills' marching orders to the letter.

In 2007, Whisenhunt lost two easily winnable games—the season opener versus the 49ers and again versus the Baltimore Ravens—by sticking with Leinart, the Bidwills' favored poster child.

Versus the Ravens, in only one quarter of action, Kurt Warner scored on four of five possessions; and in the only non-scoring possession, Larry Fitzgerald fumbled inside field-goal territory. Basically, Warner was able to score at will against a team that Leinart couldn't gain a first down against.

Yet Whisenhunt kept going back to Matt Leinart—even pulling Warner to use Leinart for the no-huddle, two-minute drill at the end of the first half. The result was a quick three-and-out, and Baltimore scored the game-winning touchdown on the punt return.

In that game's radio broadcast, Bidwill's radio mouthpiece Ron Wolfley practically foamed at the mouth. Rather than show any admiration for Kurt Warner's offense, which was easily scoring against Baltimore, he took Whisenhunt to task for benching his employer's "face of the franchise," Matt Leinart.

Again this summer, Wolfley has waged a radio campaign at KTAR—on behalf of his inept employers, the Bidwills—once again in favor of Matt Leinart.

Why has Whisenhunt sacrificed wins in the name of seasoning the lesser Leinart, a player who didn't even bother to study the playbook last season? Does Whisenhunt's contract contain incentive bonuses based upon developing Matty?

And if so, is Whisenhunt putting his own personal financial gain above the interests of the players—and ahead of winning?

And why is Whisenhunt committed to sacrificing the careers of wide receivers Boldin and Fitzgerald counter to team goals? Both of these two Pro Bowlers averaged one touchdown per game with Warner last year.

Surely, Boldin and Fitzgerald are well aware that, in their first five games last season, Leinart threw only one touchdown to Boldin and none to Fitzgerald.

If Whisenhunt hopes to hold this shaky ship together, he needs to keep his nose out of contract negotiations...and out of the Bidwills' butts.

Winning is the key to preventing malcontention from taking over the locker room.

If the players sense that Whisenhunt is not operating in their interests or in the interests of winning, then this team will experience a shutdown and a meltdown...starting with Boldin and the other leading veterans on the roster.

The Kurt Warner/Matt Leinart "Sham" of a QB Competition: Part II

Tom Highway — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:44:37 -0400

Arizona Cardinals' Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt promised that the best quarterback would start in 2008... but what he's delivered thus far has been anything but a fair or open QB competition.

In his five games played in 2007, Matt Leinart made a convincing impersonation of Ryan Leaf. Leinart completed only about 50 percent of his passes, averaged only 0.4 touchdowns per game, threw twice as many interceptions as touchdowns, posted the worst passer rating in the NFL (61.9), and threw for the fewest yards per game (129).

And the talent of Arizona's Pro Bowl receivers—Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin—was virtually wasted, as Leinart only connected for one TD with Boldin and zero to Fitzgerald. And more, the Arizona passing attack under Leinart was ranked last in the NFL.

After Leinart suffered a season-ending injury (his second season-ending injury in his last five sacks), Kurt Warner took over and elevated the passing game to a very high level.

In only 11 starts, Warner came within a touchdown of the franchise single-season touchdown record. He threw 27 TDs, including 21 in his last eight games. He finished in the top-10 in passer rating (89.8), touchdowns per game, and yards per game.

He also connected with Anquan Boldin for about one touchdown per game, and did the same with Larry Fitzgerald—who consequently made the Pro Bowl. With Warner at the helm, Arizona's passing offense went from worst-in-the-league to one of the top three.

So Whisenhunt's decision to name Leinart the frontrunner in an offseason quarterback competition was puzzling (at best) and foolish (to most).

Front office pressure from the meddling Bidwills has been evident throughout the process, and so many Cardinal fans suspected that an even competition would not be delivered.

And thus far, all evidence points to a rigged "sham" competition in Leinart's favor. In the first preseason game versus the New Orleans Saints, Kurt Warner didn't even get to play a single down, and the fix appeared to be in.

However, in tonight's preseason game versus the Kansas City Chiefs, coach Ken Whisenhunt stooped to an even lower level of duplicity.

In the first half, Warner was given two possessions, followed by three for Leinart. Warner's first possession stalled after a fumble by Edgerrin James, and he scored on his second. All-in-all, he was impressive, completing six of nine passes for 54 yards and leading a 78-yard touchdown drive.

In Leinart's next three possessions, his play was very shaky—featuring only two completions in six attempts for 13 yards, two passes nearly picked off, and a fumble in Arizona territory.

Going head-to-head, Warner seemed to have taken a step forward...at least until coach Whisenhunt stepped in and doctored the results.

In the second half, to the surprise of most, Whisenhunt returned the starting offensive unit and Leinart to the field for another drive—after Kansas City pulled their starting defense from the game.

Leinart went on the manage a 5-5 touchdown drive against second, third, and fourth-string defenders, some of whom will be employed as bouncers and personal trainers by next Monday.

So, at this point in the supposed "competition," Warner has only been given two possessions in a single game—far fewer than the six possessions in two games received by Leinart.

Will the mainstream Arizona sports press notice and report this sham? Or will they simply read the box score and jot down a few "Matt Leinart held off Kurt Warner with a solid touchdown drive" talking points delivered by Bill Bidwill's propagandist Darren Urban?

Bleacher Report knows better...and we will be watching.

Arizona Cardinals' Quarterback Competition Exposed as a Sham

Tom Highway — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:44:03 -0400

In the Cardinals' first preseason game of 2008, coach Ken Whisenhunt revealed what many already suspected: His so-called QB competition was nothing more than a sham. QB Kurt Warner, one of the stars of the Cardinals' 2007 season, didn't even play a single snap.

And he deserves better.

Fans should not have been surprised, as hints were abundant in the past few months. It was especially obvious when Whisenhunt recently praised Leinart's play last season—as if we had all forgotten how bad it truly was: "Yes, Kurt did a great job for us and played well," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "But Matt got hurt, he was our starter, and he was making progress."

And organizationally, the fix appeared to be in. On the Cardinals' official website, a fan poll for Cardinal MVP was published after the end of the season, and Kurt Warner was intentionally omitted. And then there was the 2007 season highlight film produced by the Bidwills that featured two-dozen touchdown catches with Warner's actual throws edited out.

But for those Cardinal watchers whose memories of 2007 are clear, the 2007 Matt Leinart season did not feature any resemblance of "progress"—but rather some of the worst football seen at the QB position in recent Cardinal history.

Leinart posted the lowest passer rating in the NFL (61.9) and threw for the fewest yards per game (129), all while supported by Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, two of the best wide receivers in the league.

Through five games, he completed one touchdown to Boldin and none to Fitzgerald. He averaged only 0.4 TDs per game, threw two interceptions for every TD, and completed only about 50 percent of his passes.

Furthermore, in the months leading up the 2007 season opener, Leinart was widely reported to be more focused on off-the-field "extracurricular" activities rather than the playbook, and his failure to grasp the offense was obvious.

After Leinart was injured—his second season-ending injury in his last five sacks—Kurt Warner elevated the passing attack from the worst-in-the-NFL to one of the top three.

With Warner at QB, the receivers, and the offense in general, enjoyed a resurgence. Warner finished in the top 10 in most QB categories, including passer rating (89.8), TDs per game, and yards per game. With only 11 starts, he completed 27 TDs.

Anquan Boldin, who was injured for much of the year, finished the season with nine TDs. Larry Fitzgerald finished with 10 and made the Pro Bowl.

In the last eight games, the offense was especially explosive, with Warner completing 21 TDs. Had the defense not been decimated by injuries, the Cardinals would have been a dangerous contender in the playoffs.

Yet in the 2007's final postgame press conference, Warner's performance was dismissed with a cliché. Whisenhunt declared that a player should not lose his job to injury, and Leinart was declared the 2008 starter.

As a side note, some of the all-time greats took jobs from injured players. Fortunately for Lou Gehrig and Tom Brady, neither played for a Whisenhunt.

Fans attending camp in Flagstaff have universally described Warner as razor-sharp—so sharp that the Bidwills and Whisenhunt have decided to bury him on the bench away from the public eye.

So apparently, the second-best Arizona QB will start again this season opener, just as he did last year. Again, the fans' hopes for a run at the playoffs may be dashed, but the meddling Bill Bidwill—the PT Barnum of the NFL—will be smiling.

Will "The Bowtie" be smiling toward the field at his marketing gimmick that he bullied into the lineup? Or will it be a sneer toward the stands at a perceived collection of "suckers born every minute"?

Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt Faces Critical Season

Tom Highway — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:27:32 -0400

Ordinarily, new NFL head coaches are given no more than three years to turn a losing program around. This is especially true in Arizona, as the Bidwill family is notorious for firing their head coaches as if to demonstrate some sort of commitment to winning.

Over the past 40 years, they've fired the head coach on average every 2.8 years. Even the venerable Don Coryell lasted only four.

By comparison, the league's more successful franchises have enjoyed much greater stability at the head coaching position. For examples, see Dallas, Denver, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and others where the average head coaching tenure is 5-7 years.

In Ken Whisenhunt's first season, in which his club finished 8-8, he was largely given a pass for a multitude of serious coaching gaffes—several of which caused losses (Baltimore, Washington, San Francisco) in a season where two extra wins would have meant a trip to the playoffs.

Yet there were some real positives that came out of the 2007 season: The passing attack—led by Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin—was among the best in the NFL.

By the end of the season, it was virtually unstoppable. And the defense showed the ability to shut down opposing offenses and make big plays before it was decimated by injuries and finished the season a shadow of its former self.

Yet Whisenhunt is facing his most critical season in year two rather than in the third.

With Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett, Anquan Boldin, and Kurt Warner all seeking new contracts, it seems doubtful that all will be back in 2009.

These five constitute the top three defensive players, and two of the top three offensive players on the Arizona roster. And his two top offensive assistants, Todd Haley and Russ Grimm, are considered to be hot prospects to move on when the NFL head coaching carousel starts turning again next February.

In short, 2009 will undoubtedly be a rough year for the Cardinals as they attempt to rebuild their roster and fill these gaping holes.

So 2008 is the key year for Whisenhunt. A carefully navigated season followed by a trip to the playoffs will buy him a fourth year of Cardinal employment...but anything less, and he may find himself the latest in a long line of Bidwill family scapegoats.