The Boiling Point: Updated

The Word On The Street

The boiling point may have finally been reached. 

Jay Glazer is reporting that he's heard from several sources some members of the Cardinals spent the day shopping Matt Leinart.  Its nice to see someone other then Schefter break a story, and Jay must have heard from Matt. If you don't remember Jay is the one that trained Matt on some mma skills in the offseason and the video is here.  So is Whiz just doing this to see how Matt reacts, or is he going to be gone before the season starts?

We are in a tough spot here now.  There is no possible way we can get fair value out of this deal.  Matt has the chance to be a good quarterback in this league, and everybody knows we may have to cut him now depending on how the talk went and if he will be a good teammate if he doesn't start.  If we can get a 2nd round pick then it would be surprising.  Our best hope is that a bidding war breaks out among potential suitors. 

Who Would Take Him?
Who wants this reformed Hollywood party boy?  The obvious choice is Pete Carroll in Seattle, but the last thing we want to do is trade him within the division.  We will take a lesser trade than have to face him twice a year.  This is the order of interest as I see it, and as an fyi I have zero inside information just speculation.

Washington Redskins - Shanahan is new, and he only has McNabb under contract for 1 year and McNabb is hurt right now.  Matt is a better option then Sexy Rexy as a backup.  I imagine Washington will want to re-work Matt's deal to get 2 years of service out of him and not have to deal with that balloon he has in his contract for next year. 

New York Football Giants - Jim Sorgi just went on IR for the year, and the G-Men don't have another legit backup quarterback.  They could use somebody like Matt, but the value would be less to them because they have Eli as the starter.  It would probably be only a 1 year thing. 

New England Patriots - Bill Bellichick is one crafty dude.  If he can get a steal on Matt I think he may take it.  Brady and Leinart are friends as well, and Billy can make anyone a winner.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Are they really going to start Byron Leftwich for 4 games?

Cleveland Browns - Jake Delhomme, really?

Kansas City Chiefs - Maybe Todd Haley will do Whiz a favor.

Minnesota Vikings - The bonespur in Brett's ankle is not good news for Chilly.

There could be a dark horse that comes in to play as well.  Our best hope is a bidding war between a few teams, otherwise we are looking at a conditional late-round pick. 

We don't have anything to worry about yet.  Whiz is the captain of this boat, and he will take the SS Birdgang through the stormy waters.  I think we can start Max Hall and still win the division because of Whiz's brilliance in game planning.  When Big Ben was a rookie the Steelers went 14-1 with him including the playoffs.  From what I heard then, Whiz just had to dumb down the playbook for him and give him less reads or only half the field to work off with since he was younger.

I think our D can carry us no matter who the quarterback is.  We have a stable of running backs that are all studs.  We have the best receiver in the league, and three young receivers that are all ready to break out.  The quarterback just has to manage the game and the get the ball near those guys.  I think we'll be ok no matter what.  I also think Leinart is going to be a good quarterback, so we need to get some type of fair value if we part ways with him.  I just hope the situation hasn't detiorated so bad we have to take a deal for no value.

In Whisenhunt we trust,
Ozzy

The Decision: Part Deux

Rumor Mill

I heard a rumor that Coach Whiz started this quarterback controversy because he was angling to get his own hour on ESPN to annouce his decision.  It's looking like his agent isn't doing as good a job as Maverick Carter, because I heard the best offer he got was a 15 minute segment on Good Morning Arizona.  Now he wants to scrap the whole thing and pretend it never happened, but Matt went out to the reporters after practice and ran his mouth so now Whiz is in quite the pickle.

Seriously though, if you didn't see this is what Matt said today after practice. 

"I feel like I've outplayed the competition, training camp, preseason," he said. "I think my plays speaks about that. For me, this goes beyond the football field.

"The philosophy is you want the best 11 guys to play. I feel like I've proved that with my performance. I don't really know what else I could possibly do, so it probably goes beyond football. For me, I just really want an explanation and I haven't been given one."

Now the Birdgang is a family, and you don't go out and say that to the media about your family.  You can walk right up to a member of your family and say that and spit in their face, but you don't bring that stuff outside the family. 
 
After practice he should've walked right up to Whiz and said that to him and not to the reporters.  If Whiz was testing how Matt would react to the switch, that reaction wouldn't look good on the test.  Kent Somers tweeted that Matt did go talk to Whiz this afternoon, so that is good news for him.  He finally manned up and went and spoke to him face to face.  I would've paid a lot of money to be a fly on the wall in that room. 
 

What Now

So what is Whiz going to do?  He has two quarterbacks that played well so far, and he has two rookies that we should keep because they have played damn good too.  Even with Matt's outburst to the media today, I'm still in the Leinart camp for now.  At least that showed some passion, and he was in a tough spot. If Whiz does go with DA I'm not going to argue with it.  DA has looked like a good quarterback.  A little inconsistent at times, but it is his first year in the offense.  I just think we need to see what Matt has in him as a starter.  We spent a first round pick on this kid, and he was one of the best college quarterbacks I have ever seen.  I bow to Whiz though. He has never had a losing season with the Cardinals, so he knows what he's doing and whatever decision he makes I'll support it.  He may have seen all he needs to see from Matt, but then I wonder why he didn't make the trade for McNabb if he knew enough about Matt.

 

Possible Reasons For "The Decision"

I want to take a minute to speculate on some of the possible reasons Whiz could end up choosing DA over Leinart that is on the football field, and not beyond the football field like the cocky kid says.  

 

Whiz calls all of the plays.  He knows exactly what Leinart should be doing on every play.  He knows the progressions he should be going through.  Leinart could be reading his progressions wrong.  Leinart has been careful with the football and as efficient as you could ask him to be, but he has only made short throws.  I don't go back and watch the tape from different angles and see what receiver downfield Matt could've missed.  I don't have the time or the resources to do that, but Whiz does and that's how you get a true evaluation.  

Maybe Matt really does have a softer arm like so many critics say.  If that is true, than as long as he is efficient and completes passes they would be fine.  Tom Brady dinked and dunked his way to 3 Super Bowl rings.  The problem becomes he can't make the outside throw, and Larry Fitzgerald lives on the outside.  We don't want to have Larry crossing over the middle of the field getting hurt like he did in the first game.  Anquan got hurt for the playoffs last year doing the same damn thing for Matt, and if that play and those two injuries are a result of Matt not having enough arm strength to go outside than I would start Anderson too and I'd probably cut or trade Matt based on the rookies play.  I know they say receivers are paid to go over the middle, but you have to be smart and protect Larry "The Legend" from unneccessary harm.  He is the best damn wide receiver in the game right now, and I don't want to see him on the sidelines with those huge diamonds on his ears.  He needs to be in his game day diamonds, and not his track suit diamonds.

I don't know what Whiz is thinking, but once he makes up his mind and goes on Good Morning Arizona to tell Tara Hitchcock his decision I will fully support it.  We are back to back NFC West Champions for the first time in ever, and he even took us to the Super Bowl.  I think he could start Max Hall and build a good enough gameplan to win a 3rd division, but Hall is going to have to wait awhile for his shot, unless something crazy happens.

In Whisenhunt We Trust,

Ozzy    

Game Summary: Cardinals vs Bears

Cardinals 14 - Bears 9

First Things First

Before I even get into the quarterback situation, I have got to show a little love to the defense with the first team pitching a shutout.  We blocked a field goal and Gould shanked one, but our D looked damn good last night and that's exciting to see.  Adding D.W. and Toler added a different level of speed to that back half of the field.  The Defense was flying to the ball and playing with passion.  That's what I wanted to see.  If the Linebackers and Secondary can play at the level of the D-Line then the Birdgang is going to have a top 5 defense.

 The Big Story
So what is Whiz going to do?  Is he really going to bench Leinart and start DA?  I think there is no way he can do that.  If he does, I'll support it, because like I've said before he knows a hell of a lot more then I do about how to coach a team in the NFL.  I think Matt has earned it.  From everything I've read this offseason he has put in work, but don't listen to me, this is a quote from Norm Chow from 710ESPN Los Angeles.
 "You know, he started out well and then whatever happened, happened, but I still think he’s going to have a terrific career," Chow said. "I’ve talked with him over the offseason, I know how hard he’s working, how much this means to him. I don’t have any question in my mind that he’s going to be successful at that level."  Chow is the legendary college Offensive Coordinator who coached him in college and is now at UCLA.

Leinart has been efficient and accurate and managed the game well all preseason.  He came out with fire last night and went 9 for 10 for a td and would have had led the offense to another td if Beanie didn't fumble.  Maybe Whiz has seen something in practice.  Maybe he hears something from some of the players.  Maybe they don't want to deal with that $11 million dollar roster bonus he's due after the season, but I agree with Norm that I think Matt is going to have a terrific career in the league. I hope its for us.  Maybe I'm wrong and all the haters out there are right and he'll fall on his face, but I don't think so and I hope Whiz gives Matt a chance to prove the haters wrong.

Quick Hits
-How about Timmy last night?  He was running like a man on a mission.  He was showing some Ricky Bobby shake and bake out there.  Maybe that'll quiet down all the Beanie rumblings.  He really is one of the most underrated running backs in the league.  He can run, catch, and block, and that makes him a complete back. You can see why Whiz loves him but he doesn't seem to get the respect he deserves, at least yet.
-What about that dive by Stevie B into the end zone?  Part of me thinks he was doing that for his quarterback, because he wanted Matt to get a td pass on the books. 
-That trio of undrafted rookies look damn good.  Max Hall, Stephen Williams, and Max Komar have all been solid finds.  I don't know if all 3 can make the roster, but they are all making a strong push. 
-How long is Whiz going to make us wait?  What more does he need to see?  I think he knows by now, so he is just going to torture us and Matt until he makes it public.



-Ozzy

Breaking Down The Bears Game

What do we want to see tonight?

Offense

I think its pretty obvious what we want to see tonight on offense.  We want to see some good play from the quarterback position.  We were spoiled with Kurt Warner, and we didn't even realize it.  I've made it clear I'm on team Leinart, but if DA looks good I'll support him.  From DA we want consistency.  He can't throw only 1 out of 3 passes on target and just completely miss on the other passes, or I think he is still in danger of being cut.  From Leinart we want to see confidence.  He needs to go out there and own the field.  He needs to believe in himself and move the ball.  He needs to make Whiz look like fool for even doubting him.  It would help if the line can give him some time to throw the ball.  It would also help if the running back didn't lose yards on 2nd down after he just made an 8 yard throw. 

Defense

On defense I'm looking for Daryl Washington and Greg Toler to come out and play well in their first chance with the starters.  We need both of them to step up this year if our D is going to have a chance at being a top 10 defense in this league.  I think we have the best defensive line in the NFL, so we really need our cornerbacks and linebackers not to get beat on short routes.  If you give Nine-0, Calais, and Joey 3 seconds one of them will get to the qb and disrupt the play.  The Bears pass the ball a lot, and I don't want to see our secondary get eaten alive the way it was in the playoffs.  I don't know if it's the players or the zones Billy Davis is using, but a good quarterback seems to have no problem picking us apart.  That needs to stop and that needs to stop now.

Wrap Up

"Who in the hell treats the 3rd game of the preseason like it's some kind of ...?"
This is probably the biggest game of Leinart's career.  He's like a 16 year old that needs to get an A to get that new Ford Mustang his dad promised him.  Our offensive is loaded with weapons, and any decent quarterback should be able to put up big numbers this year.  All you have to do is get the ball near Fitz and he'll make the catch.  Beanie and LSH are poised to break out on to the national scene and Timmy will be as consistent as always.  I really have my doubts about Whiz not showing confidence in Leinart, but he knows a hell of a lot more than I do about coaching football.

In Whisenhunt we trust,
Ozzy

Player Profiles: Darnell Dockett aka Nine-0

Player Profiles

Darnell Dockett

The first profile on BigRedBirdGang has to be about Nine-O. He is the CEO and founder of the Birdgang, and he is one bad mother…

“Shut yo mouth”

“I’m just talking bout Nine-0.”

“Then we can dig it.”

This is a man that has been pushing Cadillacs across the field in the offseason to train, so what lineman do you think can stop him? This is a man who gets down and dirty in the trenches on every play and is yet to miss a game in his career (I’m knocking on wood right now). He put himself and the Cardinals in the Super Bowl record books with 3 sacks in that game, and once he gets back to the big stage you know he is going to go for 4. He is like popeye, but from what I can tell from his tweets his version of spinach is jerk chicken with oxtails and rice.

He is the Birdgang CEO and like his tattoos say he is a Limited Edition. We as Cardinals fans are truly blessed to be watching him. He grabbed our rookie Dan Williams when he saw him in the weight room and made him train the way Nine-0 trains.  Coach asked him "why?" and he said "we are going to need this kid."  That's what a leader does.  He gets respect across the league for the work he puts in and it shows with his 2 Pro Bowls despite playing in Arizona with limited national media coverage, and we all know it should have been 3. Don’t just listen to me, last year before the Texans game, Texans coach Gary Kubiak said he was the most disruptive player that he has seen on film all year. I’ve heard John Lott say he is the strongest guy on the team, and when Lott talks you better listen because he speaks the truth.

History Lesson:

Our boy Dock had a tragic childhood and struggled through adversity with one version of the story being documented here. His life story would make a very compelling movie and maybe one day it will be. How he made it through everything and came out the way he did is the most impressive thing about him.

He played his college career at Florida State University and was a 4 year starter. We were lucky enough to draft him in the 3rd round. The rumor I heard at the time was that Denny Green called him about 8 or 10 picks before the Cards pick and told him not to get the other line every time it beeped. If that is true, then God bless Denny Green for bringing Nine-O to Arizona.

He always seems to show up when the competition is the toughest and the lights are the brightest. We can only hope that he gets rewarded with the long term deal that he deserves, and the Bidwills can make this warrior a lifetime Cardinal.  Then one day we can retire the Nine-0 in the rafters of the Bird's Nest, because as I see it right now nobody else deserves to wear his jersey number on the Cardinals, except me and the rest of the fans.

In Whisenhunt we trust,
Ozzy

Defending Leinart

I’ve had enough of the negativity around our boy Matt. I’ve heard enough of it from the media and by some people that call themselves Cardinals fans. Stop overreacting after 2 preseason games because he is going to be a fantastic quarterback in this league, and if he isn’t Whiz has a plan. The only thing that can stop Matt from being successful is if he lets all of the doubts and negativity from all around him to enter his head. He has to believe in himself first. That is one of the things that made Kurt so successful. Kurt had so much belief in himself it was infectious, and a quarterback needs to believe in himself first. Leinart is the guy who won two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy at USC. He went 37-2 only losing a triple overtime game in his first season, and the epic National Title game against Vince Young and Texas. Lots of people said it was the talent around him, but USC hasn’t won a National Title since he left. He is the all-time leader in touchdowns and completion percentage for USC, and I have no reason yet to believe he can’t have that same success on the pro level.

I hated him his entire college career because he was a Trojan. The day of the draft I sat around and watched him start to slip, and the hate subsided and an excitement started to grow inside me that maybe he could play for the Cardinals. I couldn’t believe it as team after team passed on him, and I saw him getting closer and closer to the Cardinals number 10 pick. I’m sure some of the people that say they are Cardinals fans now didn’t even know the draft was on, but I sat around waiting for our first pick like I do every year hoping they get the player I want. I didn’t even consider him that year, because I try to be realistic at who would fall to us at our pick and I thought there was no chance he would. When the Commissioner called his name I got so excited you would’ve thought I just got drafted. My friends and I got together and celebrated that night and called it Happy Leinart Day. We drank beers and toasted to Matt Leinart excited about the future and how we may finally break the long cycle of losing. We had been living in the dark ages for a long time, and now we had the Golden Boy to take us to the Promised Land.

After everything that has happened I’m glad he has had to wait for his chance. I’ve seen a hunger in him and a look in his eyes in the offseason that I haven’t seen since Apollo took Rocky to that gym in the ghetto. I don’t know where it went this preseason. He needs too and I know he will get that eye of the tiger back. I’m sure that’s why Whiz is benching him for the Bears game. He has to light that fire in Matt again, and he needs to push those doubts aside with a strong 2 minute drill. If Matt can’t find that fire and belief in himself than Whiz may have to go with Anderson, but this also lets Whiz see if Derek can show any consistency at all. Now we can also see if Anderson is worth keeping over the two rookies, because Hall has been great and Skelton has potential. If Anderson takes this opportunity and blows up I’ll love that too, because I don’t care if I’m right about Leinart I care if the Cardinals win.

There are a lot of haters out there and I can’t wait to see Matt prove them wrong. As T.O. would say, "Thats my quarterback."

-In Whisenhunt we trust,

Ozzy