I can't tell you which quarterback the Arizona Cardinals will roll out as their opening day starter, but I can tell you which quarterback they should.
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| Warner and Leinart give the Cardinals two strong options. (US Presswire) |
He's accurate. He's productive. He's poised. Best of all, he's proven.
I'm not talking only about his experiences with St. Louis, when he led the Rams to two Super Bowls in three years. I'm talking about last year with the Cardinals, when he stepped in after Matt Leinart bowed out with a season-ending injury and drove the team to an 8-8 finish.
Big deal, huh? Well, yeah, in Arizona, it is. The Cardinals hadn't been through a non-losing season since 1998. In fact, before 2007, 11 of their previous 12 years were losing seasons.
So along comes Warner to throw 27 touchdowns, resuscitate the franchise and give Arizona hope that, yes, maybe you can reach the playoffs more than once every 25 years.
Now let's make one thing clear before moving on: This is not an indictment of Leinart. I liked the guy at Southern California, and I still believe he can have a productive career with Arizona. But there have been a couple of ... how should we put this? ... detours along the way that make you wonder if he's ready to take over.
I know Warner is.
Of course, much depends on what happens this summer, too. The Cardinals long ago pledged allegiance to Leinart, saying he's their starter this year, and frankly, that's what they should have done. It allows them to sit back and watch how he behaves with his teammates, the organization and the team's fans looking to him.
In short, it allows them to see how he accepts the role as a starter.
That's great. But then let's watch what happens in training camp -- particularly exhibition games. Because if Warner's performances are in the same zip code, I tell Leinart to take a seat.
Remember, Warner is the returning starter. So Leinart must win the job, and to do that he better score a decisive victory. Anything close goes to the incumbent.
