Image via Wikipedia
With Kurt Warner calling it quits, 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart finally gets the reins of Arizona's offense. Things have changed quite a bit since he last had control of the offense in 2008 when he started 11 games. From a personnel standpoint, the team no longer has the best wide receiving tandem in the league after Anquan Boldin packed his bags for Baltimore. Instead, Leinart will aim to hit an often-double and sometimes triple-teamed Larry Fitzgerald, who will share the field with young talent like Steve Breaston and Early Doucet. And Leinart will no longer have a seasoned veteran lining up behind him in the backfield; Edgerrin James is now in Seattle with Leinart's college coach Pete Carroll, while the young legs of Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower will split carries for the Cardinals.
But perhaps more importantly, Leinart's image has changed, as well. The expectations made for him after he was drafted were enormous and probably overbearing. Leinart quickly crumbled under the limelight and was seen by many as a career backup, and even worse, a huge bust. During the off-season, tabloids and internet gossip sites were littered with photos of Leinart partying with girls in hot tubs. He was depicted as unmotivated and a lost cause.
But this season we will see a new Matt Leinart. At least that's what Cardinals fans and Leinart supporters hope. Leinart has a chip on his shoulder. He is finally the outright starter and can play without worry of Warner breathing down his back. He is playing for a new contract. He's directing a new offensive scheme that will emphasis the run, not the pass like Warner's offense did. He even renewed his brand by ditching Nike and signing up with Reebok. Maybe it's in the shoes.
And I think Leinart breaks out this season. I'm not saying the Cards win the Super Bowl or even make the playoffs. In fact, I hope they don't (Go Seahawks!). But the Cards don't need Leinart to be Warner. They don't even need him to be Matt Hasselbeck. Think Trent Dilfer. Think Rex Grossman of the NFC champion Bears from 2006. In other words, just manage the game. Don't lose it. Back at USC, granted he was surrounded by superior athletic talent, Leinart controlled the game. He was the field general who made sound decisions and relied on his accuracy, and a weapon named Reggie Bush, to pick apart defenses. He should aim for much of the same this season. Don't turn the ball over. Hand the ball off to the yard eaters behind you. And deliver catchable balls to Fitzgerald and the speed demons on the outside.
Fearless prediction: 2800 yds/20 TDs/10 INTs, 2nd in the NFC West
For further reading, check out this blog post about Leinart's switch to Reebok: Is Matt Leinart Still Marketable?
No comments:
Post a Comment