Arizona’s 29-24 win over the 49ers was an unexpected gut check for the NFC West leaders, but the victory was orchestrated by the same guy who has been responsible for the Cardinals’ long awaited turnaround: Kurt Warner. The 37-year old quarterback who wears gloves on both hands carved up another defense, completing 32 of 42 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns, while committing zero turnovers. Warner’s masterful execution of the Cardinals offense has made Arizona the league’s top scoring team and three games over the .500 for the first time since 1980. His sparkling performance on Monday night (121.9 QB rating) made him the best rated quarterback in the league and has helped him emerge as a leading contender for the NFL MVP.
When Arizona drafted Matt Leinart in 2006, the shelf life of Warner’s career was quickly dwindling. The two-time NFL MVP had spent the last four years regressing from his position as the leader of The Greatest Show on Turf. From 2002-2005 in 26 starts, the numbers were mediocre at best, 21 touchdowns against 26 interceptions and the loss of his explosive touch at the head of an offense. Warner had become a sitting duck in the pocket where blitz happy defenses could rattle him by getting in his face. Without a prayer of mobility, Warner became prone to committing turnovers that would bury his defense time and again.
Despite the supposed deterioration of his game, Warner remained in the league, even after Leinart was brought in to replace him and save the franchise. It was a difficult pill to swallow for an aging quarterback, but Warner refused to walk away and bided his time under the hotshot youngster. After two years of inadequate production from the “savior”, the door finally opened back up. It took some serious indecisiveness from coach Ken Whisenhunt, but after plenty of grumbling, Warner was finally named the starter in the week leading up to the season opener this season. In his short time at the helm, Warner has ended all discussion of a potential quarterback controversy by playing his best ball in nearly a decade.
Since the highly anticipated promotion, Warner has become the central figure to Arizona’s 6-3 start and four-game lead in the NFC West. His calming influence and winning experience has been something the rest of his teammates could admire and turn to. The Cardinals franchise has never been associated with winning, and many of these players are still learning how to do it, seeking Warner for education on the subject whenever possible. It’s been Warner’s play on the field, however, that has seen him become mentioned as an MVP candidate. He has thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven straight starts and 16 of his last 17, carefully distributing the ball to the uber talented trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. Leinart had full access to these toys on the offensive end, but wasn’t been nearly as efficient using them as Warner has. The explosive power of Warner and rest of the offense has taken pressure off the rest of the team, which is still prone to bone-headed penalties, and inexplicable mental breakdowns.
Monday night’s unexpected close call against the 2-7 49ers featured plenty of reasons to nitpick at Arizona’s shortcomings as a team. It was also provided all the evidence needed to enlist Kurt Warner as a contender for his third NFL MVP. Throughout the night, the Cardinals shot themselves in the foot and squandered chances to take control of the game and bury the 49ers. It wasn’t until Warner found Boldin for his third touchdown pass with under five minutes to go that Arizona was finally able to seize control. Arizona’s 2008 season has been defined by some similar circumstances that surrounded the game against San Francisco. This team has continually shot themselves in the foot, which has become a dangerous, but workable script for the Cardinals all year long, largely because of the play of Kurt Warner.
11.11.2008
Kurt Warner: MVP Frontrunner?
Posted by Neil Joshi
Labels: Arizona Cardinals, Kurt Warner, NFL
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1 comments:
Excellent analysis! I agree Warner is an MVP candidate and is helped by the fact that he is doing this with the Cardinals. I may be biased, being a Cards season ticket holder, but at the very least Warner deserves credit for not wasting the best WR talent in the league as Leinart proved capable of doing.
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