Kurt Warner has been benched

[moklerman]

Nick, I just might do that. From what I remember at this point though, the only time the line was giving Warner time was when Tiki and Shockey were kept in to help block the dominating(sarcasm) DE's from Arizona. Two or three wr's against 7 db's doesn't really give much of an opportunity for a completion. Especially with Toomer and Hilliard getting NO seperation.

Did Warner hold the ball too long on occasion? Yes, but not nearly as much as people are making it out to be. He's not holding the ball due to indecision, he's holding it waiting for someone to get open.

Even after all that though, Toomer had 8 receptions for 100 yards, Warner complete 63% of his passes, had a td, no interceptions, no fumbles and scrambled out of many sacks as well as throwing the ball away when nothing was there. Yesterday's game is not why Warner was benched.

[Nick]

Seven DBs?! How often did the Cardinals have seven DBs on the field?

[txramsfan]

The Giants need more mobility and Eli has that quality. Teams have figured out, or at least ASSUME mokler, that Warner holds onto the ball too long. I've read it and heard it on more than one occassion. Sean Rogers of Detroit said it on the sideline during the game.

Hey, I'm not sure if it's the right or wrong approach to the rest of the season. However, Warner simply wasn't igniting the offense. Without Tiki, the Giants O would be in shambles. Can Eli make it better? Not sure but it's worth a try. At least the Giants think so.

Where does this leave Warner for next year? He won't be the first one contacted for any open jobs out there that's for sure.

[moklerman]

Yeah, Warner's situation just get's tougher every year. Basically, age is his biggest foe right now since teams don't want to invest in a qb with ANY question marks if he's 30+ years old. Not to mention that he hasn't definitively solved his "problems".

It's still somewhat grating that he's condemned for holding on to the ball, wating for the big play, when that was one of his supposed strengths not that long ago. I'm not saying that he should be holding the ball or that it's a good thing it's just a twist of fate.

I think he carries the ball a little loosely/carelessly, but he hasn't fumbled that much more than other starters in the league if you look at the stats. I know, I know, I'm just a blind, Warner worshipper, right? Well, for as many times as he's been sacked he's only fumbled 3 more times than Carr, Brooks and Vick who've been sacked/hit a lot less. I think the fumbling, at this point, is more of a media issue. It's bad that he does it, but it's blown way out of proportion.

It's just like "the streak". Warner lost 7 games in row with the Rams, right? Well Collins lost 11(I think, it could have been 10) games in a row with the Giants/Raiders and I only ever heard of it on a Giants board by someone flaming a Collins fan. No (national) media attention whatsoever. Collins is only a couple years off the Super Bowl but his uninterrupted streak is unknown while Warner's injury plagued, 3-year streak is on Sportscenter every time you turn around.

The price of glory I suppose. I can't claim to be objective about the subject either. But it sure looks like there's a double standard going on. I have to realize that tearing a guy down is a lot of people's favorite hobby.

[AvengerRam]

Bottom line - if Warner had a journeyman behind him, he'd still be starting. But he has the latest "Golden Boy" behind him, so he's going to sit.

[Nick]

The price of glory I suppose.

Basically. It's a much larger deal when a former two-time MVP, Super Bowl champion who at one time boasted the best passer rating of all time falls from grace than a young inexperienced guy like Carr or Vick, or a guy like Kerry Collins who, despite reaching the Super Bowl, has never posted a passer rating above 85.4 in his career.

[moklerman]

Seven DBs?! How often did the Cardinals have seven DBs on the field?

You're right, Nick. 7 "db's" is misleading. My point was that the Cardinals were rushing 4 down lineman, at most, and dropping everyone else into coverage. I doubt if it was nickel or dime coverage with actual db's since the Cards had no fear whatsoever of the Giants passing game. I should have used the term "defenders" instead of "db's". They're not interchangable.

But, the point remains that the Cardinals were able to pressure and sack Warner with only 4 d-lineman. Every defense dreams of being able to do that and it leads to receivers not being open if they are as slow, as a group, as the Giants corps seems to be.

[Nick]

Okay, gotcha. For a second there I thought you were saying the Cardinals were working out of the Quarter package all day, heh.