Cardinals prove to be real deal
When Kurt Warner talks about his latest reclamation project, he does so with the energy of a 22-year-old rookie.
It’s not the reaction you would expect from a man who’s been there and done that.
The Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback is in the familiar position of surprise MVP candidate and savior of a long-suffering franchise. It’s the same way he started his NFL climb to stardom when he was a young up-and-comer with the St. Louis Rams.
“You know, there are bits and pieces of (this season) that remind me of my first year as a starter,” said Warner, who will bring his NFC West-leading Cardinals (6-3) to Qwest Field Sunday afternoon to play the Seattle Seahawks. “There are moments that we are explosive, picture-perfect, and we seem invincible. (But) we still have a long way to go before we come close to matching anything we had in St. Louis.”
Until the Cardinals make it to the Super Bowl, the comparisons to the old Greatest Show on Turf days fall short. But Warner’s unexpected success draws a parallel to his first season as a full-time starter, way back in 1999.
That year, Warner was an unknown young quarterback who got thrust into duty when veteran Trent Green went down with an injury. The Rams, who were in the midst of a nine-year run of losing records, went on to become the most improbable Super Bowl champion in NFL history.
Warner, who was a 28-year-old journeyman who had spent time in the Arena League and playing in NFL Europe, capped off that season as the least likely MVP the league has seen.
Now a proven commodity, Warner came into this season at the other end of his career. Most people thought his best days were far in the past, and the Cardinals brought him to training camp as Matt Leinart’s backup.
But Warner outplayed the 25-year-old former first-round pick on his way to earning the starting nod, and this season he has played at an MVP level.
You could say Warner is partying like it’s 1999.
Warner leads the league in passer rating (106.4) and completion percentage (70.6) and ranks second – 225 yards behind Drew Brees of New Orleans – in passing yards (2,760).
Much like his early days in St. Louis, when he was throwing to Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, Warner has benefited from a receiving corps that ranks among the best in the league – if not the history of the league. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have been to a combined four Pro Bowls but have yet to hit the age of 30. Second-year player Steve Breaston has come on this season to the tune of 46 receptions, including seven catches for 124 yards in Monday’s win over San Francisco.
The nationally televised victory over the 49ers pushed the Cardinals further from their NFC West competition and also proved to the rest of the league that Arizona might be for real. After more than three decades filled mostly with futility, the Cardinals are on the verge of winning their first division title since 1975.