Whisenhunt Doesn't Rule Out Leinart/Warner Two-Headed QB in 2008

Last week, Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt indicated that Matt Leinart was the starter heading into the 2008 season, but he said it with all the conviction of Pacman Jones swearing off strip clubs (for three or four years). It should come as no surprise, then, that Whisenhunt is hedging his bets (or just changing his mind altogether).

When asked about the possibility of "resurrecting the dual-quarterback scheme from last year, when he'd alternate between Leinart and veteran Kurt Warner, with Warner working goal-line and no-huddle situations," Whisenhunt offered:

"I certainly wouldn't rule something like that out," he said. "Last year we did it because we felt it gave us the best chance to win. It wasn't really a thing about who did this better. Obviously, Kurt ran the no huddle better at that time.

"But Matt is much further along with it. He was very efficient again today when we ran the two-minute drill. I think that's going to play itself out. I wouldn't say we wouldn't do that, but I don't anticipate that being a necessity for us this year."

Give Whisenhunt points for honesty. Most coaches would just say, "Leinart's our starter," and get on with it. And when the time came to go with Warner, they'd just do it and make up some lame excuse about "gut feelings." Either way, Leinart's situation seems unchanged: he's tenuously penciled in as the starter, but it won't take much to re-usher in the Kurt Warner era.

Despite Leinart's lofty draft status and Warner's age, I think that's the right approach. The Cardinals have been dark-horse candidates to make the playoffs for what seems like a decade; If Warner gives them the best chance to finally make it, why wouldn't Whisenhunt do it?