Photo: AP
What is Ken Whisenhunt waiting for? The Cardinals have now had four preseason games, and yet there is still no official starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.
Even the Seahawks were able to name someone a starter, and he was a rookie!
We have seen Kevin Kolb and John Skelton attempt to play the quarterback position for the past four preseason games. Emphasis there on attempt because neither of these players have looked like a starting quarterback for an NFL team.
Now that is completely Kolb and Skelton’s fault, they are playing behind an offensive line that to put it simply isn’t very good. They have allowed Kolb and Skelton to be sacked nine times in four games, in addition to any number of times opposing defenses have been able to get into the backfield to rush throws and all-around play havoc.
Now these are just excuses for why the quarterbacks have looked bad. It does not explain why Ken Whisenhunt did not name Kevin Kolb or John Skelton his starting quarterback for week one at his Monday press conference.
The quarterback competition has been the defining, and most distracting, storyline of the Cardinal offseason and preseason. From the flirtations with Peyton Manning, to then giving Kevin Kolb his $8 million option, and then the competition with John Skelton for the starting job.
One has to assume that it has played hell with offensive chemistry. Everything on an offense revolves around quarterback, from how an offensive line blocks, all the way to play calling.
Now the Cardinals don’t have to worry about Larry Fitzgerald, it doesn’t matter who is throwing him the ball he will more than likely catch anything. But what about first round pick Michael Floyd? Floyd is learning a pro offense for the first time, it’s a different monster from the college game, and he is trying to learn it while trying to also understand two different potential starting quarterbacks. You almost wonder if that is playing a part in his training camp, and preseason struggles?
What about the offensive line, now down two tackles for the whole season. You need to look no father than Whisenhunt’s former offense the Pittsburgh Steelers to figure out that an offensive line blocks and adapts to how their quarterback plays. The Steelers o-line knows that they will more than likely have to move and block for Ben Roethlisberger as he is on the move, something the Cardinals o-line may have to adapt to if Kevin Kolb and his happy feet is named starter over John Skelton, who tends to stand taller and not break from the pocket.
Every day, nearly every player on the offensive side of the ball has been asked about the quarterback situation. There are only so many ways and times you can answer the same question. It breeds frustration, and makes players just want the situation to end. It also put everyone, especially the quarterbacks, on edge. They don’t want to make mistakes, they don’t want to cost somewhere their job.
When you are so focused on not making mistakes, all you do is make more mistakes. And most could call the Cardinals offense in the preseason mistake prone.
The Cardinals are going win games if their offense can put up any kinds of points. Their defense is going to do the rest of the work keeping teams off of the scoreboard. Right now all Ken Whisenhunt is doing is stunting the growth of the offense. There has been no room for growth, for learning, and for chemistry to form without knowing who their starting quarterback is going to be.
So I ask again, what is Ken Whisenhunt waiting for?
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