With Warner Signed, Teams Should Go After Leinart

Before you call me crazy, or you tell me that I have no idea what I'm talking about, let me remind you that I've proven I'm crazy for the last three months on this site. Now I present my new outrageous thought that maybe isn't so outrageous after all.

Every team that needs a quarterback should get the Arizona Cardinals on the phone. Now that Kurt Warner has signed on for the next two years, Matt Leinart is useless in Glendale. All he's going to do is hold a clipboard, barring an injury to Warner. That's why Matt Leinart could be available, and why teams without a clear solution at QB should be starting their next call with area code 623.

I'm talking to you, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago Bears.

I know what you're thinking.

Jordan, are you nuts? This has already been established. But Leinart stinks! His career passer rating is 71.7. He's appeared in just nine games over the last two seasons. And when he started 12 games in 2006, he threw more picks than touchdowns (12 INT, 11TD) and completed just under 57% of his passes. Not to mention the fact that his arm strength is suspect, his mobility is in question, and he has never proven over a full season he can get the job done.

I hear you. But here's my thinking. Matt Leinart was a great quarterback in college. A phenomenal quarterback in college. And if given the chance, he could be a serviceable option for a team without a quarterback. He's only had one full season to prove himself in the NFL, and that was his rookie year. How many quarterbacks are actually good their first year? I know, I know. Matt Ryan. But he's the exception not the norm.

Think about it. How could Leinart be worse than Daunte Culpepper, Drew Stanton, or Drew Henson? According to Yahoo sports, those are the three quarterbacks listend on the Lions depth chart. The answer is, it's highly unlikely Leinart would be worse.

Same thing with the Vikings. You're telling me Leinart couldn't be better than Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson? If you're the Bears, he couldn't compete with Kyle Orton for the starting job? And couldn't he compete with Luke McCown or Brian Griese in Tampa?

Leinart might be the best option in any of these four situations. In fact, if the Broncos are forced to trade Jay Cutler, maybe Leinart would be a good option in Denver.

He's not great. No one is saying he is. But he hasn't had the chance yet to truly prove whether he can be great. Knowing his track record in college, and the fact that he's had the chance to learn under Kurt Warner, conventional wisdom would suggest that he's probably a viable option for an NFL team with a quarterback in need.

Just a thought. Still think it's so crazy?

The Steelers Are Great, But Not a Dynasty

Everybody always wants to anoint great teams to the level of "dynasty".  Just like every great basketball player since Michael Jordan retired has to be anointed the "next MJ".  Let's relax on both fronts.

It has been reported at the Pro Bowl this week that Kurt Warner won't call the Steelers, the team that just beat his Cardinals in the Super Bowl, a dynasty.  And apparently this is such a shocking revelation there needed to be an article written about it.  

I don't know why.  He's right.  They're not.

It's cliche, sure, but let's review what exactly a dynasty actually is.  According to dictionary.com, a dynasty is: 

1. a sequence of rulers front the same family, stock, or group (the Ming dynasty)
2. the rule of such a sequence
3. a series of members of a family who are distinguished for their success, wealth etc.

None of those three definitions would appropriately describe the black and gold.

The Steelers are one of the most successful sports franchises in history.  It's hard to argue against them being the most successful football franchise in history, considering their six Super Bowl championships is the most of any team all time.  But dynasty they're not.

In sports, we often qualify a dynasty as a team that wins multiple championships in a short time period.  The Steelers, while they have won two of the last four Vince Lombardi trophies, did not reach the Super Bowl in either year between both wins, nor did they reach the AFC Championship.  Pittsburgh appeared in only one Super Bowl in the twenty-five years prior to their win in Super Bowl XL over the Seahawks.  Reaching one Super Bowl over a twenty-five year period means Pittsburgh never ruled over two and a half decades.  Dynasty they're not.

The most recent "dynasty" in sports would have to be football's Patriots, who won three Super Bowls in four years, including back to back titles in 2003 and 2004 in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX (38 and 39).  Prior to that, baseball's Yankees won four world series in five years, winning in 1996, and then three in a row between 1998 and 2000.  Basketball's last dynasty was the Bulls.  Chicago won six titles in eight years, between 1991-1993, and 1996-1998.  Hockey's last dynasty came way back between 1984 and 1988.  The Edmonton Oilers won four Stanley Cups in that five year stretch.

Those are true dynasties.  Those were teams that at the beginning of the season everyone was gunning for them.  The Steelers have had sustained excellence for a long time, but how many teams were gunning for Pittsburgh at the beginning of the season?  Zero.  Everyone was waiting to see if the Patriots would rip off another perfect regular season.

The Steelers are great, sure.  But again, dynasty they're not.

Monday Morning Longsnapper

Not Every Story Has A Happy Ending Edition

In this last edition of the Monday Morning Longsnapper, I'm not going to break down the game at all.  You guys all watched it, and you at least (if only accidentally) heard a bit someone far more qualified than me analyze the hell out of this game.  What I will say is, I picked the Steelers to win, and even I wanted the Cards to pull it out.  They were the team to root for, no doubt.  Unless you're a Steelers fan or truly hate Jesus-freaks to the point of obsession (in which case you have larger issues than Kurt Warner), the Cardinals were the feel-good story. 

I'm not saying anything new, I know that.  The Cardinals, what with their Cub-esque championship drought and rediscovered journeyman quarterback and lovable long haired wideout, were easy to root for.  Unfortunately for them, the storybook season came to a more realistic (albeit uninteresting) conclusion.

I think it's also worth mentioning in this space that this marks the second game in as many years where you really couldn't ask for much more in the way of entertainment value in the final quarter of a football game.  Now, most people will look back on this and last year's Super Bowls and say that the entire game of each was great.  That just isn't true.  And, that's ok.  The last quarter of both games had enough intrigue to pack a full game.  

What does everyone say regarding the Super Bowl that isn't rooting for one of the teams or have a ton of money on it?  They always say, "I just want a good game."  Well, "they" got what "they" asked for.  Twice in a row now.  So, I say, good deal.  I couldn't really ask for too much more.

• Because I haven't mentioned it in this space prior, wow to Brenda Warner.  She went from looking like a 55 year old man to a 45 year old woman in just a short move from St. Louis to Arizona.  Not bad.
• Both Jordan and I have already slobbered over Larry Fitzgerald, but I'll do it one last time this season.  Not only is the guy a great player (do you ever see him out of position on a catch?) but he has not a trace of an attitude.  Catch, run, toss ball to nearest official, back to huddle.  That's it.  How rare?  A great athlete and a modest personality.  Wow.
• Favorite Commercial?  I'd say, toss up between Pepsuber and this Career Builder spot.
• As you may or may not know, I work at Sirius Radio.  Last night, I worked the BBC feed of the Super Bowl, and I feel it's an absolute necessity to share some of the things I heard during the broadcast.  First, to start the game, one of the opening lines from the PBP announcer:  "Well folks, there's an offense, a defense, and a special teams, so that is a start."  Second, Santonio Holmes repeatedly referred to as San Antonio Holmes.  Finally, they were reading e-mails from local listeners back in the UK, and one asked, "At the end of halftime, why was the crowd booing Bruce Springsteen?"  "No, ma'am, they weren't booing, they were chanting Bruuuuuuuce."  And we're supposed to be the ignorant ones...
• Interested to see what the Cardinals do after this year, with Boldin and Edge both supposedly wanting out and Warner needing a new contract.  Wouldn't be the worst idea to bring back Warner at some rate/amount of time, but shoring up the defense wouldn't be a terrible thought either.  Strange as it seems, this Super Bowl team could and should get way better for next year.

Since You've Already Been Inundated With Super Bowl Coverage...

I won't be putting a full-blown preview of the game up here.  No point.  If you haven't already heard two hundred analysts and hosts discuss this game over the last two weeks, the only thing I could conclude is that you're on the Island in ABC's Lost.

Assuming you're not there, and you haven't been speared by John Locke, you probably have seen the wall-to-wall coverage on ESPN, or any of the other sports networks previewing the game.  So instead of giving the whole rundown, here's what I'm excited for in tonight's Super Bowl: (and by the way, the Steelers are favored by 7 points, for those of you who haven't yet wagered on the game)

• I'm excited to watch the teams come out of the tunnel before the game.  Doesn't even matter which team it is.  It gives me goose bumps because I feel their excitement sitting in front of the TV.
• I'm excited to watch Larry Fitzgerald leap for a couple of big catches.  He's great.  I'm also excited to hear how many references to his father covering the game there will be.
• I'm excited to see Hines Ward play, and interested to see how truly healthy both he and his quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, are.  I like Ward.  He's a consummate professional.  So is Big Ben, so long as he's not near a motorcycle.
• I'm excited to watch Kurt Warner in another Super Bowl.  I've always liked the guy, even though he's a little too religious for my taste.  He's a stand-up guy, he's got great belief in himself and his teammates, and he's a born leader.
• I'm excited to watch Bruce Springsteen as the half-time show.  Honestly, of all things, I'm most excited for that.  He's definitely going to play some hits, like Born to Run and Glory Days, but I'm hoping for a Rosalita, Lonesome Day, Radio Nowhere.  Eh, screw the game.  Just let him play a couple hours.
• I'm excited to see how many references to Ken Whisenhunt's former job with the Steelers are mentioned.
• I'm excited to see if the team that loses almost as often as my Cubs, the Cardinals, can finally hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
• I'm excited to see how many athletes ESPN personalities kiss up to after the game.
• I'm excited to hear how many references to the "Terrible Towels" there are.
• I'm excited that football season is over.  It's time to get ready for March Madness and Major League Baseball.

Hump Day Headlines

In this week's Hump Day Headlines, we discuss power crazy football executives, home court perfection, Kelvin Sampson, and Super Sunday...

• Good for LaDainian Tomlinson. He wants to return to San Diego despite the fact his General Manager is one of the biggest blowhards in sports. This he said in an interview in Tampa on ESPN's "Jim Rome is Burning". Chargers GM A.J. Smith mocked Tomlinson publicly this week when the All-Pro running back was quoted on his blog reiterating to media that he had no intentions of leaving the Chargers. Tomlinson then had to read that his GM made almost an identical quote regarding LaDainian's status to the San Diego Union Tribune. That had Tomlinson publicly confused and it lead linebacker Shawne Merriman to lash out at Smith, saying "That [stuff] doesn't help bring a Super Bowl to San Diego...and that [stuff] needs to stop, period. It needs to stop now." Smith has since responded by apologizing to L.T., telling the Chargers team website that it was important to him that Tomlinson knew "exactly what happened." So let me get this straight, A.J. You mocked your star player publicly, because you're an arrogant, power-crazed jerk, and now you're trying to save face? Good for L.T. that he wants to remain loyal to the Charger fans that adore him. But if that were me? I'd demand a trade.
• The Cleveland Cavaliers are unbeatable at home. That's not an opinion. That's a fact. With last night's win over the miserable Kings, the fighting Bron-Brons are now 21-0 at the Quicken Loans Arena. That is pretty remarkable. The next best home records in the NBA this year are the only two teams with comparable records to the Cavs overall. Boston is 22-2 at the TD Bank North Garden, and the Lakers are 23-3 at the Staples Center. The best home record in NBA History is 40-1, accomplished by the 67-15 Celtics at the old Boston Garden between 1985-1986. (The 95-96 Bulls that went 72-10, the best overall record in NBA regular season history, went 39-2 at the United Center.) If the Cavaliers keep up this torrid pace, they could be the most dangerous team in the playoffs this year. If you knew the team never lost at home, would you want to play there in a playoff series? I don't think so.
• Kelvin Sampson is appealing his five year ban from college basketball coaching, as reported by the Indianapolis Star. The former Indiana basketball coach was give then "show cause penalty", meaning that he can't get hired by another school unless that school convinces the powers that be that he should be allowed back. I guess assistant coaching the Eastern Conference's eight-seeded Bucks isn't doing it for Mr. Sampson. Sampson was pink-slipped in the first place because he and his assistants made more than 100 illegal phone calls to recruits. Apparently these recuits he racked up the phone bill trying to land aren't so great after all, considering IU basketball is the worst in the Big Ten this year. At 5-13 overall and as the only team winless in the conference (0-6), new coach Tom Crean will have some work to do. The program seems to be in good hands though, considering how well Crean's former club Marquette is doing this year.
• Oh yeah, I should probably mention something about the Super Bowl here since that is a recurring headline this week in sports. Yesterday we had the Media Day, which really wasn't all that great, but as Scott chronicled Tuesday, it can at least be entertaining. Here are the storylines I think you'll hear about most as we head towards Super Sunday: Larry Fitzgerald's father is a sportswriter who is covering his son at the game. The star wideout also attended college at Pittsburgh. Is Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer if he wins the Super Bowl? Mike Tomlin is the 3rd African-American coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl. Ken Whisenhunt is the former Steelers offensive coordinator. What ever happened to Matt Leinart? Are Anquan Boldin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley still fighting? The Cardinals are the sports team with the longest championship drought of any sports franchise other than my Chicago Cubs. (A tear just rolled down my face) Can the Cardinals cover the seven point spread? Get ready for Super Sunday...

Media Day, My Way

The week before each Super Bowl, the players from each team are trotted out and are met by masses of media members.  Some real, some not.  Some serious, some definitely not.  Some funny, some clearly not.

As something of a jokester myself, some of the media day questions I've enjoyed most have been the craziest, the funniest, the silliest questions.  There's only been one guy I've seen that's truly captured the essence of what media day should be (see below).  

If I was running things, these are just a few of the questions I'd ask if given the opportunity at one of these carnivals.

To an offensive lineman:

• Does it bother you that there's probably only five people that live within 700 miles of your home stadium that can identify you without a helmet on?

OR

• How far along are you?  In the pregnancy, how many months in?

To Larry Fitzgerald:

• At what point did you decide that the look you wanted to go for was the Predator look?  Also, did you speak with him (or, it, I guess?) about just jacking his 'do?

To Kurt Warner:

• Some of us are a little confused, and have something of an office pool going on back East.  How important of a role would you say God has played in your life, we weren't sure.  Feel free to go on as long as you please.

To Edge James/Anquan Boldin:

• If it was socially acceptable, would you clone yourself, then marry yourself so you could never stop looking at how great you are?

To Hines Ward:

• If your knee isn't that bad, why are you treating it like a madman for two weeks straight, and waking up at all times in the middle of the night?

To Ken Whisenhunt:

• OK, honesty time, what were you honestly thinking when Big Ben got into his motorcycle accident?

To Byron Leftwich:

• Let's say Ben gets hurt, how low would you say your chances are for success?  If I poured water on you, would you just grow into the ground?

To any one:

• Have you been to or plan to go to one of Tampa Bay's 43 wild and crazy strip clubs? (as opposed to the serious, business-approach ones elsewhere in the country)
• Both are dead, but who would you rather see alive, 2 Pac or Biggie?  
• What player in the NFL do you want to see get wrecked in the most non-life threatening way possible on a football field?  That isn't a wide-receiver...
• Do you think Shaq could play offensive line in the NFL?  
• What's the deal with this economy? (no, seriously, how hysterical would it be to hear a bunch of millionaires try to make it seem like things are going terribly for them too)
• If Barack Obama played football, what position would he play?  Would he be any good?  Would you take a free shot at him if he was coming across the middle on you?

Those are the sorts of things I'd like to see asked at Media Day.  It's the only day a year where the questions are not only expected to be off the wall, but are basically encouraged to be.  So, reporters, heed my advice and take advantage of the once-a-year freedom and ask some real questions.  Enough of this, "if you were a tree, what type of tree would you be?" nonsense.  If you want a moving picture example of the best version I've seen of a reporter taking advantage of a media day opportunity, take a look at this clip.

Now, that's how it's done.

Results from NFL Championship Weekend

You win some, and you lose some, as the cliche goes. And Scott and I went 1-1. The Cardinals did more than cover, as the 32-25 score doesn't really describe how well the Cardinals played.
However despite their best efforts, the Ravens couldn't cover the 5.5, as the once turnover-proof Joe Flacco couldn't decipher which color his team was wearing. Three interceptions by Flacco did in the cover, as Troy Polamalu ran one back 40 yards for a touchdown to take the two point Steeler lead (covering) to a nine point lead (no longer covering). So kudo's to Scott on that one, because while I thought Pittsburgh would win I thought the Ravens would keep it closer.

For the playoffs, in the paraphrased words of Around the Horn's Tony Reali, "Heeeeere's how we stand:

Scott: 6-3 (1-1 this weekend)
Jordan: 3-6 (1-1 this weekend

It's no secret my picks have been bad, so I don't even need to waste my time relaying that information to you once again. All I can say is, if I get the Super Bowl right, that would provide a small vindication for my poor performance throughout the season. Stay tuned.

As for the games, Scott will have that tomorrow in the Monday Morning Longsnapper. But, a couple of quick thoughts from me:

• Once again, even if Kurt Warner wins the Super Bowl, he's NOT a hall of famer. The Eagles not winning did not help Donovan McNabb's case either. For me, neither should ever be enshrined in Canton.
• Larry Fitzgerald is really, really good. That guy could break some records if he stays healthy throughout his career.
• Joe Flacco reminded us he's a rookie. I guess no one can commend him any more for not throwing picks, not getting sacked, or not costing his team games. That said, impressive for a rookie they got this far.
• Now for the storyline that's going to get overplayed for the next two weeks: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt was the Steelers offensive coordinator the last time Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl.
• And, so much for those #6 seeds, as both went down today.

Everything You Need To Get Ready For NFL Championship Weekend

Philadelphia (-3.5) @ Arizona

This match-up may be the best example of parity existing in the NFL. Not many people thought coming into this post season that the sixth seeded Eagles would be facing the least successful division winner for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. I guess that's why you always hear the old cliche "that's why you play the games".

This contest provides tremendous intrigue still, especially when you consider the storylines present. As I mentioned earlier this week, I think there's no way Kurt Warner is deserving of a hall of fame bid, but if Warner elevates another team to a Super Bowl, expecially the Cardinals, it would make him a legend in Arizona. As for Donovan McNabb, every win this post season is helping his case for future consideration.

That said, it has been Warner who has played outstanding football in this post season, while McNabb has been just good enough for his Eagles to win. Warner has completed nearly 63% of his passes this post season, has thrown for 491 combined yards, and has fired four touchdown passes while only throwing two picks. And maybe most impressively, Warner led his team into Carolina last week and pummeled a Panthers squad that was a perfect 8-0 at home in the regular season.

What's more, the Cardinals much maligned defense has been stellar too, as they have caused a whopping nine turnovers in their two playoff games, including six last week. Panthers QB Jake Delhomme had probably the worst game of his career, as Arizona intercepted five of his passes and caused him to fumble as well. So entering Sunday's contest, Arizona couldn't be playing better on defense. Oh, and Anquan Boldin is expected to play, so the offense that dominated Carolina last week could be healthier and better.

Now to McNabb and the Eagles. Sunday's NFC Championship will be the fifth Donvan has lead the Eagles to in the last eight years, so experience is no problem for the former Syracuse signal caller. He was very good in the Eagles win over the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs throwing for 300 yards and a touchdown, and in last week's game against a good Giants defense McNabb did just enough to help the Eagles win the contest. Oh, and against the Cards this year on Thanksgiving night, (the game nobody saw because it was on the NFL Network), McNabb threw for 260 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 48-20 romp.

Philly's defense has been stifling, allowing an average of 12.5 points per game over their two contests. In that regular season win over the Cardinals on Turkey night, the only reason Arizona even got to 20 points was due to some garbage points at the end. They intercepted Kurt Warner three times in the game and held the Cards rushing offense to a mere 25 yards that night. I wouldn't expect a complete domination against Arizona tomorrow, but you know defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will send the house on the blitz early and often to force Warner to repeat those same mistakes.

The Cardinals are trying to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history, and it's going to be a tough one for them to win. The guys in Vegas think so too, as the Cardinals are home underdogs despite the fact they went 7-2 at home this season including their playoff win over Atlanta. It would be fun to see a team that perenially stinks make the Super Bowl just for the intrigue of it, but part of me wants to see Donovan McNabb finally win the Super Bowl. I'll take Arizona to cover the 3.5 point spread, and keep it close, but I'd like to see the Eagles win. (So now that I'm picking Arizona, Philly fans, book your tickets for Tampa.)

Scott's Pick: Philadelphia Jordan's Pick: Arizona

Baltimore (+5.5) @ Pittsburgh

The Ravens colors might be black and purple, and the Steelers might be black and gold. But this game figures to be black and blue the whole way through. These two teams are very similar, in that they both ranked in the top three in defense (Steelers #1, Ravens #3) during the regular season, and they rely on their defenses to set up their offense. The biggest difference, however, is the quarterback play.

Here's a basic mathematical principle that we can all understand:

Ben Roethlisberger > Joe Flacco

In the Steelers win over the Chargers last week, Ben Roethlisberger made plays to help Pittsburgh earn a hard fought win. Even though he did have the help of Willie Parker's 146 yards rushing, Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass to Heath Miller and completed 65% of his passes to lead the Steelers to victory. The rookie Flacco, on the other hand, in two post season games, has completed just 44% of his passes, and has thrown for 296 combined yards. The key is that he hasn't thrown a pick. He doesn't make plays, but he doesn't make bad plays. That's probably the biggest reason the Ravens have survived the first two playoff rounds.

The defenses are excellent, and they're both opportunistic. In last week's win over the Chargers, Phillip Rivers threw an interception to Larry Foote inside the ten yard line which completely turned the momentum in favor of the Steelers. Especially when you consider that the play before was a Darren Sproles punt return into the red zone. It's no secret the Ravens defense has been unbelievable too, considering they made big red zone stops against the Titans last week, and Ed Reed ran wild on the Dolphins in the first round with 64-yard interception returned for a touchdown. Reed's pick was one of four the Ravens would get against a normally smart quarterback in Chad Pennington. So expect points to come at a premium tomorrow.

To pick this game, I use this logic: Both teams have great defense. Both have similar philosophy on offense, preferring to run the football to set up the pass. The Steelers have a dynamic special tems presence in Santonio Holmes, who returned a punt for a touchdown last week. But it's not like the Ravens can't cover him for one game. They have played each other twice already this season, and the Steelers won both contests. Often times, teams have trouble beating a team three times in the same season, but the Ravens wanted this match-up, openly rooting for Pittsburgh to beat San Diego last week after they beat Tennessee the day before.

The Steelers are a great team. They were 12-4 in the regular season. They earned the first round bye, but have less momentum entering this week's game because the Ravens had to win twice to get here. There's a reason for that, though: they're better than this Ravens team. They were during the regular season, and they're 7-2 at home including last week's playoff win. The Steelers have a tough spread to cover, so I'm taking the Ravens. But the Steelers should eek out this game in a close one.

Scott's Pick: Pittsburgh Jordan's Pick: Baltimore

Great Quarterbacks? At times. Hall of Famers? No.

ESPN.com had a poll question yesterday that asked its viewers which of the two quarterbacks leading their teams into the NFC Championship game this weekend was more deserving of a selection to the Hall of Fame in Canton: Kurt Warner or Donovan McNabb?

Amazingly, Kurt Warner was receiving nearly double the vote total the last time I checked. The Cardinals' QB had amassed more than 60-percent of the vote, while McNabb's total was somewhere in the 30-percent range.

Is this a joke?

A few questions came to mind. 1. Why was there such a decisive victory for Warner? 2. Why did he win every state? (Not one state was pro-McNabb) 3. Why didn't McNabb at least carry Pennsylvania? (Obviously Eagles fans have never appreciated the quarterback they have.)

I realize these poll questions are not as accurate as presidential election polls. But never have I been so shocked by an ESPN.com poll result.

Kurt Warner should not go to the Hall of Fame. Even if he wins the Super Bowl this year, there's no way you can convince me this guy has had a stable enough NFL career to be enshrined in Canton. True, he has won two MVP awards (1999, 2001) and he led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory with a storybook season in 1999. But those feats in no way qualify him for the Hall of Fame by themselves.

Look at his career statistics. Other than those two brilliant seasons for the Rams, Warner has been a below average quarterback the rest of his career. His lifetime record as a starting quarterback is 57-48 (regular season starts). Take away those two Super Bowl years and he's 30-43. Until this year, his last legitmately good year came in the Super Bowl year of 2001. Have you ever heard of a Hall of Fame player that had six seasons between his last two good years?

He had a great year this year. True. But the Cardinals only went 9-7 despite Warner's 'brilliance'. He has had great success as a post season quarterback. True. He is 7-2 lifetime in the playoffs. But aren't we talking about a guy who just had a great two year stretch and a nice renaissance year this season?

Donovan McNabb, on the other hand, has been a MUCH steadier and more consistent winner over the course of his career. And for a good five year stretch McNabb was considered one of the best quarterbacks in football. (Warner never held that status for more than a three year stretch.) With the Eagles playing in the NFC title game this weekend, this will be the fifth such championship round game Philadelphia has played in over the past eight years. And McNabb has accomplished most of his feats with miserable receivers like James Thrash and Todd Pinkston.

Listen, I'm not saying Donovan McNabb should go to Canton either. He's never won the Super Bowl, although his Eagles lost the 2005 game to New England, despite McNabb's most heroic efforts to keep Philly alive. (He vomited on the field and kept playing, trying to will his team to victory.) He has never won the MVP award. But he went to five consecutive Pro Bowls between 2000-2004, and he has finished in the top ten in passer rating and touchdowns five times each in his career. He ranks fourth among active quarterbacks in career passing yards and touchdowns, all while also being a running threat through the earlier parts of his career. And, he's 82-45-1 as a starter in his career (all regular season stars), winning 64-percent of his games.

He has suffered injuries, yes. He didn't know the rules of overtime, yes. He was benched earlier in the season, yes. But just because he's been so unfairly villified in Philadelphia for the bulk of his career doesn't mean he shouldn't be appreciated for the consistent career he has put together.

Neither one should be considered legitimate candidates to be Hall of Famers in the future based on their resumes right now. And unless Kurt Warner strings together a few more seasons with outrageous success similar to his 1999-2001 stretch, he should never be considered for a hall call. McNabb, however, if he wins the Super Bowl this year might have a serious case for enshrinement one day.

So for those of you who were read to book Warner's flight to Canton yesterday, want to give that ticket to Donovan McNabb?

Everything You Need To Get Ready For the the NFL's Divisional Round

Baltimore (+3) @ Tennessee

The Titans earned the right to home field throughout the playoffs, but they're probably the least dangerous top seeded team in recent years. Granted, that was because it was usually the Patriots on top of the AFC, and last year they entered the playoffs 16-0. But this Titans team can't possibly scare the Ravens, who come to town Saturday night.

The Titans have an excellent running game, featuring rookie Chris Johnson and the stout and mighty LenDale White. But Kerry Collins is a very ordinary quarterback, and their most productive receiver was Mizzou's own Justin Gage, who had just 651 yards. The Titans running game is good, but it can be stopped. The miserable Chicago Bears defense held this vaunted running game to 20 yards in week 10, and could easily be stopped by an excellent Ravens defense.

The Ravens defense last week single-handedly won the game against the Dolphins last week, by creating 5 Miami turnovers in a 27-9 convincing win. Joe Flacco went just 9-23 passing for 135 yards, but Chad Pennington threw 4 picks, including one that came back 64 yards for an Ed Reed touchdown. They're the sexy pick right now to upset Tennessee after the way they played last week, but keep in mind Jeff Fisher is an excellent coach who will have his team ready. Still, I like the Ravens, considering that defense wins championships (cliche but true), and while the Titans D is good, the Ravens' D is better, and hotter.

Scott's Pick: Baltimore Jordan's Pick: Baltimore

Arizona (+10) @ Carolina

Somehow, the Cardinals showed up last week and actually played a good game. Arizona stumbled into the playoffs playing pitifully, having lost four of six. But against Matt Ryan's Falcons, 'Zona played great defense, intercepting the rookie QB twice and even recording a safety. Arizona's offense played great, as Kurt Warner threw for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he looked like the man many were considering an MVP candidate earlier in the season.

But it's no secret the Cardinals don't win on the road. The Cardinals were just 3-5 away from sunny Glendale and Carolina did not lose at home. That's right. The Panthers went 8-0 in Charlotte this season. So by any measuring stick, this is not an easy game for the Cardinals to come in and win, especially when you consider Arizona's last road win came at lowly Seattle November 16th.

Carolina only lost 4 games this season, and already beat the Cardinals at home, 27-23. The Panthers have won four of their last five games too, the only loss coming at the Giants, who hold the #1 seed in the NFC. Carolina has a good running game, and good receivers. They have a good defense, and solid special teams. They are a definite force in this year's playoffs and will win this game. With the line being 10 however, it's hard to pick a playoff game to have that wide a margin. That's why I'll pick Arizona to cover, even if they barely cover it.

Scott's Pick: Carolina Jordan's Pick: Arizona

(Then again though, go with Scott. Remember, I'm 0-4 in this year's playoffs.)