Leinart struggles in Cards’ win over Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. - Let the quarterback controversy rage. Or has it already ended? Playing in the preseason game that most resembles a real one, Matt Leinart laid an egg Saturday night.

Cardinals notebook: Penalties plague Cards throughout first half

Read Mike Tulumello's blog, 'Bird Watching'

He threw three interceptions, none of them near their intended targets, and had a 2.8 passer rating in the Cardinals’ 24-0 win over the Raiders.

Leinart came out late in the first half in favor of Kurt Warner; that much had been stated in advance.

But the questions about Leinart’s ability to lead the Cards’ offense are sharper than ever after his miserable game.

Consider that:

• The first interception came on a long, underthrown pass to Larry Fitzgerald.

• The second came when Leinart threw a short pass right to the Raiders Stanford Routt.

On the play, Leinart appeared to be past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball, though no flag was thrown.

• The third came on another underthrown pass, this one to Anquan Boldin.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt tried to downplay Leinart’s performance, saying he’d have to study the game tape.

In a couple of cases, receivers didn’t run to the correct spots, he said.

More generally, “This is a process and an evaluation over time. You’re not going to play great every night.”

Part of the evaluation on who ends up the starting quarterback will be how Leinart responds to this game, the coach said.

Overall, “I’m pleased with how he’s progressed,” and that this game “doesn’t negate that,” Whisenhunt said.

“I know Matt is down. But I’m not worried about Matt’s confidence.

“I expect Matt to respond to this and continue to improve.”

Leinart left the locker room quickly and did not speak to reporters.

That left Warner to speak for him.

“He just wasn’t feeling it,” Warner said of Leinart. “We all have those nights.”

Warner also gave Whisenhunt pause. He fumbled on his first possession, though the Cardinals recovered.

With Warner at the helm, thought the Cardinals blew the game open in the second half thanks in large part to long runs by Tim Hightower and J.J. Arrington, who had a 67-yard touchdown romp.

“We didn’t run the ball as well with Matt as we did with Kurt,” Whisenhunt said.

A huge plus for the Cardinals was their red-zone defense.

The Raiders failed to score in the first half even though they seemed to play most of the time inside the Cardinals’ 20-yard line because of Leinart’s mistakes.

“We did a great job…I’m really pleased,” Whisenhunt said.

Linebacker Karlos Dansby, who had an interception, said of the team’s defense, “We grew up last year. We’ve got a lot of experience now.”