Warner has Cards’ passing game in high gear

The main story line in Flagstaff little more than two months ago now seems ancient. Remember? Matt Leinart was trying to hold off Kurt Warner in the spirited quarterback competition at training camp.

Read Mike Tulumello's blog, 'Bird Watching'

Because Leinart had been the team's starter last year when he went down with an injury at St. Louis, coach Ken Whisenhunt deemed it fair that Leinart be designated the starter heading into camp.

Warner overtook Leinart, though, and look at the results:

The Cardinals have the NFL's No. 2 passing offense at 288 yards per game.

Warner is No. 1 with a 70.2 completion percentage.

He's No. 3 with a passer rating of 102.1.

"He's playing great," general manager Rod Graves said. "He's having an outstanding year."

So outstanding that team officials are once again talking about a contract extension for the 37-year-old former MVP who led the Rams to the Super Bowl nine years ago.

Warner, who has talked of playing two more seasons, sounds like a guy who could play for a Super Bowl team right now.

"I'm feeling I'm playing as well as I ever have. I'm seeing the field, making good decisions, protecting the ball probably better than I ever have.

"I feel really, really good. Physically, I feel tremendous.

"I feel really good with how I'm playing right now."

With the exception of a down game at the New York Jets, "He's played excellent football," Whisenhunt said.

"He is doing a great job managing the game, getting rid of the ball and running our offense."

In last week's game at Carolina, Warner even showed some agility in moving in and out of the pocket while protecting the ball.

That's one area where Warner has worked to improve.

Whisenhunt says he can't speculate on how much longer Warner will play.

But, "He's playing at a high level. That's because he's worked very hard at it.

"I don't anticipate that will change. But you never know."

Said receiver Anquan Boldin, "If anybody says he's lost something, I don't know what they're looking at."

The view from the outside is similar.

Rams coach Jim Haslett, noting Warner is completing 70 percent of his passes, said, "Kurt is playing probably as good as he has ever played.

"There are only a handful of people ever in the National Football League with a 70 percent completion rate at the end of the season."

Warner has made a perceived comeback from tough times at the end of his run in St. Louis and in his brief stint with the New York Giants.

Torry Holt, the Rams' longtime receiver and former Warner teammate, has enjoyed seeing the bounce-back.

"Kurt's confidence and his work ethic and his pursuit for excellence is just outstanding. To see him having the success he's having right now ... it's not a surprise.

"He's a tremendous leader for that team, and he's a tremendous model and leader for a lot of the guys around the National Football League, period.

"A lot of respect for the champ, man, he's definitely the champ, Kurt Warner, no question."

What has made him so good for so long?

Holt cites Warner's ability to read defenses, make decisions and "put the ball where it's supposed to be and in the guys' hands who can make plays for him."

"I think that's what he's doing best, and when he had his years when he was rolling and playing well and throwing the football well, he was protected and had guys on the outside who could get open and make things happen.

"And most importantly, he was putting it right on the money where you could do things with it.

"I'm not surprised at all by Kurt's performance so far, and I expect him to come in here on Sunday and try to continue that.

"And when he leaves on Sunday to try to continue the same thing he's been doing all season."

And maybe a couple more seasons beyond.

Cardinals at Rams
When: 11 a.m. today
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Mo.
TV: Channel 10