"Matt Leinart is lost. Not coincidentally, so are the Cardinals.

The No. 7 on his jersey represents a number he never produces. He has thrown only one touchdown pass since October 2007, and that came in garbage time against New England, with the Cardinals trailing 47-0.

Evidence is piling up that he's not tough enough to handle the position at the NFL level, particularly between the ears. Teammates are losing faith in his ability to effectively replace Kurt Warner. And if things don't improve quickly, the No. 7 also will be the over/under for Cardinals victories in 2010.

"I'm a little disappointed in Matt Leinart because, if you think (about it), the club went out five years ago and made him a top-10 pick," said former Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter, now an ESPN analyst. "And when you do that, you're saying you have a franchise quarterback. And a franchise quarterback, there are a lot of things you look for."

Before the hammer strikes, understand that Carter's comments came at halftime of a lackluster preseason loss to the Titans on "Monday Night Football." Contextually, they are important because Carter is extremely close to Larry Fitzgerald, who shows no inclination of stepping back on the field until the passing game becomes a little less hazardous to his health."