Burns: Manage your expectations

Every now and then you have to go macro. Zoom out. Big picture.

If you’re a Cardinals fan who has decided that Max Hall is football’s version of penicillin, let me pose this question to you: If 49ers Mike Singletary decided to start an undrafted rookie at quarterback, how would you react?

You’d laugh, that’s what you’d do. You’d shake your head in some kind of stunned wonderment while asking yourself…what exactly is going on up there? It’s a reasonable reaction.

The Arizona Cardinals, down two of their top receivers, behind an offensive line that so far has offered the protection of a yip-yip dog, are starting an undrafted rookie quarterback against the defending Super Bowl Champs. Safe to say, there isn’t going to be a landslide of NFL fans picking the Cardinals in their office pools on Friday.

I’m not suggesting the Arizona Cardinals are crazy for trying this. But I am suggesting that you need to manage your expectations about this game. The sheer volume of fans who believe that Hall is going to magically make everything better is stunning.

Now that’s crazy.

So be reasonable. Set the bar low for the rook. Don’t expect or demand greatness right away because you likely won’t get it. This isn’t the Mountain West Conference and it isn’t the third quarter of a preseason game.

Some think he’ll grasp this starting QB thing by the third quarter. Me? I’d be thrilled if he has it by his third game.

Follow @theAdamGreen