ARIZONA CARDINALS

No QB controversy

Sep 23, 2014, 5:41 PM | Updated: 5:42 pm

The reporter was sincere. Our own Alexan Balekian asked Calais Campbell if there was a QB controversy after Drew Stanton led the Cardinals to a victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday and his response said it: Calais burst out in a belly laugh for about four seconds before he answered the question.

There was nothing wrong with the question. People in Phoenix are asking the same question.

There is no QB controversy, Cards fans. But there was a QB confirmation in Phoenix, Arizona.

Drew Stanton confirmed his worth to this organization and to his teammates. He is a quality backup and his profile and respect level has been magnified significantly in that locker room. Stanton can play and this team can take solace in knowing that if something happens to Carson Palmer they can still win games.

What has the interest of fans is that Stanton played better than he did in New York. He read coverage and, more importantly, he SAW coverage. He not only went through his progressions but he clearly saw who was open and who wasn’t. Instead of just reading coverage and mechanically throwing the ball to a receiver because the coverage dictated that throw, Stanton saw the field and knew whether the receiver was open within that coverage.

Both John Brown TDs were a direct result of a blown coverage and Stanton saw it both times. He saw Larry on the corner route and hit him in stride, SEEING that he was open within that coverage. He saw Michael Floyd was one-on-one on the outside and threw it up, knowing Michael’s penchant for winning on jump balls.

He didn’t just read coverage, he saw who was open in that coverage…and that’s the difference between playing well and sucking buttermilk.

Although Stanton played very well and the confidence level in the Cards locker room is at an all-time high in regard to winning games without their starting quarterback, there is no QB controversy…but there is a QB confirmation!

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No QB controversy