All three quarterbacks active for Arizona Cardinals against Detroit Lions
Nov 16, 2014, 8:36 PM | Updated: 8:36 pm
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals post-Carson Palmer, take two.
The No. 1 team in the NFL will play its first game since news that its starting quarterback and team captain is out for the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee last week against St. Louis.
With Palmer sidelined, Drew Stanton moves up the depth chart. He will make his fourth start of the season, which this week just so happens to be against the team he spent his first five seasons in the NFL with, the Detroit Lions.
“He’s had a real good week of practice,” said head coach Bruce Arians, referring to Stanton, who went 2-1 as a starter when Palmer was dealing with a shoulder issue earlier in the season.
Stanton has completed 49.5 percent of his passes (46-of-93) for 614 yards and three touchdowns this year.
Rookie Logan Thomas is the backup, while Ryan Lindley, signed this week off the San Diego Chargers practice squad, is third string. Both are active and both will be in uniform on Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium, which is sold out for the 91st consecutive game.
The Cardinals (8-1) inactives include:
RB Kerwynn Williams
LB Desmond Bishop
LB Glenn Carson
DT Ed Stinson
DE Josh Mauro
G Earl Watford
TE Darren Fells
Stinson (toe) and Bishop (hamstring) are hurt, while the five other players are healthy scratches.
Mauro, by the way, was signed off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad on Friday. An undrafted rookie free agent out of Stanford, Mauro spent the preseason with the Steelers until he was released on Aug. 30.
The Lions (7-2) list three starters among their inactives, including running back Reggie Bush (ankle), right guard Larry Warford (knee) and tight end Brandon Pettigrew (foot). Backup defensive tackle Nick Fairley is also sidelined because of a knee injury.
“It should be a heck of a ballgame,” Arians said on Friday. “The belief in our locker room is as good as it gets. That’s the beauty of it. Nobody outside of that locker room matters. It’s us against the world. We love that part of it.”
