Carson Palmer not yet cleared, meaning Drew Stanton is closer to starting
Oct 4, 2016, 3:32 PM | Updated: 8:18 pm
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton (5) during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
TEMPE, Ariz. — Tuesday afternoon, when answering a question about Larry Fitzgerald’s dominance over the San Francisco 49ers, Cardinals offensive coordinator may have let slip a tasty bit of information pertaining to Thursday night’s game.
“Just normal,” Goodwin said of what the offense does to get the ball to No. 11. “B.A. has certain things dialed up for him to get the ball. Obviously everybody knows he’s our No. 1 receiver, so they’re probably going to try to do a good job of stopping him.
“Drew’s just got to do a good job of finding other guys. We’re capable, from a skill-position standpoint, to get everybody involved and make plays.”
Goodwin went on to say it’s important to be disciplined and patient while taking what the defense gives them, but it’s the part where he mentioned “Drew” that jumps out.
“Drew,” of course, is Drew Stanton, the backup quarterback who would be in line to start Thursday if Carson Palmer is not cleared from the concussion protocol in time. On Monday, head coach Bruce Arians indicated there was a chance Palmer could be ready in time, but would not know for sure until Wednesday when the team was set to leave for the Bay Area.
Though he is the offensive coordinator, Goodwin is not one to divulge injury news, and Arians said Tuesday that Palmer has been with the team in meetings and going through everything mentally, but that his status going forward is in the doctors’ hands.
And when pressed on his comment that it would be up to Stanton to make sure the ball is thrown in the right place, and if that meant he was going to start Thursday, Goodwin did his best to backtrack.
“Not necessarily,” he said. “Drew was out there today, so whoever is out there is out there. It’s not a big issue to us.
“I could play quarterback. I’ve still got to do my job and we’ve got to play.”
Goodwin made sure to reaffirm that he could play quarterback, though the hope is it does not get to that point. If Palmer is out, as many would expect him to be, the nod will go to Stanton, who started eight games in 2014 but only appeared in mop-up duty last season and then was inserted late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 17-13 loss to the Rams.
His task Thursday, should he be the starter, is to prevent a team with Super Bowl aspirations from falling to 1-4 on the season and into last place in the NFC West.
“I think that is why I’m here, to fulfill these kinds of opportunities if it presents itself,” he said on Monday. “That all remains to be seen, and again, last game is behind now and unfortunately I didn’t do what I was hoping to do and really what I thought I was going to do. Now it’s time to move on and prepare for San Francisco and try to win a division game.”
Arians and Goodwin both said the offense would not change if Stanton starts, and Fitzgerald echoed those thoughts.
“This is Drew’s fifth season now with Coach Arians; he was there one year in Indianapolis with him, he’s been here four years with him, with us,” he said. “He has a great understanding of the system; he knows the system better than anybody because he’s been in it the longest.
“Nothing’s going to change — we’re still going to take our shots — and he has full command of the offense.”
Stanton has appeared in 18 games as a Cardinal, with eight of those coming as the starter. He has completed 52.9 percent of his passes for 1,863 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
In relief of Palmer Sunday, he completed 4-of-11 passes for 37 yards with two interceptions, the second of which came on a desperation heave into the end zone as time expired on the loss. The 32-year-old is not Palmer and is the backup for a reason, but if he is under center against the 49ers, Fitzgerald is confident there is nothing he can’t do.
In fact, there are some positive differences between Stanton and Palmer.
“Drew has a very strong arm, he can make all the throws, he understands the reads and the progression and where he’s going,” Fitzgerald said, before smiling. “The only thing, and Carson probably wouldn’t like me saying this, but if Drew plays, he’s probably a little bit better of an athlete. He’s probably a little better.
“Last year, Carson tripped on the goal line getting into the end zone with nobody around. Drew would never trip like that.”
