Cardinals QB Carson Palmer leaves game with knee injury
Nov 9, 2014, 11:59 PM | Updated: Nov 10, 2014, 2:18 am
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer left the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Rams with a reported left knee injury. It is the same knee he injured in 2006 as a Cincinnati Bengal.
Palmer appeared to injure himself attempting to avoid a sack and was carted to the locker room for evaluation. He did not return, finishing the game having completed 25-of-36 passes for 241 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
“We don’t know anything about Carson’s injury or the length or whatever it is yet,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “It is obviously a knee, but it will be evaluated and get an MRI and everything and we’ll know something more hopefully by Tuesday.”
Drew Stanton replaced Palmer and threw a touchdown on his first drive of the game, and afterwards said it is a difficult situation to deal with because Palmer is the team’s leader.
“Any time you lose a key like that, it’s difficult because he was in there and was playing a great game and we were battling trying to win a football game.
“We’ll just continue to weather the storm, whatever it is. We’ll continue to progress and try and get ready for a Detroit team that is coming in here playing at a really high level.”
While Arians was not able to confirm how long Palmer will be out, it seems likely Stanton will get the nod next week, and possibly for more time after that. The coach once again expressed confidence in Stanton, who finished Sunday’s win completing 3-of-5 passes for 85 yards and the touchdown, and on the season has completed 46-of-93 passes for 614 yards and three touchdowns.
“Fortunately we’ve had the opportunity to have Drew for a couple games this year and it’s given us a lot of confidence in Drew’s ability to go out and execute,” receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. “He’s been with B.A. longer than any of us on this team have been, so he understands the offense the best out of all of us.
“So we know Drew can operate and make this thing go. We’re optimistic about Carson, hopefully he’ll be able to be back with us next week, and we’re still keeping hope.”
The Cardinals have been down this road before, and while they’d rather not be in this situation, there was no lack of confidence, no sense that a promising season was about to go down the drain.
The way Arians sees it, Stanton is undefeated this season as a starter.
“He didn’t lose any because he didn’t finish the one that we did lose,” he said. “Like I said from day one, I’m always comfortable with Drew at quarterback.”
