Stats don’t lie: Carson Palmer among NFL’s best since Week 8, 2013
Jul 21, 2015, 12:24 PM | Updated: 3:43 pm
There are varying opinions on just how good a quarterback Carson Palmer is.
In some ways, really, that’s how it has been his entire career.
A former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick, he has had some brilliant seasons, as would be evidenced by his pair of Pro Bowl nods.
However, he is also a quarterback who has thrown at least 20 interceptions in a season three times, and has yet to lead a team to a postseason victory.
Tuesday, a panel of ESPN insiders placed the Arizona passer in the third tier of NFL QBs, largely due to injury concerns.
Palmer is, after all, recovering from his second career torn ACL.
But one thing you really can’t question with regards to the 35-year-old is his team’s success with him on the field. That’s evidenced in this tweet:
Carson Palmer has the best W-L record in the NFL since Week 8 of 2013. pic.twitter.com/RJS0yeuj7p
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 21, 2015
Now, there is certainly more into the Cardinals’ record over that span than just Palmer’s performance. Yet, since winning is the most important thing a quarterback can do, it’s tough to look at Palmer and question his viability as the team’s starter at the position.
Over that 15-game stretch, Palmer has completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 4,159 yards and 27 touchdowns. He’s been picked off just 12 times, posting a QB rating of 96.1.
And if you’re wondering, the two losses over that span both came in 2013, when Arizona fell at Philadelphia 24-21 and vs. San Francisco, 23-20. In those two games, Palmer combined to complete 52-of-90 passes for 709 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions.