Carson Palmer might just be what the Cardinals need
Apr 1, 2013, 6:11 PM | Updated: 6:17 pm
What did the Arizona Cardinals need last year? A quarterback that did NOT lose games.
Yet, after Kevin Kolb went down with injury, what did the Arizona Cardinals have last year? They had multiple quarterbacks who lost multiple games. Single-handedly.
As evidence, may we present the following stats? Kevin Kolb – 8 TD, 3 INT. Skelton/Lindley/Hoyer – 3 TD, 17 INT. Game over.
As a refresher, touchdowns tend to win games while turnovers typically lose games. That is, with the exception of the Atlanta game last season, where the Cards defense forced a half-dozen turnovers and the Cards still lost. Why? Everybody now — they had QBs who lost games.
So, what do the Cards need again this year? (Hint — it doesn’t include the word “liability”).
Unlike a signal caller who loses games all by his lonesome, the Cards really do not require the flip side — a player who will win the game all by himself. Now, would they welcome that? Uh, yes. A thousand times yes. But, barring a miraculous Russell Wilson discovery in the middle of the draft, a veteran/winning QB will have to suffice as the search continues.
Translation — a quarterback with a track record of success. Currently, the Cards have a collection of QBs with…potential. Yeah, that’s an apt description.
What the Cards don’t have is a proven player at the position. A proven performer who will turn the unknown into a known. A competent QB who eliminates the guessing game from game to game by the coaching staff and front office.
What’s more, the Cards need a QB who will generate buy-in from the rest of the roster.
At his breakfast meeting with the media a couple weeks ago, Bruce Arians told the story of how a veteran defender saw a single pass from Andrew Luck during a Colts practice and exclaimed — “hey, we’re back!”
Ding. That’s what the Cards need — a belief. A confidence they can compete. A quarterback that will help the team help itself, instead of inducing defeat before they break the huddle.
This season, that looks to be Carson Palmer.
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