Pro Football Focus: Palmer rated NFL’s top QB entering Week 6
Oct 16, 2015, 9:45 AM | Updated: 9:51 am
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Arizona Cardinals are flying high, sporting a 4-1 record and perhaps the most well-rounded team in football thanks to consistently impressive efforts this season from each of the offense, defense and special teams.
Leading the charge for the Cardinals has been quarterback Carson Palmer; a player who less than a year ago was dealt a season-ending knee injury that didn’t exactly bode well for the the-34-year-old’s long-term prospects as the Cards’ signal-caller.
With his knee now fully rehabilitated, Palmer has exuded tremendous confidence and little-to-no rust operating at the controls of Arizona’s potent offense. Tied for the league lead in touchdown passes with 13 alongside Packers quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, Palmer also ranks sixth in the league with 1,316 passing yards, while efficiently completing nearly 65 percent of his passes (64.9).
Yet, that only tells part of the story.
According to grades on a 0-100 scale handed out by Pro Football Focus through five weeks of the regular season, Palmer actually rates as the league’s top quarterback.
Says PFF:
1. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals, 91.2
Palmer’s terrific start continued against the Lions on Sunday, even though he only had to throw the ball 14 times. He has been absolutely dominant at the intermediate level (10-19 yards), particularly between the numbers, where he’s completed 28-of-30 for 467 yards and five touchdowns.
Though he likely won’t get the chance to square off against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was among PFF’s highest-graded quarterbacks in the league prior to suffering a minor knee injury in Week 3 at St. Louis, Palmer will get the chance this Sunday to take advantage of a Pittsburgh secondary that has allowed 257 passing yards per game through five games.