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Can the Cardinals win the Superbowl without Carson Palmer?

By Eric Saar

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer reacts as he is taken off the field on a cart after suffering an injury in the second half against the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer reacts as he is taken off the field on a cart after suffering an injury in the second half against the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Can the Cardinals win the Superbowl without Carson Palmer?

The hits keep on coming as the Arizona Cardinals lost their starting quarterback Carson Palmer to a season-ending injury after Palmer went down with a knee injury in last Sunday’s victory against the Rams. The timing seemed extremely unfortunate as the Cardinals had just signed him to a three-year contract extension just days before.

This continues a string of devastating injuries that have plagued Arizona so far. In addition to losing Daryl Washington due to suspension, they lost Darnell Docket early in the season. To make it worse, Calais Campbell and running back Andre Ellington have been banged up and even before his knee injury, Palmer missed three games with a shoulder issue.

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) is pursued by St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington (38) is pursued by St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Setting the stage

Regardless, the Cards are 8-1 and continue to hold the best record in the whole NFL. They are the only team with only one loss, and that was against the powerhouse Denver Broncos in a game that the Cardinals had to survive with their third-string quarterback.

They are in the NFC West with the reigning Superbowl champion Seattle Seahawks, as well as the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams in what is known as the strongest division in football.

Since QB Sam Bradford and other key players went down for the Rams, they haven’t been in the playoff race. The 49ers and Seahawks are still on the outside looking in, but are on the cusp of making the postseason if everything goes their way.

Schedule

The Cards play host to the 7-2 Detroit Lions Sunday, followed by a matchup with the division rival Seahawks in Seattle then the Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs. To finish out the year, they play everyone in the division, starting with an away game in St. Louis, followed by hosting the Seahawks and going to the new Levis Stadium to play the 49ers.

Detroit will probably beat the Cardinals as they seem to be an elite team, especially with superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson back from injury and seemingly back to 100 percent healthy. Arizona will probably split the games with the Seahawks, winning their respective home games. They will beat the Falcons, squeak by the Chiefs and probably have a letdown in the regular season finale in San Francisco for a final record of 12-4, good for a division win and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

The playoffs

We obviously don’t know who the Cardinals could be facing if, but probably when, they are in the playoffs, but we do know matchups.

The Cardinals could have trouble with the Packers and Lions (and to a lesser extent the Eagles and Cowboys if they make it to the postseason). This is because those teams have good passing attacks and the Cards are amazing at defending the run (3rd in NFL), but are bad at defending through the air (30th in the NFL). In the Superbowl it’s probably going to be the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos or potentially the Indianapolis Colts.

The Quarterback situation in the Desert

It’s really a bummer for fans in Arizona that Palmer got injured. This team had something special. They had a stout defense, playmakers at all the skill positions and the stability at the quarterback position as the glue that takes a team to the next level.

Stanton is a competent NFL quarterback. He’s not quite as good, as accomplished or as experienced as Palmer, but he can get the job done. He can get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, Jon Brown and Andre Ellington, while not even being relegated to merely a game manager.

What this unfortunate change in quarterback specifically does is give the defense and really every player on the roster nearly no margin for error.

Predictions

This is the year. This is the year that an NFL team will play in and win the Superbowl in their own hometown. It’s not the popular pick, and maybe I’m a bit biased, but it just seems perfect. The defense is elite and the offense makes plays when it needs to.

They’ll overcome the odds and beat the Packers in the NFC championship game, then beat the Patriots in the Superbowl.

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