Cardinals Quarterback Palmer Saves Best For Last

Dec 22, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) calls out plays at the line during the second half at CenturyLink Field. Arizona defeated Seattle 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

By all accounts, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer had a bad day in Seattle.  His four interceptions and several other close ones will tell that story.  In the end though, it was his arm and his tackling that saved the 17-10 win for the Cards over the Seattle Seahawks.

This was probably the closest I had come all season to yelling out for Cards head coach Bruce Arians to yank him in favor of backup Drew Stanton.  Whatever the issue was early on, it was clear Palmer was not on the same page as his receivers or his coach based on the conversation Palmer was seen having with Arians after one of the picks.  I believe I even sent out the words “Palmer must have taken stupid pills today.”  I was angry.

However, before I got to the point of complete disgust and giving in and saying others were right about him, I remembered what he had done to get the Cards to this point over the past two months.  I also knew replacing him in a close game that had all the appearances of staying that way no matter what happened, would have been a bad move.  Unless Palmer was hurt, he needed to be the guy out there.

Palmer made two plays that changed the course of this entire game.  Of course he had the beautiful 31-yard touchdown pass that was as equally as great of a catch by receiver Michael Floyd.  Even with the elbow injury he has been nursing, his arm strength definitely did not lack on Sunday.

The other great play he made was after his tipped ball was intercepted right before halftime.  Instead of sulking and giving up on the play, he ran down Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith after a 32-yard return and stopped him short of scoring.  The Hawks ended up with no points after starting first and goal at the three yard line and then a missed field goal.

Sure, the stats will say he had a bad day, an awful day.  For the first half, that was true.  At times though he did exactly what the Cards needed him to do in that tough environment and came away with the first victory for an opposing quarterback in Seattle in 14 games.