On Sunday, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer left their game against the Los Angeles Rams with an arm injury and so left the Arizona Cardinals 2018 Super Bowl chances in the process. This means the Cardinals will be without their starting quarterback in NFL Week 8.
The injury occurred late in the second quarter when Palmer was hit by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald as he threw a pass with 5:48 left in the first half. The pass ended up being intercepted by Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner.
Palmer was examined by team physicians on the sidelines. He then jogged around the field before going into the locker room, clearly favoring his left arm as he moved.
When Palmer left the game, the Cardinals were down 6-0, but the Rams capitalized on the interception with running back Todd Gurley scoring on an 18 yard touchdown run the very next play.
Palmer finished the game completing 10 of 18 passes for 122 yards and 1 interception. Drew Stanton replaced Palmer in the lineup and finished the game completing 5 of 14 passes for 62 yards and 1 interception.
After the game, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said Palmer suffered a broken left arm and would have surgery when the team returns home from London, where the game was played.
Palmer is expected to miss at least eight weeks, and could possibly be out for the remainder of the season.
With Palmer out, the Cardinals fell to 3-4. Arizona was considered a fringe playoff team with Palmer in the lineup, if he is unable to play for the rest of the year, Arizona’s chances of making the playoffs this season are drastically reduced.
The last time Palmer missed a majority of the season, the Cardinals managed to make the playoffs, but this time around, they don’t have a team as deep as their 2014 team, and will also have a tough time getting past the Rams, who are now 5-2, and the Seattle Seahawks, who are in second place in the division.
At this point, the Cardinals might be better off tanking the rest of their season and drafting a franchise quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft.
