HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 28: Carson Palmer #3 of the Arizona Cardinals passes against the Houston Texans in the first quarter of a preseason NFL game at NRG Stadium on August 28, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals (1-3) have had a rough start to the season, and it just got worse.
Starting quarterback Carson Palmer will not play Thursday night against the 49ers in San Francisco due to a concussion, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.
Palmer, 36, suffered a concussion in last week’s 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and has yet to be cleared by an independent neurologist. Thus, he will not travel with the team this week out of precaution, coach Bruce Arians stated.
Drew Stanton will thus replace Palmer on Thursday for his first start of the season. The game will mark Stanton’s first start since 2014 when he made eight in place of Palmer (shoulder, ACL). Stanton is 7-5 in his career as a starter — 5-3 in 2014.
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Stanton can lead the Cardinals offense well enough, but doesn’t have the downfield ability of Palmer, and struggles with accuracy and fitting balls into tight windows.
In relief last Sunday he completed 4 of 11 passes (36.4 percent) for 37 yards and two interceptions.
Stanton is a career 54 percent passer. In his 2014 season, he set a career-high with a 7.1 yards per pass average — that mark would currently place him 23rd in 2016.
Arizona should rely heavily on running backs David Johnson and Andre Ellington on Thursday against a San Francisco defense that has allowed 165.7 rushing yards per game over Week 2-4.
The Cardinals also promoted Zac Dysert from the practice squad so they would have an active backup to Stanton.
HOUSTON, TX – AUGUST 28: Carson Palmer #3 of the Arizona Cardinals passes against the Houston Texans in the first quarter of a preseason NFL game at NRG Stadium on August 28, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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