Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is putting Drew Stanton back in the lineup as quarterback.
After Sunday's loss in Washington, Bruce Arians said Blaine Gabbert was going to remain the Cardinals' starting quarterback.
Monday, the coach changed his mind.
After watching the video from the Washington game, Arians has decided to re-insert Drew Stanton into the lineup for Sunday's home game against the New York Giants. Stanton hasn't played since hurting his knee against Seattle Nov. 9. In the meantime, Gabbert started five games, although the results had been diminishing.
"It's no fault of Blaine," Arians said, noting Gabbert's inexperience in certain situations within the offense. "But Drew knows all those scenarios and he's healthy enough. It's a matter of us getting all
those touchdowns that are there, from experience, and trying to win this game.
"But it is not an indictment of Blaine. I think he has played his ass off."
The Cardinals have not scored a touchdown in their past two games, and in more than 10 quarters overall. They had six trips to the red zone Sunday, but could only kick five field goals along with a Gabbert interception.
"Drew is going to give us a better chance to win this game this week," Arians said. "That's all it is about.
"We're not going to throw our hands up and say, 'Let's lose the games, getting a better draft pick.' That's all (expletive) to me."
In Gabbert's five starts, the Cardinals posted a 2-3 record. He completed 56 percent of his passes for 1,086 yards, six touchdowns, six interceptions and a 71.9 passer rating. In Stanton's two starts this season, the Cards went 1-1. He completed 51 percent of his passes for 474 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and a 77.5 passer rating.
Both players are scheduled to become free agents after the season.
Stanton has fully recovered from his knee injury – he hasn't been on the injury report for two weeks – and can move around. Arians is also trying to trim down the number of places offensive execution might fail because of inexperience.
"If it was Carson (Palmer) and David (Johnson) and John Brown and all those guys, I'd look at it totally different," Arians said. "You have to accept some of it as a coach when it is youth, and guys are doing it for the first time."
BRITTAN GOLDEN GOING TO IR
Arians said wide receiver Brittan Golden (arm) will head to injured reserve having already undergone surgery for his break suffered at the end of the game Sunday. Defensive lineman Olsen Pierre also has the flu, a concern after tight end Jermaine Gresham missed the game because of the same illness.
Arians didn't have any other updates, although he was holding out hope for linebacker Karlos Dansby (calf) and tight end Troy Niklas (ankle). Also hurt Sunday were defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche (wrist), running back Kerwynn Williams (quad) and linebacker Josh Bynes (leg).
