Gardner Minshew II is a big piece of the equation in the Arizona Cardinals improving to 3-5 on the season.
The Arizona offense was lifeless over the first 43 minutes of action. The result?
Trailing the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 17-3. Minshew came into the game with roughly two minutes left in the third quarter.
The result of the change couldn’t be more different, as the veteran led four scoring drives in the 33-30 victory.
Read more about the response the former sixth-round pick had following the victory below.
Minshew Puts Improbable Comeback Into Perspective
The 30-year-old quarterback got very honest when discussing the win with Pam Oliver postgame (Fox Sports).
“You keep going, putting your best foot forward and you’ll give yourself a chance.”
Minshew has overcame many challenges over the course of his career. This includes receiving a benching as the Las Vegas Raiders‘ starting QB in 2024. The Cardinals are also his sixth NFL franchise.
This doesn’t seem to be holding him back from performing well when called upon. The Washington State product went 17-23 for 188 yards and threw for three touchdowns, including one that should have won the game for the Cardinals in regulation.
Read more below on how the Cardinals’ quarterback situation looks to develop in the weeks ahead.
How Arizona’s Quarterback Situation Figures to Evolve
The current arrangement at quarterback is certainly a curious situation.
To start the conversation off, one thing seems to be clear – that Jacoby Brissett will not suit up for the Cardinals again. Whether Brissett becomes the subject of a trade or he simply is a healthy scratch, the ship of him as a starter has sailed.
The brunt of the conversation now rests in whether Minshew remains the starter or if Carson Beck gets his chance. One would tend to assume that the eighth-year quarterback will play his way into starting a small handful of games. The upcoming games against the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs backs up this hypothesis.
However, there remains a faction of the fanbase that is all-in on starting Beck as soon as next week. The debate process behind this opinion is sound. It simply rests on the Cardinals’ front office needing as much information on Beck as possible prior to the 2027 draft. Beck has an opportunity to sell himself to the organization to the extent that they avoid drafting another QB early.
The front office must also evaluate if drafting one at all is a necessity.
Despite this stance, throwing Beck into the fire of three consecutive elite defenses may not be the smartest approach. The wisest angle to take in the moment seems to be sticking with Minshew, finding a trade partner for Brissett, and readying Beck for a start by the end of November.
In the meantime, the Cardinals are preparing themselves for a slugfest next Sunday. This will come in a road game against the rapidly improving Seahawks and Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s record-breaking exploits this season.
Gardner Minshew Opens Up About Cardinals’ Dramatic Comeback Win Over Cowboys