Cardinals Yet to Decide on Starting Quarterback vs. 49ers
The Arizona Cardinals trotted out QB David Blough at Mercedes-Benz Stadium yesterday, officially marking their fourth consecutive different quarterback to start a game.
Blough, following in the footsteps of Kyler Murray, Colt McCoy and Trace McSorley, looked fairly comfortable as Arizona's general on offense. He completed 24-of-40 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown in the 20-19 loss in Atlanta.
With just one week remaining, the Cardinals have a few different options at quarterback as they prepare for the San Francisco 49ers.
Kliff Kingsbury, who met with reporters earlier today, said he wasn't ready to announce a starter just yet.
"We'll see where everybody's at. Haven't met with the medical staff yet and gone over those things, that'd be this afternoon. So we'll see over the next two days, kind of how that falls," he told the media.
The Cardinals were previously ready to welcome back McCoy from a concussion last week, as he practiced on Wednesday/Thursday and told reporters he was cleared from the medical staff.
Yet his absence last Friday sparked questions about his availability before Kingsbury revealed he was still dealing with symptoms from the concussion suffered against Denver.
With McSorley not exactly impressing in Week 16, the Cardinals opted for Blough on a short week.
"I thought operationally he did well. Moved the ball, made good decisions for the most part. That was basically the one day of actually full practice. So I liked just how he handled himself and [there is] things we like to have back, no doubt, but for the most part, I thought [with] the limited time on task he did a nice job," Kingsbury said of Blough's performance.
Admittedly so, Blough looked much more collected and poised under center compared to what the Cardinals saw out of McSorley. Kingsbury said he's simply naturally calm:
"Yeah, I think that's his nature. The first day in the meeting room he just has that type of demeanor. And on the practice field, he doesn't get rattled if he makes a mistake or makes a bad throw. And so it's been fun to be around him," he said.
Blough was fairly complimentary of Kingsbury and the line of communication between the two, an obviously important facet in the head coach-quarterback dynamic.
"I try to work the same with all of them. I think with him, like I said, being that he just had one day of work, I may have had a few extra pointers or tips there towards the end of it," said Kingsbury in response to Blough's praise. "But he picked it up quickly and he recognized things quickly and got us in the right play and managed the offense most of the game."
Kingsbury said McCoy was not currently in the concussion protocol, which bodes well for his potential to play against the 49ers. Arizona, having been out of the postseason mix for weeks, has taken an ultra conservative approach to players pushing themselves to play as the season concludes.
With McCoy/Blough/McSorley all now having starting experience under their belt, Arizona hopes to have their pick of quarterback moving into their final 60 minutes of the 2022 season.
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