The 2012 Arizona Cardinals with Carson Palmer at the Helm

Thanks to a fellow ROTBer on Jess Roots Yeremiah Bell post, I can now make a hypothetical article. His request was that we make a hypothetical post in which we replace our Cardinals passing stats, with that of Carson Palmer had he played in Arizona last season.. So let us begin... (Again this is all hypothetical)

Week 1: Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals 20-16

Cardinals Week 1 Passing Stats: 20/36, 215 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 32/46, 297 Yards, 1 TD

Had Carson Palmer posted these numbers with Arizona in Week 1, the last second possible game winning drive by the Seattle Seahawks most likely would not have occurred. John Skeltons pick came as he was attempting to retake the lead after the Cardinals feel down 16-13. We still would have won.

(1-0)

Week 2: Arizona Cardinals @ New England Patriots 20-18

Cardinals Week 2 Passing Stats: 15/27, 242 Yards, 1 TD

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 24/48, 373, 1 TD, 1 INT

Both Palmer and Brady would have battled it out here. Brady had 316 yards 1 TD and 1 INT, and those extra 57 yards that Palmer threw over Brady would be the difference. After all, Kolb did throw for 242 yards.

(2-0)

Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals 27-6

Cardinals Week 3 Passing Stats: 17/24, 222, 2 TD's

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 24/34, 209, 3 TD's, 1 INT

Cardinals continue to win, Palmer throwing one more TD, to go with Sanders Pick 6, thus making the blowout one score more, 34-6.

(3-0)

Week 4: Miami Dolphins @ Arizona Cardinals 24-21

Cardinals Week 4 Passing Stats: 29/48, 324 Yards, 3 TD's, 2 INT's

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 19/34, 202

Cardinals take their first loss of the season as Carson Palmer cannot get past the Dolphins secondary.

(3-1)

Week 5: Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams 17-3

Cardinals Week 5 Passing Stats: 28/50, 289 Yards

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 23/33, 353, 1 TD, 1 INT

Palmers game wouldn't have made much of a difference, It would have closed the gap however and made it a 17-10 loss.

(3-2)

Week 6: Buffalo Bills @ Arizona Cardinals 19-16

Cardinals Week 6 Passing Stats: 16/36, 173 Yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 26/46, 298 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

The second INT of the game came from John Skelton in OT to give the Bills their game winning FG, by eliminating that, it remains a tied game but the bonus yardage is enough for another TD, Cardinals stop their skid.

(4-2)

Week 7: Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings 21-14

Cardinals Week 7 Passing Stats: 25/36, 262 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 14/28, 209 Yards, 2 TD's 1 INT

Cardinals tie the game 21-21, and force OT late in the game. The Cardinals D has since shut down the Vikings offense and gives the Cardinals another W.

(5-2)

Week 8: San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals 24-3

Cardinals Week 8 Passing Stats: 32/52, 290 Yards, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 39/61, 414 Yards, 4 TD's, 3 INT's

It's a horrendous game, but Carson Palmer out tosses Alex Smith, and the Cardinals continue to be the surprise team in the NFL, Cardinals win, 31-14.

(6-2)

Week 9: Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers 31-17

Cardinals Week 9 Passing Stats: 23/46, 306 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 29/45, 368 Yards, 2 TD's, 1 INT

Palmer doesn't do much but close the gap, making it 24-31 and his late game drive is halted, dropping the Cardinals another loss, heading into the Bye Week.

(6-3)

Week 11: Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons 23-19

Cardinals Week 11 Passing Stats: 11/27, 70 Yards

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 22/40, 312 Yards, 2 TD's, 2 INT's

Thank goodness for Palmer. We won't have to cry after this. Palmer supports the Defense big day by tossing a pair of TD's, to go with the Hyphens one, and Jay Feely's hat-trick. Cardinals win 36-23.

(7-3)

Week 12: St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals 31-17

Cardinals Week 12 Passing Stats: 31/52, 312 Yards, 4 INT's

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 19/34, 146, 1 TD, 1 INT

We can eliminate the two pick six's from Lindley dropping the score to 17, incorporate Palmers lone TD pass, the Score is 24-17, Cardinals win and avoid the sweep from the Rams.

(8-3)

Week 13: Arizona Cardinals @ New York Jets 6-7

Cardinals Week 13 Passing Stats: 10/31, 72 Yards, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 34/54, 351 Yards, 2 TD's 1 INT

Instantly we win this, the Jets couldn't move the ball and only scored because Greg McElroy came in to relieve Mark Sanchez. Cardinals win 14-7.

(9-3)

Week 14: Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks: 58-0

Cardinals Week 14 Passing Stats: 19/39, 133 Yards, 4 INT's

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 19/30, 273, 2 TD's 1 INT

A game to remember.... NOT. Carson Palmer comes in and makes us look somewhat decent, eliminated the Seahwks two picks six's, making it 44-0, add in Palmers two TD's and we lose by a meager 30 points, and the Seahawks can't say "Oh we won 58-0"... Pisses me off.

(9-4)

Week 15: Detroit Lions @ Arizona Cardinals 38-10

Cardinals Week 15 Passing Stats: 14/21, 104 Yards, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 18/29, 182 Yards

Despite Carson Palmer not throwing any TD's, we still win due to Beanie Wells 3 score game, and our two return TD's.

(10-4)

Week 16: Chicago Bears @ Arizona Cardinals 28-13

Cardinals Week 16 Passing Stats: 28/49, 246 Yards ,2 INT's

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: 3/3 31 Yards

Game doesn't come out any different with Carson Palmer suffering his injury. Although he will be available next week.

(10-5)

Week 17: Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers 27-13

Cardinals Week 17 Passing Stats: 19/34, 225 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Carson Palmer Weekly Stats: N/A

Coach Whiz decides to bench Palmer to rest him for the Playoffs. We lose.

(10-6)

Ultimately what does this change? It's likely Whisenhunt gets another season as the Cardinals Head Coach. Would we make the Playoffs though?

The Falcons remain in the top seed at 12-4 (We beat them this time thus they drop from 13-3), the Niners are replaced by the Packers as the #2 seed, after they end with a 10-4-1 record, the Seahawks win the division at putting them in the #3 seed, and the Redskins remain the #4 seed. This is where it gets tricky. We beat the Vikings, they end their season at 9-7, and are replaced by the Bears. However due to our loss to the Bears, we are kept out of the playoffs as the Niners boast 2-1-1 record over our 2-2 record. We don't quite lose out on massive talent, but knowing Rod Graves and Ken Whisenhunts drafting, the guy after us will be a Pro-Bowl talent guy, and ours will struggle and likely not see a down to start his career.

Again this is all hypothetical after de long juan requested this.