Cardinals Bench Jacoby Brissett for Gardner Minshew in Third Quarter vs. Cowboys
Arizona pulled its every-week starter while trailing Dallas 17-3, and Minshew's first drive ended in a 63-yard Tyler Allgeier touchdown
The Cardinals made a quarterback change in Dallas on Sunday. Jacoby Brissett was benched late in the third quarter with Arizona trailing the Cowboys 17-3, and backup Gardner Minshew took over.
Brissett's afternoon was rough by any measure. He completed 10 of 23 passes for 119 yards with an interception and was sacked four times, as Theo Mackie laid out. Mackie also noted Brissett missed several open receivers, including an easy throw he sailed high on a potential first down.
Jacoby Brissett's stat line: 10/23, 119 yards, 1 INT, 4 sacksView on X →
Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie): Jacoby Brissett's stat line: 10/23, 119 yards, 1 INT, 4 sacks
It's a significant move because Brissett has started every game for the Cardinals this season, as Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports pointed out. Coach Mike LaFleur hasn't explained the decision yet, and there's no word on whether it's a one-game switch or the start of something longer.
Minshew's first series gave Arizona a jolt right away. Two plays in, Tyler Allgeier broke a 63-yard touchdown run, the Cardinals' first touchdown of the day, to cut the deficit to 17-10.
Not all of Sunday's problems were on the quarterback. Arizona averaged 2.5 yards per carry and 4.3 yards per pass play in the first half behind an offensive line that struggled to hold up, and the injuries piled up. Jeremiyah Love hurt his ankle again in his first game back, Bam Knight was ruled out with a concussion and Kendrick Bourne left with a high ankle sprain. With Evan Hull inactive, Allgeier was the only healthy running back left.
Rookie Carson Beck was inactive as the emergency third quarterback, so Minshew is the only other option for the rest of the afternoon. Arizona came into the day 2-5, and LaFleur's postgame explanation of the switch will say a lot about who starts next week.