Drew Stanton is doing his best - he'll always do his best, it's what makes him a great backup quarterback in the National Football League.
He'll work hard, he'll eat and sleep well, he'll support the starter while preparing as if he's the guy, week in and week out, day after day, offseason after grueling offseason.
But then when an injury, like the ACL tear suffered by Carson Palmer, forces him into the lineup for any extended length of time and he's suddenly tasked with leading a professional-level offense and performing at a consistently high level on a regular basis, he'll go out on that field on Sunday (or Monday or Thursday) and let down an entire NFL fan base - not because he's a bad guy, not because he didn't watch enough film or because he was out late the night before the game.
No, Drew Stanton is, by most accounts, a quality guy and a hard working backup - but that's exactly what he is - a backup. His insertion into the starting lineup for the Arizona Cardinals is now and will continue to lead directly to the death of the team's season.
On Sunday, Arizona went down 17-0 against the barely-keeping-it-together Atlanta Falcons and were never able to recover, eventually succumbing to a 29-18 loss. The defense, led by top flight cornerback Patrick Peterson -- who was continually victimized by Julio Jones to the tune of 10 receptions for 189 yards-- certainly didn't perform up to snuff. However, it was the two interceptions and general ineffectiveness by Stanton and the offense that was the most troubling.
The Stanton-led Cardinals offense managed two punts, an interception and a fumble before it finally put points on the board thanks to a late second-quarter field goal. It was three more punts and an interception after halftime before the Cardinals added a garbage-time touchdown.
On the season, Stanton has a 55.3 completion percentage, with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He's a game manager who tends to start turning the ball over whenever he lets it loose or ventures outside the game plan.
On a team with a strong running game, he can be an extremely effective quarterback. But the Cardinals, though they have some of the necessary aspects to fit that organizational personality - namely a strong defense led by Todd Bowles and a head coach in Bruce Arians committed to running the ball - are not yet that team. Arizona is 31st in the league in rushing yards, and though Andre Ellington is an extremely talented back, he's only got 660 yards on the season and averages a paltry 3.3 yards per rush.
The Cardinals have now lost two games in a row for the first time this season, managing only 21 points in their the last eight quarters of play.
And their remaining schedule? Daunting, to say the least.
"We're going to find out about the 2014 Cardinals this week," linebacker Larry Foote said, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. "Adversity is here. I'm kind of excited to see what type of team we've got. Our story is still being written.
"She's here. Miss Adversity. I'm excited to see how we respond. I'm excited to see if we are in the meetings (Monday)-- see in guys' eyes, if we're ready."
The Cardinals still lead the NFC West with a record of 9-3, but it is not the record or previous play that is worrisome or of any importance - it's how the offense responds and how Stanton performs from here on out.
