Gardner Minshew Named Cardinals Starter Over Brissett

Gardner Minshew lit a fire under the Cardinals on Sunday, and now the job is his. Arizona coach Mike LaFleur said Monday that Minshew will be the starting quarterback going forward, with Jacoby Brissett, who had started every game this season, sliding all the way down to QB3.

LaFleur called it a gut decision because the team "needed a spark," ESPN reported. Rookie Carson Beck, a third-round pick who has been inactive all eight games, moves up to backup.

The Comeback That Changed Everything

Minshew came on with 1:35 left in the third quarter in Dallas and flipped the game. Arizona scored touchdowns on all four of his possessions in regulation, then he drove the Cardinals into range for Chad Ryland's 42-yard field goal to win it 33-30 in overtime. Brissett had gone 10 for 23 for 119 yards and been sacked four times before the switch.

Minshew's line in relief tells the story:

• 17 of 23 passing

• 188 yards

• 3 touchdowns

"He kind of showed all of us in terms of him going out there being the competitor that he is," LaFleur said. "Doesn't shock me, obviously. The production was pretty wild in terms of the amount of points and just moving up and down the field."

A Tough Call on Brissett

LaFleur did not pretend this one was easy. He said Brissett has handled the demotion like a pro and that Sunday's struggles were not all on the veteran.

"It's not a fun phone call," LaFleur said. "There's no book for that obviously. There's a human element to it. I have a lot of respect for Jacoby, the person. I have a lot of respect for Jacoby, the player."

He also said he talked to the non-quarterbacks in the building before going public so nobody was caught off guard. "We got a good group of guys in that locker room," he said. "I'm not worried about our locker room."

For Cardinals fans, this is the kind of jolt a 3-5 team needed. The question is whether a relief spark carries over into a full week of game planning by the opponent.

Next Up: Seattle

The new starter does not get an easy debut. Arizona visits the Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1:25 PM PT. The backfield is banged up too, with Jeremiyah Love and Bam Knight both hurt in Dallas and Tyler Allgeier carrying the load after they went down.

Minshew has historically leaned on his tight ends, throwing to them 12% of the time in both 2023 and 2024, a higher rate than Brissett this season. That points straight at Trey McBride, who has caught at least seven passes in 10 straight games.

Smacktok pick lean: lean higher on Trey McBride's receptions against Seattle. The tight end target share under Minshew is the most reliable thing in this offense right now. Cardinals fans finally have something to get loud about, and Sunday in Seattle will tell us if the spark is real.