Cardinals name Minshew as starter, move Brissett to QB3 - ESPN

TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew will be Arizona's starting quarterback going forward, coach Mike LaFleur said Monday, kicking off a reshuffle of the team's rotation.

Rookie Carson Beck will be Minshew's backup after previously being the emergency third quarterback, and Jacoby Brissett, who had started every game this season, will become the QB3.

The Cardinals play the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday.

Minshew replaced Brissett with 1:35 left in the third quarter on Sunday and led Arizona to a come-from-behind 33-30 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in overtime. Arizona scored touchdowns on all four of the possessions Minshew led in regulation. He then led Arizona on the winning drive in overtime that ended with a 42-yard field goal by Chad Ryland. Minshew finished with 188 yards and three touchdowns on 17-for-23 passing.

LaFleur said Monday that the switch came down to a gut decision because he believed Arizona «needed a spark.»

«He kind of showed all of us in terms of him going out there being the competitor that he is,» LaFleur said of Minshew. «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. But he's a competitor, and he's always prepared. He's preparing like he's the starter. He's preparing like he's going to be in there for whatever snap. He supported Jacoby at a high level, too. He's been a great backup for him, been great for the room, and look forward to the challenge that we have this week with him.»

Demoting Brissett to the emergency third quarterback role wasn't easy, LaFleur said. Brissett was 10-for-23 for 119 yards and was sacked four times before he was pulled Sunday. LaFleur acknowledged that the situation