Jurecki: Cardinals’ Blaine Gabbert expected to start Sunday vs. Houston
Nov 14, 2017, 8:45 AM | Updated: 4:41 pm
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Arizona Cardinals aren’t ready to make an announcement about their starting quarterback for Sunday, but our own Mike Jurecki is.
The Cardinals insider and co-host of The Blitz with B-Train and Jurecki on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station says sources have informed him that Blaine Gabbert is expected to be the starting quarterback for Arizona when the Cardinals face Houston at NRG Stadium.
Drew Stanton, who started the last two games for the Cardinals, suffered a sprained knee in a 22-16 loss to Seattle last Thursday night, and although he finished the game, he won’t be the man in Week 11, according to Jurecki.
The Cardinals did sign free agent Matt Barkley Monday as well.
Gabbert has 40 starts on his NFL résumé, going 9-31 in his time in Jacksonville and San Francisco. Gabbert most recently saw action with San Francisco, starting five games in 2016 and completing nearly 57 percent of his passes for 925 yards and five touchdowns against six interceptions.
The former 2011 first-round pick of the Jaguars out of Missouri saw his most extensive playing time as a rookie, when he started 14 games and threw for 2,214 yards with 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a team that finished 5-11. He started 10 games the next season then just three in 2013 before being traded to the 49ers in March of 2014 for a sixth-round draft pick.
The Cardinals signed Gabbert to a one-year contract in May and the 28-year-old performed well in preseason, completing 41-of-67 passes for 547 yards with a touchdown and an interception — a quarterback rating of 85.9.
He has yet to take a snap in a regular-season game for the Cardinals.
