Mike LaFleur explains keeping Jacoby Brissett the Cardinals' starting QB amid Carson Beck chatter

Before the Arizona Cardinals' 30-16 home loss to the Denver Broncos wrapped up this past Sunday, pockets of Cardinals fans posting on social media suggested that the time is now for first-year head coach Mike LaFleur to bench starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett in favor of 2026 third-round draft pick Carson Beck.

However, LaFleur confirmed shortly after Sunday's game that Brissett will start when the 2-5 Cardinals play at the 3-4 Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 1. While speaking with reporters on Monday, LaFleur explained his handling of the team's current quarterback situation. 

Jacoby Brissett is still moving the Cardinals' offense during games

"He’s still the starter. …It’s collective," LaFleur said about Brissett, per Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. "If the ball was just stagnant for 60 minutes and you couldn’t even cross the 50-yard line, it’d be one thing. But we’ve been down inside the 10-yard line 10 times over the last two games. The ball is moving, but we got to finish jobs. And again, that starts with me, but that’s a collective effort."

As Alex D’Agostino of PHNX Sports noted, the Cardinals scored only one touchdown in the 10 red-zone trips they made over their past two games. While they earned an upset 18-16 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 18, Arizona's Chad Ryland made six field-goal attempts in that victory. 

Meanwhile, ESPN stats show that Brissett ranks 22nd in the NFL among qualified players with a 53.6 adjusted QBR for the season. Per Pro-Football-Reference, he's 25th with an 82.8 passer rating and 20th with an average of 228.6 passing yards per game. Over seven contests, Brissett tossed 10 touchdown passes and six interceptions.  

Cardinals not yet having "conversations" about playing Carson Beck

Brissett is a journeyman who isn't a long-term answer for any club at this point, so it makes sense that a Cardinals team that may become a seller ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline would want to see what Beck can do against live defenses. LaFleur clearly isn't ready to go down such a road quite yet. 

"The players got to go execute, and I got to put them in better positions and give them the clarity to go do so," LaFleur added. "And then when they do have that clarity, they got to make the plays. We know that. We’re not going to shy away from that. We got to finish the job when we’re [in the red zone], and I don’t even think we’re having these conversations right now."

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Cardinals as 6.5-point road underdogs against the Cowboys. Arizona's bye isn't until Week 14, but it's nevertheless possible that Brissett could remain atop the club's depth chart until that break arrives.