You're talking about two of the catalysts who got AZ to a game away from the Super Bowl, one of which was a legit MVP candidate.
It's comic relief reading many of your guys' posts. "Cut Palmer" "Rashad is terrible" "Fire Bettcher" "No Heart."
I get it--tonight sucked. It was not fun watching this team get taken to the woodshed. But the reality of the situation is a 13-3 team ran into a team that is 15-1, having almost no weaknesses whatsoever, and riding an emotional high into the playoffs. Simply put, Carolina is the better team.
For Arizona to get to the big game, it has to shore up some of its weaknesses. For starters, find some defensive linemen and pass rushers. The draft should yield a couple of decent linebackers and perhaps some linemen in the deeper rounds. For the offensive line, it's time for Cooper and DJ to **** or get off the pot. If both even get close to their potential next season, we have a very stout offensive line.
As for Carson, while I'm disappointed in his overall playoff performance this year, I still feel he's the right fit for this offense and can take this team to the next level. He may only have one or two more seasons based on age and health, but the ability is there. If I've learned anything about Carson in the three years he's been with Arizona, it's that we should never count him out. I think Palmer will take this as a learning opportunity on how to better prepare mentally for playoff games and how to not get so jacked. I mean, he could've rolled over and died after his second torn ACL, but was up and ready to go by training camp and played like the second best quarterback in the NFL. That takes a lot of mental toughness, and you can see that same attitude reflected onto Honey Badger. I'm also fairly certain that there are torn ligaments in Palmer's index finger, which will require a procedure.
I'm very disappointed in the outcome of the season, but I take solace in the fact that this team has a great owner, great GM, and great coach in place, all of whom will not let this team fade into the abyss.