Would You Like To Hear Some Numbers, Arizona?

137 yards of total offense. 5 first downs, one of those on a penalty. 0-for-15 on first down.

Let me repeat that. 0-FOR-15 on 3RD DOWN.

Oh, and the most important number, 6. As in, six points, one fewer than the Jets scored.

Ryan Lindley's been the QB for over 10 quarters now. The Cardinals have scored 29 points in that stretch. John Skelton, hardly Tom Brady under center, had lead the Cardinals to 30 points in roughly 5.5 quarters (from the start of the Green Bay game up to his benching). The opposing defenses have scored 21 points since Lindley took over. Keep in mind, that's just them returning his mistakes to the house. It doesn't count the points their offenses scored thanks to improved field position.

What's galling is Rex Ryan was willing to bench Sanchez when it was clear he didn't have it. He turned to Greg McElroy, not because he expected McElroy to be great, but because what the hell, he couldn't be any worse. Lo and behold, McElroy did just enough to lead the Jets on their lone scoring drive.

Meanwhile, Whisenhunt is over there watching Lindley derp his way to a 6-for-20 first half, and he never considers putting Skelton back. Well, he did, but he says the coaching staff was swayed by the things Lindley was saying on the sideline. Swell. Lindley produced a sway in me as well, but it was nausea from his terrible passing.

Did you know that between the games against the Falcons and Jets, the Cardinals are +7 in turnover margin/ Yet they lost both games. Their defense is busting its ass for nothing. If Whisenhunt had kept Skelton in, the Cards win both those games. I'm not saying they would have been pretty, but I'm confident Skelton would have made just enough plays so the defense's hard work wasn't for naught. I can't say they would have won the Rams game, though I figure it would have been considerably closer since I doubt Skelton would have thrown 4 INTs.

Even if they lost that one, consider the overall circumstance. The Cardinals would have followed a 5-game losing streak by winning 2 of 3, both victories on the road no less. Instead, they're on an 8-game losing streak, and Whisenhunt is insisting Lindley gives the team its best chance to win. Which is so absurd as to be hilarious, like a bear on a jet ski. Lindley hasn't thrown a TD yet. His completion percentage is 48.5%, his yards per attempt, 2.2.

Even Skelton, in his rookie year, when he completed only 47.6% of his passes, had 2 TDs to only 2 INTs. he averaged 4.9 yards per attempt. When you're so lousy you make Rookie John Skelton look like Unitas in comparison, the only team you're helping win is whoever plays against you.

And why is LaRod Stephens-Howling the forgotten man on offense? He got one carry and one catch yesterday. How is it that Beanie Wells' return (32 carries for 70 yards the last two weeks, but also 2 TDs) somehow made LaRod the third-stringer behind Wells and William Powell? As Lindley clearly can't get the ball within 5 yards of Fitzgerald, that makes LaRod the best playmaker they have the ball can actually reach.