Arizona Cardinals

Palmer on tentative play versus Packers: 'That's not my style'

Published Jan. 20, 2016 8:02 p.m. ET

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer agreed with his coach's assessment that he was a bit too cautious in the early going of Saturday's overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers. 

Palmer, though, dismissed the notion that nerves got the better of him in his pursuit of his first playoff victory. Coach Bruce Arians said after the game that Palmer was too conservative in his choice of plays.

"I think wanting it so bad, maybe too bad, being tentative, that’s not my style. That’s not our head coach’s style," Palmer told reporters Wednesday. "This is not a tentative offense. I think being tentative bit us in the butt in the first half. We came out with a different mindset -- I came out with a different mindset -- after halftime.” 

Palmer, who finished the regular season with career highs in yards, touchdowns and passer rating, threw for only 74 yards as Arizona took a 7-6 lead into halftime. Although he had a costly interception in the third quarter, he threw for 275 yards after the break.

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said he doesn't anticipate similar jitters when the Cardinals visit the top-seeded Carolina Panthers on Sunday despite the high stakes riding on the outcome - a trip to the Super Bowl.

“I think everybody got (nervousness) out of the way, and with it especially being such a tight game, it was very beneficial to us,” Arians said of the win over the Packers. “I think this preparation already, you can see a different football team. It looks like a lot of energy, a lot of focus, maybe not as much apprehension.”

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