Cardinals' Carson Palmer used rehab time to correct flaw in throwing motion

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer says he's back and better than ever after finishing last season on IR with a torn ACL - and not just when it comes to the health of his surgically-repaired knee.

Palmer spoke with The MMQB's Jenny Vrentas recently and said he took advantage of his slow and deliberate ACL rehab to correct a flaw in his throwing motion:

Since he had to retrain his body anyway, he used the time to correct a flaw in his throwing mechanics - a bad habit he slipped into last season. He noticed on film that when he was working through reads on the left side of the field, as he was getting his eyes and his body to his second, third and fourth reads, he was putting his weight in his heels and leaning back, instead of staying on the balls of his feet. When that happens, he explains, your body naturally falls (in) that direction. He saw on film that he was drifting to his left in the pocket, sliding into the left tackle and throwing off-balance.

Palmer said the alteration will improve his accuracy and completion percentage, plus make his left tackle's job easier.

With a healthy Palmer back under center, the Cardinals look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders. They were 6-0 in games he started last season, but skidded to a disappointing finish after he and backup Drew Stanton went down to injury.

At 35 years old, Palmer said he knows the time is now if he's ever going to get to the big game.

"I think about that all the time. Absolutely," he said. "You only get so many shots. I'm hoping this is lucky No. 13. I believe it is. It is another thing, though, to go out and prove it."