Palmer on scrimmage: `It's a step forward'

By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Not even seven months after his left knee was crushed by a low hit in a playoff game, quarterback Carson Palmer played in a controlled scrimmage tonight.

Palmer was 4-for-9 passing for 57 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown to Tab Perry.

But more important than the numbers was the fact Palmer simply was playing and running out of the pocket away from pressure.

“Every chance I step on the field it’s a step forward, and I need to take a step forward,” Palmer said. “So far in this camp, I feel like I’ve done that.

The event drew a record crowd of 9,400.

Palmer missed his first four passes in the scrimmage, won 41-25 in a convoluted scoring system by the offense.

“It bothers me,” Palmer said of his poor start. “I want to go out and complete 100 percent of my passes, but I’m realistic also and realize you’re not going to complete every ball.”

Coach Marvin Lewis was pleased with the overall performance of the team and happy to see Palmer.

“I think Carson is overly hard on himself, harder than anybody I’ve ever been around that plays that position,” Lewis said. “As we know, he’s (modest) to a fault. He just doesn’t want to take credit for anything. But that’s his personality.”

Palmer said his surgically reconstructed left knee felt well afterward.

“And it should after a light workout like that,” he said.

Palmer estimated that he was on the field for 20 plays.

“Some good, some bad,” he said.

Palmer will not play in the mock game Saturday, he said.

He also said he needed to improve on his mechanics, such as knee bend, that caused some of his early passes to sail high and away from intended receivers.
E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com