let it affect your confidence too much, it's a learning experience."

The Cardinals aren't in an ideal situation needing to start Lindley against the Seahawks Sunday night with Drew Stanton dealing with a knee injury. But in a confidence that stems from coach Bruce Arians down, there doesn't seem to be any concern now that they are here.

Arians reiterated Wednesday Lindley's preparation is excellent and that the coach trusts Lindley when it comes to mental makeup. Arians added the plan for Lindley to win doesn't have to be complicated.

"Just be himself," Arians said. "Just take the game plan and execute it. Throw it accurately and don't try to be a hero and force things. But, don't play scared, play smart."

Lindley is a different quarterback than the one Ken Whisenhunt marched out there for an initial home start against the Rams Nov. 25, 2012 – a game in which Lindley threw for his career-high 312 yards, but also his career-worst four interceptions.

Lindley admits now, there isn't even that much he can draw on from his time playing as a rookie. Too much has changed.

"That's night and day," he said. "At this point I don't even think about (2012)."

Arians said when he first took over the Cardinals, all he was judging Lindley on was his physical attributes. He didn't break down Lindley's play in an offense that is nothing like what Arians was bringing to town. Lindley was playing for a struggling team with a lot of injuries (and a poor offensive line) and at a time he simply wasn't ready as a sixth-round draft pick out of San Diego State.

The advances Lindley made in 2013 as Arians' third-stringer was enough to make his release difficult for Arians. Once Carson Palmer went down for the season, it only made sense to pluck him off the Chargers' practice squad.

"Ryan is prepared," Stanton said. "Everyone wants to look at his numbers and they aren't glamorous, but there are a lot of guys, myself included, that went in there and didn't have success at a young age. He's worked extremely hard behind the scenes, and no one sees that stuff. You can look at the exterior and you can think what you want, but I have the utmost confidence in what he can do."

Lindley said he's looking forward to the chance to break his streak of – as of now – 181 career pass attempts without a touchdown. His ratio of touchdowns to interceptions isn't pretty (0-to-7) but that's part of a past life that Lindley doesn't think defines his current ability as a quarterback.

"The first time out there it's new and you don't know exactly what will happen," Lindley said. "Now, through time, through experience, through seeing how Drew and Carson and Philip (Rivers) prepares, I'm a lot more ready to play at this point."

EVEN STANTON HAS NO TIMETABLE ON STANTON'S RETURN