LONDON -- It's the worst-case scenario for the Arizona Cardinals.

Quarterback Carson Palmer will miss at least eight weeks -- possibly the rest of the season -- with a broken arm, leaving the Cardinals in the hands of backup Drew Stanton.

They should be in Blaine Gabbert's hands.

Unless something happens to Stanton, the likelihood of coach Bruce Arians at least starting Gabbert ahead of Stanton for the Cardinals' next game Nov. 5 at San Francisco is 0.0 percent.

"We're going to stick with Drew," Arians said when asked if he'd consider Gabbert at any point during the rest of 2017.

In a situation like the one Arizona finds itself in, with nine games left in the season and an outside shot at winning the division, experience should matter more than loyalty. And in this case, Gabbert's experience far outweighs Stanton's.

Although Blaine Gabbert has a career record of 9-34, his 40 career starts give him an advantage over second-string quarterback Drew Stanton. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

There's also something to be said for being a starting quarterback in the NFL. Although Gabbert has never started a full season, he consistently has been used as a starter.

The argument should be settled simply by comparing the number of career starts of the pair. Gabbert has 40, including 27 over his first three seasons with Jacksonville and 13 with the 49ers from 2014 to 2016. Stanton has 13 career starts, eight coming in 2014. Gabbert has played 2,339 offensive snaps. Stanton: 984.

Say what you want about Gabbert -- and there's plenty to be said, specifically about his 9-34 career record -- but when it comes to being able to manage an offense, run a scheme, control a locker room, those 27 more starts give Gabbert a clear advantage over Stanton.

Then there's Gabbert's production.

He's a career 56 percent passer, with 38 touchdowns against 37 interceptions. Stanton has completed 52.7 percent of his passes and thrown 14 touchdowns against 20 interceptions.

Stanton is five years older than Gabbert and has been in the league four more years, which begs the question: Shouldn't he have been a starter by now?

But Arians naming Stanton the starter was expected.

Stanton has been with Arians since 2012, when they were together in Indianapolis, making Stanton the longest-tenured player with Arians. And, yes, Stanton likely knows the offense better than anyone else in Arizona's locker room. But Arians has raved about how bright Gabbert is, and how quickly Gabbert has picked up the scheme.

That was evident in the Hall of Fame Game.

Sure it was against the Dallas Cowboys' second-, third- and fourth-stringers, but it was Gabbert's first time running any of the plays in a game situation since signing as a free agent in May, and he went 11-of-14 for 185 yards. He was efficient, in addition to looking calm and collected in the pocket.

With Gabbert's arm strength and his newfound familiarity with Arizona's offense, wouldn't it be interesting to see him throw to the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown -- probably the best quartet of receivers he's played with in his career?

It's an intriguing thought.

Arians made it clear he would approach his quarterbacks in order. Stanton is his No. 2 and Gabbert is his No. 3.

"I don't skip two and go to three," Arians said.

Maybe he should, just this once.

Maybe Gabbert can give Arizona the spark it needs. The Cardinals already got the running back they needed to make a push, trading for Adrian Peterson to fill in for David Johnson. Now all they need is the quarterback to replace Palmer, and it should be Gabbert.