TEMPE, Ariz. — Even before quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a season-ending knee injury Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals’ season was defined by overcoming the loss of important players.

And that is specifically defined with an 8-1 record, best in the league.

But Palmer’s loss could be the damaging blow.

He was playing at a high level, was comfortable in Bruce Arians’ system and had finally found an organization in which he was happy.

No one complained when Palmer signed a three-year contract extension worth a maximum of $50 million on Friday. Two days later, he went down with a torn ACL in his left knee, the same knee he had surgically repaired after the 2005 playoffs.

With Palmer sidelined, next man up at quarterback is Drew Stanton, who went in Sunday and threw the go-ahead touchdown as the Cardinals overcame the St. Louis Rams, 31-14.

“I’m not going to lie, I cried like a baby last night, and I’m not an emotional guy,” Palmer said on Monday. “I don’t cry. The last time I cried like that was when I lost my friend and teammate (Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver) Chris Henry back in ’09.”

Palmer spent the first part of the season talking about how the team was able to maintain its focus and not look toward the future. On Monday, however, he expressed what he had been thinking all along: the 2014 Cardinals are a special team capable of becoming the first franchise to play in a Super Bowl in its home stadium.

“As you could tell all season, I’ve been deflecting those questions because you can’t start thinking about that now,” he said. “Now, kind of being an outsider, not being able to be on the field, there is no doubt. One thing I’ll miss is this opportunity that does not come along very often. It does not come along very often.”

Palmer will undergo surgery in a couple of weeks, and he’s hopeful of being able to participate in offseason practices by June.

Despite the three-year extension, he raised the question of if the team would want him to return in 2015. That’s a given since the Cardinals are paying him $20.5 million in guarantees through this year and next.

On Sunday, coach Bruce Arians said Palmer would be the starter when he is healthy.

“I just know how this business works,” Palmer said. “I really don’t know what’s going on. I signed on Friday, I played on Sunday and this happened. I just know this organization is striving to win and they’re going to do what’s best for the organization.’

What’s best for the organization is for Palmer to return as the starter in 2015. He is optimistic he can do that. This injury is less severe than the one in 2006, when he suffered two torn ligaments.

Still, leaving the field on a cart on Sunday was “sad,” he said.

“This was a special year to play in front of this group (of fans). Nothing says we can’t finish this season in our stadium in front of a lot of our fans.”

REPORT CARD VS. RAMS

–PASSING OFFENSE: B — Quarterback Carson Palmer was efficient before suffering a knee injury in the fourth quarter. He was under a lot of pressure but contact did not cause the injury. Drew Stanton replaced him and threw the go-ahead touchdown. The pass protection was the worst it’s been all season.

–RUSHING OFFENSE — F The Cardinals gained 28 yards, a season low on 22 attempts. Their longest run was five yards. On 10 of 18 carries, Andre Ellington gained fewer than three yards. The offensive line got no push and didn’t create holes.

–PASS DEFENSE: B plus — Cornerback Patrick Peterson intercepted his first two passes of the season, returning one for a touchdown. The Cardinals had six sacks, led by two from Calais Campbell. The only mistake was safety Deonne Bucannon giving up a 59-yard touchdown to tight end Jared Cook.

–RUSH DEFENSE: B plus — The Rams had success in the first half, rushing for 55 yards on 16 carries. The Cardinals shut the run down in the second half, yielding 15 yards six carries.

–SPECIAL TEAMS: C — Chandler Catanzaro missed his first field goal attempt of the season, a 53-yarder. That’s understandable. What wasn’t acceptable were the performances of the kickoff team and the kickoff return team. Neither played well.

–COACHING: C — The Cardinals came out flat emotionally, and the offensive line had its “ass whipped,” coach Bruce Arians said. The Rams tend to make opponents look uglier than they are, and that was the case on Sunday.