The Arizona Cardinals are now 0-1 in the preseason after the New Orleans Saints kicked a game-winning field goal to win 16-14 in Glendale.
The Saints played their starters on both sides of the ball to begin the game with the offensive unit of Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and co. going out for two series. The only offensive starter who played for Arizona today was highly-touted rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr.. However, Harrison was only on the field for three plays and didn’t have a target.
These Cardinals’ starters today were highlighted by quarterback Desmond Ridder, who played the entire first half, while Clayton Tune played the second half as the Cardinals try to determine who will be their backup quarterback behind Kyler Murray, who is not playing this preseason.
These were the rest of the starters, as Arizona chose to rest pretty much all starters on both sides of the ball:
Defense:
– Darius Robinson
– Roy Lopez
– L.J. Collier
– Jesse Luketa
– Owen Pappoe
– Krys Barnes
– Victor Dimukeje
– Starling Thomas V
– Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
– Joey Blount
– Divaad Wilson— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 11, 2024
Key Stats
Ridder struggled during his five drives tonight, completing 4-of-9 passes for 43 yards, but did rush five times for a halftime team-high 39 yards. Tune, on the other hand, looked like a completely different quarterback from his rookie season last year, showing great accuracy on the majority of his throws, finishing with 163 yards and a passing touchdown, connecting on 15 of 24 throws.
The Cardinals deep running back room had a good day today, led by Michael Carter with seven rushes for 41 yards and touchdown. Tony Jones Jr. only had 11 yards on five rushes, but caught three balls for 24 yards and a touchdown. DeeJay Dallas rushed three time for 21 yards, while third-round rookie Trey Benson had eight rushes for 21 yards, as the backup running back spots are up for grabs.
Ten different Cardinals caught passes today, led by wide receiver Dan Chisena who had five catches for 63 yards. No other player other than Chisena and Jones had over two receptions.
The Cardinals offensive line let up four sacks on the day, but still had some stretches where they looked pretty solid.
As can be told by the score, defense really stood out from both teams today. Cardinals cornerback Darren Hall had plenty of impact plays today, flying all over the field and recording four tackles and a pass deflection. First-round rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson was one of the few notable players who got a decent amount of snaps today, recording a tackle and generating good pressure when he was on the field. Fifth-round rookie Xavier Thomas out of Clemson was the team’s standout player on the defensive line, as the Cardinals search for playmakers after BJ Ojulari’s torn ACL. Thomas finished with the team’s only sack and three tackles.
Linebacker Markus Bailey had the most tackles on the Cardinals tonight with five.
Game Flow
Ridder and the Cardinals had three straight three-and-outs to open the game, as he was under heavy pressure and took a sack on only his second play from scrimmage. Arizona finally got a first down with 10:58 left in the second quarter after Ridder found wide receiver Zach Pascal on a comeback route on a third and eight. However, Ridder came up short on a fourth and one on a QB sneak at Arizona’s 47-yard line.
The Saints offense also struggled to start the game, punting four straight times to start the game. However, New Orleans was able to get in the scoring category with a 26-yard field goal with 2:58 remaining in the second quarter after Ridder’s failed fourth-down conversion. Hall had a nice pass breakup in the end zone on third down to force the field goal.
Ridder put together an impressive drive, including a nice scramble, to close out the first half for the Cardinals, but they were stopped on fourth and two at the New Orleans 12-yard line with 34 seconds left. Ridder overthrew a five-yard drag route to a wide-open Andre Baccellia, who had an easy path to the end zone if he caught it.
Ridder’s got wheels!
: #NOvsAZ on CBS pic.twitter.com/K4rha0g9iB
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 11, 2024
The Saints continued to play with little time on the clock and Cardinals rookie safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, who had four tackles on the night, made a big mistake letting A.T. Perry wide open behind him for a 58-yard reception off a pass from Jake Haener to put the Saints on the Arizona 15-yard line. The Saints closed out the half with a 33-yard field goal after the big play and were up 6-0 at halftime.
Tune came in to start the second half and had a beautiful throw to begin his day, finding Baccellia for an 18-yard connection over two defenders on the sideline. This started a nine-play, 70 yard drive capped off by a 11-yard touchdown run by Carter for Arizona’s first points to give them a 7-6 lead with 10:46 to go in the third quarter. Tune looked really solid and in rhythm, completing 4-of-5 passes for 53 yards on the drive.
Michael Carter rushes in from 11 yards out for the #AZCardinals first preseason touchdown on Clayton Tune’s first drive of the game. Tune completed 4 of 5 passes for 53 yards on the nine-play, 70-yard drive, looking really solid and in rhythm.
pic.twitter.com/rNNbH6Ow0J— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) August 11, 2024
On the next New Orleans possession, Hall continued to make big plays defensively for Arizona, although the Saints put together a seven-play, 70-yard touchdown drive with Arizona native and rookie Spencer Rattler under center for the first time. Hall forced a fumble early in the drive, which the Saints recovered, and nearly stopped Rattler from running it in the end zone with a big hit on the goal line before replay overturned that Rattler did in fact get the ball over the goal line to give New Orleans a 13-7 lead with 6:51 to go in the third quarter.
Carter had a nine-yard run to open up the next Arizona drive, but Tune was sacked on second down and New Orleans forced another three-and-out after Tune was unable to make up for his sack with a six-yard scramble short of the first down.
Cardinals linebacker Tyreek Maddox-Williams had a third-down nice pass breakup to force New Orleans to punt on the ensuing possession.
Tune threw a perfect bullet pass to Dan Chisena on a slant route on a third and three when Arizona got the ball back, as the Cardinals went into the fourth quarter down 13-7. On the next set of downs, Tune was sacked on second down after DeeJay Dallas missed a blitz pickup and then threw an incomplete pass to Tejhaun Palmer for a turnover on downs on a fourth and two from the New Orleans 47 yard-line.
The Cardinals had arguably their best defensive play of the night on the next drive, as rookie Xavier Thomas had an impressive speed rush off the edge to sack Rattler on third and four just beyond midfield.
After the New Orleans punt, Tune continued to throw very accurate balls to his wideouts until he missed Palmer on a crossing route on third and eight, forcing another Cardinals punt with 7:41 to go.
The Saints punted again, and Tune had a great scramble and throw on third and 10 to find Jones for a first down. He later had two great connections with Chisena, one for 10 yards and one for 27 yards. Tune found Jones again on a flat route from the New Orleans 12-yard line, and he took it all the way to the end zone for six, giving the Cardinals a 14-13 lead with 1:55 remaining. This touchdown capped a 11-play, 76-yard drive that spanned just over four minutes.
The touchdown! The dive! We love it!
: #NOvsAZ on CBS pic.twitter.com/HULdl5Y4br
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 11, 2024
Rattler led the Saints to a game-winning field goal. Arizona had a golden opportunity to get a stop with the Saints facing third and six from the Arizona 44, but DL Phil Hoskins was whistled for a neutral zone infraction. After picking up a first down, the Saints had a second and 10 from the Arizona 37 with 31 seconds remaining and DL Myles Murphy was penalized for a neutral zone infraction. The next play, Rattler found Samson Nakua, the brother of Puka Nakua, for a 13-yard gain to the Arizona 19 to set up a that was drilled by Charlie Smyth to put New Orleans ahead 16-14 with five seconds left.
Tune had one last shot after Arizona didn’t return the kickoff, but missed
