Final scores are perhaps the least important thing about preseason games. The Arizona Cardinals lost on Saturday night in their preseason opener 16-14 to the New Orleans on a field goal with five seconds remaining in the game after they went ahead on a touchdown pass to give them a 14-13 lead with 1:55 to go.
Perhaps the most important part of preseason games is what individual players do in their roles, helping or hurting their chances to make the final roster.
Seven players in particular stood out in their efforts.
QB Clayton Tune
Tune led the Cardinals to two second-half touchdown drives and threw a go-ahead, 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Tony Jones with 1:55 left in the game.
He was 15-for-24 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown for a 96.4 passer rating. He was the better quarterback in the game for the Cardinals.
As a rookie last year in the preseason, he looked rushed and often was inaccurate with this throws.
On Saturday, he knew where he should go with the ball and delivered some beautiful throws.
WR Dan Chisena
Chisena has only an outside shot at making the roster and it will likely have to do with being a stud special teams player. However, he led the Cardinals in receiving with five catches for 63 yards and made a pair of key catches during the Cardinals’ touchdown drive to go ahead late in the game.
S Darren Hall
Hall is a longshot to make the roster but he definitely helped himself on Saturday. He defended an incomplete pass in the end zone, breaking up the play. He forced a fumble. He had four tackles and appeared to have a fifth. He hit Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler, appearing to force him out of bounds before scoring a touchdown. That was the original call. Upon review, Rattler was given the touchdown.
But Hall was all over the field and made a statement, showing the ability to play safety and defend the slot.
WR Xavier Weaver
Weaver did the most damage as a returner. He had two punt returns for 34 yards, gaining 19 yards once and 15 on the other. He also caught two passes for 12 yards and had a three-yard rush.
He perhaps is now in the lead for a sixth receiver spot on the roster.
RB DeeJay Dallas
Dallas had three carries for 21 yards and had a 25-yard run called back on a holding penalty. He also had a 30-yard kick return and three punt returns for 20 yards.
While he seems to already have a spot on the roster locked up, he played well.
RB Michael Carter
Carter might be the odd man out when it comes to the roster and the running back room, but he looked good. He led the team with 41 rushing yards on seven attempts and scored the Cardinals’ first touchdown, an 11-yard scamper.
He played as a lead running back and in a third-down role, showing his versatility.
OLB Xavier Thomas
Thomas had the team’s only sack of the game. He finished the game with three tackles, the sack, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. He was in the backfield a lot. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Thomas played with “high, high motor, high effort” and though he played very well.
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