The Arizona Cardinals, playing without their starters on offense or defense, struggled early against the New Orleans’ Saints starters. They didn’t pick up a first down until the second quarter and didn’t score until the second half.
But quarterback Clayton Tune led the offense to two touchdown drives, including a go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:55 left in the game, but the Saints won the game on a 37-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the game to give the Saints a 16-14 win.
Here is how it went down.
Defensive starters
The Saints won the coin toss and received the kick to start the game.
The starters on defense were all backups except for defensive lineman Roy Lopez.
The defensive line was Darius Robinson, Lopez and L.J. Collier. The outside linebackers were Jesse Luketa and Victor Dimukeje. At inside linebacker were Krys Barnes and Owen Pappoe. Star Thomas and Divaad Wilson started at cornerback with Kei’Trel Clark playing in the slot. Joey Blount and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson were at safety.
Offensive starters
Marvin Harrison Jr. was the only projected offensive starter to play in the game. Desmond Ridder started at quarterback. Rookie Trey Benson was at running back with Michael Carter coming in as the third-down back. Harrison, Zach Pascal and Chris Moore were at receiver. Elijah Higgins started at tight end. The offensive line starters were Elijah Wilkinson at left tackle, rookie Isaiah Adams at left guard, Trystan Colon at center, Dennis Daley at right guard and Kelvin Beachum at right tackle.
Three-and-outs
The Cardinals did not pick up a first down in their first two possessions. Ridder was sacked twice, did not complete a pass and they rushed for 17 yards.
Harrison out quickly
The Cardinals only kept in Harrison, their top draft pick, for one series, getting three snaps and running one pass route.
Chris Moore leaves game with an injury
Moore, one of the starting receivers, was taken to the locker room in the first quarter.
He returned in the second quarter.
Finally a first down!
It took until the Cardinals’ fourth possession to pick up a first down. It was a 22-yard pass play from Ridder to Pascal.
Saints 3, Cardinals 0
The first points came with 2:58 left in the first half. After the Cardinals failed to convert on fourth down, the Saints went 40 yards in 10 plays but were kept out of the end zone. Blake Grupe made a 26-yard field goal to get on the board.
Cardinals go for it, fail in field-goal range
After the field goal by the Saints, the Cardinals showed a little spark on offense, fueled by Ridder’s running. However, with 32 seconds left in the first half and with fourth down and two at the Saints’ 12, rather than kicking a field goal to tie the game, the Cardinals went for it. The play was there and Andre Baccellia would have scored a touchdown, but Ridder’s throw was off target and they turned the ball over on downs for the second time in the half.
Saints 6, Cardinals 0
The failed fourth down cost the Cardinals six points in the game. Rather than a tied score at half time 3-3, they gave up a 58-pass play to A.T. Parry, and Grupe hit a 33-yard field goal as time expired in the half.
Cardinals 7, Saints 6
.@8kMike put on the jets for that one‼️
📺: #NOvsAZ on CBS pic.twitter.com/rPfJZmZ2vk
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 11, 2024
Clayton Tune took over at quarterback to open the second half and the offense looked good. He completed four of his five passing attempts for 54 yards and showed good touch and accuracy, something that was missing in his preseason work last year as a rookie.
They went 70 yards in nine plays. Michael Carter ran 11 yards for the touchdown and Matt Prater, on his 40th birthday, hit the extra point to give the Cardinals the lead.
Saints take 13-7 lead
Spencer Rattler took over at quarterback for the Saints and the Cardinals went with their third-stringers, and the Saints found the end zone. Rattler ran four yards for a touchdown to give New Orleans the lead. Initially, it appeared that safety Darren Hall knocked Rattler out of bounds short of the goalline, but it was ruled a touchdown on review.
Cardinals 14, Saints 13
The Cardinals had two comeback wins in last year’s preseason. With 1:55 left in the game, running back Tony Jones took a pass from Tune and ran 10 yards for the go-ahead score.
Dan Chisena had a pair of catches on the drive.
Game-winning field goal by Saints
The defense couldn’t get the job done. Penalized twice for neutral-zone infractions, they let the Saints move down the field and Charlie Smyth made a 37-yard field goal with five seconds left to take the lead.
The Cardinals’ final play was an incomplete pass deep down the field to rookie Tehjuan Palmer.
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