🏈 New Orleans, LA — The New Orleans Saints kicked off their 2025 NFL season with a tough home loss Sunday afternoon, falling 20–13 to the Arizona Cardinals in front of a packed crowd at the Caesars Superdome. Despite flashes of promise from rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler and a vintage touchdown run from Alvin Kamara, the Saints couldn’t overcome a sluggish second half and costly penalties.
📉 Game Summary:
• Final Score: Cardinals 20, Saints 13
• Quarter Breakdown:
• Q1: ARI 3, NO 0
• Q2: ARI 14, NO 10
• Q3: ARI 3, NO 0
• Q4: ARI 0, NO 3
The Saints’ lone touchdown came in the second quarter when Kamara broke free for an 18-yard run, electrifying the crowd and briefly giving New Orleans momentum. But Arizona answered quickly with two touchdown passes from Kyler Murray — one to Marvin Harrison Jr. and another to James Conner — putting the Cardinals ahead for good.
📊 Key Stats:
• Spencer Rattler (NO): 27/46, 214 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
• Kyler Murray (ARI): 21/29, 163 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
• Alvin Kamara (NO): 11 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD
• Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI): 5 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD
The Saints struggled with discipline, racking up 13 penalties for 89 yards — a stark contrast to Arizona’s 9 penalties for 54 yards. Time of possession also favored the Cardinals, who controlled the ball for nearly 34 minutes.
🎙️ Coach’s Corner
Head coach Kellen Moore, making his debut at the helm, acknowledged the team’s growing pains. “We saw flashes of what we can be,” Moore said postgame. “But we’ve got to clean up the mistakes and finish drives. That’s on all of us.”
The Saints defense had bright moments, including a third-down sack by Cam Jordan and Carl Granderson, but couldn’t consistently contain Murray’s mobility or Arizona’s short passing game.
📅 Looking Ahead
New Orleans will look to bounce back in Week 2 when they host the San Francisco 49ers on September 14. With a young quarterback under center and a new coaching regime, the Saints are clearly in a transitional phase — but fans will be hoping for a quicker turnaround than Sunday’s opener suggested.
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