The wait is finally over—New Orleans Saints football is back! The Saints opened their 2024 preseason with a hard-fought 16-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, giving fans a first glimpse of what the team has to offer this season. In this recap, we’ll dive into the standout performances from key players and position groups that shaped the game’s outcome.
While these games don’t count toward the regular season standings, plenty remains to be excited about. A win is a win, and it’s a promising start for New Orleans. This game provided a small preview of what to expect in the coming preseason matchups. Let’s dive right in—the offense had its struggles tonight.
Offensive Breakdown Versus the Cardinals
It was sluggish for much of the game but showed improvement when it mattered most. While the performance wasn’t spectacular, it was enough to get the job done, with the team making key plays down the stretch to set up the winning field goal. Derek Carr saw limited action, playing only a few series, and it wasn’t his best showing. Some fans are quick to judge, but it’s important to remember that this is just the preseason. Teams often keep things vanilla, wanting to keep their playbook private.
On social media, I joked that the offense looked like a typical Pete Carmichael offense—nothing too flashy. I was met with responses pointing out that teams don’t show everything in the preseason, which is true. However, let’s be real: the league knows what the Saints are planning. The offense, heavily influenced by the Kyle Shanahan system, isn’t a mystery. The real question is whether the Saints have the personnel to execute it successfully. It’s not about keeping secrets; it’s about execution and whether other teams can stop what the Saints are planning to do.
Carr could have looked better, plain and simple. He struggled during his first couple of drives, and it was far from an impressive start. But let’s be clear—I’m not writing him off for the rest of the season. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and I believe the Saints will need him to step up as the season progresses. If he doesn’t, and things go south for this team, there could be some serious consequences, with jobs potentially on the line. However, I’m confident it won’t come to that.
On the other hand, the other two quarterbacks performed exceptionally well. Jake Haener caught my eye.
He went 9 of 13 for 107 yards, and while he didn’t throw any touchdowns, he did a solid job moving the football. He needs to clean up some areas, but he showed great promise overall.
Spencer Rattler also had a decent outing. He completed 9 of 17 passes for 70 yards and added a rushing touchdown. His performance was solid, and I also liked what I saw from him. To put it into perspective, Haener finished with a QBR of 94.1, while Rattler posted a 63.4. Carr, however, had a QBR of just 42.4, completing only 2 of 6 passes for 12 yards in his limited time on the field.
As for the running game, Jordan Mims led the way with ten carries for 38 yards, providing a glimpse of what he can bring to the backfield.
It wasn’t a flawless performance, but Spencer Rattler did exactly what he needed to make a strong impression on the coaching staff. When Arizona scored the go-ahead touchdown to lead 14-13, I wondered, “Okay, Spencer, what have you got?” With just 1:55 left on the clock, the pressure was on. Rattler responded by driving the team down the field, managing the clock effectively, and setting up the winning field goal. He showed poise and control during that crucial stretch, getting the Saints into field goal range and securing the win.
Sure, a couple of neutral zone infractions by the Cardinals helped, but the key takeaway is that Rattler handled the situation remarkably well. He demonstrated composure and decision-making, which suggests he could be a fixture on this roster for a long time.
This isn’t to discredit Jake Haener, who also played well. If the team ever decides to move on from Derek Carr, Haener and Rattler could easily step up as QB1 and QB2. It might even be wise to draft another quarterback to keep the competition sharp, especially since these young quarterbacks pick up the offense quickly. Their grasp of the system has been impressive so far.
Now, I’ve seen the buzz on social media surrounding Rattler, and while it’s great to see fans excited, we need to keep things in perspective. This is still the preseason, and what happens here can be deceiving. Some positive aspects carry over to the regular season, but some bad habits remain. The quarterback position can be particularly tricky to evaluate in the preseason. Take C.J. Stroud last year with the Houston Texans—he had a rough preseason, and people quickly labeled him a bust. But once the regular season began, he set records, led the Texans to the playoffs, and won the division. The preseason is just a glimpse; the real test is yet to come.
Hopefully, that will be the case for Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener. Based on what we saw tonight, there’s potential, but the real question is whether this can translate into the regular season. If Carr goes down, one of these guys—Rattler or Haener—will have to step up. But let’s be clear: they won’t be facing Arizona’s C team or backups anymore. They’ll be up against starting units, whether it’s Tampa Bay, Dallas, or any other team, and the level of competition will be much tougher.
The Glaring Right Tackle Conundrum
One major concern is the offensive line. From what I’ve seen, that situation needs to be addressed immediately. Trevor Penning is a worry. There’s a real possibility that he could be a bust, but hopefully, that’s not the case. The coaching staff needs to work hard to fix whatever issues Penning has and get him on track to become a reliable right tackle.
That position is crucial, especially since this offense is designed to rely heavily on the running game. Regarding the running game, tonight’s performance wasn’t up to par. The running backs averaged only 3.5 yards per carry, which needs to be better for an offense that plans to base its strategy around the ground game. They didn’t get many carries, but even with the opportunities they had, the results were underwhelming.
So, while it’s tempting to get excited about the quarterback situation, fans must be cautious. Preseason success only sometimes carries over into the regular season, especially for young or rookie quarterbacks. What looks promising now could look very different under the bright lights of the regular season. It’s something to remember as we move forward, but overall, the quarterbacks had a solid outing tonight.
Defense Is Ahead of the Curve
Regarding the defensive unit, the defense performed exceptionally well tonight. I know it’s just the preseason, but based on what I saw, this defense has the potential to be a top-five unit this season. The Saints’ defense looked fast, deep, and loaded with talent. The expectation is that this level of play will carry over into the regular season. Chase Young looked ready to go, and his presence was felt immediately. Willie Gay also stood out—he was everywhere on the field tonight. I truly believe the Saints have found their linebackers of the future in Gay and Pete Werner. They’re going to be a formidable tandem moving forward.
Related: Pete Werner’s New Deal: What It Means for the Saints’ Linebacker Corps
Hopefully, the Saints can keep Gay beyond 2024. He’s on a one-year deal right now, but if he continues to perform like this, he could earn himself a long-term contract, either with the Saints or elsewhere—someone will pay him. Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee added a sack to cap off a strong defensive performance.
Kool-Aid McKinstry looked sharp as well. If the Saints can land free-agent safety Justin Simmons, this defense could reach a new level. This defense could be the key to winning several games this season. The offense might take some time to hit its stride, so the defense must step up, create short fields, force three-and-outs, and generate turnovers to give the offense the best chance to succeed.
I don’t expect the offense to come out of the gate, dropping 30 or 35 points on opponents, especially early in the season. Things might take a while to click, but this defense can bridge the gap by playing aggressively and setting up the offense with good field position. If they can do that, the Saints could win some games in the 24-10, 24-17, or 28-17 range, allowing the offense to find its rhythm.
Performance Grade and Final Thoughts
The defense will be pivotal this season in many of the Saints’ games. I know it’s easy to get carried away by preseason performances, but this defense looks ready. As for the entire team’s performance tonight, I’d give them a solid B. Not a B-plus or B-minus, just a B. There’s room for improvement, especially from Carr in the upcoming games, but given the circumstances, the team played well overall. Rattler’s composure on that final drive, leading the team to a game-winning field goal, was particularly impressive.
