The Arizona Cardinals will start the 2025 season on the road against the New Orleans Saints. This is a significant year for the franchise, marking year three under the leadership of Head Coach Jonathan Gannon and General Manager Monti Ossenfort. The Cardinals have doubled their win total over the past two seasons. But this team and fan base have even higher aspirations —an NFC West division title.
If the Cardinals want to play meaningful games in December, they have to take care of business against a team like the Saints. New Orleans has a first-year head coach and is currently in the process of rebuilding the roster.
However, there is no such thing as an easy win in the National Football League. Here are my three keys to victory for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Lights, Kamara, Action!
The Saints’ offense is centered around running back Alvin Kamara. The veteran running back rushed for a career-high 950 yards on 228 carries last season. “Alvin’s our starting running back for a reason,” Head Coach Kellen Moore said. “He’s certainly going to get a healthy bulk of this thing.”
Not only is Kamara a threat on the ground, but through the air as well. Since entering the league in 2017, Kamara’s 573 receptions and 4,762 receiving yards rank 1st in the NFL among running backs.
“When he sees it and he makes a cut, it’s explosive, and it turns into big plays,” Moore said. “I think that’s always been his superpower in the run game is his ability to make that cut, make that decisive cut, and go make big plays. In the passing game, he’s continued to show that’s again another valuable piece to him.”
According to Next Gen Stats, Kamara caught the most passes (68) and had the highest target percentage (30.1%) for the New Orleans Saints in 2024. Kamara’s receiving ability could pose a problem for an Arizona defense, which allowed opposing offenses to complete 84.4% of their passes when targeting running backs.
The Cardinals’ defense must contain Alvin Kamara and limit his explosive plays in Week 1.
Apply Pressure
The Saints have invested a ton of draft capital into their offensive line, but have yet to receive a return on investment outside of Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy.
| Left Tackle | Left Guard | Center | Right Guard | Right Tackle |
| Kelvin Banks Jr. | Trevor Penning | Erik McCoy | Cesar Ruiz | Tailiese Fuaga |
| 2025 1st Round 9th Overall | 2022 1st Round 19th Overall | 2019 2nd Round 48th Overall | 2020 1st Round 24th Overall | 2024 1st Round 14th Overall |
New Orleans allowed the 8th-highest pressure rate last season (37.4%), per Next Gen Stats.
Saints QB Spencer Rattler didn’t perform well under duress. In his rookie season, when pressured, Rattler was sacked 22 times and completed only 44.1% of his passes. His passer rating under pressure was 56.4, which ranked 9th lowest in the NFL.
To make matters worse, projected starting left guard Trevor Penning is currently dealing with a toe injury and has not practiced all week. If he is unable to go, the team will insert former Tennessee Titans second-round pick Dillon Radunz.
The Cardinals’ improved pass rush will need to capitalize on the Saints’ vulnerability in the trenches to secure victory.
Pound the Rock
Throughout the entire offseason, the Cardinals have been preaching the concept of two “RB1s”.
James Conner is coming off a successful season, rushing for a career-high 1,094 yards. Second-year running back Trey Benson is ready to be unleashed. There is no better matchup to showcase Arizona’s one-two punch at running back than against the New Orleans Saints’ 31st-ranked rushing defense. Last season, the Saints allowed 4.9 yards per carry.
According to Pro Football Focus, Saints’ defensive tackle Bryan Bresee graded 28.0 against the run. The club acquired DT Davon Godchaux via trade from the New England Patriots in an effort to bolster their run defense. However, Godchaux ranked 136th against the run among interior defensive linemen.
The Saints’ rushing defense between the tackles is a clear weakness. I expect the Cardinals’ 7th-ranked rushing attack from a season ago to carry over into 2025. The ground game should have a huge day in New Orleans.
–Follow Dan Loya on X @DLoya_NFL
