Cardinals grind out Week 1 win in New Orleans
Arizona walked into the Caesars Superdome and left with a 20-13 win, a result shaped by big situational plays from the Cardinals and a pile of drive-killing flags on the Saints. It was Kellen Moore’s first game as New Orleans head coach and Spencer Rattler’s first start at quarterback, and both ran into a defense that won on the margins. Jonathan Gannon’s group mixed pressure looks with disciplined tackling, and that was the difference late.
Kyler Murray didn’t need fireworks to set the tone. He managed the pocket, extended a few third downs with his legs, and kept the ball out of trouble. James Conner gave Arizona the physical edge between the tackles, Trey McBride kept the chains moving in the middle of the field, and rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. drew attention from the Saints secondary even when the ball didn’t find him. It wasn’t explosive, but it was clean enough to win on the road.
New Orleans flashed what Moore wants this offense to be: quick, rhythmic, and vertical when the matchup is right. Rattler found timing with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in stretches, and Alvin Kamara’s touches teased balance. But penalties stalled drives and forced field goals in spots that needed touchdowns. Without edge rusher Chase Young, the Saints defense still brought energy, yet Arizona’s balance wore on them as the afternoon dragged on.
Field position mattered. Arizona played the long game, accepted punts over reckless shots, and trusted its defense to squeeze Rattler’s windows. When the Cardinals needed plays, they got them—contested catches, savvy scramble drills, and just enough push up front to stay ahead of the sticks. The Saints had answers at times, especially with veterans Demario Davis and Pete Werner rallying to the ball and safeties Justin Reid and Julian Blackmon erasing deep shots, but the flags kept undercutting stops.
You came for the bottom line: in a tight, early-season game, Arizona looked more connected. The Cardinals didn’t beat themselves, and that was the separator in a one-score result like this.
- Quarterback duel: Murray’s experience showed in late-down poise. Rattler’s arm talent popped, but timing and blitz recognition are still a work in progress.
- Rookie watch: Harrison Jr. commanded respect and leveraged spacing even when bracketed. For New Orleans, Danny Stutsman flashed range on special teams and defense, hinting at a growing role.
- Secondary chess: Arizona trusted corner Will Johnson in physical coverage, allowing safeties to drive downhill. New Orleans rotated help to Harrison Jr., opening seams for McBride.
- Hidden yards: Penalties on the Saints flipped multiple series. Arizona’s special teams stayed clean and took the free yards.
This opener won’t decide a season, but it did frame each team’s checklist. The Saints need cleaner presnap operation and red-zone execution. The Cardinals can lean into what worked: balance, discipline, and a defense that finishes drives.
Final score aside, the atmosphere delivered what Week 1 is supposed to: new coach, new quarterback, and a fan base listening for something different. Arizona answered with composure. New Orleans flashed promise but left points on the table.
How to watch Cardinals vs Saints: TV, streaming, and free options
The game aired on CBS in participating markets, with live streaming available on Paramount+ for subscribers on the Essential or Premium plan. If CBS carried the game in your area, Paramount+ mirrored that feed, so you could watch on phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV via the Paramount+ app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- TV: CBS carried the broadcast in-market.
- Streaming: Paramount+ Essential and Premium plans streamed the local CBS feed when available in your area.
- Devices: Phones, tablets, web browsers, smart TVs, gaming consoles, Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV.
- Mobile-only option: NFL’s own subscription service offers in-market live games on phones and tablets, useful if you’re away from a TV.
Want a free way to follow along in real time? YouTube channels hosted watch-along shows that did not show the live game feed but kept fans locked in with live stats, play-by-play reactions, and score updates. Saints Now by Chat Sports, hosted by Trizzy Trace Girouard, was one of the most active on game day. It’s a good second screen if you’re on the go or multi-tasking.
Radio remains a solid fallback, especially in the car. Local team radio networks carried live audio, and satellite radio offered national access. If you prefer catching up later, highlights and condensed replays typically roll out on official league and team platforms after broadcast windows.
If you’re planning ahead for future Sundays, a few tips keep the hassle down:
- Confirm your local CBS availability inside your streaming app before kickoff. If your area doesn’t carry the game, the app won’t either.
- Update your apps on game day. Outdated versions can cause sign-in or playback issues right when the game starts.
- Test your login and device switching before kickoff, especially if you bounce between a TV and a phone.
- Use a wired connection or a strong Wi‑Fi network for 1080p streams; congested networks are the top cause of buffering during big games.
As for search terms, keep it simple. Typing Cardinals vs Saints with “CBS” or “Paramount+” usually surfaces the right broadcast info and device steps. Be cautious with sites promising full game “free streams.” If it’s not an official broadcaster, a league service, or a team-affiliated channel, it’s almost certainly not showing the game feed.
Back to the football. For Arizona, this was a statement that complementary football travels: run it well enough, play tight coverage, take the smart throws, and trust your kicking game. For New Orleans, there’s clear upside once the operation cleans up—Moore’s concepts created space, and when the rhythm clicked, the ball moved. Week 1 often exposes details more than it decides futures. On Sunday in the Superdome, the details tilted Arizona’s way.
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