Cardinals vs. Saints Starting Lineup Comparisons

by Walter Mitchell



These comparisons take me a significant amount of time and prep therefore I would so much appreciate you letting me know in the comment section whether you find lineup comparisons interesting, or not. If you don't respond, I will assume that you are not interested in them.

These are the returning players' 2024 PFF grades --- I provide them for reference and curiosity's sake. Right now, they really don't mean a thing. Every player has a clean slate. Younger players are likely to make strong strides this season. The Eagles are 1-0, the Cowboys are 0-1 and every other team is 0-0. 

Defense: (2024 PFF grades)


* LDE-AZ  - Calais Campbell - 82.3

* LDE-NO - Cameron Jordan - 57.4


* NT-AZ - Dalvin Tomlinson - 67.4

* NT-NO - Davon Godchaux - 51.6


* RDE-AZ - Darius Robinson - 48.4

* RED-NO - Bryan Breese -36.5


* LOLB-AZ - Zaven Collins - 71.5

* LOLB-NO - Carl Granderson - 79.7


* LILB-AZ - Mack Wilson Jr. - 63.8

* LILB-NO - Demario Davis - 73.2


* RILB-AZ - Akeem Davis-Gaither - 59.0

* RILB-NO - Pete Werner - 69.0


* ROLB-AZ - Josh Sweat - 76.1

* ROLB-NO - Chris Rumph II - 58.2 (2023 - LAC)


* LCB-AZ - Will Johnson - R

* LCB-NO - Kool Aid McKinstry - 66.1


* SS-AZ - Jalen Thompson - 68.8

* SS-NO - Justin Reid -76.9


* FS-AZ - Budda Baker - 77.8

* FS-NO - Julian Blackmon - 69.3


* RCB-AZ - Max Melton - 54.5

* RCB-NO - Alontae Taylor - 45.0


*NB-AZ - Garrett Williams - 82.0

* NB-NO - Isaac Yiadom - 59.5


Special Teams: (2024 stats)


* P-AZ - Blake Gillikin - 49.7 ypp, 44.2 net

* P-NO - Kai Kroeger - R


* K-AZ - Chad Ryland - 28/32 FGs, 87.5%

* K-NO - Blake Grupe - 27/31 FGs, 87.1%


* PR-AZ - Greg Dortch - 9.6 ave. (21 returns)

* PR-NO - Rashid Shaheed - 15.9 ave. (9 returns)


* KR-AZ - Greg Dortch --- 26.6 ave. (3 returns)

* KR-NO - Velus Jones Jr. - 19.0 ave. (1 return - CARZ)


Offense:


* QB-AZ - Kyler Murray - 82.1

* QB-NO - Spencer Rattler - 52.0


* RB-AZ --- James Conner - 90.4

* RB-NO --- Alvin Kamara - 73.7


* TE1-AZ --- Trey McBride - 86.8

* TE1-NO - Juwan Johnson - 66.7


* TE2-AZ - Tip Reiman - 49.3

* TE2-NO - Foster Moreau - 71.1


* WR1-AZ - Marvin Harrison Jr. - 77.7

* WR1-NO-Chris Olave - 82.4


* WR2-AZ - Michael Wilson - 62.9

* WR2-NO - Brandin Cooks - 63.2


* LT-AZ - Paris Johnson Jr. - 80.8

* LT-NO - Kelvin Banks Jr. - R


* LG-AZ - Evan Brown - 65.9

* LG-NO - Trevor Penning - 60.2


* C-AZ - Hjalte Froholdt - 76.1

* C-NO - Erik McCoy - 94.4


* RG-AZ - Isaiah Adams - 58.4

* RG-NO - Cesar Ruiz - 67.6


* RT-AZ - Jonah Williams - 70.7

* RT-NO - Taliese Fuaga - 65.7


I have a lot of respect for the Saints' coaches and players. Kellen Moore and Brandon Staley have a lot to work with here. The Cardinals carry the heaviest weight of expectations since MOJO have arrived, while no one expects the Saints to be good, let alone to compete for a playoff berth. Sometimes the diverse psychology of those two mindsets can have a profound effect on the outcome of the game.

I am not sure at all of what to expect from the Cardinals in this game. Are you? 






Comments

  1. Since 61September 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM

    This is a must win if the Cards are gonna make the playoffs. With another preseason of such little use and sight of our starters, I got no clue how we're gonna look in this road opener.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BurberrySeptember 6, 2025 at 10:17 AM

      Must win game without a doubt! The implications for this game are massive. If we can’t go on the road and beat a qb who’s 1-5 in his nfl career, this team isnt worth much relative to the rest of the league. And we’ve gotta start over with a new qb, staff and GM in 2026. I know that sounds alarmist but that’d be the objective reality from my perspective. It’s either high end results and stack wins or the long leash of mediocrity has to be cut. I’d love for this team to take us fans on a great ride, praying that begins tomorrow with a resounding victory. Eeking a win out would be a poor harbinger of what’s to come.

      Delete
    2. NSCardSeptember 7, 2025 at 6:17 AM

      I don't believe this is a must win game but it would sure be disappointing if we did lose it. We could lose this game and still make the playoffs but it would be a very long week till game number 2.

      This is gonna be a tough game. This is a new regime with no tape to go off of. They also have some top end talent that should be able to hang with any team in the league and a young QB who was highly touted that may, or may not have, taken strides. Their problem is depth, which they have very little of. A young OL with draft pedigree, quality TE play and a receiving core of Olave, Rasheed and Vele or Cooks (with Kamara to boot) should be a great test for our new defence with Moore calling plays. The fact that they picked Rattler as the starting QB and not their 2nd round pick, indicates that they are more interested in winning than they are developing that QB.

      This team has some vets that always has the team ready right from the hop. They usually plays there best ball early in the season before injuries exposes their depth concerns, similar to many past Cardinal teams. They scored 91 points in their first two games last year while pounding the Jags and Cowboys before those injuries hit and exposed the depth concerns.

      That being said, if they do come out and win this game easily as most expect, that would certainly inspire confidence moving forward in the season to come.

      Delete
  2. Galan.de.NovelaSeptember 6, 2025 at 7:11 AM

    Walt, your time and effort is always appreciated. Rallis finally has the pieces he needs to run his ideal defensive scheme, he must look dominant against one of the expected worst teams this year, otherwise this is gonna be a long season and talks of a regime change will be deafening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Walter MitchellSeptember 6, 2025 at 9:03 AM

      Thank you, Galan. As long as you, 61 and jobu want these game comparisons, I'll keep doing them.

      Delete
  3. sneakyjobuSeptember 6, 2025 at 7:48 AM

    Look for lots of run game and short game passing from Moore and Rattler. Moore was talking about how efficient Rattler is at finding his multiple reads and running the quick game so it will be interesting to see how the Cards rally to tackle and stop the run after the catch in this game. I have a feeling that the Cards offense will not look very sharp. Here is quite a defining year for coaches and the highly paid QB! Truths will be revealed this year !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Walter MitchellSeptember 6, 2025 at 9:01 AM

      100% correct --- great post, jobu. Moore's offense at times is going to look a lot like Petzing's --- 12/13 personnel, wide zone running schemes built for cutbacks. Short passing game deluxe with TEs and RBs and WRs, only with an occasional play-action deep shot to Olave or Cooks. Moore's track record against Gannon's defenses has been impressive.

      Delete
    2. NSCardSeptember 7, 2025 at 6:23 AM

      Tackling should be much improved this year. As a team improves with quality players, tackling gets easier because everyone stays in there lane.

      It's much easier to tackle someone forced into the middle or a particular lane because everyone held their gap than it is to tackle someone one on one in the open because they got free as a result of poor gap discipline.

      Delete
  4. TMAttySeptember 6, 2025 at 9:40 AM

    I enjoy this kind of info before the games and, as always, your efforts are much appreciated!

    I think anything other than a convincing win here would be very disappointing. I know it’s Week 1, a road game, etc., but we have 6 games vs. NFC West teams each year. If you can’t take this particular game, then what are we doing?

    Starting on a positive note would also bode well for our home opener next week vs. Carolina: a team we once again SHOULD beat but always seem to struggle against.

    ReplyDelete
  5. BurberrySeptember 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM

    Love these articles, keep em coming! Saints OL is no joke! Fuaga was a rookie starter at one of the most difficult positions in football last year, I expect him to make a massive leap. Banks on the other side is an elite T prospect and I expect he’ll be an all pro one day. McCoy is the best C in football, Ruiz is solid and we’re lucky that Penning is out and we’ll have a backup G to feast on. Penning should’ve been playing inside at G all along but as a former frp they had him at T and I think he’ll be very good, if not elite, as a G. Having two potentially elite young book end tackles, the best C in the league and a couple really solid G is no small feat. I don’t think there’s much of a difference roster talent wise between the two teams other than at QB. To me it’s a must win game as the implications that would come along with a loss would be massive.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ERauchSeptember 6, 2025 at 12:31 PM

    Love this kind of breakdown. While pff isn't gospel, it is worth an argument over a beer. 🙂

    Biggest take away for me is it's time for a new punt returner. Under 10 yd/return just don't hunt, in my book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Walter MitchellSeptember 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM

      Good to hear this. ERauch. Actually, Greg Dortch's 9.5 average was 8th best in the NFL for players who returned more than 20 punts.

      Delete
  7. Fitzfan11September 6, 2025 at 2:27 PM

    Nice work Walt! Not knowing what to expect is nerve-wracking but most interested to see how will johnson does.

    ReplyDelete
  8. CardsFan4Life85September 6, 2025 at 2:50 PM

    Walt, I appreciate the time you take to put together articles like that. To be honest, you're pretty much the only reason I went to ROTB. Since you left, I haven't really spent a lot of time there. The quality of what you write is likely unparalleled with all of SB Nation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since 61September 6, 2025 at 3:46 PM

      BINGO

      Delete
    2. Walter MitchellSeptember 6, 2025 at 4:02 PM

      Thank you for your support, CF4L85. So happy that we have a great group of Cardinals' fans here at Red Rain.

      Delete
    3. ERauchSeptember 6, 2025 at 6:37 PM

      BINGO²

      Delete
    4. tianruiSeptember 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM

      In total agreement here. SC for news as it breaks and Walter for substance. Don't like ROTB new format and reliance on X posts as well.

      Delete
    5. NSCardSeptember 7, 2025 at 6:25 AM

      Ditto

      Delete

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