Saints @ Cardinals

[BLUE 1,026]

By MATT BECKER

STATS Editor

(AP) -- With a healthy Carson Palmer back to run the offense, the Arizona Cardinals believe they have the talent to contend for the Super Bowl.

 

The New Orleans Saints parted ways with several key contributors during a major roster overhaul, but the playoffs are certainly not out of the question given the division where they reside.

 

One of the most highly anticipated seasons in the desert begins Sunday when Palmer and the Cardinals host Drew Brees and the new-look Saints.

 

The 2014 season looked like it was going to be a special one for the Cardinals after they jumped out to an 8-1 start, but any Super Bowl aspirations seemed to vanish when Palmer suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 10. They limped to an 11-5 finish with backup quarterback Drew Stanton going down in Week 15, forcing Ryan Lindley into action. They still made the playoffs but gained 78 total yards - their fewest in 60 years - in a 27-16 loss to Carolina in a wild-card game.

 

The offense averaged 359.8 yards in the six starts Palmer made with the Cardinals going 6-0. He averaged 271.0 passing yards, throwing 11 touchdowns and three interceptions for a 95.6 rating.

 

Palmer's knee is at full strength, and after rehabbing a shoulder injury which also sidelined him last year, the 35-year-old declared his arm is "as strong as it's ever been, maybe stronger."

 

A healthy Palmer is just one of the reasons the Cardinals have lofty expectations.

 

Larry Fitzgerald (63 catches for 784 yards in 2014), John Brown (48 for 696), Michael Floyd (47 for 841) and fifth-round pick J.J. Nelson make up a deep wide receiver corps.

 

Floyd has returned to practice after being out with dislocated fingers, and safety Tyrann Mathieu - among many promising players on defense - got through the preseason healthy after being bothered by knee and thumb problems in 2014.

 

"We're as talented as anybody in this league," Palmer said. "I think if you're to put our roster up against anybody's roster and just kind of look at all the intangibles of each guy and the backups, I would put our roster up against everybody."

 

Their roster certainly looks more impressive than New Orleans'.

 

After finishing 7-9 to miss the playoffs for the second time in three years, the Saints traded away Brees' top target from each of the past four seasons in tight end Jimmy Graham and released top pass rusher Junior Galette. The troubled linebacker recorded 22 sacks in the past two seasons, but his off-the-field behavior was deemed detrimental to the team.

 

New Orleans also parted with versatile running back Pierre Thomas and Kenny Stills, who led all Saints receivers with 63 catches for 931 yards, as well as linebacker Curtis Lofton, who had a team-high 125 tackles.

 

Brees isn't going to let all the turnover be an excuse for missing the playoffs, though, especially considering the Saints play in an NFC South division that Carolina won last season with a 7-8-1 record.

 

"You have to feel comfortable feeling uncomfortable," said Brees, who is four TD passes away from becoming the fourth QB with 400. "It is that idea that there is always something to prove. ... You are always fighting to get better."

 

Brees, who tied for the NFL lead in yards passing with 4,952 last year, still has a few weapons at his disposal with the return of 2014 first-round pick Brandin Cooks (53 catches for 550 yards) and longtime teammate Marques Colston (59 for 902). Mark Ingram ran for a career-best 964 yards in just 13 games a year ago and will be backed up by C.J. Spiller, who came over from Buffalo.

 

There are significantly more questions for a defense that ranked 31st in total yards (384.0 per game) and 28th in scoring (26.5 per game).

 

First-round pick Stephone Anthony and second-rounder Hau'oli Kikaha are both expected to see plenty of time at linebacker, and New Orleans native Delvin Breaux will make his NFL debut at cornerback after coming over from the CFL.

 

"They'll be a handful of guys playing in their first pro football game this weekend and I am excited to see how they do," coach Sean Payton said. "There will be some growing pains."

 

Led by three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson, Arizona is in much better shape defensively.

 

The Cardinals were fifth in the league in scoring defense last season at 18.7 points per game and tied for seventh with 18 interceptions.

 

Outside linebacker Alex Okafor had a team-high eight sacks and will line up opposite newcomer LaMarr Woodley for defensive coordinator James Bettcher, who takes over after Todd Bowles moved on to coach the New York Jets.

 

"It is an aggressive defense with a lot of different pressure packages," Payton said. "They're fast and I'd say that they do a lot of things and a lot things well."

 

One of the biggest concerns for the Cardinals this offseason was a ground game that ranked 31st with 1,308 yards and last with 3.3 per carry. They've upgraded the backfield by signing Chris Johnson and drafting David Johnson out of Northern Iowa in the third round to join Andre Ellington, who rushed for a team-high 660 yards while being slowed by a torn tendon in his foot.

 

"This is the best football team we've had," reigning NFL Coach of the Year Bruce Arians said.

 

The Cardinals have lost three of the last four meetings with the Saints, including a defeat in a 2010 divisional playoff game, with Brees throwing for 1,183 yards and 10 touchdowns.

 

Source: Hosted.Stats.com

[BwareDWare94 723]

41

 

24

[Cherry 1,302]

34

27

[seanbrock 1,684]

Saints are going to get their shit pushed in. The Cardinals defense is nasty and the Saints themselves don't have much on the defensive side of the ball. Bree will get his yards in as always but I think they'll have to settle for a lot of FG's and they'll probably get turned over a couple times.

 

24-16 Cardinals

 

This game will be a lot more lopsided than the score would indicate simply because the Cardinals offense just isn't that great.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Even though the Cards lost Bowles they still have one of the scariest defenses in the league..

 

Carson Palmer is healthy and Brown is due for a Breakout scurry year.

 

Saints suck on the road btw and it's going to be beastly hot. This is going to be the year everyone sees how much Brees sucks.

 

30

 

14

[seanbrock 1,684]

Even though the Cards lost Bowles they still have one of the scariest defenses in the league..

 

Carson Palmer is healthy and Brown is due for a Breakout scurry year.

 

Saints suck on the road btw and it's going to be beastly hot. This is going to be the year everyone sees how much Brees sucks.

 

30

 

14

Bro, you are seriously blinded by hate. I DESPISE the Cowboys but can admit that they had some good and even great players, put down the pipe, Cholly. Bree is arguably the most accurate passer in the HISTORY of the game.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

this is 2015, not 2006. He's cleary fallen off...lay off the bong pls.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Not to the degree that he sucks. If you look at his stats he threw too many picks but all his other stats were pretty damn good. I think he was like 50 yards shy of throwing for 5,000 yards in like 4 or 5 straight seasons.

[Dutch 874]

Sean. His inner crow is talking.

 

24

 

21

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Brees was still an elite QB last year...

[Thanatos 2,847]

 

He wasn't. Glad someone else sees it.

 

Brees fails the eye test miserably, I don't give a fuck what the stats say. He is not a top-10 QB in the NFL at this moment. He may do better this season, but right now, no.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Thanatos19

[Bay 2,003]

 

He wasn't. Glad someone else sees it.

 

Brees fails the eye test miserably, I don't give a fuck what the stats say. He is not a top-10 QB in the NFL at this moment. He may do better this season, but right now, no.

But Cam Newton is?

[seanbrock 1,684]

 

He wasn't. Glad someone else sees it.

 

Brees fails the eye test miserably, I don't give a fuck what the stats say. He is not a top-10 QB in the NFL at this moment. He may do better this season, but right now, no.

Are you kidding? lol

[Sarge+ 3,436]

NFC South fans are funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes that still includes Donny.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Just for shits and giggles, please tell me the ten QB's in the NFL who are better than Drew Brees.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Drew Brees isn't a top 10 QB anymore?

 

Ok, maybe that's enough TGP for today...

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Ok...I didn't say he wasn't top 10 but you guys get the point lol.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Ok...I didn't say he wasn't top 10 but you guys get the point lol.

So he sucks....but he's still a top 10 QB. Nice job backpedalling, fucktard. lol

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Brees is quite clearly falling off. He's a stat whore and by sheer volume alone will still look better than he actually is.

Cardinals - 24

Saints - 21

[seanbrock 1,684]

Brees is quite clearly falling off. He's a stat whore and by sheer volume alone will still look better than he actually is.

 

Cardinals - 24

Saints - 21

You're just ignoring the facts. He completed nearly 70% of his passes on 659 attempts. But yeah it's just because he puts up volume stats. You can't really believe this. JD is turning into a football version of Ann Coulter lol.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Alright, so I overstated it a touch. Brees is currently my #8 QB.

 

Here's my current top-10:

 

1. Aaron Rodgers

2. Tom Brady

3. Ben Roethlisberger

4. Andrew Luck

5. Tony Romo

6. Phillip Rivers

7. Russell Wilson

8. Drew Brees

9. Peyton Manning

10. Matt Ryan

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I vehemently disagree with Wilson over Brees, but hey, give Thanatos credit for reassessing instead of stubbornly sticking with his original argument like so many do.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Alright, so I overstated it a touch. Brees is currently my #8 QB.

 

Here's my current top-10:

 

1. Aaron Rodgers

2. Tom Brady

3. Ben Roethlisberger

4. Andrew Luck

5. Tony Romo wrong

6. Phillip Rivers wrong

7. Russell Wilson wrong

8. Drew Brees

9. Peyton Manning

10. Matt Ryan

Are you serious dawg? lol

[Sarge+ 3,436]

I disagree with Wilson, Rivers, and Romo over Brees.

 

Brees last year 70% completion and 7.5 YPA on 659 attempts.... That's insane for a guy who is supposedly "regressing." The guy is still phenomenal, end of story.

[Dutch 874]

The NFC South bias here is strong. Throwing over 600 times and having a a completion rate of 70% is unheard of. It's actually history. A volume passer with incredible accuracy lol. That argument has no legs. An overrated volume stat padder has horrible efficiency. These dudes are smoking lol.