NEW ORLEANS (Sept. 7, 2025) — Kyler Murray didn’t wake up feeling like an NFL quarterback on Sunday morning. By late afternoon, however, he had carried the Arizona Cardinals to a gutsy Week 1 victory. Fighting off illness, Murray threw two touchdown passes and led Arizona to a 20-13 win over the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome, spoiling the debut of rookie head coach Kellen Moore.
Murray finished with 163 passing yards, two scores, and 38 rushing yards. His top target was rookie star Marvin Harrison Jr., who pulled in five receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. Running back James Conner added a short touchdown reception as Arizona built an early lead and held on in the final minutes.
“I woke up with something, but I wasn’t going to miss the game,” Murray said. “This is the NFL. It’s never easy, no matter who you’re playing.”
Arizona Sets the Tone
The Saints struck first when Alvin Kamara broke free for an 18-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. But Murray and Harrison responded immediately. A 45-yard connection between the two set up Arizona’s first touchdown, a 1-yard Harrison catch to tie the game.
New Orleans briefly evened the score again on a 36-yard Blake Grupe field goal, but Murray engineered another drive capped by Conner’s 4-yard shovel-pass touchdown. Chad Ryland added a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter to push Arizona’s lead to 20-10.
The Cardinals appeared poised to extend the margin, but a blocked Ryland field goal late in the third quarter gave the Saints life.
Saints Rally Falls Short
Second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler nearly pulled off his first NFL win after entering the game winless in his first six starts. Rattler finished with 214 passing yards, no turnovers, and command of a late two-minute drive. He led New Orleans to the Arizona 18-yard line in the final seconds, but the Cardinals’ secondary held firm.
On the game’s decisive play, Rattler found tight end Juwan Johnson at the goal line. Johnson appeared to have both hands on the ball, but safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson converged, jarring it loose as Johnson hit the turf.
“It was really guys straining to finish,” Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson said. “That’s what we harp on, and we put that on display.”
Penalties and Mistakes Cost Saints
New Orleans was undone by 13 penalties for 89 yards, many of them on pre-snap infractions. Moore, making his first appearance as an NFL head coach, was visibly frustrated.
“We’ve got to play at a higher standard,” Moore said. “Those are things that haven’t shown up in practice, but when they show up in a game, they put you in bad positions.”
The Cardinals were flagged nine times for 54 yards, but their miscues didn’t prove as costly.
Veterans Step Up
While Rattler showed flashes, the Saints leaned heavily on veterans. Kamara totaled 82 yards from scrimmage and his touchdown run. Meanwhile, defensive end Cameron Jordan, now in his 15th season, recorded 1.5 sacks in a starting role after Chase Young was sidelined with a calf injury. Jordan’s 123 career sacks tie him with Robert Mathis for 20th all-time in NFL history.
“I’ll let accolades be what they are,” Jordan said. “I just want to help the defense win, and I feel like I can still do that.”
Injury Report
Arizona saw linebacker Cody Simon and safety Joey Blount leave in the first half with concussion evaluations. For New Orleans, rookie right tackle Taliese Fuaga exited with a knee injury and watched the second half from the sideline.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals (1-0) showed resilience in a hostile environment and will return home next week looking to build momentum behind Murray and their explosive rookie playmaker Harrison. The Saints (0-1), who had won six straight season openers before Sunday, will need to regroup quickly to avoid an early-season skid under their new head coach.
Final Score: Arizona Cardinals 20, New Orleans Saints 13
