NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A flurry of flags tarnished rookie coach Kellen Moore’s otherwise competitive debut with the New Orleans Saints.
New Orleans committed 13 penalties Sunday in an error-strewn 20-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals that still came down to the final snap.
A big hit by Cardinals safety Budda Baker forced tight end Juwan Johnson to drop a potential tying touchdown catch as he landed across the goal line with four seconds left. When second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler’s pass for well-covered
Chris Olave sailed out of bounds as time ran out, the Saints were left lamenting the mistakes that had them playing from behind for the entire second half.
Their penalty total, which did not include three infractions the Cardinals declined, was their highest since also finishing with 13 against Detroit on Oct. 15, 2017.
“Ultimately, the story for us and the lesson for us is you can’t beat yourself,” said Moore, the offensive coordinator for Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia last season, who was hired to turn around a Saints squad that went 5-12 last season.
“There were a lot of mistakes in there we just have to clean up and put ourself in much a better position to be successful.”
The Saints overcame three penalties without facing a third down on their lone touchdown drive, which Alvin Kamara capped by racing 18 yards for a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.
The mounting mistakes eventually caught up to them, however.
Seven penalties came on offense, where Moore serves as coordinator and play-caller. Arizona even had a choice of infractions once when the Saints were guilty of an illegal shift and an illegal formation.
Guard Dillon Radunz lined up offside on another play.
New Orleans was flagged for an illegal formation on a field goal attempt.
“It’s just a discipline thing,” Moore said, noting that pre-snap problems hadn't shown up in recent practices.
“Obviously, it starts with me. I just have to make sure our guys play to that standard," Moore said. "Too many drives the momentum is created and then the momentum stopped just because we’re behind the chains in too many situations around midfield.”
An interference penalty on cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry kept an early Arizona drive alive, leading to a field goal. A holding call on linebacker Demario Davis handed the Cardinals a first-and-goal at the 1, leading to Kyler Murray’s touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison as they went ahead 10-7 in the second quarter.
“We can’t fight against ourselves throughout the course of the game,” safety Justin Reid said. “If we eliminate the penalties, we play smart football, we’ll have a chance in any game.”
They had a chance in this one.
Rattler, who was 0-6 as a starter last year, went 27 of 46 for 214 yards with no turnovers while being sacked only once. New Orleans outgained Arizona 315-276 and had more first downs (21-19).
New Orleans' comeback bid began with a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter.
After getting the ball with 4:34 left, Rattler connected on four straight passes and scrambled for a first down as the Saints reached the Cardinals 3 before settling for a 28-yard field goal to pull within a touchdown.
A blitzing Alontae Taylor sacked Murray to force a punt with two minutes left, and Rattler again quickly moved the Saints from their own 42 to the Cardinals’ 18.
When Johnson rose up and got both hands on Rattler's pass to the goal line in the final seconds, the Superdome crowd roared before realizing the ball was knocked loose by two converging defenders in the end zone.
“It’s a game of inches,” Rattler said. “I’ll throw that to him 100 times out of 100.”
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