Arizona
Cardinals
6-7-1
20
FINAL
31
New Orleans
Saints
10-4
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a crucial Week 16 matchup, the New Orleans Saints topped the Arizona Cardinals 31-20, solidifying their playoff aspirations as the season winds down. With both teams vying for postseason positioning, this victory gives the Saints a much-needed boost heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Tyler Shough was the standout performer for New Orleans, throwing for 229 yards and four touchdowns, showcasing his precision and poise under pressure. Complementing his efforts, Kendre Miller delivered a strong ground game with 111 rushing yards, while Brian Thomas Jr. emerged as a reliable target, racking up 160 receiving yards. Together, they formed a potent offensive trio that kept the Cardinals' defense guessing all afternoon.
On the defensive side, the Saints made key plays that shifted momentum in their favor. Javon Bullard's two interceptions were critical in stifling any potential Arizona comeback, while the relentless pressure from Josh Sweat, who recorded two sacks, kept the Cardinals off balance. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Bullard's second interception set up a quick touchdown drive, giving New Orleans a commanding lead they would not relinquish.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Shough | QB | 10 | 9 | 90% | 229 | 4 | 0 | 158.3 |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 25 | 15 | 60% | 172 | 2 | 3 | 67.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendre Miller | HB | 5 | 111 | 22.2 | 13 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 11 | 24 | 2.2 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Israel Abanikanda | HB | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Omari Evans | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Brian Thomas Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | โ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Velus Jones Jr | HB | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | โ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Thomas Jr | WR | 3 | 160 | 53.3 | 122 | 2 | 68 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 4 | 69 | 17.3 | 62 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Trey McBride | TE | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 0 |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | TE | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 19 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 16 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Juwan Johnson | TE | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 15 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Chris Olave | WR | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 21 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Mack Hollins | WR | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Israel Abanikanda | HB | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javon Bullard | FS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dadrion Taylor-Demerson | FS | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Danny Stutsman | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Josh Sweat | REDG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amare Barno | REDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaven Collins | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Bosa | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Young | REDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaleb Proctor | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr. | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Max Melton | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christen Miller | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Walter Nolen III | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Wingard | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett Williams | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Martin Emerson Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mack Wilson Sr | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewis Cine | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carl Granderson | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kei'Trel Clark | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Burke | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Carlson | K | 1 | 1 | 4 | 29 |
| Matt Prater | K | 2 | 2 | 2 | 51 |

