The last time the Saints started a season 3-0 was in 2009, the year the Saints won the Super Bowl. It is still a bit early to declare a potential 3-0 Saints team as Super Bowl contenders with how hard they've had to work to win their two games, but no one will complain about starting out the season 3-0.
Cardinals vs. Saints 2013 game preview: New Orleans aims for 3-0 start
The last time the Saints started out 3-0 they won the Super Bowl in 2009.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Carson Palmer got the first win of his Cardinals' career in Week 2, but needed all the help he could get from the rest of his team to secure it. Rashard Mendenhall rushed home the final points of the game with a shade under two minutes left to also give Cardinals coach Bruce Arians the first victory of his head coaching career.
Meet the Saints
The Saints are off to a good 2-0 start with a Week 1 win over their stiffest AFC South competition in the Atlanta Falcons. But the Saints needed a field goal from Garrett Hartley as time expired to get a, 16-14, win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Drew Brees was almost his standard self, throwing once again for over 300 yards and connecting with tight end Jimmy Graham for a touchdown. But he also threw two picks in the game, one that was returned for a touchdown.
The run game was also pretty nonexistent. Mark Ingram was stuffed a couple of times at the goal-line against the Buccaneers, and the Saints now, as a team, average 76.5 rushing yards per game -- good for 24th in the league. The defense for the Saints is helping the offense along as it works out its kinks. They held Josh Freeman to just 125 yards passing in Week 2 and are shaping up to be a tough test in the NFL.
Meet the Cardinals
Everyone chipped in for the Cardinals in their victory against the Lions in Week 2. Carson Palmer was forced to look elsewhere after Larry Fitzgerald went down with a hamstring injury. The veteran quarterback spread the wealth as much as possible with 10 different Cardinals registering a reception. The offensive line gave Palmer as much time as he needed. Although the Lions got a few rushes on Palmer, he was only sacked once.
Mendenhall had only 66 yards at the end of the game, but he made good use of the touches he had to get those yards. Mendenhall averaged 4.4 yards per carry, the third highest by a Cardinals rusher with at least 15 touches since the beginning of last season.
Local Takes: Saints
Ricky Tiernan from Canal Street Chronicles wants everyone to tone down the Mark Ingram hatred a tad.
The team can make excuses every season and after every game, but Mark Ingram is certainly not only to blame. Yet, how to use him is the question. He does what the smaller statured Sproles cannot do. He may not catch as well as Pierre Thomas, but he has a different, more bruising running style. Let's not forget the offensive line is either atrocious or decent. Not typically outstanding.
Local Takes: Cardinals
Jess Root with Revenge of the Birds liked what he saw from the Cardinals defense against the Lions last week.
What is most impressive is that, unlike last season, the Cardinals are defending the run well, even with lots of different looks, even with sometimes only two down linemen.
Follow the Fun
Be sure to check out SB Nation’s team blogs, Canal Street Chronicles, Revenge of the Birds, for more analysis and highlights from the game.
Add these fine follows to your Twitter timeline:
Last time we went 3-0 to start the season was in our 2009 campaign. The result? Superbowl champions. But lets not get ahead of ourselves!
— Canal St. Chronicles (@SaintsCSC) September 16, 2013
So, we're in Arizona. We don't even understand what a weather delay is. #stadiumshaveroofshere
— Revenge of the Birds (@revengeofbirds) September 16, 2013
@MikeTriplett - Saints beat reporter
Honestly don't think I've ever seen my Twitter mentions column scroll so rapidly as the reaction following #Saints Ingram's goal-line stuff.
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) September 15, 2013
@KentSomers - Cardinals beat reporter
Palmer threw two passes in that possession that no #azcardinal has been able to since #13 retired. Lob to Fitz, TD to Ellington.
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) September 15, 2013
Prediction
From the Week 3 picks:
How quickly could Rob Ryan fix the defense, after switching to a 3-4, was the biggest question for the Saints entering the season. That defense is a big part of why the Saints are 2-0 through the first two weeks of the season. Ryan’s unit is holding opponents to an average of 15.6 points per game, despite a never-ending list of injuries. Small sample sizes help. So does a secondary that’s keeping offenses to under 200 yards through the air.
The pick: New Orleans
Odds
The Saints opened as 7.5 point favorites, according to Oddsshark.com, and that now stretches anywhere from seven to nine point favorites over the Cardinals.
Next Week
The Saints get their first Monday Night Football appearance of the season when they host the Miami Dolphins. The Cardinals head a bit more southeast and take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road.
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