The last time Kellen Moore was coaching for the home team in a meaningful game in the Caesars Superdome, he was helping the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LIX in February.
The home sideline at the Superdome now serves as Moore’s office after the New Orleans Saints hired the former Eagles offensive coordinator as their new head coach shortly after Philadelphia defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
Moore will start his new tenure when the Saints host the Arizona Cardinals in both teams’ season opener Sunday afternoon.
It figures to be a while before Moore, at 37 the youngest head coach in the NFL, is coaching in another Super Bowl. But fresh starts are always exciting, even as the Saints come off a 5-12 season and are in a four-year absence from the playoffs.
“We know what the goal is,” Moore said of winning the opener. “In Week 1, it’s important to be fundamentally sound, tackle in space, block, communicate and then handle the unknown.”
Moore isn’t the only youngster taking on a crucial role in New Orleans. Second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler, who was 0-6 as a fill-in starter for the injured and since-retired Derek Carr last season, is now the full-time starter after winning a very close preseason competition with rookie second-round pick Tyler Shough.
“The biggest thing with Spencer is his steadiness,” Moore said. “He has a calm confidence about him and he’s put himself in a really good position to lead us.”
Rattler is a native of Phoenix and said it will be “pretty cool” to open the season against his hometown team and he’ll have “a few people coming out from Arizona.”
The Saints still have a few well-decorated veterans such as running back Alvin Kamara, defensive end Cameron Jordan and linebacker Demario Davis. Still, New Orleans is generally considered a candidate to be among the worst teams in the league this season.
Two years ago, the Cardinals were embarking on a similar rebuilding project to the one the Saints are just beginning, and they are hopeful that this year is when they start reaping rewards.
Third-year head coach Jonathan Gannon led Arizona to an 8-9 record last season after his first team went 4-13.
Gannon has one significant advantage over Moore in Kyler Murray, who is entering his seventh season as Arizona’s starting quarterback. The coach said that Murray has improved in his “command, comfort level and understanding the why.”
“He gets better every snap he takes,” Gannon said. “He’s a playmaker. When you understand what’s going on with all the other 21 guys on the field, it can accelerate your thought process and decision-making. You play a little bit faster, play a little bit better.”
The Cardinals invested heavily in strengthening their defensive front during the offseason. They signed Josh Sweat, who led the Eagles with eight sacks last season, former Brown Dalvin Tomlinson, and brought back Calais Campbell, who played his first nine seasons with Arizona before spending his last eight among Jacksonville, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Miami.
“Our defense will go as the front goes,” Gannon said. “You’ve got to be able to stop the run. You’ve got to be able to affect the passer. That’s what I’m looking for out of our front.”
Starting left guard Trevor Penning (toe) was the only player among the five on the Saints’ injury report who missed practice on Wednesday. Two other starters — defensive end Chase Young (calf) and cornerback Alontae Taylor (groin) — were limited.
One Cardinal — backup guard Will Hernandez (knee) — was limited.
