Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore looks on against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

3 Biggest Winners From Saints' Disappointing Week 1 Loss

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints came into Week 1 of the regular season with a lot of questions.

New Orleans is projected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, and their 0-1 record after losing to the Arizona Cardinals won't help their case.

But there were a lot of good things that happened in Week 1. The Saints saw solid production from a few of their best players.

Who were the Saints' biggest winners of Week 1?

WR Chris Olave

Chris Olave is the No. 1 wide receiver option in New Orleans, and it's not a very close race. In Week 1, this was very clear to tell.

Olave was targeted 13 times and brought in seven catches for 54 yards. Only tight end Juwan Johnson had more catches and yards than Olave, but Olave struggled with injuries throughout the game, so he didn't play as much as the Saints would have liked.

To make matters better, his injuries aren't anything to worry about. He's not being evaluated for a concussion, despite rumors that he was.

DE Cam Jordan

There weren't many players on the field on Sunday who were more dominant than veteran defensive lineman Cam Jordan. Jordan finished the game with three tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and a pass defended.

But his impact goes far beyond the box score.

He was a game wrecker on Sunday. Jordan lived in the backfield and disrupted plays on more than one occasion. He's the veteran force in the middle of the Saints' defensive front, and the star certainly played up to the standard in Week 1. It wasn't enough to come away with a victory, but the Saints and the fanbase should be happy with Jordan's performance.

QB Spencer Rattler

Spencer Rattler looked better than advertised in the loss.

Coming into the season, some of the media had Rattler as one of the worst rostered quarterbacks in football. Not just starters, but backups, too.

But Rattler silenced a lot of these doubters with a very impressive Week 1 showing. He completed 27 of his 46 passes for 214 yards. Although he didn't score, Rattler put the Saints in a position to win down the stretch, notably on the final drive of the game, and the team around him let him down.

While it wasn't a superstar performance, the Saints' starting quarterback took care of the ball and gave the team a chance to win. That's all you can ask of a young quarterback like Rattler.

More NFL: Saints Struck Gold? Spencer Rattler Already Turning Heads At QB

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: