QB2 battle: Clayton Tune outperforms Desmond Ridder in Cardinals’ loss to Saints

GLENDALE — Of the positional battles entering the Arizona Cardinals’ preseason slate, the QB2 competition between Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder was a main one to watch given the amount of looks they’re expected to get.

Each turning in a half of work in Arizona’s 16-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Tune walked out of State Farm Stadium the victor in Round 1 of the three-game exhibition slate.

Completing 15 of his 24 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown, Tune brought a consistent presence to the offense after taking over for Ridder to start the second half.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on quarterback Clayton Tune’s performance against the New Orleans Saints.
🎥: @FelisDeportes pic.twitter.com/7NTf1pwPWq

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) August 11, 2024

“He had good command and played fast. I thought he made some throws in there, too,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said postgame. “I thought some guys stepped up and made some plays. I thought he was aware of what was going on out there making correct decisions and made some plays.”

He was quick to air it out, looking wide receiver Andre Baccellia’s way for an 18-yard gain on his first pass attempt.

A few plays later, he went back to the air with an 18-yard throw to tight end Blake Whiteheart.

Another nine-yard completion, this time to Xavier Weaver, set up the Cardinals with a fresh set of downs in the end zone before running back Michael Carter did the rest on an 11-yard touchdown.

It marked the first touchdown for either team, with Tune completing all but one of his five pass attempts for 54 yards across the nine-play, 70-yard scoring drive.

“Just felt like I was seeing the defense well. Had a good beat on what they were doing,” Tune said postgame. “Just felt like I had a plan pre-snap and then post-snap I was able to confirm that plan.

“I think being more decisive helps you throw the ball better,” the QB added. “When you know where you’re going with the ball, you’re able to throw it with a little more anticipation.”

Tune put an exclamation mark on his performance with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter.

Down 13-7 with 5:56 left to play, Tune and the offense got the rock on Arizona’s 24-yard line. Accounting for 61 of the team’s 76 yards on 5-of-9 passing, Tune capped off the 11-play drive with a 10-yard touchdown to running back Tony Jones Jr.

New Orleans, however, would have just enough time to answer back with a game-winning field goal with seconds left to play.

Saturday’s performance was an extension of Tune’s work in the latter half of training camp, where he looked much more comfortable running the offense. He also kept the ball out of harm’s way at a much higher rate than Ridder.

As for the veteran Ridder, he struggled in his first start in Arizona, completing 4-of-9 passes for 43 yards and a 59 QBR. His misfire to an open Baccellia on fourth-and-two on the Saints’ 12-yard line — that at the very least would have been a first down — summed up his night through the air.

The biggest positive to come from Ridder’s work on Saturday was the veteran’s ability as a runner behind five carries for 39 yards.

That being said, Ridder and the second-team offense had their work cut out for them against New Orleans’ first-team defense.

“You’d like to get some first downs, but that’s just not on the quarterback. That’s everybody,” Gannon said of the first half. “He’s not blocking for himself and he’s not running routes for himself. I think as a whole we gotta do a little bit better.”

Two preseason games and two joint practices in Indianapolis remain for Tune and Ridder to prove their worth as Arizona’s QB2 behind starter Kyler Murray before the regular season rolls around.

Follow @Tdrake4sports