Slight edgeARI
Arizona Cardinals
73.3PFM Team Score#28 NFL
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the Arizona Cardinals higher than the New Orleans Saints overall, with a slight advantage. The main reasons are the less severe defensive concern and the clearer long-term football direction.
Current PFM Team Scores
NO
New Orleans Saints
73.0PFM Team Score#30 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Arizona Cardinals Higher
The Arizona Cardinals own the higher defensive grade, although the unit still falls short of the strength range. New Orleans' strongest counterargument is Coaching Direction. The New Orleans Saints have the less uncertain coaching situation, but the grade remains below the strength range.
Arizona also brings the clearer long-term football direction. That is enough to keep the Arizona Cardinals ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Arizona vs. New Orleans Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
ARIArizona Cardinals
NONew Orleans Saints
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
New Orleans Saints’ Best Argument
Coaching is a concern for both teams. The current rating gives the New Orleans Saints the smaller problem. The coaching direction advantage is a real point in New Orleans' favor, but it does not outweigh the rest of the higher-rated team’s advantages. The problem for New Orleans is that Arizona counters with the less severe defensive concern and the clearer long-term football direction.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
ARI73.3
Arizona Cardinals 73.3NO73.0
New Orleans Saints 73.0Overall NFL Rank
ARI#28
Arizona Cardinals #28NO#30
New Orleans Saints #30QB Stability
ARI77.4
Arizona Cardinals 77.4NO76.8
New Orleans Saints 76.8Roster Strength
ARI72.9
Arizona Cardinals 72.9NO73.5
New Orleans Saints 73.5Coaching Direction
ARI71.7
Arizona Cardinals 71.7NO75.8
New Orleans Saints 75.8Recent Performance
ARI69.7
Arizona Cardinals 69.7NO69.8
New Orleans Saints 69.8Offense
ARI76.2
Arizona Cardinals 76.2NO74.5
New Orleans Saints 74.5Defense
ARI72.8
Arizona Cardinals 72.8NO68.2
New Orleans Saints 68.2Franchise Direction
ARI73.1
Arizona Cardinals 73.1NO69.4
New Orleans Saints 69.4Explosiveness
ARI64.1
Arizona Cardinals 64.1NO68.1
New Orleans Saints 68.1Conference Rank
ARI#15
Arizona Cardinals #15NO#16
New Orleans Saints #16Division Rank
ARI#4
Arizona Cardinals #4NO#4
New Orleans Saints #4Outlook
ARIPlayoff Long ShotNOPlayoff Long Shot
Same outlookSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Arizona Cardinals
Remaining schedule rank: #1
Toughest stretch: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers
Next five difficulty: 83.7
View Arizona Cardinals Road AheadNew Orleans Saints
Remaining schedule rank: #30
Toughest stretch: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers
Strongest opponents: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings
Next five difficulty: 75.8
View New Orleans Saints Road AheadArizona has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 1. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers. New Orleans gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Arizona still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated October 6, 2026. Schedule data updated October 6, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams