Arizona Cardinals defense falls flat in playoff eliminating loss to New Orleans Saints

Nothing seems to go right for the Arizona Cardinals, as the Cardinals season, well their playoff hopes, officially come to an end with their 48-41 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

In the first half, the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints traded touchdowns like Pokémon cards.

The Cardinals started off the scoring with a fantastic wildcat run from Kerwynn Williams that was partially sprung by another Larry Fitzgerald pancake block on the outside.

49 yards and the score set the tempo for the first half of the game.

From there the Saints kicked a field goal, then Travis Cadet found a way to toast Patrick Peterson for a touchdown.

The Cardinals offense meanwhile had stalled, but the defense responded with a salvage fumble from Markus Golden that Calais Campbell scooped up and took to the house, in what could be his last home game in Arizona.

Then it was the Drew Brees to Brandin Cooks show, as Cooks scored on touchdown receptions of 65 yards and 45 yards against D.J. Swearinger and Tyrann Mathieu.

The Cardinals offense finally responded with a nice long touchdown drive capped off by another J.J. Nelson touchdown from Carson Palmer.

In the second half of the game, the defenses decided to show up forcing a couple punts from each side.

The Saints had a nice drive and what looked like a touchdown, but NFL officials still don't know what a catch is, so they settled for a field goal.

The Arizona Cardinals responded well, with a nice drive featuring a lot of J.J. Nelson and even more David Johnson. A pass interference call against Hakeem Valles, yes that Hakeem Valles, put the ball at the two, which is an auto-TD if Arians wants to hand the ball to David Johnson. He did and it worked out.

The Saints though, they came back with a drive of their own, that was aided by a confusing offsides penalty on a made Saints field goal, that gave the Saints a first down and the ability to go for a touchdown. They did and Tim Hightower scored, which was bitter sweet.

The Cardinals though, went right back down the field and scored their own rushing touchdown, the second of the game for David Johnson, who on the drive took over the single season yards from scrimmage record for the Arizona Cardinals (well the Cardinals franchise).

Of course in this game, that just meant another chance for the Saints to score, as Drew Brees and the Saints marched down the field and hit Michael Thomas over Brandon Williams for a touchdown. Again, Williams was in a perfect position to make a play, but doesn't have any awareness for finding the ball.

It is a good thing he's finally getting some playing time, because that will only come with game action.

Then, well the game ended swiftly, with the Cardinals trying to stay in the game, Carson Palmer threw a quick screen to Brittan Golden who promptly fumbled trying to get extra yardage.

It is a fitting end to a disappointing season, as the Arizona Cardinals are officially eliminated from the NFL Playoffs for 2016.