Clayton Tune lost the job as backup QB of the Cardinals to Desmond Ridder

While the competition for the backup quarterback spot was still open before the Arizona Cardinals' final preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, it is now closed.

Desmond Ridder deserves the job, at least in my opinion.

Clayton Tune didn't exactly project confidence in Arizona's 38-12 road loss. He made a mediocre first impression, and it got worse when he stepped in in the fourth quarter and threw an interception that was returned 94 yards for a touchdown.

Tune was the only quarterback on either team who failed to get his team into the end zone.

There are many factors we should consider when evaluating Houston's second-year quarterback.

He didn't play behind the starting offensive line. He didn't play with Marvin Harrison Jr. We don't know what offensive coordinator Drew Petzing called. (Often OCs call plays to see how they work in game situations rather than playing their best in the preseason.)

But with Tune as quarterback, the Cardinals’ offense never got going.

Tune suffered sacks and was unable to consistently escape the pressure to throw shots further forward.

He had a great play where he evaded an unblocked edge rusher and threw a good pass to Xavier Weaver for 43 yards. But that drive stalled in the red zone and ended in a turnover when Tune threw a pass to running back Tony Jones Jr. on third and goal from the 13-yard line, but Jones lost control at the 5-yard line and dropped the ball.

The fumble was not Tune's, but you have to wonder if that was his best option. Jones was heavily covered and had little chance of getting to the point. Could Tune have found someone running past in the back of the end zone? Could he have moved in the pocket to extend the play and give a player a chance to get free?

Arizona's coaches will be able to judge it based on the film. We can only judge the result. And that wasn't good on this drive.

Tune's stats weren't bad. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 120 yards, but numbers rarely tell the whole story. Unless they're these numbers: A 94-yard pick-6 in the red zone.

Tune struggled as a rookie last year in both the preseason and regular season, and I didn't see as many signs of improvement as I would have liked on Sunday to trust him as the No. 2 pick if Kyler Murray is out.

Ridder, on the other hand, hit opponents with rhythm and stride, giving the impression that he knew where he wanted to go with the ball before the snap, instead of waiting until the action started.

He brought Arizona into the red zone on his first drive.

The offense stalled at Denver's 5-yard line, but on third and goal, Ridder used a shotgun snap and attempted to make a play.

When none of his receivers broke through immediately, he attacked the line, pressuring the defense to view him as a running threat. Then he attempted a throw near the sideline that could have resulted in a touchdown. It was an incomplete pass, but Ridder made the right play. The drive ended with a field goal for Arizona.

Ridder also made throws deep into Denver's secondary instead of making checkdown passes to running backs for short gains.

Here, too, there are factors that we do not know.

Was there a major loss of talent in Denver's defense between the first and second half? Are Arizona's backups better than expected? Did Petzing adjust his plays at halftime?

Ridder's numbers weren't exactly impressive. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 111 yards. But when he had to leave the field to get checked out because his helmet had fallen off, Ridder stepped in and threw the ball.

Ridder found open receivers on his drops. He hit opponents on the run and even threw a nice back-shoulder throw to Tejhaun Palmer for 21 yards early in the third quarter.

Later in that drive, after a touchdown by Hassan Hall, Ridder rolled to the right and hit Andre Baccellia right on the hands, which would have resulted in a 2-point conversion had Baccellia not dropped the pass.

Daylen Baldwin dropped a potential first-down pass on the next drive.

Ridder wasn't perfect, but he moved the ball. He dropped back and threw it. He went through his progressions before checking down. And he even had a great 27-yard run with about 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.

I don't know what Jonathan Gannon and Drew Petzing see on a daily basis in practice and in the film room, and I don't know all the factors that went into Tune and Ridder's performance.

But if my performance depended on Ridder or Tune and if they were even going into the final preseason game, I would choose Ridder.

Reach Moore at [email protected] or 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore.

Clayton Tune lost the job as backup QB of the Cardinals to Desmond Ridder

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