The Saints are at home Sunday in the Caesars Superdome to begin their regular season against the Arizona Cardinals.

Why it matters: There's a new quarterback, a new coach and (maybe? possibly?) a new chance for hope.

The big picture: The Saints have left behind a rocky 2024 season, and they're entering 2025 with a lot of new faces.

• Former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is the head coach, fresh off a Super Bowl win.

Zoom in: With quarterback Derek Carr's surprise exit this spring, we also got an offseason shootout between Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough and the recently-released Jake Haener.

• Rattler's taken the lead, with Moore naming him as the season starter.
• "He's just been consistent," Moore said. "He's made some really good decisions throughout this whole entire process and his ability to make plays with his arm and his feet have certainly showed up."
• "At the same we're really, really fortunate we got Tyler," he continued. "Love the development that he's had."

State of play: It seems to be taking some time for everything to gel, from Moore's coaching style to the new players in the locker room.

• As a result, when The Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan asked 31 members of the local sports media for their guesses as to how the season's going to go down, only two predicted a winning season.
• Only. Two.
• Woof!

How to watch: Kickoff is at noon. Tickets start around $35 on SeatGeek and StubHub. The game's on CBS too.

Saints fans have new food options this season, and we tried them.

Why it matters: It's not a game without snacks.

The big picture: Legends, which bought Superdome operator ASM Global last year, is now handling food and beverages at the Dome and Smoothie King Center.

• Sodexo Live had been the longtime food and beverage vendor for both venues. The contract ended earlier this year, according to Stephanie Riegel with the Times-Picayune.
• New York-based Legends got off to a rocky start with food service during the preseason and wound up apologizing to suite holders for slow service and poor quality, writes Tony McAuley with the Times-Picayune.

👋 Carlie here. My favorite dishes from the preview party were the blackened redfish sandwich, vegan mushroom poboy and burnt end nachos.

• The street tacos, chicken tenders and Conecuh sausage were popular with attendees too.
• The concession stands also have hibachi, Tabasco BBQ burgers, collard greens melts, coffee cocktails and beignets. See full menus and locations.

Zoom in: The food items are either new or "tweaked and improved," Legends chef James Tolin tells me.

• He focused on items that showcase local flavors and their food partners — Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, Community Coffee and Conecuh sausage.

If you go: Beers start at $14 and basic nachos are $10. Bloody Marys are a whopping $24.

More prices and photos

💉 Pharmacists no longer have the power to dispense COVID vaccines, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new rules. Instead, patients need to get a prescription from their doctor. (Axios)

• Louisiana continues to have one of the highest rates of COVID cases right now, according to new CDC data.

👀 Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been suspended from signing any federal agreements, according to the leader of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. His strongly worded letter cites her indictment. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)

💻 A cyberattack targeted the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office yesterday. Sheriff Susan Hutson says the jail's system is fine, but some other operations were knocked out. (WWL)

📹 The executive director of Project NOLA, a private crime camera network, says he believes the city released his footage of crime scenes to the TV show "Homicide Squad New Orleans" without his permission. (Fox 8)

✈️ New flights: United Airlines is adding two nonstop flights from MSY. (Press release)

• Breeze added two new flights yesterday too. (Routes)

Editor's note: This newsletter has been corrected to reflect that the name of the current sheriff is Susan Hutson.

👋 Carlie here. I went on the field this week and sprinkled the turf with all my good juju and positive vibes.

• Fingers crossed for a good season.