New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (18) warming up before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Aug. 25, 2024. (Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com)
The New Orleans Saints will start rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Dennis Allen confirmed on Wednesday.
Rattler, a fifth-round draft pick in 2024 from South Carolina, replaces Derek Carr, who strained his oblique in Monday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Carr’s return is uncertain, and Allen described his status as a “week-to-week” situation. However, once Carr is healthy, he will resume his starting role.
“Overall, I think he’s doing OK, and yet I think he’s disappointed that he can’t be out here,” Allen said. “He’s a guy that hasn’t missed a lot of time, doesn’t like to miss a lot of time, so I think he’s frustrated with that part.”
Saints’ Tight Schedule
The Saints have a busy schedule, with Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay followed by a Thursday night matchup against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 17.
QB Decision: Rattler Over Haener
Rattler won the starting spot over second-year quarterback Jake Haener, though Allen didn’t share many details on the decision.
“We just internally talked a lot about it and felt like in this particular game, that he was going to give us the best chance to win,” Allen said. “Both him and Jake both have been practicing extremely hard, preparing to be the starter. It was kind of the conversation that we had at the beginning of the year that Jake would be the No. 2 to start. … It was really basically going to be kind of a week-to-week deal and we just felt like this was, for this game, going to give us the best option.”
The Saints’ offensive line has faced challenges with injuries, with both their starting center and right guard sidelined. Recently, the team made adjustments by having Connor McGovern, signed from the Jets’ practice squad, play center. Landon Young was moved from tackle to guard, while Lucas Patrick played both center and guard.
When asked if Rattler’s mobility influenced the decision to start him, Allen admitted it was a factor. “There were a lot of factors that go into it,” Allen said. “Certainly we felt like he’s got some mobility.”
Confidence in Rattler’s Potential
Rattler had a notable college career at Oklahoma and South Carolina, and despite limited NFL action, Allen believes in his potential. “He’s been tested in the fire and he’s come out on the other end,” Allen said. “We’re excited about him. We’re looking forward to watching him play, and it’s going to be incumbent upon us as coaches to put him in the best position to be successful.”
The Saints initially listed both Rattler and Haener as the No. 2 quarterback at the start of the season, intending for the competition to continue. Rattler has been the emergency third QB through five games, while Haener stepped in during blowout wins and last week’s loss to the Chiefs.
Coaches Keep It Simple for Rattler
Allen said that the decision to start Rattler wasn’t made until this week. “We knew that if and when Derek ever had to miss a time, then we’d have to make some decisions,” Allen said. “So I think in that regard, it’s always kind been in the back of our mind, but yet there no decision came until we got in here and really started talking about it.”
Allen also stated that they won’t overthink the situation. “Look, I think you got to let the guy go in there and play,” Allen said. “We’re not going into this game saying, ‘You make a mistake, we’re going to pull you.’ He’s going to play. He’s going to start and lead the team. I think we’ll go from there.”
He later added: “The biggest thing, you don’t want to go into this thing like it’s this major ordeal. He’s the next man up. Get an opportunity to go in and play, have fun, and do what you’ve trained to do. I think sometimes you can make too big a deal of it and create more of an issue than you really need to. So, we’ll go through the things that he needs to know. We’ll get him ready and then we’ll let him go out there and play.”
Rattler’s preseason stats include completing 20 of 38 passes (52.6%) for 202 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and 26 rushing yards. He also had one fumble.
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This report used information from ESPN.
