By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS —
It may be his first career NFL start, but New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler is not lacking confidence in himself, or his weapons. Rattler has been tapped to start this weekend after Derek Carr went down with an oblique injury that is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks. The Saints had to choose their new starter between Rattler and second-year quarterback Jake Haener, who had been the backup quarterback all season. Ultimately, they rolled with the rookie.
Rattler says that he was told by the team Tuesday morning. His conversation with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who delivered the news, was brief but charged.
“I spoke with Klint (Kubiak) about it,” Rattler said during his Friday media availability. “Klint said “Let’s have a great week, let’s prepare at a high level and put a great plan together.’ It was brief and short and we got to work.”
A direct message delivered to the former No. 1 overall college recruit and it was received loud and clear. Everywhere you look when it comes to Rattler, he appears to be ready for the moment. He’s familiar with the system, and he expects some things to be tailored to his unique skill set, an element of the Saints’ new offense that he loves.
“I feel very confident about the plan,” he said. “Something I love about Klint and our offensive staff is (that) we tailor it to who’s playing. So, I like that a lot and feel confident about it.”
We broke down why Rattler was the right choice for the Saints to start this weekend, and one of the things we highlighted was Rattler’s mobility. His ability to move should allow the Saints to implement some new wrinkles in the offense like designed runs, which are typically lost when tight end Taysom Hill isn’t available, as well as RPOs, sprint outs and other concepts to get their passer on the move.
South Carolina used a lot of these elements along with screens and quick passes to help settle Rattler in. New Orleans could do the same. In fact, Rattler said himself that this is part of what gets him in rhythm when starting in a new environment, something with which the rookie quarterback has some experience.
“Getting a few completions early,” Rattler said of what settles him into a game. “Taking a hit or two just to get the juices flowing. That helps a lot. But as the game goes on you get more calm. And you’ve got to be cool, calm and collected in the pocket as a quarterback. Specifically as the leader.”
Quick passing would be ideal anyway considering the team’s banged up offensive line. A line which may make having a more mobile option in the backfield a greater requisite this weekend.
Rattler may not be a big-play runner like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, but he can pick up some yards with the ball in his hands. And he has the confidence necessary in himself to turn nothing into something as a scrambler when necessary.
Rattler’s trust isn’t limited to himself, however. He is just as excited about his teammates as he is about the opportunity.
With downfield threats like wide receivers Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Mason Tipton, there is a lot of speed on the field. With an arm and downfield touch like Rattler’s, the Saints will likely uncork a few deep shots on Sunday. No matter who that target is going to, the young signal caller knows he’s just got to get it there and let their athleticism do the rest.
“It’s been exciting watching (Shaheed),” Rattler said. “(He’s a) special talent. Him, Olave and Tipton can get down the field. We got a lot of guys that can run, as you know. I’ve got to trust them, put it out in front of them and let them go get it.”
While the potential for big, explosive plays is indeed present, things will not come easy against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense. Head coach Todd Bowles is one of the most aggressive defensive playcallers in the league regarding blitzing and pressure packages.
So far this year, Bowles’ defense has blitzed on 30.9% of defensive plays, eighth-most in the NFL. The only two teams New Orleans has faced so far this season that have blitzed more often are the Carolina Panthers (31.3%) and Kansas City Chiefs (34.2%) who rank T-No. 6 and No. 4 respectively. (The Saints’ next opponent, the Denver Broncos, are No. 2 in the league.)
Throughout his collegiate career, Rattler handled the blitz well. In three of his four seasons as a starter, he had a passer rating of 108.0 or better against the blitz. His best being a 123.8 rating when blitzed in 2021 while at Oklahoma. He also threw fewer turnover-worthy passes when blitzed in each of his college seasons, per Pro Football Focus.
Rattler has the confidence necessary to make the most of this opportunity. It will all be about how he settled in and how he manages adversity. Head coach Dennis Allen praised the youngster’s “no-flinch mentality”, something that the quarterback prides himself on as well.
“Being able to go through a lot of success and adversity at the college level,” he said. “I think develops that ‘no-flinch mentality,’ I guess you could say. You’ve got to be fearless as a quarterback, I think that’s the number one thing you’ve got to have.”
