By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — It wasn’t the debut that many had hoped for rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler. A 51-27 loss to the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers was far from what was expected for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. While everyone expected some bumps in the road, the Saints looked more like a head-on collision. However, that will not be the last impression of a Saints team led by Rattler.
Per Jay Glazer during the FOX NFL Sunday pregame show, the team is expected to start Rattler for three-to-four games, including the matchup against the Buccaneers.
The Saints are set to be without starting quarterback Derek Carr with an oblique injury. They made the decision quickly to turn things over to Rattler. The original expectation was for a pair of games because of the tight timeline between Sunday’s contest and an upcoming Thursday Night Football game. Instead, Rattler may get twice as many games as anticipated.
The rookie’s first start began strong, but eventually faded as the second half waned. The entire team, especially the defense, had its struggles. Rattler completed 22 of his 40 passing attempts for 246 passing yards, one touchdown and two second-half interceptions. He also added four rushes for 27 yards, including a 16-yard rush for a big first down.
The former South Carolina passer had his share of mistakes, as expected for a rookie quarterback. He underthrew a pair of passes to speedy wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, one of which was picked off. He took five sacks in the game, some of which he took on as his own fault during his postgame press conference. There’s no doubt he has things to improve upon. However, the highlights show a lot of promise and he now looks like he’ll have another few games to keep building on those positives.
New Orleans will get a solid look at their rookie passer who has garnered a lot of excitement. That’s good news for the team which could look to build around him in future years.
