No one would have batted an eye if the New Orleans Saints had lost to the Washington Commanders by a large margin, and they were on the way to that outcome in the first half. It was only a 14 point deficit, but the Saints’ offensive struggles made a comeback feel unrealistic.
Everything changed when Darren Rizzi made the switch from Jake Haener to Spencer Rattler.
Rattler led the Saints to four consecutive scoring drives and nearly to an improbable comeback victory. He looked more confident in this game than he did the first time we saw him. Haener versus Rattler has been an ongoing debate this year, and Rattler seemed to have the edge earlier in the season.
The first few starts for Rattler didn’t go well, but he’s clearly learning from his mistakes.
One half of football isn’t enough, though. What’s next for Rattler? The next step is to see him put it together for a full game.
The rookie doesn’t need to blow you away, but what you saw from Rattler against the Commanders was big throws under pressure, playing safe, but not tight, and a comfortable feel in the pocket.
If Rattler starts next week, you should look to keep those attributes as a net positive.
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