NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler faced a challenging debut in the NFL, resulting in a 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rattler stepped in for Derek Carr, who was sidelined with an oblique injury sustained during a previous game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The rookie had a strong start, throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Bub Means in the first quarter, which contributed to the Saints holding a 27-24 lead at halftime.
“I was definitely happy with how Bub was playing,” Rattler remarked about Means, who recorded his first NFL catches during the game. “It was kind of quiet throughout the year so far, and we’ve been talking about making those plays when your time comes. I was happy for him.”
However, the second half posed significant challenges for the Saints. The Buccaneers (4-2) adjusted their strategy and were able to intercept Rattler twice in the fourth quarter, alongside sacking him five times, four of which occurred in the second half. Rattler finished with 22 completions on 40 attempts for 243 yards, but struggled in the latter half, completing just 11 of 23 passes for 103 yards.
“I thought the first half was really good for all of us,” Rattler said. “But we came out sloppy in the second half and couldn’t get anything going. We made mistakes, starting with myself. We need to improve in those situations, but we fought and will learn from the experience.”
Rattler noted that the Buccaneers switched to more man-to-man coverage after halftime, and he expressed disappointment over his two interceptions. He also acknowledged that he contributed to the sacks, praising the offensive line for their efforts despite being undermanned.
“I caused a few of those sacks,” Rattler explained. “The offensive line fought hard all day, and we’ve just got to work on holding that pocket and getting the ball out quicker. The Buccaneers’ defense played well in the second half.”
The Saints’ struggles were magnified by a defense that allowed 593 net yards, marking the highest since 2004, and 51 points, the most since a 52-27 loss to the New York Giants in 2012. Coach Dennis Allen pointed out that their performance did not sufficiently support Rattler, highlighting issues with protection, rushing, and tackling.
“We didn’t tackle well in the game, and that falls on me when it comes to defense,” Allen acknowledged.
The performance of the Saints’ defense put them in a troubling historical context, reminiscent of the 2012 season when they allowed an NFL-record 7,042 yards. Following that season, then-coach Sean Payton dismissed defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo after just one year.
When questioned about improving their tackling before facing Payton’s Denver Broncos on “Thursday Night Football,” Allen asserted the need for correction. He also confirmed that Rattler would remain as the starting quarterback.
“I’m proud of what I did and how we battled as a group,” Rattler stated. “We just need to clean things up, but I won’t hang my head after such a difficult loss. Everyone has to step up, starting with me.”
The Saints have now lost four consecutive games and played without key players Chris Olave (concussion) and Tyrann Mathieu (forearm).
“It’s tough, but we have a next man up mentality,” Rattler said about Olave’s absence. “It’s unfortunate to lose your top guy early on, and I hope he recovers quickly and comes back strong.”