Saints coach creates mystery around which QB will start while Derek Carr misses time with injury
With Derek Carr set to miss time with a broken left hand, the New Orleans Saints must turn to one of their depth options at the quarterback position for the foreseeable future. When will we know the starter for Week 15? That's not known quite yet, and New Orleans may want to keep it that […]
With Derek Carr set to miss time with a broken left hand, the New Orleans Saints must turn to one of their depth options at the quarterback position for the foreseeable future.
When will we know the starter for Week 15? That's not known quite yet, and New Orleans may want to keep it that way early in the week.
Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler
Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi has not named a starting QB for Week 15 yet. He says that he will meet with the staff and both Rattler and Haener Monday afternoon to discuss who will get the nod.
At this point of the season, it may not matter. It is tough to see the Saints crawling back into the postseason convo from a 5-8 record with either backup QB option.
Rattler showed flashes during his time in the preseason and during Carr's first injury stint. At the same time, he also showed exactly why he is a rookie and was not taken until day three of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Rattler was sacked a whopping fourteen times and threw two interceptions in just three games as the starter earlier this year. He was benched for Haener during his final start of that set.
Also, keep in mind that Rattler was playing behind a makeshift offensive line. Rattler could have made better choices under pressure, but the OL struggled mightily during his time in place of Carr earlier this year. It should be better at this point of the season, based on the talent.
Haener is a safer option when it comes to protecting the football, but his ceiling is clearly lower than the rookie's.
The 25 year-old career backup to this point could help the Saints manage games and the clock a bit better, but the offense will assuredly be less threatening from a downfield perspective. He also is not as mobile as Rattler.
That being said, no one expects the Saints to win shootouts with their current WR room and a backup at QB. Plain and simple. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are both on the shelf, and neither may play for the rest of the season. We already know the latter won't.
Accordingly, Haener could be a better overall option if they want to try to find wins over the next few weeks.
Regardless, neither option heavily sways New Orleans' chances to win against the Washington Commanders. Giving Rattler another shot behind a healthy offensive line may make the most sense.
Saints’ chances to get back into playoff hunt take major hit with latest news
Another tough truth becomes clear.
