Saints waste no time deciding QB battle between Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener after Derek Carr injury
The New Orleans Saints were expected by many to name their starting quarterback at the last minute for Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Keep it a secret for as long as possible for their opponent. That is not the case. After Derek Carr's injury in Week 5, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported […]
The New Orleans Saints were expected by many to name their starting quarterback at the last minute for Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Keep it a secret for as long as possible for their opponent. That is not the case.
After Derek Carr's injury in Week 5, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported that rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler was a "strong candidate" to start in Carr's absence. That came to fruition on Wednesday afternoon.
Saints announce Spencer Rattler as starting QB vs. Bucs
Derek Carr is considered week-to-week with an oblique strain, according to Saints HC Dennis Allen. New Orleans does not plan to add another veteran QB at this time.
It will be Rattler's first NFL start. It comes at an important time for the Saints. They're attempting to end a three-game losing skid against one of their biggest rivals.
New Orleans was choosing between the rookie and backup QB Jake Haener for who to roll with over the next couple of weeks or so. Allen also noted that Rattler is excited for the opportunity, while Haener is obviously disappointed.
The Saints head coach also discussed the Saints' plan if Rattler struggles early on. They will not pull the plug on him immediately. Rather, they plan to give the rookie time to get comfortable.
"We're not going into this game saying, 'You make a mistake we're going to pull you'."
"I think you've got to let the guy go in there and play. … He's gonna start, he's gonna lead the team and we'll go from there."
— Allen
It is a risky, but smart, move for the Saints. They need to see the rookie in action. His physical tools are quite impressive. Let's see if he can put it all together sooner than he probably even expected at the NFL level.
