Spencer Rattler
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The New Orleans Saints have a belief in winless quarterback Spencer Rattler
At a certain point you’d have to imagine that Spencer Rattler’s confidence will take a hit, but evidently, we haven’t reached that point yet. In a 20-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last weekend, the New Orleans Saints dropped to 0-1 to start the 2025 season, and Rattler, who arrived in the NFL as a 5th Round pick last year, fell to 0-7 in his career as a starting quarterback.
Yet as the Saints approach their Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, it’s not just Rattler who is confident in himself. It’s the Saints who remain confident in their young quarterback… a quarterback whose future as a starter in the National Football League hangs in the balance depending on how the 2025 season plays out.
“He was awesome, he really was. He was dialed in,” Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said of Rattler’s Week 1 performance. “Communication was excellent throughout the game. He had great vision. Obviously he made a few mistakes, but he also made quite a few plays for us. Good first outing.”
Good first outing, sure, but this isn’t a high bar that Spencer Rattler had to clear. After Week 1, Rattler ranked 16th in the NFL in passing yards, 14th in passing success rate and 27th in passer rating. It’s not like anyone in New Orleans is mistaking him for the second coming of Drew Brees, but that’s not what anybody within the Saints organization is asking Spencer Rattler to be, and because of that, Rattler is empowered to go out onto the field to play free and confident football.
All the Saints need of Spencer Rattler right now is to see that he’s taking greater command of the offense week by week, and that starts in practice, where Rattler has reportedly been ‘locked in’ all week long as New Orleans prepares for a second straight matchup against an NFC West contender.
“I feel like that’s just helping us believe in him, even helping himself believe in himself,” wide receiver Chris Olave said of Rattler’s preparation this week. “Just trying to be that perfectionist in practice, so in a game it would be a lot easier.”
Spencer Rattler Has Chance to Get a Win Against Short-Handed 49ers
In order to avoid becoming just the 12th quarterback since 1950 to go winless in his first eight NFL starts, Rattler will need to lead New Orleans to a win over the San Francisco 49ers, a team whose hopes of contending for a third NFC title in seven seasons rests, as usual, on the health of their roster. Fortunately for Rattler, it’s only Week 2 and the 49ers are already dealing with a handful of key injuries.
Without All-Pro tight end George Kittle and starting quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers offense will likely have its ups and downs in Week 2. Backup quarterback Mac Jones is just 6-19 in his last 25 starts and really hasn’t resembled a starting quarterback since his rookie season with the New England Patriots.
Although it’s promising for the Saints that their offense won’t need to go punch for punch with a potentially potent 49ers offense, there is still the issue of how effectively Spencer Rattler can lead this group against a stingy San Francisco defense that allowed only 13 points and 4.7 yards per play in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks.
But because the Saints have empowered him and put their trust in him to start the season, Spencer Rattler is heading into the matchup with San Francisco without any worries.
“You go out there, don’t have to worry about nothing, play fast, play your game and just lead,” Rattler said. “I feel like the team’s got trust in me, coach has got trust in me. I’ve just got to keep getting better, keep leading, and we’re going to get some wins.”