Spencer Rattler has excelled at not turning over the ball to start the season. That all changed in the New Orleans Saints loss against the Chicago Bears when he turned the ball over four times. He must get back on track, both for his and the Saints season.
Statistically, Rattler was saved by two drives. On the day he was 20/32, 233 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions, and a fumble. This is the first game this season where Rattler has looked like a fifth round pick.
Don’t sugarcoat it, Dennis Allen had Rattler’s number this game. He looked sped up and confused by the various coverages. He also tried to be Superman too much. There were plays where Rattler tried to force the ball downfield which ended poorly for the Saints. The pressure from facing his former head coach and the quarterback who took his starting job in college got to him.
Rattler needs to improve to save his future, and the Saints season
It’s imperative that Rattler doesn’t continue this trend. Fans will be calling for Tyler Shough to see the action. Some were even saying that today. It’s still too early to make that call, but a string of bad games could do it.
The Saints' success is contingent on Rattler’s play. The defense isn’t good enough to win a game on their own. Before today, he was keeping them in games and giving them an opportunity to win. That changed against the Bears. Outside of a couple of great throws to Olave, he wasn’t his normal self.
It’s important to keep expectations in check. Rattler is still a former fifth round pick with limited experience. Fans shouldn’t expect him to be perfect every game. He’s going to turn the ball over at times. Rattler just has to keep that to a minimum, which he couldn’t today.
Spencer Rattler had his worst game of the season so far against the Bears. His four turnovers isn’t acceptable for a starting quarterback, even if he’s a former fifth round pick. The pressure seemingly got to him. Luckily for Rattler, the season isn’t over. There is still tons of time to improve and get back on track.