For the New Orleans Saints, the 2025 season has started with a familiar refrain: good, but not good enough. After falling to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2, both in gut-punch fashion, the Saints find themselves sitting at 0-2 for the first time in nearly a decade.
The transition to new head coach Kellen Moore was never going to be seamless, but the early returns show a team still trying to find its footing. Slow starts have doomed the Saints in both losses, forcing late comebacks that ultimately fell short.
Compounding the problem have been missed field goals in consecutive weeks and defensive lapses that surrendered explosive plays at critical moments -- including a 42-yard touchdown to Jauan Jennings on a critical third down against San Francisco.
Quarterback play, the Saints' biggest question entering the season, remains very much in flux.
Spencer Rattler got the start against the Niners, and while he showed flashes of growth -- tossing three touchdown passes for the first time in his career -- his final play told the story of ultimately where the organization stands. On a crucial fourth-and-1, Rattler was sacked and stripped, ending any hopes of a comeback. It was a microcosm of the Saints’ offensive struggles: progress, but not enough execution when it matters most.
Rattler acknowledged as much afterward:
“We moved the ball well all game, just got to start faster,” the second-year signal-caller said.
“We’re close, but close doesn’t win in this league.”
Behind him, former Louisville standout and rookie Tyler Shough looms as another option if Moore decides to shake things up. But for now, the Saints appear committed to letting Rattler build on what was arguably his best NFL performance to date. He finished 25-of-34 for 207 yards, showed improved chemistry with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, and found newcomer Devaughn Vele for a late score, as well.
The first-year bench boss in Moore has been adamant that while the losses sting, there are positives to build on.
"There’s too much good in there to miss these opportunities,” he said.
His words echo a locker room that, despite the record, believes it’s heading in the right direction.
Still, the urgency is real. A road trip to Seattle followed by a clash with the undefeated Buffalo Bills, also on the road, leaves little margin for error. If the Saints are going to turn it around, they’ll need cleaner starts, sharper execution on key downs, and stability at the most important position in sports.
Verdict: Patience. It's only Week 3. It'd be juvenile to say things are over with two losses. With Moore’s offense showing promise, a defense capable of tightening up, and young quarterbacks still developing, the Saints’ 0-2 record feels more like growing pains than a definitive answer on how the season will go. But the leash is short, and the next two weeks could decide whether patience turns into panic.