Spencer Rattler started six games for the New Orleans Saints as a rookie, but he’s now officially QB1 for the team. Unfortunately, he didn’t get his QB1 era started the way he wanted to. The Saints lost to the Arizona Cardinals 20-13, and Rattler completed 27-of-46 passes for 214 yards. The second-year quarterback also did a good job of protecting the football, not fumbling or throwing an interception.
Unfortunately, Rattler also didn’t find the end zone. He did come close, though, on one of the final plays of the game when New Orleans almost tied things up. The quarterback delivered the perfect ball to Juwan Johnson, who was surrounded by three defenders, and the veteran tight end had his hands on the ball, before a Cardinals’ defender dislodged it.
Naturally, this resulted in a lot of Saints fans voicing their frustrations for Johnson. After the game, though, Rattler came to his defense. The quarterback acknowledged that the defender simply made a good play, before emphasizing that he would throw that ball to Johnson 100 times out of 100.
Spencer Rattler on the final drive: “I’d throw that to Juwan 100 times out of 100” #Saints pic.twitter.com/cELicRSZor
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) September 7, 2025
Spencer Rattler defends Juwan Johnson after Saints’ Week 1 loss
While the two couldn’t connect there, they connected plenty throughout the game, with Johnson catching eight of his 11 targets for 76 yards. His 76 receiving yards, and eight catches, both led New Orleans in Sunday’s loss. This is a connection that will only get stronger as the season progresses.
While it would’ve been great if Johnson caught the touchdown on Sunday, giving New Orleans a chance to go to overtime or go for the win, the Saints played a game they could feel good about. Obviously, it’s a lot the team needs to clean up, but New Orleans has shown it could be a competitive team this season.