The glory days of Weeks 1 and 2 for the New Orleans Saints certainly feel like a distant memory now. On Monday Night, the Saints lost their third straight game, falling to the reigning Superbowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 26-13.
The first two weeks saw Derek Carr and the offense putting up record numbers, averaging 45 points per game, the first in the NFL by a mile. The eye test backed it up, with a new emphasis on the run game and play action, allowing star running back Alvin Kamara to thrive while opening up big plays downfield for Carr and speedster Rashid Shaheed.
In the last two weeks, however, we have seen a reversion to the Saints that fans have grown all too accustomed to since Sean Payton departed: a stagnant, predictable offense that just can’t stay on the field. It doesn’t help that New Orleans has been without multiple starting offensive linemen, including starting center Erick McCoy, guard Cesar Ruiz and Shane Lemieux. The increasing pressure has led to an increase in mistakes, which was evident in the interception Carr threw on the game’s first drive.
Three out of the four offensive drives that followed consisted of only three plays, leading to the Chiefs dominating possession and going up 10-0. Carr and company put together a good drive to start the third, ending in a touchdown by Foster Moreau to cut the lead to a field goal at 16-13. By that point, however, the defense took their foot off the gas, allowing the Chiefs to march down the field for 68 yards in only five plays and scoring a touchdown to go up 23-13. The Saints were unable to put up points the rest of the game.
In their second to last drive, the Saints went for it on fourth and 8, where Carr threw his best ball of the game only for it to go right through the hands of rookie receiver Mason Tipton. The play not only practically ended the game but caused Carr to miss the remainder of the game with an oblique injury that is now causing him to miss multiple weeks. With the Saints having to play two games in 10 days from Monday night, as they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday and the Denver Broncos the Thursday immediately after, an already struggling and beaten-up Saints offense will look for a quarterback replacement.
This past week on the depth chart, Jake Haener was listed as the No. 2 quarterback. Haener saw a few snaps to close out against the Chiefs, going 2-for-7 for 17 yards. Despite this, Dennis Allen and the coaching staff plan to start rookie Spencer Rattler. A fifth-round pick out of the University of South Carolina, Rattler is a player who stood out throughout training camp and the preseason, and whose ability to improvise and make explosive plays can help this offense regain its excitement from the first two weeks. While the injuries to the offensive line won’t make it easy for Rattler, his running ability may just be able to make up for it.
The Saints better hope Rattler pans out as they enter a crucial divisional game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are currently 3-2. The game will be at 12 p.m. CST and is available for broadcast on FOX.
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