GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Without many weapons around him, New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler couldn’t capitalize on his opportunity for a nationally televised showcase.
One week after leading four straight scoring drives in a 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders, the fifth-round pick from South Carolina didn’t produce any points as the Saints fell 34-0 to the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, the first shutout in the NFL this season.
The Saints (5-10) were shut out for the first time since falling 13-0 to San Francisco on Nov. 27, 2022.
“Embarrassing loss," Rattler said. "I put it on myself. I played not good at all, in my opinion. Just didn’t have any answers. Got to go make more plays, protect the ball. Just got to be better.”
Rattler has started four games in his rookie season, and the Saints have lost each of them by at least 18 points. But he showed promise in his last appearance, when he came off the bench to replace an ineffective Jake Haener and orchestrated a comeback against the Commanders.
That performance earned Rattler another start in place of the injured Derek Carr, but Rattler wasn’t nearly as effective Monday night. He went 15 of 30 for 153 yards with an interception and a fumble.
The Saints were playing without five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara (groin) and receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest/illness). Receivers Rashid Shaheed (knee) and Chris Olave (head) and tight end Taysom Hill (knee) have been sidelined for multiple weeks. The Saints lost center Erik McCoy to an elbow injury during Monday's game.
Rattler did not use those injuries as an excuse.
“Our expectation is to try and get it done with anybody,” Rattler said. “Throughout the week, I’m confident in my guys always.”
Rattler was facing a Green Bay defense missing four starters: linebacker and leading tackler Quay Walker, two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander and rookie safeties Evan Williams and Javon Bullard.
But the Packers still had plenty of answers for Rattler and the Saints.
New Orleans was shut out in the first half for a second straight game, the first time the Saints have been scoreless at halftime of back-to-back games since 1997.
On New Orleans’ first series, Rattler failed to connect with Kevin Austin on third-and-7 from the Green Bay 40. The Saints initially lined up to go for it on fourth down but opted to punt after a false-start penalty pushed them back 5 yards.
New Orleans already trailed 21-0 when Rattler got the Saints inside the Green Bay 30 late in the second quarter. That drive ended when Keisean Nixon sacked Rattler and forced a fumble that Rashan Gary recovered.
The Saints got to Green Bay’s 34 before a sack by Devonte Wyatt pushed them out of field goal range in the closing seconds of the half, leading to an unsuccessful Hail Mary attempt. That drive also included a clock management miscue. The Saints allowed about 24 seconds to run off the clock after Austin recovered his own fumble before New Orleans finally called a timeout with 15 seconds left.
“You saw some flash plays,” Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said. “I thought he made a couple of really good plays, but then we made a couple of really bad decisions. But, like I said, we didn’t help him much. I think it was an overall team situation. We dropped some passes. We dropped some balls on him, which could have helped us, and made the overall product look a lot better and maybe make his performance look better.”
With the Saints trailing 24-0 in the third quarter, Rattler got New Orleans into scoring position again before Zayne Anderson picked off a first-and-10 pass from the 22.
That was as close as Rattler and the Saints got to scoring.
“We got outplayed,” Rattler said. “We got punched in the mouth.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
