Sep 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) makes a pass during the second quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Saints Chose Right; Spencer Rattler Already Turning Heads In Week 1

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The New Orleans Saints were faced with a tough quarterback decision after Derek Carr shockingly entered retirement earlier this year. That left the Saints with Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough, and Jake Haener at quarterback.

This led to a very tough quarterback battle, mostly between Rattler and Shough, that went back and forth throughout the preseason. Most expected Shough to get the nod because he's a rookie and the Saints don't have anything to lose. They're not a Super Bowl contender with either option under center.

But the Saints opted to start Rattler, and it's already looking like a good decision. The young quarterback looks quite impressive in Week 1, despite the Saints' loss.

Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski recently shared some solid praise of Rattler and graded his Week 1 performance as a "B."

Spencer Rattler earns "B" grade for Week 1 performance

"After trudging through a quarterback competition where no clear winner really emerged, the New Orleans Saints moved forward with Spencer Rattler as QB1," Sobleski wrote. "Based on his Week 1 performance, the team made the right choice, even though the organization didn't register a win against the Arizona Cardinals. Rattler always displayed tremendous natural throwing ability. His biggest issue stemmed from making a critical mistake at inopportune times.

"He refrained from any major errors Sunday and provided a clean performance with no turnovers. The sophomore QB also placed his team in a position to tie the game late in the contest, though tight end Juwan Johnson wasn't able to secure a well-thrown pass into the end zone with five seconds remaining."

Rattler was solid through the air, but he was forced to throw the ball well over 40 times because the Saints were losing for the entire game. But he stayed calm and composed throughout the contest.

Rattler even led the Saints on a potential game-tying drive that ended with a Juwan Johnson drop on a potential touchdown pass. Rattler placed the ball in the only spot Johnson could catch it, but the veteran tight end let the game slip between his hands, although the catch would have been very impressive if he pulled it off.

Still, Rattler looked impressive. It seems like the Saints made the right choice at quarterback.

More NFL: Saints Cut Ties With 2025 Draft Pick After Crushing Week 1 Loss

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: