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Saints' QB picture remains unclear with end of preseason near
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) drops bak to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Saints' QB picture remains unclear with end of preseason nearing

New Orleans Saints rookie head coach Kellen Moore still doesn't seem to love his quarterback options heading into the season. 

After a 17-17 home tie against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Moore refused to name a starting QB in his postgame news conference. "We'll see," the coach said when asked if he would announce a starter this week. 

Perhaps Moore wants to use the preseason finale against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 23 to make the best decision for the team, or he still has doubts about both of his QBs.

Saints rookie QB Tyler Shough started Sunday, while Spencer Rattler was the backup. 

The 2025 second-round pick out of Louisville wasn't awful, but he wasn't outstanding. He completed 9-of-12 passes for 66 yards and was sacked twice. When Shough exited after the second quarter, the Saints trailed 17-3 and had punted three times.

New Orleans could've been losing by more if Jaguars starting QB Trevor Lawrence hadn't fumbled a handoff in the red zone on the game's opening drive.

Rattler entered the game in the third quarter and played better. The South Carolina product spurred a 14-point comeback and led a nine-play, 82-yard drive late in the fourth quarter. 

At the end of the drive, Rattler tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dante Pettis. The QB then scrambled for a two-point conversion, tying the game at 17-17.

Rattler finished 18-of-24 passing for 199 yards, one TD and one interception. While the comeback was impressive, he probably can't pull off the same magic against a first-team defense in the regular season. 

Plus, the Saints had struggled to score in the red zone until the final drive—two of Rattler's five drives ended in field goals. 

The offense looks slightly better with Rattler, which could give him an edge in the competition. However, he has yet to prove he's a viable starter. The 2024 fifth-rounder had a 0-6 starting record during his rookie season. 

It's easy to see why Moore is delaying his decision. His options don't seem to give him a chance for immediate success in New Orleans.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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