Saints QB battle tracker: How Spencer Rattler beat out Tyler Shough for starting job

Daniel Chavkin

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Saints QB battle tracker: How Spencer Rattler beat out Tyler Shough for starting job image

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The Saints found their answer at quarterback, at least to start the 2025 NFL season.

New Orleans' quarterback competition between second-year player Spencer Rattler and rookie second-round pick Tyler Shough lasted the entirety of training camp, with both talents vying to replace the recently-retired Derek Carr. Both Shough and Rattler had their moments during the preseason. But after weeks of speculation, the Saints finally have their starter in Rattler, who was handed the reins to the offense on Aug. 26.

Here's a look at how Rattler bested Shough to secure the starting gig in the Big Easy.

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Saints QB depth chart

RankPlayer
1.Spencer Rattler
2.Tyler Shough
3.Jake Haener

Entering Sunday's game, the Saints had Rattler listed as their starting quarterback, with Shough as the backup and Jake Haener as the third string. Rattler locked up his place at the top of New Orleans' QB pecking order with a solid, if unspectacular showing vs. Jacksonville.

Tyler Shough stats

  • Comp/Att: 9/12
  • Yards: 66
  • TD: 0
  • INT: 0
  • Rating: 87.5 
  • Sacks: 2
  • Fumbles: 0
  • Rush attempts: 0
  • Rush yards: 0

Shough played the entire first half for New Orleans, which only resulted in three points for the offense. With Shough under center, the Saints got off to a slow start but started to find a groove in the second half.

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Tyler Shough highlights

It took a while for Shough to get going, but he finally produced an impressive deep completion in the second quarter to Treyton Welch.

For the most part, Shough was efficient with his passes and didn't take too many risks, but also didn't produce many explosive plays. He also took a few sacks as the offense sputtered at times, failing to cross the endzone in the first half.

Spencer Rattler stats

  • Comp/Att: 16/24
  • Yards: 199
  • TD: 1
  • INT: 1
  • Rating: 95.7
  • Sacks: 0
  • Fumbles: 0
  • Rush attempts: 3
  • Rush yards: 19

Playing the entire second half, Rattler started off with a stronger showing than he did as a starter last week. The second-year quarterback threw for almost 200 yards in his half of football as he led the Saints offense to a few scoring drives.

Rattler's day turned on a sour note, as he threw an interception late in the fourth quarter for the Saints' first turnover of the day. However, he was able to bounce back with a touchdown on his next drive, producing the only touchdown of the day for New Orleans, and he followed that up with a two-point conversion run.

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Spencer Rattler highlights

Rattler's best throw of the day was perhaps a deep completion down the sidelines to Mason Tipton for a 45-yard gain.

Rattler's day ended o a high note, as he found Dante Pettis for a touchdown, then tied the game by scrambling for a two-point conversion.

Daniel Chavkin

Daniel Chavkin is a Digital Content Producer for The Sporting News. A 2018 graduate from the University of Maryland, he has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and NFLTradeRumors.com.