Spencer Rattler, starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, knows he has to keep going harder and further. The area team now turns its attention to Week 2 following a brutal 2019 kickoff. Rattler is stumbling hard right now, too, as evidenced by his 0-7 record as a starter dating back to last season. His goal is to recover and restore confidence after a disheartening 26-8 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The loss resulted in Dennis getting benched for Jake Haener in the third quarter. This decision immediately opened him up to scrutiny of his performance and future role in the organization.
Rattler didn’t let the disappointment get him down. Not just because he was named the Week 1 starter, but because such news provides him with a “clear vision.” He focused on developing a culture of accountability and consistency within the team. This message was particularly important given their tough loss this past Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals. In that game, Rattler went 27-46 for 217 yards. One area he was clearly frustrated with was 13 penalties, several of which came on the offense before the snap, killing drives and momentum.
For his part, Rattler is clearly motivated to better himself. He’s concerned with making plays with his feet and improving general ball placement. He even shouldered blame for the only sack taken all game. This demonstrates both his willingness to take accountability from a heightened sense of awareness and learn from his misfires.
“Seeing what happened in the game kind of woke us all up today,” – Spencer Rattler
As an example of what he learned from the first three games, Rattler pointed to improved discipline in alignment and assignments. He mentioned that all the little things add up, emphasizing an organizational-wide devotion to playing better.
“We really need to take this serious — pre-snap, post-snap, all this stuff, alignment, assignment, details,” – Spencer Rattler
Rattler had an incredibly difficult season. Most importantly, he threw four touchdowns to teammates who are no longer on the active roster and suffered through 22 sacks and five picks. This history serves as a crushing weight as he tries to find the elusive way to cement his legacy going forward.
Rattler took aim at tight end Juwan Johnson’s way often in their recent meeting. He had the route tree down on the regular and he connected with him on eight passes. The two have developed a synergy over the years, as Rattler targeted Johnson a team-high 33 times last year. The pandemic really tested their relationship. On the route during their final game, a pass thrown to Johnson simply couldn’t get there, resulting in an incomplete pass.
Rattler’s dedication to getting better has shown his teammates that he does care. Wide receiver Chris Olave noted that Rattler’s confidence is growing, which is crucial for both his personal growth and the team’s success.
“I feel like that’s just helping us believe in him, even helping himself believe in himself,” – Chris Olave
As he reflects on his role, Rattler acknowledged that having the trust of his teammates and coaching staff is vital. So he knows that this trust is earned by consistently executing in practice and leading on the field.
“I feel like the team’s got trust in me, coach has got trust in me. I’ve just got to keep getting better, keep leading, and we’re going to get some wins,” – Spencer Rattler
Despite previous challenges and criticisms of his performance, Rattler remains focused on leading his team effectively. He emphasized the need to play with pace and confidence while not overanalyzing every single play.
“You go out there, don’t have to worry about nothing, play fast, play your game and just lead,” – Spencer Rattler
As the Saints get ready for their next matchup, Rattler’s way of thinking shows a productive adult mindset mixed with a competitive killer instinct. He is dedicated to making amends for the past and as Orion puts it… shifting the organization’s attention towards where it can improve.
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