Saints legend Drew Brees (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Drew Brees is confident this isn’t a lost season for the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints showed moxie in their season-opening loss against the Arizona Cardinals, losing 20-13. However, they reached the red zone at the Cardinals’ 18-yard line with an opportunity to win the game before Spencer Rattler’s pass fell incomplete at the end of the fourth quarter.
Brees — who won seven division titles during his time with the Saints — says the objective should remain to win the NFC South.
“Win the division,” says Brees in a one-on-one interview with RG. “Why not? Who scares you in the division right now? Atlanta really should have beat Tampa. They missed a field goal at the end that would have tied it and sent it to overtime. Atlanta’s in a position where they’re trying to establish themselves with a new young quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. and you got Carolina trying to establish themselves with a young quarterback in Bryce Young.
The Saints are trying to establish themselves with a young quarterback in Spencer Rattler. Obviously, that was a heated competition with Tyler Shough this offseason the draft pick. Tampa is really the established one with Baker Mayfield having played so well the last couple of years, and them having won the division last couple years. But nonetheless, the division is wide open.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the class of the NFC South over the past several years — narrowly defeated the Atlanta Falcons after Younghoe Koo missed a game-tying field goal at the end. It’s worth noting that while the Buccaneers won the division last season, the Falcons defeated them twice with Kirk Cousins at quarterback.
Brees argues that the Saints still have a ton of talent, pointing to the likes of Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave.
“Everybody’s got just as equal an opportunity as everybody else,” says Brees. The Saints have one of the best offensive lines in all of football. We have one of the most dynamic backs in Kamara. They got one of the most dynamic receivers. Defensively, their depth up front, and then a bunch of young defensive backs.”
“They’ve got a talented coach and play caller in Kellen Moore,” Brees continues to say. “So tell me what you don’t like about the Saints right now? The biggest question mark is, hey, how’s the quarterback going to play? Obviously, that’s a huge part of it. But I like Spencer Rattler. If it’s Tyler Shough, at some point, I like Tyler Shough. They just need experience.”
Saints Need Consistency From Rattler
Rattler had a solid start to the season, going 27-for-46 for 214 passing yards. He also continued to show some of his mobility, carrying the ball four times for 29 yards.
“Obviously, it didn’t result in a win,” says Brees. “Down the stretch, you just want to give yourself a chance. I felt like that two-minute drive at the end, Rattler got them down there, actually made a great throw on a seam ball to the tight end. Unfortunately, just a perfect high back shoulder. Given the situation, it was really a clutch throw. Unfortunately, he couldn’t come down with it. But I look at a moment like that and say, ‘Hey, they were in position.’ He did what he needed to do in order to give them a chance.”
While Rattler obviously has some experience dating back to his starts last year during his rookie campaign, there’s one major blemish on his resume — he has yet to win a single start. The second-year quarterback will have to show the ability to close out games and come through in the clutch if the Saints are to have a chance in the division, especially against a more experienced squad such as the Buccaneers.
“You need the QB to play confidently,” says Brees. “Have the things around him that can help him, help him — solid run game, great offensive line, solid defense. All those things are a QB’s best friends.”