Dolphins pound Falcons, Bucs clamp down Saints: NFL wrapup video
Tua Tagovailoa threw four touchdown passes as the Dolphins defeated Atlanta. The Bucs’ defense stymied New Orleans in a 23-3 win.
The New Orleans Saints have benched starting quarterback Spencer Rattler for rookie Tyler Shough.Shough, a former Chandler Hamilton standout, will make his first career start against the Los Angeles Rams.
The struggling New Orleans Saints announced on Oct. 28 they’ve benched one former Arizona high school quarterback for another to be their starter in Week 9.
Ex-Phoenix Pinnacle star Spencer Rattler has been replaced by former Chandler Hamilton standout Tyler Shough, who will make his first career start at the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 2.
“I’m not into flip-flopping quarterbacks,” Saints’ first-year coach Kellen Moore said after their 23-3 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 26. “I’m not into this back-and-forth game, but we do have to make some decisions here moving forward as a whole offense collectively with a lot of positions.”
Rattler, a Saints fifth-round pick now in his second season out of South Carolina, started their first eight games. He was pulled early in their loss to Tampa Bay, in which he went 15-of-21 for 136 yards, threw an interception and lost a fumble. That pick thrown by Rattler from the Saints 3-yard line was returned for a touchdown by the Buccaneers’ Anthony Nelson.
Moore then took Rattler out when they had negative-7 yards in their opening drive of the second half.
Shough, the Saints’ No. 40 overall pick out of Louisville in April, went 17-of-30 for 128 yards and also threw a pick against the Buccaneers.
Rattler and Shough competed during training camp for the starting role, but Rattler edged him with his experience. Rattler started six games during his rookie season to replace then-injured Derek Carr, who retired in May. He had four turnovers in the Saints’ 26-14 loss at the Chicago Bears in Week 8, and has been sacked seven times during the Saints’ past two games.
The Saints are tied with the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans for the NFL’s worst record (1-7).