Saints vs. Commanders Game Recap

How Spencer Rattler almost saved the day.

On Sunday, the Washington Commanders visited the New Orleans Saints. In what was nearly the worst game of the season, it turned into a game that head coach Darren Rizzi would like to remember.

“I’m unbelievably proud of the football team,” Rizzi said postgame. “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt like that in 32 years of coaching.”

The Commanders deferred the kickoff, and the Saints would receive the ball to start the game out. Jake Haener, the second-year quarterback out of Fresno St., would be getting his first career start.

FIRST QUARTER

Alvin Kamara is the first man to get the ball, but only on a three-yard rush. Haener would then complete a short pass to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for four yards. Then, after a 15-yard completion was taken back, Haener would be sacked for a loss of 11 yards.

Commanders rookie and former LSU QB Jayden Daniels would then take the field. He and running back Brian Robinson Jr. would trot down the field with short passes and runs, respectively. Washington would have to send the field goal unit out and would miss the attempt. Yet, an unnecessary roughness would give the Commanders a fresh set of downs. Daniels would then have a few runs of his own before slinging it to WR Terry McLaurin for the score.

The Saints offense improved slightly on its next drive. On 2nd & 11, Haener would complete a pass to Kamara for a 29-yard gain.

Unfortunately, that would be the only first down earned in the first half. After the completion to Kamara, Haener would be sacked again for a loss of nine yards. Kamara would then be stuffed at the line before a seven-yard scramble by Haener. On 4th & 15, New Orleans would send out their punter, Matthew Hayball.

That would be the last full drive of the quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

Daniels would then start to pick apart the Saints defense with his passing. On the final drive of the first quarter and the first of the second, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner went 3 for 3 passing for 27 yards before being sacked by defensive end Chase Young. He would then complete another short pass before getting sacked for a second time by DE Cam Jordan.

On the next drive, Kamara would capitalize on the momentum and make a nice run for six yards. Sadly, after an incomplete pass to Valdes-Scantling, Haener would make a bad play even worse by throwing an interception to cornerback Mike Sainstrill.

The Washington offense performed significantly better in their next appearance, despite them giving up their third sack of the game on the first play. And once again, it was the Commanders passing game picking the Saints defense apart. Daniels would complete six of his seven pass attempts for 55 yards and a touchdown. On the scoring play, Terry McLaurin would also get his second touchdown reception of the game.

Unfortunately for Saints fans, the New Orleans offense would continue to struggle. After two short passes to Kamara, Haener would once again be sacked, this time also for a loss of nine.

Thankfully, the Commanders wouldn’t be able to replicate their previous drive. The offensive line would give up two more sacks, the fourth by linebacker Demario Davis and the fifth by safety Ugo Amadi.

Unfortunately, the Saints offense would be unable to respond effectively. While they did gain a fresh set of downs, they were only able to execute six plays in under a minute—41 seconds to be exact. Thankfully, the Commanders weren’t able to score before the second half expired.

According to the New Orleans Saints website, Sunday was the fourth time since 1982 that the team recorded five sacks in the first half, tying a franchise record.

THIRD QUARTER

Washington would receive the ball to start out the second half. They would march all the way to the New Orleans one-yard line before Cam Jordan saved the drive with his second sack of the game, putting the Commanders in field position.

Then is the restart of the agenda. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler would lead the Saints offense onto the field, replacing Jake Haener. The vibe changed almost immediately. Rattler would help the team to a fresh set of downs (a 12-yard pass to WR Dante Pettis), something that hasn’t been done since the first quarter. Then, following a short run by Kamara and a false start by center Erik McCoy, he would complete an impressive throw to Valdes-Scantling for 39 yards.

Alvin Kamara would score on the very next play, on a 21-yard reception. However, it wouldn’t be Rattler to throw it to him, nor would it be Haener. The Saints’ first touchdown pass of the game would go to WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.

Washington sadly extended their lead on their next offensive drive. Once again, the Saints defense would not be able to handle Daniels and the passing offense. Even with their seventh sack of the game by DE Chase Young, the Commanders still managed to get into field goal range. On what would be the first play of the fourth quarter, Commanders kicker Greg Joeseph would send it through the uprights from 41 yards out.

FOURTH QUARTER

During a drive that featured running back Kendre Miller, New Orleans responded with their own field goal. Miller would get off an impressive 17-yard run but would later be stuffed for a loss of six. The loss of six would be followed by two incomplete passes and a 41-yard field goal by Blake Grupe.

The Saints defense did their job again on the next drive, this time holding the Commanders to zero points on the drive along with their eighth sack of the game. Their eight sacks in one game would be the second most in franchise history, with the most (nine) on Nov. 28, 2019.

Rattler would then start playing his butt off, following up a 19-yard pass to TE Foster Moreau with a 25-yard pass to Valdes-Scantling. However, the drive would then fizzle out. Following two incomplete passes, Grupe would send it through the uprights from 51 yards out.

Aggravatingly, the Commanders would get into field goal range again their next time out. Joseph’s second field goal would be longer than his previous, as this one was from 54 yards out. The ball would go wide right, keeping the score at 20-13, Washington over New Orleans.

Rattler then came close to saving the day. With just under two minutes left in the game, he would lead the team down the field with more fight than we’ve seen from them in weeks. The drive reached its peak when the team converted a fourth down with just 17 seconds remaining. After spiking the ball—which froze the clock at four seconds—Rattler would connect with Moreau on a one-yard touchdown pass. He would immediately look to Rizzi to confirm the ensuing two-point conversion attempt. Sadly, on a pass intended for TE Juwan Johnson, the attempt would fail.

“With where we were, I just felt like it was the right call,” Rizzi said postgame. “I don’t regret it.”

The Saints next game will be in Green Bay, Wisconson, in a Monday night matchup against the Packers.