New Orleans lost a close game, so let’s see how it affects the rankings.
NFL.com – 23 (=)
“Jake Haener took three sacks and threw for 49 yards and a pick in his 13 first-half dropbacks, so the Saints sent him to the bench with his team down 14-0. Spencer Rattler, with a little help from Cedrick Wilson’s beautiful trick pass, helped bring them back to within an eyelash of beating the Commanders, stopped only by a missed two-point try with no time on the clock. Rattler was better than Haener, no doubt. He’s done more with his opportunities than Haener has, and while no one will try to suggest that Rattler becomes the favorite to start in 2025, he’s at least put some decent tape out there this season, even with the expected rookie mistakes. There’s potential there. The worry is that the Saints might not have Alvin Kamara down the stretch after another brilliant game. You’d like to see what Rattler can do as the starter while Derek Carr is out, even though the Saints’ offense looks pretty shorthanded right now.”
USA Today – 21 (=)
“The Saints came close after falling behind 17-0 but you aren’t going to win many games after dropping that far back with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener as your quarterbacks.”
Bleacher Report – 24 (-1)
“Credit where it’s due. There’s no quit in these New Orleans Saints.
Facing the Washington Commanders, the Saints didn’t have the services of quarterback Derek Carr. Or wide receiver Chris Olave. Running back Alvin Kamara left the game with a groin injury. And the team made an in-game quarterback switch.
Despite all that, the Saints were a successful two-point conversion attempt away from stunning the Commanders. And while the team didn’t get the result it wanted, interim head coach Darren Rizzi told reporters he was proud of the fight the team showed.
“Just a mixture of emotions because we walk off the field with a loss, but I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of the team,” Rizzi said, adding that he didn’t regret, “whatsoever,” going for the victory at the end. “I don’t think the players regret it. They were all in favor of it,” Rizzi said. “I just thought it was the right thing.”
Two of New Orleans’ three remaining games are against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. So, while a winning season may be out, playing a little spoiler is not.
Analyst’s Take
The Saints are a scrappy team under special teams coordinator and interim head coach Darren Rizzi. They’re 3-2 on his watch. New Orleans nearly came from behind to upset Washington, with rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler taking over for fellow backup signal-caller Jake Haener after halftime. At 5-9, the Saints will miss the playoffs, but Rizzi will get job offers for a coordinator position if New Orleans doesn’t retain him in the offseason. He’s a quality coach in a tough situation with an injury-riddled roster. — Moton”
CBS Sports – 25 (-2)
“A season that started with so much hope is ending on a downer. They have a challenging offseason for whoever is coaching this group.”
Sports Illustrated – 23 (+1)
“Full column on Darren Rizzi here. I am firmly in the camp that he deserves a full-time look at the head coaching position after his performance on Sunday. In a similar situation as Dan Campbell, Rizzi did a much better job of deploying late-game timeouts, and he gave an offense piloted by a quarterback who didn’t even start the game a chance at knocking off one of the better teams in the conference.“