After a 28-19 loss to the Broncos, Saints coach Kellen Moore admits his quarterback selection will be ‘difficult’.
Moore admits quarterback selection
NEW ORLEANS –— Kellen Moore, the Saints’ head coach, must decide shortly whether rookie Tyler Shough or second-year pro Spencer Rattler will start as quarterback in Week 1 of the regular season. As the preseason concluded with a 28-19 loss to Denver on Saturday, the decision was anything from apparent. “I have to make a decision and it’s a challenging one because these guys have put everything into this,” Moore informed us. “They’ve been very, very close.”
Shough scored the Saints’ sole touchdown against Denver with an 11-yard read-option run around the left end. He completed 12 of 20 passes for 102 yards and led two scoring drives, the first of which ended with one of three field goals by Blake Grupe from beyond 47 yards for the Saints (0-2-1). Shough “used his feet pretty well,” Moore added. However, Shough’s effort was overshadowed by a fumble on Que Robinson’s sack in Saints territory. The fumble resulted in a Denver touchdown on Audric Estime’s 5-yard rush.
Rattler started and completed 5 of 8 passes for 43 yards, leading two drives that ended with Blake Grupe field goals and one that stalled due to a botched QB keeper on fourth-and-1. Rattler “did some really good stuff,” Moore added. “He went through some progressions really well, found some guys.” Rattler thought the Saints were “moving the ball quite well,” while he was at centre, but “weren’t outstanding on third down (0 for 3). “Could have been better, obviously,” the man replied. “But it was solid.”
Moore admits quarterback selection
Shough stated that the competition with Rattler is “obviously close,” and that he will be sad if he is not the starter, but will “stay prepared, stay ready,” anyway. “Operating-wise, throwing the football, I think it’s been extremely clean,” Shough said of his preseason performance. “I feel fully capable to go out there and lead the charge.” While more quarterbacks may become available as NFL teams make final cuts by Tuesday afternoon, Moore seemed determined to keep with the quarterbacks he had.
“Operating-wise, throwing the football, I think it’s been extremely clean,” Shough said of his preseason performance. “I feel fully capable to go out there and lead the charge.” While more quarterbacks may become available as NFL teams make final cuts by Tuesday afternoon, Moore seemed determined to keep with the quarterbacks he had. “We’ve invested and poured a lot into these guys,” he was saying. “They are young boys. “They will continue to grow.” Denver (3-0) has a clear No. 1 quarterback in Bo Nix, who tossed for 110 yards and a touchdown to Courtland Sutton over three possessions.
Moore admits quarterback selection
Between 2006 and 2021, Denver’s first-team offence completed two touchdown drives in the Superdome, while Broncos coach Sean Payton called plays from the home bench. “We did some good things,” Payton explained. “It’s preseason, but we want to win in everything we do.” Nix’s 14-yard pass to Sutton on fourth-and-5 set up Wil Lutz’s first of three field goal attempts for the Broncos. On his final series, Nix completed a six-play, 77-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Sutton. This capped a four-catch, 83-yard outing by the veteran receiver.
Sam Ehlinger replaced Nix in the second quarter, completing 22 of 31 throws for 198 yards, including a late 5-yard touchdown strike to freshman receiver Kyrese Rowan on fourth-and-4. “Sam did a fantastic job,” Payton remarked. “Some of his gifts include his athleticism and footwork. He has some moxie and leadership qualities. Ehlinger was intercepted once when he threw while being hit by Vernon Broughton, causing the ball to deflect to defensive back Quincy Riley.
Moment of silence.
In a game played six days before the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Saints observed a moment of silence in respect of the storm’s victims. “It doesn’t seem like 20 years ago,” said Payton, who was hired as the Saints’ first head coach just five months after Katrina struck, when most of New Orleans was still in ruins. “The damage was horrendous.” “Everyone that ended up on that (2006) team, ended up part of something much bigger than we ever expected,” Payton said, referring to how the club’s unexpected playoff run came to represent the city’s resiliency. “I’d argue that the ’06 season was more important than the ’09 (Super Bowl championship) season.”
Injuries
Broncos: Running Back Blake Watson was treated on the pitch and assisted off in the fourth quarter.
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