quote:
I'm here to hear the apologies. Shough gets a win in his second start without several starters on the OLine and the Saints #2 receiver traded. Let's check on Rattler's record again.

Last year's reasoning:
Injured and depleted OL
Injured and depleted receiving corp and RB group
- Legitimate complaints

This year:
Relatively healthy starting OL
Healthy RB group
Full deck of receivers
- Had a few solid games (SF, NYG, and NE) but never progressed consistently

Current excuse is:
You should expect that, he's like 10 years older than Rattler

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Posted by moneyg

Member since Jun 2006

62534 posts

Posted on 11/10/25 at 9:03 am to Fun Bunch

quote:
He is an ok game manager but he will not push the ball at all. He just refuses to do so, or can't. And you cannot win like that.

I don’t know if it’s a lost cause. I think it’s the next step in development for him. It could happen somewhere else.

Rattler is kind of a rare situation you never see. Due to circumstance, he is a guy that has received a TON of development that didn’t correspond with what he deserved to get.

But seeing Shough quickly and easily get ti that level shows where the Saints should put its investment.

If Shough was a bust, seeing if Rattler could figure it out might make sense.

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Posted by bonethug0180

Avondale

Member since Jul 2018

5162 posts

Posted on 11/10/25 at 9:34 am to Fat Bastard

quote:
and he can read a d/go through progressions

All the other stuff, yes, but this is so especially important when you have a QB with other limitations like Rattler.

Rattler's best assets were his arm strength and his ability to scramble out of tight spots for a few yards, but when you lack accuracy and are scared to throw deep (or when you do you are so scared you throw away from everyone most of the time), it limits the entire offense in what they can do. And then when you are a QB that can't make read progressions, that tightens everything so much further.

While Shough definitely needs to keep progressing in his accuracy, he has already shown his is far ahead of Rattler in most other areas (which he also showed in preseason and anyone just going off stats for the battle wasn't watching the games; Shough was the clear winner). Literally the only things Rattler has evenly with Shough is scrambling (meh; also don't confuse this with pocket awareness) and his arm strength (great), and probably short throw accuracy (which neither are great at). Nothing about Rattler is better.

This post was edited on 11/10/25 at 9:37 am

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Posted by Doug_H

Baton Rouge, LA

Member since Sep 2013

2703 posts

Posted on 11/10/25 at 1:11 pm to t00f

Not a Rattler fan boy but I did think he edged out Shough in preseason to be QB1 in week 1 with a short leash. Rattler showed a few signs in preseason games of pushing the ball downfield and extending the play, so I was hoping that would translate.

Part of my thought process was that if Shough was not clearly better than Rattler then you start the "veteran" so that either A) they show up & win or B) if they underperform then you have the excitement of the unknown rookie with upside to turn to.

Week 2 against 49ers, late in the game after Olave & Johnson both missed off-target but very catchable balls I said on here that the offense needed a shot in the arm and it was time to put Shough in.

Week 3 butt-kicking by Seattle was definitely not all on offense, especially Rattler, mostly STs, but still that game solidified my thoughts from previous week.

No doubt the first 8 weeks Shough continued to improve in practice and in the film room to help display what we have seen the last 2 weeks, but I do wonder just how much growth came in the five week gap from weeks 3-8.

It's nothing "negative" towards Rattler, just that he was simply not elevating players around him. That's an intangible trait that some players just have, and when it's a QB it can have a significant impact on the whole offense & team. Think back to Olave's missed TD against the 49ers, off-target throw but more catchable than the 1-hander he had against Carolina yesterday. Those are types of plays where there area handful each game that can really change the outcome if the player rises to the occasion or not.

Now to critique Rattler, even considering o-line & WR/TE play, he did miss throws a little too often but even moreso was his inability to anticipate and hesitancy to throw the ball downfield. Instead of potential sacks he took several short positive runs which on the surface is good but he tucked too soon often missing a WR that came open for a big gain.

The playcalling is another factor that I think Moore didn't have enough confidence with Rattler that hamstrung the offense. Shough thus far does not seem to have any reason to shrink the playbook. Taking more planned shots downfield, and his ability to evade the rush and extend the play while scanning the field and deliver a strike for a big gain not only creates 1-3 potential game changing plays but also completely opens up the offense by having the defense play back a little having to respect that, which in turn opens the run game some which makes the offense more balanced. Balance allows for better scheme which can then help mask subpar play particularly on the o-line.

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Posted by Hx15261

Member since Aug 2024

261 posts

Posted on 11/10/25 at 7:58 pm to moock blackjack

But THEY did for 12 games. Everyone else was stupid.

And they we either act like the rest of us or crazy or they were just playing.

This post was edited on 11/10/25 at 8:00 pm

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Posted by monster2024

Member since Mar 2024