It took one game to prove the Saints picked the right starting quarterback
Football has finally returned! It had been 245 days since the New Orleans Saints put on the pads for a regular season contest. The squad opened up the season at home versus the Arizona Cardinals., as they fell short 20-13. Don't point the finger at Spencer Rattler, though.
Many fans were eager to watch Rattler under center as the team’s starting quarterback, to open up the season. Although the team fell short, he showed up in critical moments and was close to leading a game-tying drive in the closing seconds.
During the offseason, the Saints coaching staff was looking for a quarterback who was consistent, sound in decision making, and careful with the football. Rattler would ultimately win the starting role, by demonstrating these characteristics.
Solid home opener for Saints starting quarterback
Rattler had a solid opening debut he continued to demonstrate why he won the job. He made quick decisions, took care of the ball, and stayed poised under pressure. He finished the day 27-46 and 243 total yards, and was sacked only once.
He showed a strong chemistry with Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson, as he consistently relied on them as his main targets. The two pass catchers accounted for 60% of his passing yards, combining for 15 catches and 130 yards.
The offense managed to move the ball downfield on several possessions. However, they struggled to finish drives with scores, which amounted to points being left off of the board. The Saints only scored 13 points in 7 total series. Penalties and offensive line issues were a major cause for the offense’s inability to put points on the board.
Growing pains are to come but Saints made right decision at quarterback
The Saints had an opportunity to tie the game on their final possession, but fell short by turning the ball over on downs, with 4 straight incompletions. They didn’t get the end result that they were looking for, but it is very early in the season, as growing pains were expected with a new starting quarterback and coaching staff.
After a solid season opener for the young quarterback, signs are indicating that the Saints might have made the correct decision. Rattler will continue to improve as he becomes more comfortable in Kellen Moore’s new offensive system.
Mike Tomlin’s Bold Compliment to Chris Boswell: ‘Our Kicker is a Serial Killer’
"He has a low pulse rate. He can't wait to deliver."
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has delivered his fair share of headline-quality quotes in interviews over the course of his career. And Sunday’s postgame press conference was no different, particularly when it came to sharing his thoughts on the hero for the Steelers on Sunday, longtime kicker Chris Boswell.
Boswell has long been considered one of football’s best kickers and maybe one of the best ever., if not the history of the NFL as a whole. During his career with the Steelers, Boswell is the fourth most accurate kicker in league history, making over 88 percent of his kicks.
Typically, Boswell’s accuracy is his calling card. But it was his distance that made the difference on Sunday, drilling a career-long 60-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Steelers a 34-32 lead over the New York Jets they would not relinquish.
Speaking to the media after the Steelers win on Sunday, Tomlin predictably praised his veteran kicker. But he did so in a rather unique way, likening his mentality to a “serial killer” who remains calm under pressure.
“I can’t say enough about Boz” said Tomlin, referring to Boswell. “Our kicker is a serial killer. He has a low pulse rate. He can’t wait to deliver.”
It’s a bit of an odd way to highlight Boswell’s composure. But it is a comparison that we have seen documented before about one of the best players at their respective position in football.
Not only has Thursday Night Football studio analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick also labeled Joe Burrow as a “serial killer” in a positive way. But most in the football space have heard the story about a sociology professor at Ohio University, who also coached Burrow’s basketball team as a child, informing his parents when he was a child that Burrow had qualities found in first responders, policemen, and serial offenders.
Maybe Boswell does share these similar qualities. Or maybe it was simply a figure of speech from Tomlin. Either way, Tomlin sure seems happy that he has Boswell on his side.
