The New Orleans Saints got a dramatic finish from quarterback Spencer Rattler to salvage a 17-17 tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 of the NFL preseason on Sunday.
Rattler, battling rookie Tyler Shough for the Saints’ starting quarterback job under first-year head coach Kellen Moore, delivered the biggest moment of his young pro career so far. With 21 seconds left, the second-year QB found Dante Pettis for a 20-yard touchdown, then scrambled for the two-point conversion that leveled the score.
Rattler finished the night completing 18 of 24 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. His late-game heroics came after a rough fourth-quarter sequence, when he was picked off in the red zone by Jacksonville’s Keni-H Lovely. Instead of pulling Rattler, Moore kept him in, and the former Oklahoma and South Carolina standout responded with poise.
Shough, making his first preseason start, handled the opening half and played mistake-free football. He went 9-for-12 for 66 yards, leading a field goal drive that ended with Blake Grupe’s 51-yard kick after Chris Olave dropped a would-be third-down conversion.
Moore’s offense has shown flashes in two weeks, but he still has one preseason game left to decide between Shough and Rattler as his Week 1 starter.
The Jaguars looked sharp early behind Trevor Lawrence, who went 8-of-10 for 76 yards and a touchdown to Parker Washington on his second drive. Lawrence, however, fumbled on Jacksonville’s opening series while trying to hand off to Tank Bigsby, with Saints defensive lineman Vernon Broughton recovering at the New Orleans 12.
Bayshul Tuten added a 3-yard rushing score, and kicker Cam Little continued his impressive preseason by drilling a 53-yard field goal just before halftime, improving to 5-for-5 with all makes coming from beyond 39 yards. Jacksonville led 17-3 at the break.
Nick Mullens took over after Lawrence, throwing for 112 yards while directing a touchdown and a field goal drive. His night was blemished by an interception to Saints linebacker Jaylan Ford in the red zone.
The Saints clawed back in the second half behind Rattler and second-year receiver Mason Tipton, who had a breakout performance with six catches for 100 yards. Tipton, out of Yale, followed up last week’s 54-yard touchdown grab from Shough with another standout showing, hauling in a 45-yard strike to set up one of Irish kicker Charlie Smyth’s two second-half field goals. Smyth’s kicks trimmed the deficit to 17-9 before Rattler’s late drive tied the game.
The contest nearly produced more late drama. With no overtime in preseason, Jacksonville crossed midfield in the final seconds. But Seth Henigan’s pass deflected off Chandler Brayboy’s hands and into the arms of Saints safety Jonas Sanker, whose 40-yard return ended at the Jacksonville 24 as time expired. Had Sanker gone out of bounds earlier, New Orleans could have attempted a game-winning kick.
Instead, both teams left with matching 0-1-1 preseason records. Up next the Jaguars visit the Miami Dolphins on Saturday. The Saints host the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
