Allen says Rattler expected to start at Chargers

By Ross Jackson

NEW ORLEANS – While injuries have continued to pile up for the New Orleans Saints, some progress is being made.

The Saints are expecting to get pieces back this weekend against the Los Angeles Charges. Derek Carr is not expected to be one of those pieces.

Carr began throwing sessions this week after missing the last two games with an oblique injury. While head coach Dennis Allen did say that he is making progress, it still seems unlikely that he will be ready to go in Los Angeles.

Allen made it clear that if Carr isn’t ready to go, that rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler would still be the starting quarterback.

“The plan would be to stay with Spencer (Rattler),” Allen said on Monday. “And I think that Spencer’s done some good things. I mean, obviously there’s some rookie mistakes. (He’s) got to do a better job of protecting the ball. That would probably be the biggest thing we have to do a better job of. I felt like when you go back and watch the tape and he’s got protection, I thought he did a good job of throwing the football.”

Rattler could make his third start and another opportunity to prove his talent to the organization that drafted him in the fifth-round of this year’s draft. This may end up being the best chance he gets. Allen said that the team is expecting to get some players back this weekend. Three that could have a major impact for the young passer are interior offensive linemen Cesar Ruiz and Lucas Patrick as well as tight end Taysom Hill.

Patrick and Ruiz could help significantly in boosting the team’s interior protection, which has been struggling over the last few weeks. And the Saints offense has severely missed Hill, who helps to raise production in multiple categories.

The Saints are happy with what they’ve seen from Rattler when he’s kept clean, but there are clear things to work out as he grows and matures in the NFL. When asked about pressures that Rattler faced, particularly unblocked pass rushes off the left side against the Broncos, he was clear that some of those things happen when a defense identifies the blocking scheme. However, he was honest that diagnosing pressure prior to the snap is an aspect of Rattler’s game that needs development.

“You’ve got to know where your hot reads are,” Allen said. “And I think that’s an area Spencer’s only going to get better at as he gets more and more reps.”

It sounds like those reps will be on the way in Los Angeles. That is, assuming Carr doesn’t end up returning on a surprisingly fast timeline.