The early moments of Spencer Rattler’s debut with the Saints had the fans thinking if they found their baby Jesus. Dissatisfaction with Derek Carr has been brewing for a long time now. So, when Rattler burst onto the field with a promising first half, fans saw a ray of hope — that they may have found the much-longed replacement for Carr.
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The fans were excited about the debut of the 24-year-old rookie. Even though the Saints lost to the Buccaneers by a staggering 51-27, Rattler showed in flashes that he has talents that the team can rely on. At least in the first half.
The Saints went into halftime with a 27-24 lead, all thanks to his first touchdown on a 10-yard pass to Bub Means. This was enough for Carr’s detractors to go after the injured QB, even suggesting that he was done in New Orleans.
In one video posted on X, a sidelined QB watches his backup excel and starts to worry about his spot on the team.
The user was essentially implying that Carr is in that place, on his way to being snubbed by a rookie.
Derek Carr watching Spencer Rattler play today pic.twitter.com/DY7CC1Rrmd
— ☆ (@HeDontMissVj) October 13, 2024
This user shared a video that humorously foreshadowed Carr’s supposed future working at a Chipotle restaurant, implying that his NFL career might be nearing its end.
Derek Carr next week: pic.twitter.com/hfCf6PHmap
— betr (@betr) October 13, 2024
Derek Carr watching Spencer Rattler play today pic.twitter.com/DY7CC1Rrmd
— ☆ (@HeDontMissVj) October 13, 2024
Next, another fan posted a video of popular rapper, NBA Youngboy, who was seen dancing with stacks of dollar bills, attached with the caption, “DEREK CARR SAY GOODBYE”
DEREK CARR SAY GOODBYE pic.twitter.com/92OkLHqBGS https://t.co/SQ9nhj16dW
— Boppa ♂️ (@ihatebbls) October 13, 2024
Derek Carr watching Spencer Rattler steal his job pic.twitter.com/Z7hkqrIroa
— NFL Memes (@NFLHateMemes) October 13, 2024
The first half clearly had fans (and haters) enjoying what they gathered, or rather imagined, was Carr losing relevance in the team’s plans.
There has been some dissatisfaction among the Saints fans after the team fell 2-3 in the season. Carr was fabulous in the first two games but failed to carry the momentum and lost three consecutive games before succumbing to an oblique injury against the Chiefs.
While some Saints fans are itching to term Rattler as their number one quarterback, it’s unlikely Rattler will see a day on the field once Carr returns. He hasn’t played nearly bad enough this season to get replaced by a rookie who got sacked four times, threw two interceptions, and completed only 11 of 23 passes for 103 yards in the second half.
That said, it’s worth noting an interesting fact that surfaced after Rattler earned the starting gig: his former coach Lincoln Riley had five QBs he coached start a game this week.
Riley is the ultimate college head coach
The USC Trojans haven’t won anything significant in the two seasons since Riley arrived in California. Riley’s biggest milestone came when the team reached the Cotton Bowl final in his debut season in 2022. They haven’t claimed any major titles since then. However, he continues to turn out diamonds.
Riley is a phenomenal coach who has mentored some good quarterbacks, many of whom have now made their way to the NFL.
Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals, Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears, and Spencer Rattler of the New Orleans Saints all honed their skills under Riley.
It will be interesting to see how many more playmakers the USC head coach develops for the big league in the coming years.