By ESPN | Created at 2024-12-15 20:53:09 | Updated at 2024-12-15 23:49:38
3 hours ago
Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff WriterDec 15, 2024, 03:42 PM ET
- Katherine Terrell came back to ESPN to cover the New Orleans Saints in the summer of 2022. She left the company in 2019 after joining in 2016 to cover the Cincinnati Bengals. Katherine is a graduate of LSU and a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native, and she has covered the NFL since 2013. You can follow Katherine on Twitter: @Kat_Terrell
NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints didn't have much patience with quarterback Jake Haener after a poor offensive showing in the first half against the Washington Commanders.
Haener, who was starting in a relief of an injured Derek Carr, was benched after one half in favor of rookie Spencer Rattler. The Saints generated only 38 net yards of offense in the first half, their worst showing in a half since 2002. Haener completed only 4-of-10 passes for 49 yards, threw an interception and was sacked three times in the first start of his career.
Rattler came into the game into the second half to cheers as Haener stood on the sidelines wearing a baseball cap. Rattler took six plays to get a passing game established, finding wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling downfield for a 39-yard gain.
That set up a touchdown pass on the next play, as Rattler tossed the ball back to wide receiver Cedric Wilson, who then found Alvin Kamara for a 21-yard touchdown, the Saints first score of the game.
Rattler started three games earlier in the second when Carr had an oblique strain, completing 59.6 percent of his passes for 571 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked 14 times in those three starts. Carr is currently out with an injury to his non-throwing hand.
