Rattler rallies Saints to 17-all preseason tie with Jaguars as competition with Shough continues

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Spencer Rattler now has some late-game highlights on his preseason resume as he competes with rookie Tyler Shough to become the New Orleans Saints’ starting quarterback.

Rattler connected with Dante Pettis for a 20-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left and scrambled for a 2-point conversion to help the Saints salvage a 17-17 tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

“Just the way we finished was exciting,” Rattler said. “Got-to-have-it type moments and to bring it to life out there on the field, especially in the (Superdome), was fun.”

Rattler finished 18 of 24 for 199 yards, one TD and one interception.

Shough, who started for the first time and played the whole first half, went 9 for 12 for 66 yards without a turnover. He led one scoring drive that concluded with Blake Grupe’s 51-yard field goal after Chris Olave dropped a third-down pass that could have extended the series.

“I felt really comfortable,” Shough said. “We had some balls that didn’t bounce our way sometimes, but that’s part of it.

“It’s new for all of us — a new offense, new system, new guys we’re throwing to,” Shough added. “So, there’s going to be growth moments.”

The system was brought in by rookie coach Kellen Moore, who has one more preseason game to figure out who’ll be his Week 1 starter.

“Sooner always is better, but these guys are competing and they’re giving everything that we can ask,” Moore said. “So, we’ll continue to evaluate.”

Rattler was intercepted by Keni-H Lovely at the Jacksonville 7 in the fourth quarter. But rather than remove the second-year pro in favor of Jake Haener, Moore gave Rattler another chance.

“It was important just from an evaluation standpoint on Spence,” Moore said. “Those are critical moments. You have a tough situation; you’ve got to respond.”

With no overtime in the preseason, the Jaguars crossed midfield in the final seconds — one week after Cam Little made a .

But Seth Henigan’s pass over the middle bounced off of Chandler Brayboy’s hands and right to Saints safety Jonas Sanker, whose 40-yard return ended when he was pushed out of bounds at the Jacksonville 24 as time expired.

“We played well enough to win, but in this game, especially in preseason, you see some crazy stuff,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “I’d like to be able to finish the game the right way.”

Had Sanker run out of bounds earlier, New Orleans (0-1-1) could have set up for a game-winning kick.

Sanker said he “probably could have played it a little safer and got out a little earlier.”

Saints receiver Mason Tipton, a second-year pro out of Yale, caught six passes for 100 yards, one week after his 54-yard touchdown catch from Shough against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Parker Washington caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence and Bayshul Tuten rushed for a 3-yard touchdown for Jacksonville (0-1-1).

Lawrence played for two drives and had little trouble moving the offense while going 8 of 10 for 76 yards and a TD.

However, his first drive ended with a turnover on the New Orleans 12 when Lawrence tripped as he turned to hand off to Tank Bigsby. The ball squirted loose and defensive lineman Vernon Broughton recovered.

“Besides that play, to be honest, it was a pretty clean day,” Lawrence said. “We moved the ball, stayed on schedule and we were pretty efficient.”

Little converted from 53 yards as the first half ended to make it 17-3 — and making him 5 for 5 in the preseason, all on kicks longer than 39 yards.

Rattler began his day by leading New Orleans to the first of Irishman Charlie Smyth’s two second-half field goals — with the help of Christian Braswell’s pass-interference penalty on a deep pass intended for Tipton.

The second kick, which made it 17-9, came after Rattler’s 45-yard connection with Tipton.

Jacksonville QB Nick Mullens, who took over for Lawrence in the second quarter, passed for 112 yards and led the Jags to 10 points, but also was intercepted by Jaylan Ford at the Saints 15.

Injuries

Jaguars: Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall draft choice Travis Hunter was scratched before the game with what the team has called an upper-body injury.

Saints: Center Cesar Ruiz was examined in the injury tent in the second quarter after going down awkwardly as the pocket collapsed on Shough, who was sacked by Ventrell Miller and Jack Kiser. Moore said he thought Ruiz would be “fine.”