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GREEN BAY – Over 15 years and seven meetings, the only Saints quarterback to face the Packers was future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
From 2006-20 for New Orleans, Brees went 4-3 against Green Bay, and a high-scoring game was practically a given. In those seven matchups, only once were fewer than 55 total points scored, and twice more than 75 were on the board by game’s end.
But as Monday night marks the third Packers-Saints matchup without Brees, it will feature the third different New Orleans QB in as many meetings to take on Green Bay.
In the 2021 season opener, played in Jacksonville, the Saints started Jameis Winston. Then last year at Lambeau Field, it was Derek Carr, who was replaced by Winston after getting injured early in the second half.
Now it’s rookie Spencer Rattler’s turn, as the fifth-round pick from South Carolina makes his fourth NFL start in place of the injured Carr and fifth appearance overall.
Curiously, the best outing of Rattler’s young career was the one he didn’t start, last week vs. Washington. He came off the bench after halftime to take over for an ineffective Jake Haener and rallied the Saints from a 17-0 hole, nearly stunning the Commanders.
For an offense that had managed just two first downs in the entire first half with Haener, Rattler suddenly led four consecutive scoring drives – a touchdown, two field goals, and another touchdown on the final play of the fourth quarter to pull the Saints within 20-19.
New Orleans interim head coach Darren Rizzi decided to go for the win rather than play for overtime, but Rattler’s two-point conversion pass was incomplete, and Washington survived the comeback attempt.
Still, the effort got the Packers’ attention on several fronts. For one, it was another example of how Rizzi has the Saints playing really hard for him, not giving up despite a sizable deficit against a playoff contender.
For another, New Orleans showed it isn’t afraid to pull out all the stops, scoring a TD on a double-pass trick play and playing for the win at the end rather than the tie.
Furthermore, Rattler showed some moxie in completing 10-of-21 passes for 135 yards and a TD, a performance that certainly gives him a confidence boost as he makes another start on Monday Night Football, his chance to show a national TV audience that he’s got what it takes to succeed as a quarterback in this league.
“I think he’s a natural thrower,” Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. “He can move in the pocket. He’s fearless.”
Expect Rattler to continue playing with no fear come Monday night.
MNF magic?: The Packers are looking to get back to their successful ways on Monday Night Football after last season derailed what had been an impressive run.
Before losing Monday night road games to both the Raiders and Giants in 2023, the Packers had been 5-0 on MNF under LaFleur and 9-1 dating back to 2014.
The only loss in that stretch was to the Lions at Lambeau Field in 2017, when Brett Hundley played QB in place of an injured Aaron Rodgers, who was out with a broken collarbone.
Which brings up another rather remarkable run as it relates to Monday nights, particularly at home. The Packers are 10-2 in their last dozen Monday night games at Lambeau Field dating back to the season opener in 2008, which was Rodgers’ first start as an NFL QB.
The only losses in that stretch were connected to Rodgers’ collarbones – the Lions game in ’17 mentioned above, and the 2013 contest against the Bears when Rodgers’ first collarbone was broken by a Shea McClellin sack on the opening possession of the game.
The last time the Packers lost a home Monday night game with their preferred starting QB able to play was all the way back in 2005 with Brett Favre under center, a three-point loss to the Vikings in a dismal 4-12 season that was Mike Sherman’s last as head coach.
