Here was again.
For the second straight week, the quarterback was given the ball with a chance to lead a game-winning drive. But this time, Rattler found himself having to shout louder than usual. With chants of โDE-FENSEโ carrying throughout the stadium, Rattler didnโt have to quite go to a silent count, but he had to raise his voice so his teammates could hear the play call.
But Sunday wasnโt a road game for the Saints. The stands at the Caesars Superdome just looked and sounded that way with the overwhelming number of fans cheering for the San Francisco 49ers.
โThey traveled well,โ Rattler said.
Maybe the noise wasnโt the ultimate reason that Rattler and the offense couldnโt rally in Sundayโs 26-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but make no mistake, it was a factor throughout the game. Plenty of people cheered, for instance, when Rattler fumbled the game away on a fourth-down strip-sack that clinched the win for San Francisco.
The consensus coming into the season was that the Saints were in store for a long year.
Two weeks in, that looks to be painfully true.
San Francisco 49ers fans celebrate beating the New Orleans Saints 26-21 during at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (Staff photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune | )
Yes, the Saints (0-2) fought down to the wire in back-to-back games โ a sign that coach Kellen Moore is doing all that he can to keep his team competitive. But what does it say that so many Saints season-ticket holders appeared to sell their seats this early into the season? And more troubling for New Orleans, the product on the field couldnโt even beat a team missing its usual starting quarterback.
Mac Jones was not supposed to look like Brock Purdy, whoโs reportedly out 2-5 weeks with turf toe. But the 49ers backup carved the Saintsโ secondary, throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-39 passing.
Over the last few months, the Saints have made plenty of moves to indicate theyโre on board for a rebuild. Just a day earlier, New Orleans traded a late-round pick swap for an injured wide receiver who wonโt suit up in 2025. Teams competing for the now donโt make that type of move.
Still, rebuilding a franchise takes time โ and pain. And to start the season, the punches have come early.
โOur guys are competing,โ Moore said. โIt hurts when you lose games like this. Thatโs how itโs supposed to feel. There are no feel-good moments out of this.โ
It can be natural in games like this, particularly in the first year of a new coach, to focus on the positives. Rattler, for the second straight week, not only staved off calls for the Saints to turn to rookie Tyler Shough, but the quarterback is processing the defense fast enough to give his team a chance. Against the 49ers, Rattler made more of an effort to push the ball down the field โ and his aggression paid off. His first pass was a 39-yard completion to Rashid Shaheed, and his first touchdown was an 18-yard strike to Juwan Johnson.
Rattler, who went 25 of 34 for 207 yards and three touchdowns, was the main reason the Saints had a chance. The second-year quarterback helped New Orleans overcome a sluggish first half with a much more efficient second half. Rattler kept numerous drives alive with sharp throws and impressive scrambles, such as when he used a quarterback keeper to pick up fourth-and-1 on a third-quarter drive that resulted in a 3-yard touchdown to Shaheed.
But the Saints canโt ignore the negatives, which have outweighed any silver linings of the first two weeks.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Saints had two drives to potentially steal the game away from San Francisco. But each time, pressure from San Franciscoโs defensive line wrecked any chance of a comeback.
First, on third-and-6 with 3:50 left, All-Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa overpowered rookie Kelvin Banks to crumple Rattler. Then, on fourth-and-2 with 1:03 left, Bryce Huff quickly beat Taliese Fuaga to strip Rattler of the football, leading to a 49ers recovery.
โReally, we couldnโt even get the play started,โ Moore said.
The fumble, Rattlerโs sixth in nine career games, was the play that sealed New Orleansโ loss. The Saintsโ biggest problems, though, came well before that. Before their first touchdown to cut San Franciscoโs lead to 9-7, the Saintsโ first four possessions resulted in a 40-yard field goal and three punts. Rattler missed an easy-looking, wide-open touchdown to Chris Olave on the first drive, too.
There was no more inexplicable problem than Jones. Too often on Sunday, the 27-year-old resembled the intriguing prospect that was drafted 15th overall in 2021 rather than the bust who flamed out of New England, struggled as a backup in Jacksonville and landed with San Francisco as a reclamation project.
Jones was the quarterback responsible for the Saintsโ last shutout in 2023, when he played so poorly the Patriots benched him en route to a 34-0 loss. But on Sunday, Jones executed all the hallmarks of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahanโs offense. He thrived on rollouts, was accurate on quick throws and even made plays with his feet.
โHe did a hell of a job,โ Shanahan said.
Jones created separation in pivotal moments, keeping the Saints at bay. Just before halftime, the fourth-year signal-caller hit seven of his nine passes and found running back Christian McCaffrey for a 7-yard touchdown to give the 49ers a 16-7 lead.
Then, in what proved to be the deciding score, Jones helped the 49ers take advantage of a rare Alvin Kamara fumble by hitting Jauan Jennings on a 42-yard touchdown across the middle of the field โ on third-and-11, no less.
The Saints, even with another scored touchdown, couldnโt close the gap. And now, with road trips to face the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills on deck, who knows when their first win will finally come.
โWe have to grow from this,โ Moore said.
