Which quarterback will the Commanders be facing down in Nawlins on Sunday?
“That is probably to be determined, and to be honest, they probably have a better picture today, but earlier in the week, Coach Rizzi didn’t truly know what direction they were gonna go in,” Saints legend and current radio analyst Deuce McAllister told BMitch & Finlay Thursday. “What's interesting is they've already declared that Derek Carr will not be put on IR, and from my understanding, it may be more of a pain management situation with the wrist/hand injury, so I’d say he’s likely out, an emergency situation if he does go. It will probably be one of the other two younger guys at QB, and the Saints will have a better understanding or better feeling for that tomorrow or even on Saturday morning.”
Carr is also in concussion protocol, but the left hand and wrist injury is the bigger issue in Deuce’s mind, so yeah, he’s likely out – so which of Haener and Rattler does Deuce see as the better option?
“I think it’s more of a game-by-game situation, and not looking at it from a long-term situation. I mean, if you look at it, Rattler probably has the best long-term potential as an NFL quarterback,” Deuce said, “but Haener has been the No. 2 for you and the guy that has come into games if something happened to the starter. Not to take anything away from him, but in this offense, the way they have looked at it in the past is that he’s a guy that can come in and get us out of the game, but we don't know from a long-term standpoint if he can be a starter in the NFL.”
We do know who is under center for the Commanders, the one and only Jayden Daniels, and McAllister is VERY impressed with the LSU product.
“I love him; I got to meet him a couple of times and spent a little time with him off the field, and he’s a great young man who wants to be great on the field – but his focus right now is to be good,” McAllister said. “My question for him was the hits because of his frame, because it’s hard for me to have my quarterback miss a series while he’s commanding the offense. I thought the rib injury affected him a little bit more than maybe the team led on, so with him having the bye week, he should be closer to what you had earlier in the year – but for him, the process how he has been able to absorb it so far, he's probably a little bit ahead of the game than where I would have thought he was. He was always a great deep ball thrower, but he’s processing what teams are doing to him really, really fast, and it's been exciting and fun to watch.”
And, whoever the Saints have under center, they’ll have to throw it against ex-Saint Marshon Lattimore, who is going to be making his Commanders debut against his old team.
“I love the kid. He’s quiet, and so he will be one that the coaches have to get to know because you think that he may not be paying any attention, but he's listening,” McAllister said. “He is a crafty player, but if it’s an elite receiver, he is 100 percent locked in – and he has to get where he's still 100 percent locked in when not playing against an elite receiver. That’s not a knock, because everybody has to find something that motivates them, but it may be a lesser-known receiver that has a big day because Lat’s not 100 percent locked in, so he needs the challenge of ‘put me there and challenge me.’ But he’s a great kid, loves to compete, and his teammates love him because he wants to work, he wants to be great, and will go out there and compete.”
Take a listen to Deuce’s entire visit, as he talks about the Saints’ roller-coaster season, Chase Young’s time in New Orleans so far, and more!