The New Orleans Saints went out to Chicago with a chance to make a statement against their former head coach. Instead it was a case study in just how far this team has left to go in its rebuild.
The 26-14 defeat looked close on the scoreline, but both of the Saints’ scores came sandwiching halftime. The Bears dominated the remainder of the game with a rushing attack that rolled up 222 yards and a defense that forced the Saints into four turnovers.
It was a game that dropped the Saints to 1-6 and one that has the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert wondering how long the Who Dat Nation will have to wait to see this team get back to winning ways.
"You can be patient, but patient only so long,” Hebert said in his postgame rant. "I mean, Who Dat Nation, are y’all willing to wait maybe 2 or 3 years to say like, boy, like in other words, boy 2027-’28, watch out for us. People will be like, what, that’s like an eternity from now.”
Hear the full post-game rant from the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
It was an unusual day for the Saints and quarterback Spencer Rattler, who entered the day as the lone quarterback in the NFL with at least 200 passing attempts and one or fewer interceptions. This game featured three interceptions thrown and fumble lost on the Saints’ opening offensive possession. Rattler did have a pair of touchdowns and a 58-yard bomb to Chris Olave, but the negatives outweighed the positives.
The biggest momentum swing in this game came in the third quarter when Rattler attempted to hit a deep ball to Rashid Shaheed on a scramble drill only for it to come down in the arms of Bears safety Kevin Byard.
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The result has Hebert fielding questions about when he thinks the Saints turn to rookie Tyler Shough. Kellen Moore said there was no consideration of it happening in this game, and they have a pair of difficult matchups ahead with the Bucs and Rams that would seem to be an inopportune time for a rookie debut. But week 10 at Carolina or Week 12 against the Falcons after the bye week? This brutal start to 2025 is about a lot more than the quarterback, but a change feels inevitable given the circumstances.
“I don’t think they would throw Tyler Shough to the Wolves right now,” Hebert said. "OK, come on, Spencer, go hang in there, keep fighting like you’re fighitng. Play against Tampa, then go against the Rams on the road and then if it’s still not working out, kind of how the season has been flowing and you know, because people say, 'oh, well, Rattler finally made a few mistakes so let’s change quarterbacks,' but I think they would rather Tyler Shough, help him to have immediate success.”