NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints rookie Spencer Rattler threw a touchdown pass and led four scoring drives to make his case for New Orleans’ back-up quarterback job behind veteran Derek Carr in a 30-27 preseason loss to Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Titans reserve quarterback Malik Willis connected with Bryce Oliver on two fourth-quarter touchdowns passes — the second on fourth-and-1 from the New Orleans 5-yard line with 1:25 left, to rally the Titans.
Saints receiver Samson Nacua — brother of Rams receiver Puca Nacua — made the game’s most memorable play. He returned a missed field goal 106 yards before being forced out of bounds at the Tennessee 3-yard line by Netherlands native Thomas Odukoya as time expired in the first half.
Although the riveting return produced no points, it could improve Nacua’s chances of sticking around past Tuesday, the deadline for teams to trim rosters from 90 players down to the regular season maximum of 53.
Tennessee opened scoring with its first-team offense facing Saints’ second-stringers. Will Levis completed 22-yard passes to tight end Nick Vannett and receiver Tyler Boyd before Tony Pollard made it 7-0 with his 1-yard run.
Levis had a 33-yard completion to Calvin Ridley on the second series to set up Nick Folk’s 39-yard field goal. The Saints played few starters after that other than offensive tackles Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning.
BRONCOS 38, CARDINALS 12
DENVER (AP) — Zach Wilson jumpstarted a touchdown drive with a 21-yard scramble and threw a 46-yard TD pass to Brandon Johnson as Denver wrapped up a perfect preseason with a walloping of Arizona.
Jarrett Stidham started for Denver and directed a touchdown drive capped by rookie running back Audric Estime’s 3-yard score on his only possession before joining newly-named starter Bo Nix on the sideline as Wilson got his most extensive action of the summer.
Wilson, the former second overall draft pick by the Jets in 2021, has 33 career NFL starts and that experience showed when he sparked an 11-play, 77-yard touchdown drive with an impressive scramble from his own 13 on second-and-20. He finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown toss to tight end Nate Atkins that gave Denver a 14-0 lead.
Wilson’s 1-yard keeper capped an 88-yard drive that made it 24-6 in the third quarter and he found Johnson from 46 yards out with 6:22 remaining.
Wilson finished 16 of 25 for 251 yards, two TDs and no interceptions.
Broncos coach Sean Payton would prefer to keep all three QBs on his 53-man roster Tuesday, but that might depend on Stidham taking a paycut from his $5 million salary.
COMMANDERS 20, PATRIOTS 10
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Drake Maye completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown for New England in their loss to Washington.
Maye, the rookie from North Carolina battling Jacoby Brissett for the starting job, made a good case, while the offensive line made it clear why first-year coach Jerod Mayo might not want to throw him in right away.
Brissett started the first series, and was sacked hard by defensive lineman K.J. Henry. Brissett finished the series, but left after that and the Patriots listed him as having a right shoulder injury.
Maye then finished the first half, throwing an 18-yard scoring pass to Kevin Harris. The Patriots finished the preseason 1-2.
Maye got little help from his offensive line, which was flagged eight times in the first half for false start, holding or illegal formation. At one point, Maye’s shoe flew off because he was stepped on so hard by left guard Sidy Sow. Brissett’s injury came on a play where two blockers ran into each other.
That could influence Mayo’s decision, particularly given that Washington did not play any of its starters on either side of the ball.