Jake Haener is rising to the occasion in Saints' QB2 battle

Spencer Rattler is a New Orleans Saints fan favorite, and it’s led to Jake Haener flying under the radar. The Saints’ preseason matchup with the Arizona Cardinals was a perfect example of this. By the end of the night, the talk around the battle focused on Rattler’s touchdown run and game-winning drive.

Haener’s 58-yard bomb to A.T. Perry at the end of the first half was a highlight that faded to the background in conversation. That’s partially because Rattler was the last quarterback to see the field, and people tend to talk about what they saw most recently. The sentiment isn’t isolated to the game.

Haener has performed well throughout practice but maybe hasn’t had the same splash plays. The second year quarterback has been steady throughout practice and that translated into the first preseason game.

When Haener entered the game, you saw the offense begin to get the quarterback moving. He rolled out after a play action fake and lofted a pass to rookie tight end Dallin Holker. The defender’s placement made it a tougher throw, but it’s a simple play.

Jake Haener went 9 for 13 with 107 passing yards. This included multiple smart plays and one explosive play. Haener may not receive as many headlines, but there’s a reason the battle between him and Rattler is tightly contested.