Spencer Rattler puts Dennis Allen in line of fire with preseason exclamation mark

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen isn't in a winnable position entering the 2024 season. But at the same time, he's also had numerous instances wherein he hasn't done anything to help his cause either. We might now have another one developing as it pertains to the quarterback room.

One of the biggest ways that Allen is hamstrung, of course, is the QB room. Derek Carr is as locked-in as they come as the starter with a salary the Saints can't really move on from without disastrous cap implications. That's made more painful by the fact that Carr was quite the eyesore in the Big Easy a year ago.

In Sunday's preseason finale, a 30-27 loss to the Titans, however, the part of the quarterback conversation that Allen does have a say in was put into question. Namely, Allen has persisted that Jake Haener is the team's backup behind Carr, yet it's becoming increasingly hard to ignore that rookie Spencer Rattler might be the better-suited option for that job.

Case in point, just look at Rattler's touchdown throw -- the lone passing TD of the game -- to Equanimeous St. Brown and try to think if Haener has ever done anything close to this, preseason or not.

Spencer Rattler puts heat on Dennis Allen for Saints QB2 decision

Rattler finished the game going 7-of-13 for 105 yards with the touchdown, no interceptions and no sacks taken while the Saints scored 24 points on the four drives he led. Haener, meanwhile, finished 8-of-17 for 87 yards resulting in only three points over the six drives he was at the helm for.

It should be noted that, on the whole this preseason, Haener had been a bit more productively. This game, however, was also the first time that Rattler got to play with a non-third-string offensive line and it showed how productively he can lead an offense when the trench play is even just adequate.

After the game, Allen praised both quarterbacks, which seemingly echoes the idea that Haener will remain the QB2, even if he liked what he saw from Rattler in the preseason finale. However, the fan base that already is questioning the head coach at every turn has to have the same questions regarding this.

Just by the eye test alone before this and now in the box score, Rattler looks like the better option for the Saints backup job. Even as a fifth-round pick, he has shown traits that might make you think he could be the eventual successor for Carr. Haener has shown nothing of the sort, at least not outside of practice. But then again, shouldn't the games matter just a bit more than practice?

It feels as if Allen is already coming into this season on at least a lukewarm seat that will only get hotter if things go south for New Orleans. And if he ultimately names Haener the QB2 over Rattler after what we saw on Sunday, that could only start turning up the heat even quicker as the fan base turns on him even more fervently.