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New Orleans Saints make positive strides but still drop 26-21 decision to San Francisco

Quarterback Spencer Rattler: 'We're close, though. We're close'

Check out the game action photos from the New Orleans Saints game against the San Francisco 49ers for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season on Sept. 14, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.

Progress easily was identifiable for the New Orleans Saints in their second regular-season game under first-year coach Kellen Moore, against San Francisco on Sunday in the Caesars Superdome.

Now, the matter is making enough of it to produce victory.

The Saints (0-2) fell short in their second straight down-to-the-wire finish, a 26-21 decision to the 49ers.

New Orleans patched its red zone efficiency (three for three, after going one for four in the opener) and halved its penalties (from 13 against Arizona to seven vs. San Francisco), but defensive hiccups on third down and a few glitches on offense were enough to prevent the first win under Moore, and to prevent quarterback Spencer Rattler from posting his first win as a starter.

The Niners' offense produced conversions on third-and-14, third-and-1 and third-and-1 on a touchdown drive in the first quarter; third-and-six and third-and-five on a touchdown drive in the second quarter; and third-and-11 (for a 42-yard touchdown) in the fourth quarter, their final score.

Mix in a missed Saints field goal for the second straight week and a lost fumble when they were driving and had advanced to San Francisco's 30-yard line, and New Orleans again clearly saw light, but couldn't reach the end of the tunnel.

"We've got to play cleaner football, in all three phases," Moore said. "There's only so many opportunities in these games and you have to value each and every opportunity in all three phases, and when they present themselves you've got to take advantage of them because there's only so many."

The Saints never led, but three touchdown passes by Rattler – who completed 25 of 34 passes for 207 yards in the first multi-touchdown pass game of his career – helped them stay within reach.

New Orleans pulled to within 9-7, 16-14 and 26-21 on scoring throws of 18 yards to tight end Juwan Johnson, three yards to receiver Rashid Shaheed and three yards to receiver Devaughn Vele.

But the Niners (2-0) maintained behind backup quarterback Mac Jones, who subbed in for injured starter Brock Purdy.

Jones completed 26 of 39 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns and though he was sacked three times (twice by edge rusher Carl Granderson, raising his season total to 3.5), Jones evaded enough pressure and created time for receivers to uncover.

The Saints had two chances to register a comeback thriller after pulling to within 26-21 on Rattler's touchdown pass to Vele with 6:18 remaining.

The defense forced a three-and-out, and the offense took possession at its 11-yard line after a fair catch by Shaheed. The Saints went three-and-out, with Rattler being sacked on third down.

The defense forced another three-and-out, and Shaheed fair caught the punt at New Orleans' 6 with 2:40 left.

From there, Rattler completed six consecutive passes and the Saints advanced to their 42-yard line. But Rattler threw incomplete for Johnson on third-and-1, on fourth-and-1 with 63 seconds left he was sacked and fumbled. San Francisco took possession at the 27-yard line with 57 seconds left.

After the game, Rattler lamented an early one that got away: On the opening possession, New Orleans drove from its 35-yard line to San Francisco's 22 and on third-and-6, receiver Chris Olave sprang free near the goal line after his defender stumbled. But the throw from Rattler was a little behind Olave, and his contorted attempt to retrieve it failed. Blake Grupe then missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt.

"We've got to start fast," Rattler said. "Missed a touchdown early on to Olave. That was a big play, a big moment. Got to have that one back. Just starting faster. Starting faster, finding a rhythm.

"We're close, though. We're close. These games come down to the wire and we've got to do what winning teams do. That's what Kellen was telling us."

It wasn't just the team that Moore was telling.

"We've got to play better in situational football, we've got to pounce on opportunities when they're presented and we've got to give ourselves a better chance," Moore said.

"There's too much good in there to miss these opportunities. We've got to play better faster, learn from these things and go from there."

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