Spencer Rattler passed for an 87-yard touchdown to Rashid Shaheed, safety Jordan Howden returned a fumble 86 yards for a score, and New Orleans defeated the turnover-prone New York Giants 26-14 on Sunday for the Saints’ first victory under rookie coach Kellen Moore.
Rattler earned his first victory in 11 career starts, passing for 225 yards without a turnover, while Shaheed finished with four catches for 114 yards for the Saints (1-4).
Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart, who won his first career start last week, passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns, but also turned the ball over three times, the first when the ball slipped from his hand during a scramble in the third quarter. Defensive end Cameron Jordan recovered as Dart, laying across Jordan’s legs, disgustedly put both hands over his face.
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Dart threw his first two career interceptions in the fourth quarter — both caught by Kool-Aid McKinstry for his first-career picks.
New York (1-4) turned the ball over five times in all, none more costly than when running back Cam Skattebo was stripped by defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at the Saints 12-yard line, giving Howden the chance to scoop up the loose ball on the 14 and sprint untouched the other way early in the fourth quarter.
Dart completed his first five passes for 44 yards, capped by his short TD pass to tight end Theo Johnson. He mixed in a 20-yard scramble with three more completions during New York’s next series, which ended with Dart’s 15-yard strike to Johnson for a 14-3 lead.
New Orleans closed to 14-13 on Rattler’s deep throw down the right sideline to Shaheed — the Saints’ longest offensive play since Drew Brees connected with Brandin Cooks for a 98-yard score in 2016. It was also Shaheed’s sixth career touchdown catch of 53 or more yards, and his third covering at least 68 yards.
After Saints kicker Blake Grupe missed a 52-yard field goal that would have given New Orleans the lead late in the first half, the Saints got the ball back when linebacker Demario Davis forced receiver Darius Slayton’s fumble at the Saints 35 and safety Jonas Sanker recovered.
That led to Grupe’s short field goal for a 16-14 Saints lead at halftime.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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