No one could have predicted the New Orleans Saints’ Week 15 game with the Washington Commanders would have ended the way it did, coming down to a last-second attempt at scoring two points. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi led his team out of halftime with a change at quarterback, and he put the game on the line with Spencer Rattler rolling out to pass in a bid at winning outright rather than hoping for a kick to go their way in overtime.
Part of that decision was all of the injuries to Alvin Kamara, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Another part was the challenge of stopping Jayden Daniels, who Rizzi called a “phenomenal player” when recapping the game with local media.
Rizzi said he felt a confluence between momentum shifting their way and the personnel available dictating his decision: “Listen I know there’s the old adage about go kick the extra point at home and go for two at home, we would’ve went for two in the Rams game too, just how the games played out. … But just with where we were, I just felt it was the right call. I don’t regret it.”
He emphasized that he had “zero regret” in the decision to go for two points, and that he believed the locker room supported that call. To come back and be that close to winning the day after trailing so badly at halftime is impressive. And while Rizzi acknowledged he has mixed feelings about a loss, he was proud of the fight his team showed, and he saw some things that could carry over into their final three games this season.
