NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Spencer Rattler connected with Dante Pettis for a 20-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left and scrambled for a 2-point conversion to help the New Orleans Saints salvage a 17-17 tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars in a preseason game Sunday.
With no overtime in the preseason, the Jaguars crossed midfield in the final seconds — one week after kicker Cam Little made a 70-yard field goal.
But Seth Henigan’s pass over the middle bounced off of Chandler Brayboy’s hands and into the arms of Saints safety Jonas Sanker, whose 40-yard return ended when he was pushed out of bounds at the Jacksonville 24 as time expired.
Had Sanker run out of bounds a bit earlier, New Orleans (0-1-1) could have set up for a game-winning kick.
Rattler, who relieved rookie Tyler Shough in the second half, went 18 of 24 for 199 yards, one TD and one interception. Mason Tipton, a second-year pro out of Yale, caught six passes for 100 yards, one week after his 54-yard touchdown catch from Shough against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Parker Washington caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence and Bayshul Tuten rushed for a 3-yard touchdown for Jacksonville (0-1-1).
Lawrence played for two drives and had little trouble moving the offense while going 8 of 10 for 76 yards and a TD.
However, his first drive ended with a turnover on the New Orleans 12 when Lawrence tripped as he turned to hand off to Tank Bigsby. The ball squirted loose and defensive lineman Vernon Broughton recovered.
Shough, who started for the first time and played the whole first half, went 9 for 12 for 66 yards without a turnover. He led one scoring drive that concluded with Blake Grupe’s 51-yard field goal after Chris Olave dropped a third-down pass that could have extended the series.
Little converted from 53 yards as the first half ended to make it 17-3, making him 5 for 5 in the preseason, all on kicks longer than 39 yards.
Rattler, a second-year pro competing with Shough for the starting spot, took over to start the second half and quickly led New Orleans into field goal range with the help of Christian Braswell’s pass interference penalty on a deep pass intended for Tipton. That set up the first of Irishman Charlie Smyth’s second-half field goals.
The second kick, which made it 17-9, came after Rattler connected with Tipton for 45 yards down the right sideline.
The Saints threatened to score one possession before the tying drive, but that series stalled when Rattler was intercepted by Keni-H Lovely at the Jacksonville 7.
Jacksonville QB Nick Mullens, who took over for Lawrence in the second quarter, passed for 112 yards and led the Jags to 10 points.
Mullens’ 26-yard pass to tight end Hunter Long, who made a leaping grab in tight coverage, set up Tuten’s TD.
But Mullens saw a promising drive end in the third quarter when his pass over the middle was intercepted by Jaylan Ford at the Saints 15.
Injuries
Jaguars: Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall draft choice Travis Hunter was scratched before the game with what the team has called an upper-body injury.
Saints: Caesar Ruiz was examined in the injury tent in the second quarter after going down awkwardly as the pocket collapsed on Shough, who was sacked by Ventrell Miller and Jack Kiser.
Up next
Jaguars: Visit the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.
Saints: Host the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
