The New Orleans Saints dropped to 0–2 after a 26–21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 at Caesars Superdome. Despite San Francisco being without several key players, including quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the 49ers leaned on their depth to pull away late.

For the Saints, the matchup highlighted a glimpse of potential and lingering issues that continue to hold the team back.

Here are three lessons we learned:

In only his second NFL start, Spencer Rattler flashed his downfield arm strength while maintaining his dignity. Finishing 25-for-34 for 206 yards and three touchdowns, Rattler's line was a step forward, highlighted by an 18-yard strike to Johnson and a three-yard score to Shaheed. Still, Rattler and the offense hesitantly scrambled on several possessions deep in San Francisco territory.

When those drives stalled and turnovers came into play, execution slipped away. While seeing Rattler's development is encouraging, whether or not the second-year quarterback has the consistency to sustain that will be what defines his role moving forward. 

New Orleans' offense produced 307 total yards against the 49ers, but struggled to finish drives, going only 1-for-4 inside the red zone.  While Rattler connected on two touchdown passes, stalled possessions and a missed Blake Grupe field goal swung momentum in San Francisco’s favor. And against elite opponents, those points left on the field are all the difference between a close loss and a signature win. The Saints just couldn’t seem to turn enough of those yards into points. 

On third down, while the Saints offense was 4-of-11, New Orleans allowed San Francisco to convert 8-of-15 third downs, keeping drives alive and flipping momentum late in the game, including a back-breaking 42-yard touchdown pass from 49ers quarterback Mac Jones to Jauan Jennings in the fourth quarter. Those extended drives wore down the defense and ultimately sealed the loss, and those are the kinds of numbers that give opposing teams some juice when they need just one more conversion.  

San Francisco proved they could win without key starters by leaning on their identity and executing under pressure in crucial moments. The Saints continue to search for answers on offense and consistency on defense. Rattler’s promising performance, Kamara’s reliable rushing attack, and flashes from the defense show the team has pieces to build on.

And Carl Granderson’s two sacks and Chris Rumph II’s forced fumble show the defense has playmakers who can shift momentum according to Reuters. Cleaning up red zone inefficiency, limiting penalties, and shoring up third-down execution will be crucial as New Orleans looks to turn these close games into wins and avoid a 0-3 start.