Kellen Moore’s showcases masterful WR scheme vs. Titans

By Ross Jackson

Ever since the New Orleans Saints started their four-game win streak, a lot of eyes have deservedly been on rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. He’s been great for the team under pressure and in clutch situations and now he’s amidst the top of the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. There’s no doubt that he has been a major part of the team’s success down the stretch.

Head coach Kellen Moore, however, should be given a large part of the credit as well. His offensive system is starting to come together despite the unit missing several key contributors. Even without multiple top wide receiver options, several starting offensive lineman and the team’s top three running backs, Moore’s route combinations and masterful deployment of his weapons generated wide open opportunities in the passing game on several occasions.

Moore did a fantastic job using presumed targets in a progression to free up the primary option in the passing game against the Tennessee Titans. The gameplan appears to have been built with the intent of challenging the Titans’ eye discipline and in doing so, found a winning formula: make them look one way, then go somewhere else.

First-and-10: Shough finds WR Kevin Austin Jr. for 36-yard gain

This was the first completion of the game and it went to former USFL star Austin, who would later score his first NFL touchdown.

The first step of this catch and run is to get the eyes of the Titans’ defense focused on star wide receiver Chris Olave. Olave runs the orbit motion around Shough and running back Audric Estime out of a 2×2 lineup. Typically, this motion will lead to a swing pass to Olave as he carries his momentum to the opposite side of the field where two blockers are waiting to pave the way for him to pick up some yards after the catch. 

After the snap, that’s clearly what the Titans are expecting to see.

The Saints sell this further with a quick Shough pump fake, which forces an already committed Titans defender to bite even harder, expecting to be in prime position for a tackle for a loss. Instead, Shough pulls the throw back and turns his sights to Austin, who swims over the top of cornerback Kemon Hall, who soars past him ready to make the play on Olave.

The result: a wide open Austin with lots of yards after catch opportunity ahead of him and an out-of-position Hall slamming on the brakes to hustle back to try and help stop the big play. But Titans defenders don’t get Austin down until he’s already gained 36 yards on the catch-and-run.

Third-and-9: Shough connects with Olave for a 19-yard touchdown

Later in the game, the Saints get their first red zone play and cash in on the offense’s first touchdown of the day. This time, instead of Olave being a part of the ploy to open up another receiver, he’s the benefactor of Moore’s crafty play design.

Much like one of Olave’s touchdowns in Week 16, this one is all about creating congestion against coverage in the red area and again, it works like a charm.

The Saints begin in a 3×1 formation, but motion Olave from the left side of the center to the right. In doing so, there is only a shift by the defense, but no coverage defender following the wideout across the field. That indicates zone coverage to start the play. 

Moving Olave to the “field side” or the side of the field opposite the hash marks from which the center is snapping, gives New Orleans and Moore a lot of space to play with in trying to open up a target.

After the snap, Olave pushes downfield to the top of his route, the stem, and hesitates. Meanwhile, wide receiver Dante Pettis runs a slant from the outside. Hall is again the target of the play, creating congestion that he cannot free himself from in time to catch up with Olave once he takes his outside break on a wheel route. 

Once Olave breaks outside, he’s all alone.

Now all the wideout has to do is get to the spot that Shough is throwing to and reel in the catch. His 4.3-speed is more than enough to leave Hall behind once he has a step and the safety is too far out of the play to make a break on the ball in time. The play is executed perfectly within Shough’s five-step drop back’s rhythm without a need for a hesitation or looking a safety off of the coverage. It all fits in the timing of the play while still creating a notable challenge for the defense.

9th receiving touchdown of the season for @chrisolave_!

📺CBS pic.twitter.com/aD8O3yoy2b

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 28, 2025

Second-and Goal: Shough finds Austin for a 10-yard touchdown strike

The Saints are back in the red zone on this one, and instead of going to the same rub route that has brought them success, Moore creates space for his receivers to work with a route combination that picks apart man coverage to create a one-on-one opportunity for a physical receiver.

The Saints take the field in a 3×2 formation this time against what presents as a single-high Cover-1 look pre-snap. You can see the safety linger over the top with no additional deep defenders and, at least on the three-receiver side, a clear indication of man-to-man alignment. 

Moore is going to take advantage of this with all three routes on the left side being designed to spread out the defense and create a one-on-one opportunity on the perimeter. But instead of doing so against the boundary corner furthest to the outside, the play singles out Hall once more in the slot.

Olave runs a slant, pulling the over-the-top safety into the middle of the field and Austin runs a corner route. The two complement one another because the safety won’t be able to break to the outside to give help to Hall, who is then left with Austin, breaking to the outside. But the finishing touch is Pettis.

No congestion, trickery or rub routes here. Pettis simply runs a shallow cross into the short area of the field. Because of the coverage, this also keeps the boundary defender from being able to get enough depth to help at the catch point. It’s the perfect call against the coverage, forcing the hand of the defense to create the shot Moore, Shough and the Saints’ offense wants.

Off of his three-step drop, Shough is able to see, in rhythm, that Austin has the matchup and he puts it up for him to make the play. Olave has occupied three defenders over the middle, Pettis has his man focused in short and now all that Austin has to do is win his duel and he has his first career NFL touchdown.

Kevin Austin Jr.’s first career TD pushes the #Saints in the lead 🙌

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/1CfTcdH49W

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 28, 2025

Austin reels it in and the Saints take their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter. 

Moore knew that attacking the Titans’ defensive discipline would create ripple effects down the road and it worked perfectly for the offense.