Although the New Orleans Saints didn’t get the win they’d hoped for to open up the season, the team may have gotten the news they needed otherwise: that they have the right quarterback leading their franchise.
Sunday’s performance ended in a disappointing 31-30 loss, but Tyler Shough showed plenty of resilience. After throwing two interceptions, losing a fumble and falling behind 21-0, Shough helped lead the Saints’ comeback. New Orleans scored 17 consecutive points and had two chances to win the game late.
After going just 18-for-33 for 179 passing yards, resulting in a 55 passer rating over the first three quarters of the game, Shough’s fourth quarter and overtime period were masterful.
Shough went 17-for-23 for 231 yards and two touchdowns over the fourth quarter and overtime, posting a 134.5 passer rating. His late surge gave the Saints a chance at a potential 62-yard field goal at the end of regulation and, later, a two-point conversion to win the game in overtime.
The Saints have a lot to fix. Slow starts, poorly timed penalties, the lack of a run game and other issues from last season still created roadblocks for the team. However, despite all of that, New Orleans clearly has its answer at the most important position on the field.
Shough has made the Saints right. New Orleans drafted him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, making him the highest-drafted quarterback for the franchise since former passer Archie Manning was selected No. 2 overall in 1971.
“He’s a winner,” wide receiver Chris Olave said. “He’s a competitor. That’s what we want at quarterback.”
The 410 passing yards by Shough were the most by a Saints quarterback since Hall of Famer Drew Brees threw for 439 in 2018. Olave hauled in 182 yards on the day.
As much as the game served as confirmation for Shough’s ability to navigate adversity like a veteran quarterback, it also served as proof positive that the right building blocks and weapons are around him.
Second-year quarterbacks don’t climb out of three-touchdown holes the way that Shough helped his team spring from theirs. Nine passers have started games for New Orleans since Brees retired. Shough is the only one that’s shown a propensity to stage a comeback and Sunday’s massive bounce back was only confirmation that the team has finally found the guy that will keep them in games.
The Saints and Shough didn’t start the season the way they wanted to. But they did start it off with a promising display that the cornerstones are set for improvement. With the most important cornerstone, a franchise quarterback, in tow.
