New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough just stacked two of the NFL’s most recognizable resume lines in consecutive weeks: wins over back-to-back former No. 1 overall picks.
On Sunday, December 14, Shough led a final-minute drive to beat Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers 20-17 at the Caesars Superdome, setting up kicker Charlie Smyth for a 47-yard game-winner with two seconds left.
A week earlier, Shough and the Saints went to Tampa and stunned Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers 24-20, making this a very specific two-week run: Shough has beaten Mayfield (2018 No. 1 pick), then Young (2023 No. 1 pick) in back-to-back weeks. Not bad for the second round pick just months ago.
“Tyler Shough…starting to look like that guy,” defensive end Chase Young said.
Saints Rally Late as Shough Finishes with a Clutch Two-Drive Close
The box score shows production, but the finish is what had the Saints acting like they found something real at quarterback. Shough went 24-of-32 for 272 yards and a touchdown against Carolina, then calmly moved New Orleans into field-goal range in the final minute.
The Saints’ last possession went 62 yards in 51 seconds, and it included a roughness penalty that helped flip the field and set up Smyth’s decisive kick.
That late-game execution is the part head coach Kellen Moore kept coming back to afterward.
Kellen Moore Calls Shough “Phenomenal,” Praises His “Steadiness”
Moore didn’t try to oversell it. He just said the quarterback showed up when it mattered most.
“Phenomenal performance,” Moore said. “When your best is needed … he showed up.”
Moore also leaned into the trait he believes translates for a young QB in this league: the ability to reset after tough downs and stay steady.
“His steadiness is really special,” Moore said, adding that playing quarterback comes with “a lot of hard downs,” and the key is going “from one to the next” and taking advantage of the chances you get.
Moore credited the situational awareness on the final series, too, saying there were “a lot of situational plays” late and Shough executed them at a “really high level.” He also pointed to the offense staying connected even as the game’s flow changed — and Shough trusting the progression and throwing it to “whoever’s open.”
The Back-to-Back No. 1 Pick Detail Is Real — and It’s a Big Look for New Orleans
The Saints aren’t playing for a playoff spot at 4-10, but they are playing for clarity, and Shough is giving them something to evaluate in real time.
Against Tampa Bay in Week 14, Shough didn’t need to throw for 300 yards to beat Mayfield. The Saints leaned on his legs: Shough went 13-of-20 for 144 yards (with an interception), and also ran 7 times for 55 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 24-20 win.
Mayfield, meanwhile, finished 14-of-30 for 122 passing yards and threw an interception.
Then came Sunday — and the jump from “nice rookie moment” to “repeatable late-game drive,” capped by that last-minute march to steal one from a Panthers team still in the thick of the NFC South race.
Moore said December football still matters for building habits, even on a different path. If Shough keeps stacking performances like this — especially against division opponents — the Saints’ offseason questions at quarterback may start getting a lot more complicated.
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