Saints QB competitors: Tyler Shough outplays Spencer Rattler, however New Orleans’ outlook continues to be bleak

Underwhelming could be a becoming phrase to explain the play of Saints quarterbacks Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler through the group’s preseason opener in opposition to the Chargers on Sunday. 

Rattler began the sport, went 7 of 11 for 53 yards and was sacked 3 times. Shough, a 25-year-old rookie, was higher however not essentially nice himself, going 15 of twenty-two for 165 yards in an outing that included a pick-six that was shortly adopted up by an extended landing cross. Shough was additionally sacked twice within the 27-13 loss. 

The Saints began the sport with Rattler, a 2024 fifth-round decide who went 0-6 as New Orleans’ starter final season. He was unable to engineer a scoring drive throughout his 5 sequence of labor, though he and the Saints had been capable of get to the Chargers’ 1-yard-line on their second drive earlier than being turned over on downs. 

Rattler additionally dedicated the sport’s first fumble initially of the second quarter after he was sacked by Chargers linebacker Caleb Murphy. The turnover arrange a Chargers area aim. Rattler acquired yet another sequence of labor earlier than giving solution to Shough, the third quarterback chosen on this 12 months’s draft. 

Shough acquired off to begin as he hit wideout Kevin Austin Jr. for a nine-yard acquire on his first cross try. He went 5 of 8 on the drive whereas main the Saints to their first rating of the sport, a 31-yard area aim by Blake Grupe, earlier than the top of the primary half. 

However after a three-and-out on the Saints’ ensuing drive, Shough made an enormous mistake when he sailed a cross to the sideline that was picked off by Chargers cornerback Eric Rogers and returned 43 yards for a rating. 

Shough shortly rebounded from the turnover. On the following possession, Shough — aided by a stellar block by working again Clyde Edwards-Helaire — hit a large open Mason Tipton downfield for a 54-yard landing. 

Shough would go 5 of 6 on the Saints’ subsequent two possessions, however was unable to steer New Orleans to a rating on both drive. A sack short-circuited the primary drive, whereas two quick completions failed to choose up the mandatory yards for a primary down on the second drive. Shough was then changed by Jake Haener, who went 5 of 8 for 41 yards and an interception on the Saints’ closing two offensive possessions. 

Concerning Shough, there have been some positives to take from Sunday’s sport. He was largely correct, displayed the flexibility to finish some passes downfield and confirmed some resilience after his pick-six. Shough flashed a few of the potential that led to the Saints to focus on him within the second spherical forward of different quarterbacks like Jalen Milroe, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. 

Rattler, who mentioned final week he is been the “finest quarterback on the sector,” did not play effectively. Shough performed OK in opposition to backups who weren’t doing a lot from a schematic standpoint. With the common season lower than a month away, Shough could also be the most suitable choice for a Saints quarterback scenario that appears fairly bleak coming into 12 months 1 below coach Kellen Moore.