Tyler Shough's stock quickly surged past quarterback for next season to potential franchise quarterback. Patience should be exercised, but it's far from hyperbolic. If I told you what Shough had at his disposal during his time as a starter, you would never guess the New Orleans Saints have a .500 record with him at the helm. While he still has Chris Olave, that's where the list stops, as far as highly touted players.
You want your franchise quarterback to be an elevator of talent, and we’ve seen Shough do that a couple times. After six games with Shough starting, losing Devaughn Vele to injured reserve feels like a major blow. No one would have said that two months ago.
The offensive line in front of Shough has been battered. None of the projected starters on the interior will play this week. Dillon Radunz is the closest thing to a starter, but he only started the season because Trevor Penning got hurt. The protection hasn't been great, yet Shough has still shown the ability to impress.
Tyler Shough's legs are a game changer for the Saints
Shough’s ability to run is a game changer. It’s been a point of emphasis and impossible to ignore after his two touchdown performance versus the Buccaneers. This isn’t to say he’ll be Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, but the threat of a quarterback running opens things up for the running back.
Shough doesn’t have to make an explosive play every carry. Knowing it’s an option, though, requires defenders to respect it, and that respect can just as easily earned by Shough keeping it for seven yards on first down. In turn, that should take at least one defender away from stopping the running back.
For Shough, specifically, his mobility allows him to create plays out of structure. We saw that a few times in his first game against the Panthers. In that game, it was Shough scrambling but keeping his eyes downfield for his receivers.
The best example of that was Shough's 52 yard completion to Juwan Johnson. Shough had to avoid four Panthers defenders and move all around the pocket before he could even get the ball out of his hands. Those types of plays don't typically get acknowledged as displays of athleticism and mobility, but they are. We've seen the scramble drill work multiple times for the Shough.
The two rushing touchdowns against the Buccaneers are the greatest display of the quarterback's running prowress. One touchdown was a designed run, and the other escaping on a broken play. Both were equally dynamic. Whether that's creating plays that seemed dead in the water or extending plays to find players down the field, Shough's legs give a new dynamic to the Saints offense.