The New Orleans Saints have relied upon Tyler Shough to carry their offense. He’s had no help from the run game and frequently faces pressure. Sadly, this is catching up to the second-year quarterback as injuries are starting to mount. If this persists, kiss the season goodbye, as things will quickly turn south.
ESPN reporter Katherine Terrell tweeted that Shough’s right hand was being examined at training camp after taking a sack. This injury had significant ramifications for the Saints’ passing game, as their average pass went from 10.4 air yards to 1.5 yards after the sack. He didn’t have a pass over four yards following this.
This isn’t the first time Shough’s dealt with a hand injury. He broke two bones in his left hand earlier in 2026 and has been playing through it. These bruises will wreck the Saints’ offense if they continue.
The Saints MUST establish a run game to protect Tyler Shough.
Kellen Moore’s number one priority should be to get the run game on track. They are coming off their worst game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, rushing for just 18 yards on 17 attempts (1.1 yards per attempt). 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers had more rushing yards than the Saints' leading running back; that’s unacceptable.
This may seem irrelevant to Tyler Shough; however, it directly impacts the signal caller. Currently, opposing defenses aren’t worried about their run game, deservedly so. This lets them, particularly opposing pass rushers, gear up for the pass.
This mentality helps them put more pressure on the quarterback. They don’t have to worry about engaging blockers or setting the edge; instead, all they need is to reach the backfield. This is especially dangerous when facing an elite edge rusher, as they just did against TJ Watt.
Because of this, the offensive line can only do so much. Tyler Shough will continue to rack up pressure until this issue is fixed. The more pressure he receives, the more he will get hit.
Although he’s stayed relatively healthy in the NFL, his college career was defined by injuries. Shough broke his collarbone twice and his leg once. These aren’t soft tissue issues and haven’t resurfaced, but they show that he’s vulnerable to missing time.
Spencer Rattler is a capable backup, but isn’t capable of carrying an offense like Shough. As a result, the Saints will continue to lose, this time by more, if he goes down. They must avoid this at all costs.
Fortunately for the Saints, they are heading into their bye week. This will give Shough two weeks to recover and hopefully return to full health. However, that’s meaningless if Kellen Moore can’t figure out how to reinvigorate the run game and protect him.
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