The New Orleans Saints lost 10-34 against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon. Overall, it was an extremely disappointing showing, however, a glimmer of hope can be found in rookie quarterback Tyler Shough’s performance. It wasn’t amazing, but showed that he can develop into a formidable starting quarterback.
Shough went 15/24, 176 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in his first career start. The stats are mediocre, but he looked much more composed than last week despite the Rams elite pass rush. The obstacle he'll have to overcome this week is the absence of recently-traded Rashid Shaheed.
As the Saints face the Panthers, you'll get a greater look at Shough. The Saints only possessed the ball for a little more than a quarter against the Rams. They should easily top that, which will give the rookie more snaps to work with. For the Saints sake, hopefully those snaps don't come in catch up mode. Seeing snaps when the game is close shows how Shough performs when the offense is operating in its standard mentality.
All signs are pointing towards Tyler Shough improving throughout the season
There is no reason to believe that Shough won’t improve as the season progresses. First off, the Saints schedule gets significantly easier now. Here is the remainder of the season:
Week 10: Carolina Panthers
Week 11: Bye
Week 12: Atlanta Falcons
Week 13: Miami Dolphins
Week 14: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 15: Carolina Panthers
Week 16: New York Jets
Week 17: Tennessee Titans
Week 18: Atlanta Falcons
Shough’s had a tough start to the year, facing two formidable defenses. There will still be tests, but the path becomes much easier for the rookie.
Another reason is the cohesion of the offense. The only way to build chemistry is through repetition. Shough will continue to get better and better as works with the starters. Expect him, Olave, Shaheed, and Johnson to continue to improve.
Shough was the glimmer of hope in what was a disappointing performance by the Saints. There is no reason to believe he shouldn’t continue improving throughout the season. The strength of schedule and added cohesion will benefit him moving forward.