NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints may just have their quarterback of the future now with how Tyler Shough is playing for first-year coach Kellen Moore.
Shough threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Austin Jr. with 6:22 left to put the Saints ahead to stay as they rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 34-26 Sunday.
The rookie improved to 5-3 as a starter, helping the Saints (6-10) win their fourth straight. He outplayed Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, in this NFL’s third game between starting rookie quarterbacks this season. Shough was 22 of 27 for a career-best 333 yards and two touchdowns with a 142.7 passer rating.
“He’s obviously having a special season,” Moore said of Shough. “I know he doesn’t start the season as the starter, but just the way he’s handled himself through this whole journey, I think really, really special.”
Audric Estime added a 32-yard TD run with 3:44 left as New Orleans dominated the second half. The Saints both outscored the Titans 24-6 and outgained them 331-152 after halftime.
Estime said he's excited to see the Saints' trajectory with Shough.
“He’s a resilient guy, man,” Estime said of Shough. “He’s a guy that I want to play for. He’s the guy that will make you run through a brick wall. Like you can see him stay in the pocket, take those hits and still pop up and deliver. He is a great leader.”
Shough also is his own worst critic. He said he missed some chances to scramble and his footwork could've been better to avoid a couple of incompletions.
“I got to be a little better,” Shough said.
Chase Young had 1 1/2 of the Saints' four sacks and also stripped Ward and returned the fumble 33 yards for a touchdown. Charlie Smyth kicked a pair of field goals. Young got a half-sack with 5:16 left to force the Titans in a three-and-out.
The Titans (3-13) now go into the 2026 season trying to string together consecutive wins. That's something this franchise hasn't done since Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 of the 2022 season. They are 1-8 at home this season.
“We didn't finish,” interim coach Mike McCoy said of the Titans who led 20-10 at halftime. “Simple as that. We did not finish.”
Ward threw for 251 yards and two TDs.
He tried to rally the Titans and nearly had an amazing play until replay assistance turned his 17-yard toss while falling down on fourth-and-10 to a sack by Cam Jordan with 2 minutes left. The defense gave Ward another chance with 1:37 left and one timeout.
The rookie got the Titans to the Saints 43. Ward fumbled under pressure by Jordan trying to get a final pass off as time expired.
Joey Slye also kicked four field goals — two with the Titans at the Saints 20 or closer. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons had one of two sacks for the Titans, giving him a career-high 10 this season.
Shough started the comeback with a 19-yard TD pass to open the third quarter. Titans left guard Peter Skoronski pointed to the Saints as an example of how to bounce back.
“They didn’t get down on themselves,” Skoronski said. “They came back and moved the ball in the fourth quarter and got the lead. We’ve got to be able to respond to that.”
Chimere Dike picked up a Pro Bowl nod Tuesday as a return specialist, and he added to his week by halftime passing Tim Brown for the most all-purpose yards in a season by a rookie in NFL history. Brown had 2,317 yards in 1988, and Dike had 75 by halftime putting him at 2,344 yards. He finished with 2,371 yards.
Saints tight end Jack Stoll hurt a knee when he was rolled up from behind on the first offensive play. He was ruled out. Cornerback Michael Davis hurt a shoulder and was ruled out at the start of the fourth quarter.
McCoy was emotional saying both cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis and wide receiver Van Jefferson are out for the final game with injuries. Armour-Davis hurt his Achilles tendon, carted off after Tennessee’s third defensive play. Jefferson hurt a forearm late in the first half. McCoy said: “It’s the bad part of the business.”
The Saints close the season visiting Atlanta.
The Titans visit Jacksonville in their season finale.
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