The New Orleans Saints marched into Bank of America Stadium and handed the Carolina Panthers a 17-7 loss. In the win, Tyler Shough set new Saints history.
He became the first rookie quarterback in New Orleans history to win a game since 1981, via Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. Seeing as Dave Wilson, the rookie who won in 1981, went 12-19 as the Saints starter, New Orleans is hoping Shough has a much better career.
After Week 1 starter Spencer Rattler got the Saints out to a 1-7 start, first-year head coach Kellen Moore decided to turn to Shough. His debut against the Los Angeles Rams saw the rookie complete 15-of-24 passes for 176 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Shough's performance against the Panthers showed a vast one-week improvement. In the win, Shough completed 19-of-27 passes for 282 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Carolina actually opened the scoring on a five-yard Rico Dowdle rush. But from there, it was all New Orleans. Their defense came up with a pair of crucial turnovers, and Shough did his best to minimize any damage. He had a clear control of the offense and was able to lead his team to victory.
The win does only move the Saints to 2-8 on the season. When NFL Draft season rolls around, New Orleans will still likely be connected to many of the top quarterbacks. Shough is auditioning for his spot and is hoping the Saints hold off. More games like his Week 10 win over the Panthers would earn Shough a much longer leash.
