Rookie quarterbacks Shough and Ward clash in a Week 17 showdown. Can the Saints' surge continue against the Titans' surprising momentum?
It is perhaps the most underrated matchup of Week 17: Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints against Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans. It's underrated perhaps because of the two teams' records, but not for lack of impressive statistical seasons for the two rookie quarterbacks.
The Saints (5-10) and Titans (3-12) have long been out of the postseason race. That hasn't prevented either from playing competitive football of late. Tennessee has found itself in several close games, while New Orleans is going for its fourth straight win after a 2-10 start.
Neither team appears to be more motivated for draft position than pride, as each week has seen the teams battle of late. It would be hard to expect anything different this week.
The Palm Beach Post gave its predictions for the game between the Saints and Titans. Three of the six contributors had the Saints pulling off the win.
Jordan Medoza was the first listed of the six to predict the game. He gave the following analysis, sharing that the Saints' recent surge is his reason for confidence in the team.
"New Orleans clearly has something going with this three-game win streak, invoking some belief heading into next season. The Saints keep it going by shutting down Cam Ward."
Blake Schuster shared a different perspective, going with the Tennessee Titans in the game. He shares that recent momentum might surprisingly be on the side of the Titans because of last week despite the Saints' three-game winning streak.
"This might be the toughest line to pick all week. Both teams have fought hard to improve down the stretch. I'll go with a home dog that should have a little more pep after crushing Kansas City."
That "little more pep" is reasonable given that a win over the Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of acclaim regardless of what key contributors, like quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are unavailable for the game. Simply winning a third game in 15 tries certainly has to feel like a weight has been lifted off the Titans' shoulders.
Despite the big win, it's easy to lean on the Saints' consistency over the Titans' impressive win. New Orleans has proven the more reliable team, particularly on the defensive side of the football, over the past six games.
It's uncertain what type of game we'll see from the teams, but if recent history is any indication, look for the Saints to leave the weekend with a win.