If you looked strictly at the draft pedigree entering Nissan Stadium on Sunday, the script was supposed to be about Cam Ward. The Tennessee Titans’ No. 1 overall pick was the anointed savior, the blue-chip prospect with the keys to the franchise. On the other sideline stood Tyler Shough, the Saints’ second-round selection (No. 40 overall), a player viewed by many pundits last April as a "project" or a stop-gap.

But by the time the final whistle blew on the Saints' 34-26 victory over the Titans, the narrative had flipped completely.

In a season that has often felt like a slog for New Orleans (now 6-10), Sunday wasn’t just another late-season win in a lost year. It was more of a declaration. The Saints may not be heading to the Super Bowl this February, but for the first time in the post-Brees era, they might actually know who their quarterback is. The last few wins have been a showcase of a Saints team meshing and showing their competitiveness as young rebuilding squad.

The box score tells a convincing story, but the eye test told a better one. Shough was surgical against Tennessee, finishing 22-of-27 for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't just manage the game, he dictated it. “Shough-Time” was cookin’

While Cam Ward showed flashes of his top-pick talent (251 yards, 2 TDs), he looked frantic under pressure, eventually succumbing to the Saints' pass rush in the game’s turning point. Shough, conversely, looked like a 10-year veteran. His chemistry with Chris Olave is becoming the heartbeat of this offense. That 60-yard dime to Olave and finding Kevin Austin Jr. on a back-shoulder fade for his first NFL touchdown is showing trust and connection in the offense.

While Shough provided the fireworks, the Saints' defense provided the grit. The play of the game, and perhaps the defensive play of the season, came from Chase Young.

With the Titans threatening to seize momentum, Young’s strip-sack of Ward and subsequent 33-yard return for a touchdown (the "Strip Six") was a reminder of why New Orleans invested in him. It was a pure athleticism play that broke the Titans' back. In a game defined by rookie quarterbacks, the veteran edge rusher made sure the rookie on the other side knew he was still in the NFL.

The cynics will point to the standings. At 6-10, the playoffs are likely out of reach, and the Saints are playing for pride. But look closer. This is a team that has now reeled off four straight wins. They aren't limping to the finish line; they are sprinting.

For a fanbase exhausted by the mediocrity of the last few years, this late-season surge feels different. It doesn't feel like "messing up draft position." It feels like building a culture.

Running back Audric Estimé continues to be a revelation, adding a 32-yard touchdown run to his highlight reel today. Kicker Charlie Smyth is nailing 56-yarders with room to spare. The young core is solidifying before our eyes.

The 2025 season will go down as a disappointment in the win-loss column, but history might remember it as the year the Saints stopped searching and started building.

If Tyler Shough continues to play like he did today in Nashville with trust, accurate, and lethal play, the Saints don't need to look at the 2026 quarterback class. They have their guy. And he didn't cost the No. 1 overall pick.

The Saints leave Tennessee with a win, but more importantly, they leave with hope. This young core is proving to be a possible problem in the next season during this rebuild heading into an offseason.