Silencing doubters with elite efficiency, the unheralded signal-caller has transformed into the NFL’s passing leader while orchestrating clutch scoring drives to cement New Orleans’ explosive winning streak.
The New Orleans Saints won on Sunday. They did so behind great defense and strong quarterback play on offense.
A lot of people were wondering if Tyler Shough would fall off in his sophomore campaign. As Kanye West would put it, "I guess we'll never know."
Shough has picked up right where he left off last year with multiple 300-yard passing games. This season, he's leaving his rookie numbers in the dust.
Erik C. Anderson of Heavy discussed Shough's scorching hot start to the year. Here's what he had to say about the NFL's leader in passing yards.
"Shough's place atop the NFL leaderboard comes with an obvious qualifier. He threw the ball 56 times in New Orleans' 31-30 overtime loss to Detroit in Week 1, completing 35 passes for 410 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. But Baltimore offered a different test.
Shough completed 27 of 34 passes for 252 yards and one touchdown without an interception, good for a 107.4 passer rating. He also rushed for 23 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown from the 1-yard line with 1:28 remaining, according to the New Orleans Saints' official game notes.
New Orleans trailed 14-3 before mounting its comeback. Shough hit Chris Olave for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, then directed a 16-play, 68-yard drive that ended with his rushing score. The Saints officially credited it as the fourth fourth-quarter game-winning drive of his young career. ... Shough showed in Detroit that he could produce when New Orleans had little choice but to throw. Against Baltimore, he showed he could pair production with efficiency and finish a road win."
It's one thing to get empty yards. Some quarterbacks across the league pad stats late in games they are trailing when the game is out of hand. Others amass passing but don't effect the result of the game.
Shough is making his plays in big moments in addition to the high volume of passing yards. His stats are meaningful and they are affecting games.
For whatever reason, it is hard for Shough to shake the initial opinion some had of him before he came to the Saints. Unheralded, many did not believe he would make it as a starting NFL quarterback. Statistically, he's the best so far this season.
Time will tell what caliber quarterback he will become, but early returns indicate New Orleans has its quarterback of the future. Shough will hope to keep his team in the win column in Week 3.
