After igniting a near-miraculous comeback against Detroit, the Saints quarterback faces a daunting Baltimore defense to prove his poise and ball security can translate into a definitive win.
Despite losing to the Detroit Lions in their season opener, it's hard to imagine the New Orleans Saints feeling too discouraged about the way Week 1 unfolded. It wasn't a win, but there was plenty of positive to lean on.
This was a team that entered the season without expectations of being all that competitive, and early against Detroit, it looked like that might be the case. New Orleans quickly fell behind 21-0 before Tyler Shough took over, made it a game and ultimately helped send it to overtime.
The Saints still came up short in that overtime period, but it was about as positive of a loss as possible.
Now, Shough gets a chance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 to prove that last week was more than just an impressive performance in a losing effort. He has an opportunity to further prove that he deserves to be the Saints' starting quarterback for the entire season.
His production against Detroit was undeniable, but he wasn't perfect. Shough turned it over three times, and he played a role in the slow start that forced New Orleans to dig out of such a significant hole in the first place.
There's a difference between making big-time throws and consistently managing a game in a way that puts your team in position to win. Week 2 gives Shough an opportunity to take that next step against a Baltimore team that's firmly in the conversation as one of the NFL's best.
The biggest positive with Shough so far is that he hasn't looked overwhelmed by the moment. He's shown plenty of poise during his opportunities with the Saints, both in Week 1 this season and during the handful of starts he received last year.
For Saints fans searching for some long-term stability at quarterback, Shough has at least provided a reason for optimism. It's still extremely early, but he's done just about everything he can in one week to make the case that he can be a significant part of this franchise's future.
Against Baltimore, he'll have another chance to strengthen that case. If the Saints are able to pull off a victory, or at minimum prove they can hang with another playoff contender for the second consecutive week, the future will officially be locked in as incredibly promising.
New Orleans has a chance to make a statement in Week 2, and it all starts with Shough.
