METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints and quarterback Tyler Shough got what they consider a breakthrough victory against Baltimore.
“This is a signature win to get it started in his career,” safety Justin Reid said Monday, a day after Shough rallied the Saints from a 14-3 deficit to beat the Ravens 24-17
on the road. “It’s a catalyst to put the league on notice about who he is and what he can do.”Although Shough won five games as a rookie last
year, they all came against teams that finished with losing records.
In Baltimore, Shough outdueled fellow Louisville product and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, going 5 of 5 on a fourth-quarter drive and hitting Chris Olave for a 21-yard touchdown that pulled the Saints within 17-15. After a tying 2-point conversion, he completed 7 of 9 passes the next time the Saints had the ball and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a fourth-and-goal sneak from the 1.
New Orleans nearly beat Detroit in Week 1 after trailing 21-0, losing 31-30 in overtime when a 2-point conversion attempt failed. This time, Shough finished the job despite having his face mask yanked backwards in a pile on the winning play.
“It was a great temperature check for us to see where we are as a team,” wide receiver Devaughn Vele said. “Obviously there are things we have to work on, but this is a good step in the right direction. We want to do a lot of great things this season.”
New Orleans’ late-game execution was on point for the second consecutive week. Trailing 17-9 when the Ravens took over at the New Orleans 49 late in the third quarter, the Saints forced a three-and-out, scored a touchdown, forced another punt in three plays and drove for another touchdown before Julian Blackmon intercepted Jackson to seal the win.
The Saints held the Ravens to three points and 84 yards in the second half, sacking Jackson twice.
“We didn’t want Lamar scrambling a whole bunch,” Reid said. “He’s a really good passer, but the scariest thing about him is still what he’s able to create with his legs.”
New Orleans continues to struggle offensively in the first half — a constant under second-year coach Kellen Moore.
After scoring zero points before halftime against Detroit, the Saints managed two field goals against Baltimore, and the second one came thanks to Barion Brown’s 53-yard kickoff return with 15 seconds left.
“It’s really two straight games now where we earn a first down and then that second third down we’re not able to convert,” Moore said. “We have to find a way to get some easy yards in there so we can give ourselves an opportunity to get points.”
The Saints averaged an NFL-worst 1.7 points in the first quarter last year and were 28th in first-half points, averaging 8.4.
Tight end Juwan Johnson had four receptions for 66 yards, including a huge third-down, 25-yard catch-and-run to the Ravens 5 and a 6-yard gain to the 1 on the decisive touchdown drive. He has become a dependable option for Shough to complement Olave (eight catches, 86 yards) and Vele (five catches, 64 yards).
“It’s just time on task,” Johnson said. “When you are just savvy, thinking what he’s thinking, you get in the right spot at the right time.”
Running backs Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara combined for only 48 yards on 17 carries while the Saints averaged a meager 2.4 yards on the ground.
Aside from Etienne’s improvised, tying 2-point conversion around the right side, neither player was effective. Kamara had 15 yards on nine attempts with a long gain of 6 yards.
Moore said starting left tackle Kelvin Banks would have surgery in the next few days on an ankle he injured in the third quarter against the Ravens. He said fourth-year player Asim Richards, who replaced Banks, would continue in that role moving forward.
662 — Shough's NFL-high yards passing through Sunday's Week 2 games. The last time a Saints quarterback had more yards through two games was Drew Brees with 669 in 2009, when New Orleans went on to win the Super Bowl.
The Saints play Las Vegas in their home opener. The Raiders are 2-0 under new coach Klint Kubiak, who was the Saints' offensive coordinator in 2024.
___
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
