Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was on the call for the Saints’ Week 12 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons that marked Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough’s first start against the division rivals.
Brees, the Saints’ all-time leading passer, was back at the Caesars Superdome as a color commentator for the Fox broadcast of a 24-10 loss to the Falcons. Shough completed 30 of 43 passes for 243 yards with no touchdowns and an interception along with a Saints-high 22 rushing yards on 7 carries.
Before the Saints’ first drive of the game, Brees described Shough as “very poised here beyond his years.” Brees referenced Shough’s 7-year college football career, saying that it “put (Shough) in a position to where he came in the NFL a lot more ready than most.”
Brees mentioned early in the second quarter that Shough had “done a good job of extending, at least in the early going,” but that “unfortunately today, those haven’t resulted in any positive plays.”
Shough was critiqued by Brees after an incomplete third-down pass to Chris Olave in the second quarter that nearly resulted in an interception.
“It doesn’t seem like Tyler Shough is seeing it really well right now,” Brees said. “(Falcons safety Xavier Watts) just kind of baits him here. He was down in the flat and then just really at that point, Olave’s just playing defender.”
Shough and the Saints put together a 15-play, 74-yard drive to begin the third quarter but failed to score after getting down to the 1-yard line. Brees added that, “the Saints offense has been atrocious in the red zone.”
Brees praised Shough on a throw to Olave on the Saints’ next drive, saying, “love the anticipation of Tyler Shough.” He also compared Shough to Buffalos Bills quarterback Josh Allen after a first-down run.
“I think (Shough) is going to have a lot more of that,” Brees said after the longest run of Shough’s NFL career for 11 yards. “He’s got some Josh Allen qualities.”
Shough stands at 6-foot-5, 219 pounds, the same height as the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen.
The loss to the Falcons drops Shough’s record to 1-2 as the Saints’ starting quarterback. In the closing minutes of the game, Brees said that Shough “has a really bright future ahead of him. A lot of traits in him that translate to (the NFL). Lot of play-making ability, lot of maturity, control at the line of scrimmage.”
The Saints, who fall to 2-9 on the season, were without running back Alvin Kamara for the majority of the game against the Falcons. Kamara was ruled out after suffering a knee injury in the first half.
Brees is getting a second chance at calling NFL games this year for Fox as a color commentator paired with play-by-play announcer Adam Amin. The former Saints legend initially served as an analyst for NBC.