The rest of the 2025 National Football League season should be squarely about development.
The 2025 season hasn't been kind to New Orleans. The Saints are 2-9 on the season so far. The New York Giants have the worst record in the NFC right now at 2-10 and are the lone team in the conference to be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. The Saints are just ahead of them, for now. If the season were to end today, the Giants would have the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft while the Saints would have the No. 3 pick.
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Tyler Shough has shown some promise
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough
Nov 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) looks to throw downfield against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
All of this is to say the playoffs aren't happening this year. But, even after a loss against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, fans should be excited about rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. It's never good to lose against the Falcons. That much is obvious and it was a winnable matchup. But, Shough showed promise again.
Shough went 30-for-43 passing for 243 yards and one interception. He also chipped in 22 yards on seven carries, which led the team. Shough also lost a fumble.
Again, a loss is never great. But, Shough continued to show that he can get this offense down the field. Even with scoring just 10 points, the Saints had chances. New Orleans was stuffed at the one-yard line and missed two field goals. Plus, Shough was sacked five times throughout the game.
The Falcons have a tough defense and a rivalry game always amps things up a tad. But, Shough gave the team chances throughout the afternoon his just his third NFL start.
What should be encouraging to Saints fans is the fact that the last two games have been the team's highest passing games of the season. Spencer Rattler's season-high in passing yards was 233 before he was benched. Shough had 282 yards in his second start and followed with 243 yards against Atlanta. Again, a loss isn't what you want. But, Shough's progression has been encouraging so far.
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