Tyler Shough Makes Saints Rookie History Vs. Panthers

The New Orleans Saints are back in the win column.

It was a long week for New Orleans, leading to the Week 10 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Saints traded Rashid Shaheed and Trevor Penning away, but New Orleans now has its second win of the season after taking down Carolina, 17-7.

Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough took the field for his first start last week and showed some flashes, but unsurprisingly it wasn't a smooth game. It was the opposite on Sunday against Carolina. Shough shined and had the best game of any Saints quarterback this season.

Spencer Rattler's season-high in passing yards was 233 yards. Shough passed that mark in just his second NFL start with 282 yards in the win. That's not all, though. He also became the first Saints rookie quarterback to win a game for New Orleans since Dave Wilson did in 1981.

The Saints got a huge day from Tyler Shough

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) looks to pass during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

With the Saints struggling this season, there has been a lot of chatter about the idea of the future of the quarterback position for the team.

With a little under half the season left to go and Shough now starting, the question for the rest of the season is whether he is the guy or not. Should he be the team's starting quarterback of the future? Or should New Orleans use a high draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Shough has a few months to make the case for himself. This matchup against the Panthers certainly was a big statement for him. Carolina entered the game with a 5-4 record. So, Shough not only won the first game as a rookie quarterback for New Orleans in a long time, but he also did so on the road against one of the team's biggest rivals.

Now, the Saints have a much-needed bye week next week before facing the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12. All in all, Saints fans can breathe out a sigh of relief right now. Shough looked good and now he and the team have a bye week to get on the same page even more.

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