Week 9 of the NFL season includes the New Orleans Saints visiting the Los Angeles Rams. The Saints come in with a 1-7 record, tied for the first in the league. Los Angeles enters this game off a bye and leads the NFC West with a 5-2 record.

New Orleans will also have a new quarterback, turning to rookie Tyler Shough for his first NFL start. Shough takes over for a benched Spencer Rattler in a struggling offense that ranks 29th in points scored and 27th in total yardage. He’ll face a Rams defense that is 13th overall and 3rd in points allowed. The Saints have been equally putrid in both rushing and passing. We’ll take a look at how the passing attack under Shough matches up against Los Angeles here.

Rams Pass Defense208.3 yards per game (14th)62.5% completion percentage8 touchdowns (17th)4 interceptions (17th)26 sacks58 QB hits

Opponents have had more success against the Rams through the air in recent weeks. On the year, they’ve allowed one 300-yard passer and two more quarterbacks to have at least 250 yards. Additionally, the Rams have allowed three 100-yard receivers and four more to have at least 60 yards.

Pressure is where this Los Angeles defense excels. Five players have at least two sacks, led by edge rushers Byron Young with 9 sacks and Jared Verse with 4 takedowns. Verse and Young each have 17 QB hits and are backed up by rookie Josaiah Stewart, who has 2 sacks and 6 pressures. The Rams also generate excellent pressure from their down linemen. End Kobie Turner has 2 sacks and 6 QB hits while nose tackle Poona Ford consistently collapses pass pockets.

Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, and Emmanuel Forbes make up a trio of outside corners that have combined for 11 pass breakups but just 1 interception. Quentin Lake has quietly become one of the league’s best slot corners and hybrid safeties. Lake has an interception and leads the Rams with 9 passes broken up while allowing only 52.6% completion percentage. Safeties Kamren Curl and Kamren Kinchens don’t have spectacular range, but each possess good instincts and ball skills. The same can be said of linebackers Nate Landman and Omar Speights, who show good awareness in the team’s zone scheme.

Saints Passing Attack201.4 yards per game (22nd)66.2% completion percentage8 touchdowns7 interceptions20 sacks

Spencer Rattler heads to the bench with a 68% completion percentage, but a lowly 6.2 yards per attempt and 6 turnovers in the last two weeks. In his place is Round 2 rookie Tyler Shough, who completed 17 of 30 throws for 128 yards after replacing Rattler against Tampa Bay. Shough is more of a downfield thrower than Rattler, which may better fit the speed that the Saints have at wideout.

Rashid Shaheed (11.1) and tight end Juwan Johnson (10.2) are the only New Orleans players averaging more than 10 yards per catch. Shaheed has 39 receptions for 431 yards while Johnson has 36 catches for 368 yards. Each are capable of much more and need to do a better job at taking advantage of the matchup advantages that their skills provide. Chris Olave, the Saints top wideout, has 52 receptions on 83 targets for 503 yards and a 9.7 average. Olave is the epitome of the entire New Orleans offense — a skilled playmaker that hasn’t come close to performing up to his skills.

Coach Kellen Moore must get running back Alvin Kamara and versatile threat Taysom Hill more involved. Kamara has caught 27 passes, but has averaged a lowly 5.4 per catch. Hill, along with wideouts Brandin Cooks and Devaughn Vele, have been completely overlooked by Moore in his game planning.

Protecting Shough will be the foremost goal. Tackles Taliese Fuaga and rookie Kelvin Banks Jr. are budding stars and face a big matchup against Young and Verse at the edge. On the inside, guards Trevor Penning, Cesar Ruiz, and center Luke Fortner need to provide a clean pocket for Shough. Expect the Rams to blitz the rookie heavily, especially up the middle. New Orleans needs to give their new quarterback sound blocking and quick open targets to get the passing attack into an early rhythm.