(Photo: Michael Bacigalupi)
We continue to learn more about Tyler Shough and what we are learning is all good.
The New Orleans Saints rookie starting quarterback is poised, tough, and accurate. He can also extend plays.
Now, Shough has his first game-winning rally as an NFL quarterback.
With the game on the line, Shough came through not once but twice with point-producing drives in the fourth quarter. Combine that with a defense playing winning football and you have your first win streak, even if it is just two games.
Loyal fans of the New Orleans Saints have been waiting, starving for something positive to get excited about in the midst of a poor season. Who Dat Nation got that today.
It came on Saints Hall of Fame Alumni weekend, with as many as 60 former New Orleans players on hand.
With new inductees Brett Maxie and Tracy Porter honored on the field in a pre-game ceremony, serving as honorary captains and leading the “Who Dat” chant, the current Saints did the former star defensive backs who were part of many winning teams, playoff teams and a Super Bowl championship team.
The Saints may not be in the playoff chase but they have now beaten NFC South leaders Tampa Bay and Carolina in consecutive weeks and completed a sweep of the Panthers on the season
Here are my Quick Takes from the New Orleans Saints beating the Carolina Panthers 20-17:
**Inactives for the Saints were Khristian Boyd, Alvin Kamara, Zaire Mitchell-Padon, Justin Reid, Asim Richards, John Ridgeway and Rejzohn Wright
**Carolina won the toss and deferred, giving the Saints the ball first.
**The Saints proceeded to go three-and-out.
**The Panthers took the ball and ran it down the throat of the Saints, driving 74 yards in 13 plays, taking 7:18 off the clock with Rico Dowdle scoring on a 4-yard run to make it 7-0 with 6:39 to play in the opening quarter. The Panthers rushed nine times for 48 yards on the drive.
**New Orleans made a pair of first downs on its next possession and lined up to go for it on fourth-and-four at the Carolina 44-yard-line but Luke Fortner committed a false start, forcing a punt.
**The Panthers had 101 yards to just 26 for the Saints in the first quarter. Carolina had the ball for 10:03 to just 4:57 for New Orleans. The Saints made just one first down in the quarter.
**Sam Martin punted the Saints deep to the New Orleans 5-yard-line to start the second quarter.
**Fortner then committed yet another false start to bury the Saints.
**Tyler Shough hit Devaughn Vele for 15 yards and a first down and on the play, Shough was roughed, giving the Saints the ball at their own 45-yard-line.
**An illegal hands to the face penalty on Bobby Brown gave New Orleans another first down.
**Juwan Johnson then committed a holding penalty, followed by yet another false start penalty, this one by Taliese Fuaga.
**Devin Neal had a nice 15-yard run for a first down to the Carolina 15-yard-line.
**Neal then scored on a 6-yard run on a toss sweep to tie the game 7-7 on a well blocked play with 3:32 to play in the first half. It was a long drive, both in yards and in time elapsed. The drive covered 95 yards in 17 plays, taking 11:22 off the clock.
**Unfortunately, Neal went down with a hamstring injury and missed the rest of the game.
**The drive was the longest of the season in all three categories for the Saints.
**Carolina took a 10-7 lead on a 40-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald with 21 seconds left in the half. Quincy Riley broke up a pass in the end zone with a nice play on a pass attempt from Bryce Young to Tetairoa McMillan.
**The drive covered 51 yards in nine plays, taking 3:11 off the clock.
**The Saints had five penalties for 40 yards in the half.
**Carolina came out and Young hit Xavier Legette for 33 yards to the New Orleans 33-yard-line. Legette was wide open on the play.
**The Panthers finished the drive as Young hit Jalen Coker with a 32-yard touchdown pass on a perfectly thrown ball to extend the lead to 17-7 for Carolina. Riley had coverage and it was good but he lost touch as the last instant with Coker and the throw was right on the money.
**The drive covered 70 yards in eight plays, taking 5:06 off the clock.
**Derrick Brown took a cheap shot at Shough as he was sliding on a run and drew a personal foul. Shough got up and was okay.
**Kelvin Banks drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
**Shough was sacked on consecutive plays to kill a good drive.
**Charlie Smyth came on and kicked a 42-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-10 with 1:56 to play in the third quarter. The drive covered 48 yards in 14 plays, taking 7:58 off the clock.
**Each team got a big stop on a fourth-and-one play in the fourth quarter.
**The Saints actually got a field goal from Smyth to cut the deficit to 17-13 but took the points off the board after the Panthers were offside.
**On fourth-and-one, Shough was stopped short of the line to gain. It did not matter. The Saints were flagged for holding, anyway.
**Cesar Ruiz left the game injured, replaced by Torricelli Simpkins.
**After getting a stop with less than five minutes to play, the Saints went fast and Shough completed five straight passes, three to Olave. The fifth cost them again as Banks was penalized yet again for being ineligibly downfield, negating a completion to Mason Tipton to the 3-yard-line.
**Despite the penalty, Shough overcame it with a perfect 12-yard touchdown pass to Olave, who go inside leverage on Jaycee Horn, to tie the game at 17-17 with 2:29 to play in the game. The drive covered 78 yards in seven plays, taking 2:08 off the clock.
**Olave caught four passes for 63 yards on the drive.
**The Saints did it by going fast and by using motion effectively.
**The Saints had a chance for a stop on third-and-10 but allowed Young to run for a first down for 12 yards at the two-minute warning.
**Chase Young then got a big sack of Bryce Young for nine yards. Chase Young then stopped Bryce Young again, short of a first down on a scramble to force a punt.
**Howden committed a holding penalty on the ensuing punt, pushing the Saints back to their 9-yard-line with 57 seconds left.
**Shough then hit Audric Estime for 20 yards on a screen pass and hit Estime for nine yards to the 38-yard-line.
**Kellen Moore then called a quarterback draw with Shough which picked up eight yards and Lathan Ransom speared Shough with another personal foul, giving the Saints the ball at the Carolina 32-yard-line. Shough had to leave the game with six seconds. Left.
**Spencer Rattler came in, threw the ball out of bounds with six seconds left.
**Smyth then calmly drilled his game-winner.
No, the Saints are nowhere near being a winning team or contender but we are seeing improvement.
Most of all, what we have seen is clear.
The Saints are a resilient team.
With no Kamara, losing Neal and Ruiz, already down Kendre Miller, Erik McCoy and Julian Blackmon and way out of the playoff picture, the Saints continue to play hard for Moore and continue to improve.
Yes, there are too many pre-snap penalties and holding penalties.
The Saints have their quarterback, finally. With more talent around him, Shough, who is already solid, has a chance to be a good NFL starter, if not very good. Shough finished 24 of 32 for 272 yards and a touchdown. He rushed eight times for 32 yards.
Olave had six catches for 85 yards and the score. Vele had five catches for 69 yards.
Smyth earned his spot, coming through in the clutch.
Vele continues to show he was worth the trade with Denver.
Olave came up big when he was needed.
The defense got two big stops when needed and Chase Young was outstanding with six tackles, including two for loss with a sack.
While there is a long way to go, there is finally a ray of hope for the future of the New Orleans Saints. That is not an overreaction.