In dramatic fashion, the New Orleans Saints secured their second straight divisional win, edging the Carolina Panthers 20-17 to complete a season sweep. Now 4-10 on the year, New Orleans oddly finds itself 3-2 within the NFC South – effectively throwing a wrench into the plans of the teams jockeying for position at the top of the division.
How did they do it? By leaning on a young quarterback who continues to deliver when it matters most, paired with a defense that has fully embraced a bend-but-don’t-break identity — and broken through at the most critical moments.
A lot went right once again for the Saints, but let’s break down this Week 15 statement win by answering four key questions:
What went right?What went wrong?What’s the bottom line?What comes next?What went right?
Simply put: a lot. The Saints showed resilience, composure, and timely execution en route to their second straight divisional victory – one that continues to complicate things for their rivals. At the center of it all was rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who once again proved capable of rising to the moment. After a relatively slow start — aside from an impressive 17-play, 95-yard touchdown drive — Shough took control in the second half. He completed 15 of 19 passes (excluding a late-game spike) and led the Saints on four consecutive scoring drives, three of which ended in points.
What stood out most was his command in long down-and-distance situations. Shough converted seven throws on downs of 10+ yards, nearly adding an eighth on a 17-yard completion to DeVaughn Vele on second-and-18 that left the Saints just a yard short. A quick glance at the third-down numbers tells part of the story as well, with New Orleans converting six of 11 attempts.
It’s clear that Shough has injected confidence into this offense in moments that felt tight earlier in the season. It wasn’t perfect — nor does it need to be — but with Shough under center, the Saints are winning games, and he’s beginning to look more and more like a legitimate part of the franchise’s future. The defense also deserves significant praise. While far from dominant from start to finish, they came up with their biggest plays when it mattered most. Early in the fourth quarter, trailing by seven with Carolina driving, the Saints defense delivered a massive fourth-and-one stop, preventing the Panthers from extending their lead to double digits.
Two drives later, after forcing a three-and-out, defensive end Chase Young made perhaps the play of the game – sacking Bryce Young on first-and-10 after Carolina had just converted a critical third-and-long with under two minutes remaining. The sack swung momentum, forced a punt, and set the stage for the Saints’ game-winning drive. And finally, credit where it’s due – Charlie Smyth delivered. After connecting on a 42-yard field goal earlier, the rookie kicker calmly drilled a 47-yard game-winner with two seconds remaining, the first walk-off kick of his young career. Moments like that can define confidence for a young specialist.The vibes were as high as they’ve been in New Orleans all season.
What went wrong?
Despite the strong finish, the Saints once again struggled out of the gate offensively. Two early drives – a 3-play, 4-yard and 6-play, 17-yard drive drained early momentum from a crowd eager for a fast start. While the offense responded in the second half, slow starts like this can be costly against more complete opponents.
The defense faced similar issues early. Carolina scored on three of its first four possessions, consistently moving the ball on the ground and extending drives on third down. Credit the unit for tightening up after halftime, but the early lapses mirrored what we saw against Miami a few weeks ago – the difference this time was finishing the job.Faster starts on both sides of the ball would allow this team to build separation rather than fighting until the final whistle.
What’s the bottom line?
The Saints have officially made things interesting. With a rookie quarterback leading the way, New Orleans has rattled off back-to-back wins after once being projected to pick inside the top 3-5 of next year’s draft – with major questions still looming at quarterback. That narrative is starting to shift. If this upward trend continues, the Saints may pivot from searching for a quarterback to aggressively building around one. How they close out the final three games will go a long way in shaping the organization’s offseason approach.
What comes next?
Next Sunday, the Saints return home to host the New York Jets – a matchup with real implications for draft positioning at the top of the board. That said, based on recent play, this is another winnable game for New Orleans and an opportunity to secure a third straight victory.
Finishing the season strong may be the most important objective for this team moving forward. With a young quarterback instilling confidence across the roster, momentum matters — not just for the locker room, but for the veterans already in place and the free agents the organization will evaluate come March.