The New Orleans Saints opened their 2025 preseason with a quarterback battle that has quickly gained clarity in their matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie Tyler Shough, the Saints’ second-round pick from Louisville, made a strong case for the starting job by throwing his first preseason touchdown and outperforming Spencer Rattler, who began the game under center.
Shough entered late in the second quarter and quickly made an impact. In just two minutes, he engineered a two-minute drill that resulted in a field goal, cutting the Chargers’ lead to 9-3 at halftime. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 42 yards during that drive, demonstrating good game management by spiking the ball to stop the clock and smartly throwing it away under pressure.
Shough’s momentum continued into the second half. Shough has completed 13 of 19 passes for 149 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown to Mason Tipton. Tipton caught the ball in stride and ran another 15 yards to score, resulting in Shough’s first NFL touchdown. Shough also threw one interception, but clearly showed more efficiency and scoring ability than Rattler.
TYLER SHOUGH 54-YARD TOUCHDOWN
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Rattler, the incumbent starter, took the field first and completed 7 of 11 passes for 53 yards without scoring. He also added 22 rushing yards on three carries. However, his drive ended prematurely in the second quarter due to a costly fumble forced by the Los Angeles defense, which led to a field goal and a 3-0 lead for the Chargers.
Rattler appeared rattled at times, facing persistent pressure, especially from edge rushers who repeatedly beat Saints’ offensive tackle Dillon Radunz. His early struggles highlighted ongoing offensive line issues and perhaps his own hesitation under pressure.
For comparison, Rattler finished 7-of-11 for 53 passing yards with one fumble, while Shough amassed nearly triple the passing yards and added the touchdown that the Saints had been seeking.
Shough’s college career peaked in 2024 at Louisville, where he threw for 3,195 yards with a 62.7% completion rate, 23 touchdowns, and only six interceptions over 12 games, his most productive collegiate season.
Saints offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has made it clear that the starting quarterback job will be earned, not given, despite Shough’s rookie status. The first preseason game strongly suggests Shough is pushing hard for the Week 1 starter role against the Arizona Cardinals.
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