QB Tyler Shough vs. QB Cam Ward
Sunday’s Saints vs. Titans matchup will be highlighted by one thing: rookie quarterbacks. When the season began, I marked this probably meaningless Week 17 game as my must-watch for the season. We all knew Shough would eventually take over for New Orleans at quarterback, and this game would be a battle from the first quarterback taken in the 2025 NFL Draft against the third.
Sunday’s game will be a peek into the future. Shough has shown that, despite being the most overlooked quarterback in the draft, he could be a star in the league. Ward, while being the No.1 overall pick, has been overlooked quite a bit as well. Ward and the Titans were one of the first teams in years to not have a primetime game despite picking a quarterback first overall, and Ward’s draft story was overshadowed by Shedeur Sanders’ fall.
Coming off three wins in a row and getting closer and closer to being the favorite for rookie of the year, a win on Sunday would be big for theShough’s rookie story, but a chance to beat the No. 1 overall pick could make it even sweeter.
Titans pass rush vs. Saints OLine
While he has shown an ability to extend plays and improvise in the pocket, Tyler Shough has been sacked frequently since taking over at quarterback. Now the rookie quarterback will be facing one of the better pass rush units he’s faced so far this season in the Titans, who are just outside the top-10 in sacks on the season.
Highlighted by superstar defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee has seen production from everywhere on its defense, with 15 players logging at least 1.0 sack. The Saints’ offensive line has been dealing with injuries, but allowing their rookie quarterback to get sacked 19 times over the last five games is a recipe for disaster. Obviously, Shough is to blame for some of these sacks, but going up against one of the league’s best pass-rushing defenses, Brendan Nugent has to get his guys prepared so the offense can roll.
Saints secondary vs. Titans pass catchers
One of the most pleasant surprises for the Saints this season has been the development of their secondary. Kool-Aid McKinstry started the season off rough, but has settled in and looks like he could be one of the league’s premier corners. Alontae Taylor has made play-after-play after the trade deadline, and rookies Quincy Riley and Jonas Sanker’s success cap off the Saints’ strong 2025 draft class.
The Saints haven’t allowed over 200 passing yards since their loss to Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12 and have more interceptions (5) than passing touchdowns (4) allowed in that span. Now, the black and gold will face an offense that has struggled under their rookie quarterback and lacks talent at receiver. Tight end Chig Okonkwo leads the team in receiving yards with 503, and the next closest is rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor with 428. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has set his defense up well since being decimated by Stafford, and has another chance to put on a big performance against one of the league’s up-and-coming signal callers.
