New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is reportedly playing through two broken bones in his left, non-throwing hand. ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped that bomb Sunday, revealing a source said it would take “a couple of months” for him to fully heal, all while he’s still out there slinging it. This isn’t just some nagging bruise either, man, this is real deal stuff, and it’s already showing up on the field for a team that’s struggling.
Playing Through the Pain: How Shough Is Trying to Stay in the Game
Shough first took the hit and suffered the setback way back on October 5 during New Orleans’ 45-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Talk about tough, right? Despite the injury, Schefter reported Shough has been a full participant in practice and is “determined to play through any injury.” You gotta respect the grit there. But even with that determination, he’s had to make some serious adjustments just to stay on the field. We’re talking about him handing off the ball with his opposite hand, and his ring and pinky fingers are taped together. Plus, he’s been rocking a protective glove on that bandaged hand, and he’s expected to wear it again for Sunday’s matchup against the New York Giants. It’s clear he’s pushing his body to the limit, but at what cost?
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Shough’s Post-Injury Struggles Are Clear
Before the injury, Shough had some solid overall numbers, completing 66.8 percent of his passes for 1,299 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions. Pretty decent, right? But since getting dinged up against the Falcons, his production has taken a nosedive. The week before the Falcons game, against the Las Vegas Raiders, he put up 255 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Against the Falcons, where he got hurt, he managed just one touchdown. Then came his worst game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings, where he threw for only 96 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions in a loss. No kidding, the Saints are sitting at a brutal 1-4 on the season, and if they want to be any kind of factor in the NFC playoff race, they need to turn things around fast. The plan seems to be sticking with Shough, but after that Vikings game and with this injury, his performance is officially under a microscope. And for what it’s worth, his backup Spencer Rattler is just 1-13 as a starter since entering the league in the 2024 NFL draft.
The good news, if there is any, is that the Saints’ Week 8 bye is just two weeks away. That’ll at least give Shough some much-needed time to recover a bit more. But first, they’ve got to face the New York Giants on Sunday. Can Shough power through two more games and give his team a fighting chance before that bye week, or will the Saints’ season completely unravel right before their eyes? We’re all watching to see what happens next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply