Shough's growth, steady defense and roster-wide effort had Saints coach Kellen Moore smiling

NEW ORLEANS -- Rookie Tyler Shough took another important step in his growth as an NFL quarterback by showing he could improvise effectively under pressure and in the clutch.

New Orleans' defense continued to show it could consistently put forth solid performances highlighted by multiple fourth-down stops and an interception.

Not only did it add up to a surprising victory on the road and in the rain at NFC South-leading Tampa Bay, but it provided coach Kellen Moore evidence that his players haven't quit on him during his difficult first season in charge.

"This was a big-time example of having awesome guys on our team," Moore said Monday after reviewing video of New Orleans' 24-20 triumph. "You have every reason to get distracted when you have the record that we have, and for them to prepare and put themselves in a really good position to be successful on Sunday was awesome."

The victory was just the third for the Saints (3-10), who still need three more victories to improve on their 5-12 mark in 2024.

"Resiliency is part of the NFL," said Moore, who was the offensive coordinator for the 2024 champion Philadelphia Eagles last season. "It's an important aspect for our guys to be able to cope with it and navigate it individually and collectively as well."

As for Shough, his passing numbers were a relatively modest 13 of 20 for 144 yards without a touchdown and one interception. But he also ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns -- and his second score came on a play in which he escaped what looked like an imminent sack.

"His legs obviously came alive and became a huge impact on this game, which we needed in those conditions," Moore said.

"We always look at the throwing aspect of it, but I think it's all the other little things," Moore said, such as understanding the blocking assignments and recognizing potential matchup issues.

"You have to factor in all this mental part of it and then you have to go execute the play at a high level," Moore said.

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