The New Orleans Saints head to Baltimore on Sunday facing an early-season test of their offense, their quarterback and their ability to avoid another costly slow start. Kickoff against the Ravens is set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
Both clubs showed explosive potential in Week 1, combining for 71 points and 975 net offensive yards. Baltimore opened with a 41-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts, while New Orleans rallied from a 21-point deficit before falling 31-30 in overtime to Detroit.
Quick facts
- Saints at Ravens kicks off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Baltimore beat Indianapolis 41-23 after taking a 31-13 halftime lead.
- New Orleans lost 31-30 in overtime after trailing Detroit 21-0.
- Tyler Shough attempted 56 passes as the Saints produced 469 total yards.
- Alvin Kamara is trending toward playing after a month out with a knee injury.
Second-year Saints quarterback Tyler Shough remains at the center of the matchup. The 26-year-old endured an uneven start against the Lions, taking five sacks, missing open targets and struggling to find a rhythm before leading a major comeback.
Shough said the offense has corrections to make, beginning with his own mechanics and decision-making. “I need to operate cleaner and settle my feet earlier,” he said. “My feet were moving too fast, and I was trying to make everything perfect.”
New Orleans had modest expectations when Shough first took over in Week 9 of the 2025 season. The Saints had one win at that point, and the focus was on development from the second-round pick after he had spent much of his rookie year behind Spencer Rattler.
That standard has changed entering Shough’s second season. Saints edge rusher Chase Young said the team is done treating progress without victories as an acceptable result.
“There will not be moral victories for us this year,” Young said. “We have to go back, study the mistakes and fix them.”
Against Detroit, two turnovers on consecutive third-quarter possessions helped put the Saints in a 21-0 hole. Shough responded on the following play by hitting Chris Olave for 47 yards, sparking an offense that scored on four of its next five possessions.
The comeback ended just short after New Orleans missed a two-point conversion opportunity in overtime. Still, Shough and the Saints finished with 30 points, 410 passing yards and 469 yards overall.
“That throw to Chris was a major turning point,” Shough said. “When you get a rhythm going, a big play like that can change the game.”
His receivers said Shough’s approach did not change when the offense was struggling. Devaughn Vele said the quarterback kept urging teammates to handle the game one snap at a time, providing the steadiness that helped fuel the second-half surge.
Olave also made a point of reinforcing his confidence in Shough. The receiver said the Saints know what their quarterback can do, but the offense must support him when adversity arrives.
Shough said that backing allowed him to play more freely. “I took some of the pressure off myself and just played,” he said. “We were not connected early, but we found a way to get it moving.”
Baltimore presents little margin for another sluggish opening. The Ravens held Indianapolis to 166 passing yards in Week 1, including only 88 before halftime, while building a three-score first-half advantage.
Saints coach Kellen Moore said the issue is not simply needing more time together. “We have to be better in the first quarter,” Moore said. “It comes down to design and execution from everybody.”
New Orleans also wants to reduce the burden on Shough after his 56 attempts against Detroit. A potential return by Alvin Kamara would give the Saints another option in both the run game and passing game after the veteran running back missed the past month with a knee injury.
Moore said he feels good about Kamara’s chances of being available. In his absence, the Saints used a committee against the Lions: Travis Etienne Jr. carried nine times for 46 yards, while Kendre Miller had nine rushes for 30 yards.
Olave was Shough’s leading target in the opener, recording 10 catches for a career-high 182 yards. Vele, tight end Noah Fant and tight end Juwan Johnson accounted for New Orleans’ three receiving touchdowns.
Shough said Kamara’s potential return would make an already varied group more difficult to defend. He cited Kamara’s physical style, speed, cut ability, huddle presence and experience, while also pointing to Etienne, Fant and Johnson as players who can create matchup problems from the backfield.
