Giants-Saints Scouting Report: Tyler Shough Sacked More Than Twice as Often Against Extra Rushers

The New Orleans Saints, 1-4, visit the Giants on Sunday with quarterback Tyler Shough, who has been sacked on 9.3% of his dropbacks against five or more pass rushers and 4.1% against four or fewer. The Giants sent five or more on 24 of Jayden Daniels' 37 dropbacks at Washington on Sunday, and all five of their sacks came on those plays, by our count from FTN charting data published through nflverse.

The Giants (3-1-1) are 3-0 at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET on Fox.

Who New Orleans is

The Saints lost 31-30 at Detroit in overtime, won 24-17 at Baltimore, then lost three straight at home: 35-27 to Las Vegas, 45-24 to Atlanta and 23-13 to Minnesota on Oct. 11. They have scored 118 points and allowed 151, the second-most in the league, according to Pro Football Reference. The offense has 11 turnovers, six of them lost fumbles. Kellen Moore is in his second season as head coach, with Doug Nussmeier as offensive coordinator and Brandon Staley as defensive coordinator.

Tyler Shough has started all five games. He has completed 137 of 205 passes for 1,299 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions, and he has been sacked 13 times, according to his Pro Football Reference page. He started nine games as a rookie in 2025.

He did not start the last meeting. Spencer Rattler did, and New Orleans won 26-14 at the Caesars Superdome on Oct. 5, 2025. The Giants turned the ball over five times that day: two Jaxson Dart interceptions and three lost fumbles. Jordan Howden returned one of the fumbles 86 yards for a touchdown with 14:47 left, the game's last points. Brian Daboll coached the Giants then. The series is tied 17-17, and the Saints have won the last three meetings.

Saints owner Gayle Benson said Tuesday at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club that "Kellen Moore and his coaches are responsible for preparing our players to perform," NFL.com reported.

On the official injury report, wide receiver Chris Olave (illness) did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. He has 54 targets, 39 catches and 537 yards, the most on the team in each, by nflverse play-by-play. Linebackers Kaden Elliss (calf) and Anfernee Jennings (knee) and defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (illness) also missed both days. Running back Alvin Kamara (back) was limited both days. Shough (left hand) was a full participant both days. Left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. has been on injured reserve since Sept. 23 with an ankle injury, and running back Travis Etienne went on injured reserve Oct. 1 with a hamstring injury.

The Giants' pass rush against the Saints' protection

Abdul Carter did not practice Wednesday or Thursday with a calf injury. He has played 284 of the Giants' 308 defensive snaps (92%) and leads the team with seven pressures, by Pro Football Reference's charting. Asked Wednesday how Carter was doing, coach John Harbaugh said, "He's doing well, doing very well." Brian Burns is on injured reserve.

The Giants pressured opposing quarterbacks on 20 of 143 dropbacks (14.0%) in their first four games and on 11 of 37 (29.7%) at Washington, by our calculation from Pro Football Reference's pressure charting and nflverse dropbacks. FTN's Week 5 charting, which was not available for our film review, shows they rushed five or more on 65% of Daniels' dropbacks, up from 54% against Arizona. The league rate through five weeks is 31%. Carter's sack came with five rushers. Dru Phillips had two sacks, one with five rushers and one with seven. Arvell Reese and Tremaine Edmunds had theirs with six.

Shough has been pressured on 21.9% of his dropbacks, just below the league average of 22.8%, and blitzed 77 times, according to Pro Football Reference's advanced passing data. By our count from nflverse play-by-play and FTN charting, his 13 sacks on 223 dropbacks are a 5.8% rate, 16th-lowest in the league. Against five or more rushers he has averaged 5.3 yards per attempt; against four or fewer, 6.9. Seven of his 13 sacks came against five or more. His average time to throw of 2.75 seconds is 10th-quickest of 37 qualifying passers, by Next Gen Stats data published through nflverse.

The Saints have played without Banks since the third quarter of their Week 2 win at Baltimore. Asim Richards has played 190 of 193 offensive snaps over the last three games.

Shough spoke about his hand and about handling the blitz Wednesday.

Play video: Saints quarterback Tyler Shough speaks Wednesday about his left hand and how New Orleans handles the blitz before Sunday's game at the Giants.

Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said Thursday that the Saints have "the highest tempo rate in the National Football League." The Saints have run 16.3% of their plays from no-huddle, the highest share in the league, against a league rate of 6.4%, by FTN's charting. Washington went no-huddle on 5% of its plays against the Giants. Asked about blitzing, Wilson said, "It's been effective."

The Saints' pass defense against Nabers and Likely

Malik Nabers caught 11 of 20 targets for 121 yards and a touchdown at Washington, and Isaiah Likely caught 11 of 13 for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Over five games Likely has 48 targets and Nabers 46. No other Giant has more than 17.

New Orleans has allowed 7.5 yards per pass attempt, 10th-most in the league, with eight touchdown passes and one interception, by nflverse play-by-play. Tight ends have caught 36 of 46 targets against the Saints for 356 yards and two touchdowns, the sixth-most tight end receiving yards allowed, by our count matching nflverse targets to roster positions. Las Vegas' Brock Bowers had 10 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in Week 3.

Among opposing No. 1 receivers, Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 10 of 14 targets for 67 yards and two touchdowns, Atlanta's Drake London had 96 yards and Minnesota's Justin Jefferson had 79 and a touchdown. Baltimore's Rashod Bateman led his team with 88.

The Saints have pressured quarterbacks on 19.5% of dropbacks, by our calculation from Pro Football Reference's charting and nflverse dropbacks, and have sent five or more rushers on 35.1%, by FTN's charting. Jameis Winston has been pressured on 21.6% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Reference. Tight end Theo Johnson (neck) was limited Wednesday and Thursday. Likely (foot) practiced fully both days.

The Saints' run game against the Giants' run defense

Washington ran 30 times for 202 yards and three touchdowns against the Giants. Daniels had 103 yards and two touchdowns, all on seven scrambles, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Four of Daniels' seven scrambles, for 54 yards, came on the 13 dropbacks when the Giants rushed four or fewer, by FTN's charting.

The Giants have allowed 127 scramble yards, fifth-most in the league, 103 of them Sunday. Opponents have succeeded on 44.9% of designed runs against them, fourth-highest, by our nflverse calculation, which counts a run as successful when it adds expected points. The league rate is 40.2%.

Shough has scrambled six times for 55 yards and gained 18 yards on nine designed runs, by nflverse play-by-play, and he did not scramble against Minnesota.

The Saints' designed runs have succeeded 36.7% of the time, 22nd in the league, at 3.3 yards per carry. Kendre Miller has 29 designed carries for 83 yards this season and Kamara 28 for 86; Etienne went on injured reserve Oct. 1.

Opponents have succeeded on 50.4% of designed runs against New Orleans, the highest rate in the league, by our count from nflverse play-by-play. New Orleans has given up 4.9 yards per carry and 10 rushing touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. The Giants' designed runs have succeeded 35.6% of the time, 23rd, and they ran 28 times for 103 yards at Washington.

Both teams' final injury reports, with game designations, are due Friday afternoon.