December 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Photography by Matthew Hinton-Imagn The New Orleans Saints have gotten a lift since turning to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough as their starter.
The New York Jets (3-11) are hoping to get a lift from rookie quarterback Brady Cook when he makes his second start against the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans.
The Saints (4-10) have won two straight for the first time this season and have won three of their last five. Shough, a second-round draft pick, is 3-3 as a starter.
“Tyler stayed up and organized,” New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore said. “He was steady the whole game and when the opportunity presented itself he let it rip. He gave us a great opportunity to win.”
In the Saints' 20-17 win over visiting Carolina last week, Shough commanded a second-quarter drive that was New Orleans' longest drive of the season (17), yards (95) and time of possession (11:22).
The Saints were up 17-10 when they got the ball five minutes into the game. Shough drove them 78 yards in seven plays for the tying touchdown. They got the ball back at their own 9-yard line with 55 seconds left and Shough drove them 62 yards in eight plays with Charlie Smyth's 47-yard field goal with two seconds left.
“I'm still learning every week,” Shough said. “We've been doing a lot of extra work after work.”
Shough has played the past three weeks without one of his top weapons, running back Alvin Kamara, who is dealing with knee and ankle injuries and did not practice on Wednesday. Moore will not replace Kamara, rookie Devin Neal, who suffered a thigh injury at the hands of the Panthers, and Devaughn Vele, who has 19 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown in the past four games, but suffered a shoulder injury last week.
Evan Hull, who has 10 carries for 31 yards this season, and Audric Estime (6-for-22) are the only healthy running backs on the job.
Cook completed 22 of 33 passes for 176 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in his first start, a 48-20 loss at Jacksonville last Sunday.
“I want to continue to evaluate him and see exactly how he's going to perform on a regular basis,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said of the rookie from Missouri.
Starter Justin Fields (knee) missed the last two games and senior backup Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) missed last week. Glenn said the two veterans will be evaluated in practice this week to determine who will be Cook's replacement on Sunday.
“I want to make sure we get a guy that's going to be the healthiest and he's going to be able to serve as the (No.) 2,” Glenn said.
Another big change came Monday when Glenn announced that he had fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Pass coordinator Chris Harris will serve in Wilks' old role for the rest of the season.
New York, which has allowed 438 yards to the Jaguars, ranks 30th in the NFL in scoring defense (28.4 points per game) and last in interceptions (three), not including an interception.
“He's already put his DNA up to what he wants,” said Quincy Williams of Harris.
Glenn said the three Jets who missed Wednesday's practice — Mason Taylor (neck), linebacker Kiko Mauigoa (neck) and safety Tony Adams (brain) — will not play Sunday.
–Field Level Media
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