The New Orleans Saints won't make the playoffs. That's been mathematically certain for weeks. But something strange is happening in the Superdome: this team is actually playing good football.
Four straight wins. A defense allowing just 16 points per game over the last six. A rookie quarterback who keeps getting better. And a first-year head coach who might have just figured out what he's building.
It's not a playoff push. It's something potentially more valuable: proof of concept.
The Tyler shough transformation
When Kellen Moore benched Spencer Rattler in Week 8, most assumed the season was over. Rattler was the future. Shough was a second-round pick with a small sample size and limited expectations.
Seven starts later, the narrative has completely flipped.
Shough posted a career-high 308 passing yards in last week's 29-6 demolition of the Jets. He's managed games effectively, avoided critical turnovers, and shown enough playmaking ability to keep defenses honest.
"The confidence is growing. We're creating habits," Moore said. "We want to play meaningful December football. We're starting those habits right now."
New Orleans is 4-3 with Shough under center. That doesn't sound impressive until you remember where this team was at 2-7.
Defense carrying the load
The Saints' defense has quietly become one of the NFL's most effective units over the second half of the season:
- 177 passing yards allowed per game — fourth-best in the league
- 16 points allowed per game in the last six
- Cameron Jordan still producing at 15 years old with 8.5 sacks
- Chase Young adding 7 sacks as a complementary pass rusher
That's not a fluke. That's a coordinator finding the right buttons to push with a unit that was supposed to be rebuilding.
Week 17: Another statement
Sunday's 34-26 win over the Titans extended the streak to four. The Saints took down a Tennessee team that had nothing to play for, but they did it convincingly—controlling the game and exploiting a porous Titans offensive line that has allowed 51 sacks this season.
Taysom Hill turned back the clock with a vintage performance: 12 carries for 42 yards, four catches for 36 yards, and a 38-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave. The only player in Super Bowl history with 1,000 yards rushing, receiving, and passing continues to be a matchup nightmare when healthy.
What this means for 2026
The Saints entered the season with impossible salary cap math and a quarterback controversy. They fired Dennis Allen after a seven-game losing streak. The franchise looked headed toward a total teardown.
Instead, they might have found their next starting quarterback, stabilized their defense, and identified a head coach capable of maximizing limited resources.
If they beat the Falcons in Week 18 and Tampa Bay loses both remaining games, the Saints finish second in the NFC South. That won't erase the early-season nightmare, but it would represent one of the more remarkable second-half turnarounds in recent memory.
"Winning's contagious," Moore said. "You want to create those winning habits."
New Orleans is doing exactly that—just a few months too late.
Sources: Louisiana Radio Network, NFL.com, New Orleans Saints