Aug 10, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore watches from the sidelines against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN analyst gives Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore big-time praise even after Saints lose to Chargers

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Adam Holt | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 10:09 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints did not get the result they hoped for in their first preseason game of the Kellen Moore era. That bring said, there were some notable takeaways from their match against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough played quite a bit, with a mixed bag of positives and negatives.

Louis Riddick commends Shough, Moore after touchdown

Shough's first NFL outing got off to a bit of a rocky start. He threw a pick-six on a third down. It was a major mistake, and fans quickly took notice. The rookie didn't let the turnover cloud his future decisions, though. Instead, Shough looked fairly decisive for most of his performance.

He connected with wide receiver Mason Tipton on a long touchdown that had even fans of other teams discussing him on social media. It was a great play call, throw, and catch from everyone involved. ESPN's Louis Riddick appreciated the TD, too.

TYLER SHOUGH 54-YARD TOUCHDOWN

Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/dRKHzpR2R9
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2025

Kellen Moore coaching. 1) Came right back after the pick six and had Shough throw it the very next play of the next series on a boot pass. 2) Calls another double move like the one Shough missed at the end of the first half and this time he hits it for the big TD. I like it. Part of the process. -- Louis Riddick via Twitter/X

There's plenty of timer left ahead of Week 1 for New Orleans. I don't think this quarterback competition is finished, one way or another. That being said, Shough performed better than some expected based on previous training camp reports.

We will see when Kellen Moore chooses his Week 1 QB and how he uses the trio of Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener next week in another preseason clash.