Tyler Shough, defense get Saints past Panthers 17-7

Tyler Shough threw two touchdown passes in his first NFL victory as a starter and the New Orleans Saints beat the Carolina Panthers 17-7 on Sunday afternoon in Charlotte to end a four-game losing streak.

The Saints (2-8) held Carolina (5-5) to 175 yards of total offense.

Shough, making his second NFL start, completed 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards, with scoring strikes to Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson. Alvin Kamara gained 83 yards on 22 carries.

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 17 of 25 passes for 124 yards and an interception, while Rico Dowdle, who had been one of the league's most productive running backs in recent weeks, was held to 53 yards on 18 carries with a TD. Young was sacked twice.

The Saints' Alontae Taylor intercepted Young with 13 minutes remaining, putting the ball at the Carolina 43-yard line. The Saints needed just five plays to get into the end zone on Shough's 30-yard touchdown pass to Johnson for a 17-7 lead.

The Saints' only previous victory came more than a month ago at home against the New York Giants.

The tide turned quickly on the Panthers, who were booed as they left the field at halftime, just a week after the team's upset victory at Green Bay. New Orleans held a 236-83 advantage in total yards by the break. Young had 54 passing yards in the first half.

Both teams scored on their first possessions of the game.

The Panthers went 67 yards in 12 plays with Dowdle running in from 5 yards out. Even that drive had a near mishap, with an interception overturned because of a roughing-the-passer penalty.

The Saints then covered 78 yards in 10 plays but settled for Blake Grupe's 21-yard field goal.

The Saints' first touchdown came when Shough hooked up with Olave for a 62-yard play with 9:21 left in the second quarter, pushing the Saints to a 10-7 advantage.

A scoreless third quarter included Carolina kicker Ryan Fitzgerald's partially blocked 48-yard field goal attempt. The Panthers kept possession because the ball traveled beyond the line of scrimmage and was touched by a New Orleans player.

But the Panthers didn't convert on the good fortune when Young fumbled the ball on a hand off after reaching the Saints' 19-yard line.