The New Orleans Saints have gotten a lift since turning to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough as a 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 choice, is 3-3 as the starter.
“Tyler has been steady and composed,” New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore said. “He stays steady the entire game and when the opportunity presents itself he lets it rip. He has given us a great opportunity to win.”
In the Saints’ 20-17 victory against visiting Carolina last week, Shough directed a second-quarter touchdown drive that was New Orleans’ longest drive of the season in terms of plays (17), yards (95) and time of possession (11:22).
The Saints trailed 17-10 when they got the ball with less than five minutes remaining in the game. Shough drove them 78 yards in seven plays to a tying touchdown. They got the ball again at their 9-yard line with 55 seconds left and Shough drove them 62 yards in eight plays to Charlie Smyth’s winning 47-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.
“I’m still learning every single week,” Shough said. “We’ve been putting in a lot of extra work after practice.”
Shough has played the last three weeks without his top offensive weapon, running back Alvin Kamara, who has knee and ankle injuries and missed practice Wednesday. Moore already ruled out Kamara’s replacement, rookie Devin Neal, who injured a hamstring against the Panthers, and Devaughn Vele, who has 19 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown in the last four games, but injured a shoulder 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 active roster.
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 operate on a consistent basis,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said of the undrafted rookie from Missouri.
Starter Justin Fields (knee) has missed the last two games and primary backup Tyrod Taylor (groin) missed last week. Glenn said the two veterans will be evaluated in practice this week to determine who will be Cook’s backup Sunday.
“I want to make sure that we get the person that’s going to be the healthiest and be able to operate as the (No.) 2,” Glenn said.
Another significant change came Monday when Glenn announced that he had fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Passing game coordinator Chris Harris will serve in Wilks’ former role for the remainder of the season.
New York, which allowed 438 yards to the Jaguars, ranks 30th in the NFL in scoring defense (28.4 points per game) and last in takeaways (three), having yet to make an interception.
“He’s already putting in his DNA as far as what he wants,” linebacker Quincy Williams said of Harris.
Glenn said that three Jets starters that missed practice Wednesday – tight end Mason Taylor (neck), linebacker Kiko Mauigoa (neck) and safety Tony Adams (groin) – will not play Sunday.
