The Saints left Baltimore with their first win of the 2026 regular season, and they had to grind for every bit of it. Down 17-9 entering the fourth quarter, New Orleans ripped off a comeback that ended with Tyler Shough crossing the goal line himself on fourth down for the deciding touchdown in a 24-17 win over the Ravens.
Baltimore set the tone early with a 7-0 lead after Lamar Jackson worked the ball to Mark Andrews, Derrick Henry and Rashod Bateman before Henry finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. New Orleans, meanwhile, had a rough start with penalties and an early sack of Shough, though the rookie did find Devaughn Vele to help move the ball before the first quarter ended.
The Saints’ defense gave them a chance to stay close in the second quarter. Jackson hit Devontez Walker for 47 yards and later found LaJohntay Wester for 14 more, but Chase Young’s sack helped force Baltimore into a 49-yard field goal try that Carl Granderson blocked. That opened the door for New Orleans to finally get on the board, with Shough connecting with Vele for 29 yards and Chris Olave for 11 before Daniel Carlson knocked in a 23-yard field goal.
Baltimore answered before halftime. With less than four minutes left, Jackson and Henry started rolling again, the Saints were pushed deep into their own end, and Rashod Bateman hauled in a 22-yard touchdown to make it 14-3.
New Orleans still had enough time for one more push, though, and Barion Brown’s kickoff return gave the Saints a short field. Shough found Vele to get into range, and Carlson drilled a 47-yarder as time expired to trim the gap.
New Orleans kept chipping away after the break. Travis Etienne Jr opened the half with an 8-yard run, Shough hit Juwan Johnson for 25 yards, and Carlson later connected from 51 yards to cut it to 14-9. Baltimore then put together a long, awkward 14-play drive that covered only 37 yards before settling for a 49-yard field goal from Tyler Loop, making it 17-9.
That’s when the game flipped. Shough started the fourth quarter by completing his first four passes for 31 yards, then found Olave for a 21-yard touchdown to pull the Saints within two. A defensive holding penalty gave New Orleans a second shot on the two-point try, and Etienne powered it in to tie the game at 17-17.
Baltimore’s next possession went nowhere, and the Saints seized the moment. Shough kept spreading the ball around, hitting Olave for 15 yards, Kevin Austin Jr. for 7, and Vele on short throws while Etienne and Alvin Kamara chipped in on the ground.
On 3rd-and-8, Shough found Johnson for 25 yards to move the chains, then looked his way again to get to the doorstep. After a short run by Shough and another stop just shy of the line, the quarterback finally broke the plane on fourth down for the go-ahead score.
The Ravens still had 88 seconds to answer, but Julian Blackmon ended that hope with an interception of Jackson to seal the 24-17 comeback.
In Other News...
Saints Fans Will Notice One Big Superdome Change At The Home Opener
The home opener at the Caesars Superdome is bringing more than the return of Saints football, as the building rolls out a fresh food-and-drink lineup tied to the franchises 60th season. Fans walking into the dome will find a new $6 value menu alongside Louisiana-flavored additions that fit the citys game-day personality, part of a broader push to make the in-game experience feel more distinctly local.
Among the new options are a pork alligator burger, Tabasco wings and specialty cocktails, with suite guests getting their own nod to the anniversary through a $60 commemorative dessert. It is the kind of detail that may not change the standings, but it does speak to how much the Superdomes culinary staff is leaning into the moment, especially with a full home schedule still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Can Already See Kellen Moores Travis Etienne Problem
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For a back paid to be a centerpiece, fewer than 10 rushing attempts in each of the first two weeks is hard to ignore, especially for a Saints team still sorting out how it wants to distribute touches. The concern now is less about Etiennes talent than whether Moore intends to use him as a true lead back at all, or if this early split is a sign of how the backfield will be managed going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Lose First Tyler Shough-Jaxson Dart Test For One Frustrating Reason
The Saints were already looking ahead to their next matchup with the Giants, but the quarterback picture in New York has changed dramatically. Jaxson Dart left the Rams game with what was first believed to be an MCL sprain, and an MRI later showed more extensive damage, raising the possibility that his absence could stretch deep into the rest of the season.
For New Orleans, it means the first Tyler Shough-Jaxson Dart meeting will have to wait. Dart is not expected to play against the Saints, with Jameis Winston slated to start in his place, leaving one of the more interesting quarterback tests on the schedule without the rookie the Saints were preparing to see. [Read more 🡒]