Tyler Shough looked limited by his left hand last week against the Vikings, but the Saints quarterback expects to keep moving forward with the same precautionary setup this weekend.
Shough said he’ll likely wear a glove on his left hand again when New Orleans faces the New York Giants, even though he took part fully in Wednesday’s practice and says the hand is getting better little by little. He also said the glove is more of a safety measure than a major obstacle.
Against Minnesota, Shough was visibly working around the hand issue, often getting up or handling the ball with his right hand. After the game, he sidestepped questions about whether the hand was broken. This week, he was more direct about how it affected him.
"It didn’t really limit me at all,” Shough said. “It was just a simple switch of (hands) on certain plays with the hand off and different play actions I would try to use two hands. But it shouldn’t affect me at all this week holding onto (the ball).”
The Saints also had several absences from Wednesday’s practice. Chris Olave was out because of an illness, though it’s not known whether that was the same issue that sidelined defensive linemen Nathan Shepherd and Vernon Broughton during Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
Linebacker Kaden Elliss, edge rusher Anfernee Jennings and Shepherd were also not on the field Wednesday. Elliss, dealing with a calf injury, has now missed the last two games, and New Orleans has felt it on defense.
Without him, the Saints have been pushed around against the run, giving up 179 rushing yards per game. With Elliss available in three games, that number dropped to 128.7 yards per game on the ground.
In Other News...
Saints Offense Just Turned Up The Pressure On Kellen Moore
The Saints latest home loss came with the offense stuck in reverse again, and this one was especially hard to ignore for Kellen Moore. Against Minnesota, New Orleans managed only 142 total yards while Tyler Shough went 16 of 25 for 96 yards, a night spent mostly trying to survive the Vikings constant heat rather than settle into any sort of rhythm. It was the kind of performance that leaves little margin for optimism, especially for a team already searching for answers after a rough start.
Minnesota never let the Saints get comfortable, turning nearly every passing series into a test of protection and poise. New Orleans has now dropped three straight at home and sits at 1-4, with the offense offering too little resistance when the game demanded a response. For a staff looking to find traction, the pressure is only building from here. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Olave Suddenly Looms Over A Crucial Saints Question
Chris Olaves week opened with a small but notable setback for the Saints, as the wide receiver missed Wednesdays practice because of an illness while New Orleans continued its early prep for Sundays game against the Giants. The teams first injury report of the week also featured a mix of absences and limited work elsewhere on the roster, with some players able to participate fully as the Saints settled into the usual midweek evaluation process.
For a team still trying to sort through the health of multiple contributors, Olaves availability matters because of what he means to the offense and how much the Saints lean on his presence. The club has not yet put a game-status designation on him for Week 6, so there is still time for the picture to clear, but the next few reports will go a long way toward showing how much uncertainty New Orleans is carrying into the weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Just Sent The Saints Roster A Brutal Message
The Saints latest roster move landed with the kind of blunt force that usually follows a bad week, not just a bad play. Jayden Price was released two days after his kickoff return fumble against the Vikings, and the timing made the point louder than any locker-room speech could. In a season where every detail is being weighed, Kellen Moores decision read as a reminder that effort and attention matter just as much as talent.
For New Orleans, the message goes beyond one players miscue. The staff is trying to push urgency and cleaner execution across the roster, and this was a clear example of accountability carrying real consequences. It is the sort of move that can steady a team if the response is right, but it also leaves no doubt about the standard Moore wants the Saints to meet. [Read more 🡒]