Tyler Shough is set to take the field for the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, but he’ll be doing it with more baggage than anyone knew. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the second-year quarterback has been playing with two broken bones in his left hand, which is his non-throwing hand.
“New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has been playing with two broken bones in his left hand, sources told ESPN,” Schefter reports.
The injury happened in the Saints’ Week 4 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and Shough has already pushed through a full game since then. That adds another layer to what looked like a rough outing against the Minnesota Vikings, where he went 16-of-25 for 96 yards with two interceptions and one sack.
New Orleans had managed to keep the injury quiet for more than a week, but the news surfaced just as the Saints prepare to face the New York Giants and try to avoid falling to 1-5. The timing matters, too, with owner Gayle Benson already putting pressure on the team to turn things around.
Even with the injury, the Saints are planning to keep Shough out there. That leaves the question of effectiveness, not availability. A broken hand, even on the non-throwing side, is still a serious problem for a quarterback, and the Saints are now asking him to power through it against a Giants defense that should provide a better test of what he can do.
The schedule doesn’t offer much breathing room after that. New Orleans faces the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7 before its Week 8 bye, so the Saints are counting on Shough to fight through the pain and keep the offense moving for at least two more games.
What he looks like against the Giants will say plenty. If the struggles continue, this injury could quickly become a major issue for a Saints team already trying to steady a rocky start.
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