Tyler Shough rallies the Saints with a big second half to beat the Titans 34-26

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints may just have their quarterback of the future now with how Tyler Shough is playing for first-year coach Kellen Moore.

Shough threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Austin Jr. with 6:22 left to put the Saints ahead to stay as they rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 34-26 Sunday.

The rookie improved to 5-3 as a starter, helping the Saints (6-10) win their fourth straight. He outplayed Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, in this NFL’s third game between starting rookie quarterbacks this season. Shough was 22 of 27 for a career-best 333 yards and two touchdowns with a 142.7 passer rating.

“He’s obviously having a special season,” Moore said of Shough. “I know he doesn’t start the season as the starter, but just the way he’s handled himself through this whole journey, I think really, really special.”

Audric Estime added a 32-yard TD run with 3:44 left as New Orleans dominated the second half. The Saints both outscored the Titans 24-6 and outgained them 331-152 after halftime.

Estime said he's excited to see the Saints' trajectory with Shough.

“He’s a resilient guy, man,” Estime said of Shough. “He’s a guy that I want to play for. He’s the guy that will make you run through a brick wall. Like you can see him stay in the pocket, take those hits and still pop up and deliver. He is a great leader.”

Shough also is his own worst critic. He said he missed some chances to scramble and his footwork could've been better to avoid a couple of incompletions.

“I got to be a little better,” Shough said.

Chase Young had 1 1/2 of the Saints' four sacks and also stripped Ward and returned the fumble 33 yards for a touchdown. Charlie Smyth kicked a pair of field goals. Young got a half-sack with 5:16 left to force the Titans in a three-and-out.

The Titans (3-13) now go into the 2026 season trying to string together consecutive wins. That's something this franchise hasn't done since Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 of the 2022 season. They are 1-8 at home this season.

“We didn't finish,” interim coach Mike McCoy said of the Titans who led 20-10 at halftime. “Simple as that. We did not finish.”

Ward threw for 251 yards and two TDs.

He tried to rally the Titans and nearly had an amazing play until replay assistance turned his 17-yard toss while falling down on fourth-and-10 to a sack by Cam Jordan with 2 minutes left. The defense gave Ward another chance with 1:37 left and one timeout.

The rookie got the Titans to the Saints 43. Ward fumbled under pressure by Jordan trying to get a final pass off as time expired.

Joey Slye also kicked four field goals — two with the Titans at the Saints 20 or closer. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons had one of two sacks for the Titans, giving him a career-high 10 this season.

Shough started the comeback with a 19-yard TD pass to open the third quarter. Titans left guard Peter Skoronski pointed to the Saints as an example of how to bounce back.

“They didn’t get down on themselves,” Skoronski said. “They came back and moved the ball in the fourth quarter and got the lead. We’ve got to be able to respond to that.”

Chimere Dike picked up a Pro Bowl nod Tuesday as a return specialist, and he added to his week by halftime passing Tim Brown for the most all-purpose yards in a season by a rookie in NFL history. Brown had 2,317 yards in 1988, and Dike had 75 by halftime putting him at 2,344 yards. He finished with 2,371 yards.

Saints tight end Jack Stoll hurt a knee when he was rolled up from behind on the first offensive play. He was ruled out. Cornerback Michael Davis hurt a shoulder and was ruled out at the start of the fourth quarter.

McCoy was emotional saying both cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis and wide receiver Van Jefferson are out for the final game with injuries. Armour-Davis hurt his Achilles tendon, carted off after Tennessee’s third defensive play. Jefferson hurt a forearm late in the first half. McCoy said: “It’s the bad part of the business.”

The Saints close the season visiting Atlanta.

The Titans visit Jacksonville in their season finale.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) is tripped up by New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) on the last play of the game, in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) greets Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) carries on a touchdown reception against New Orleans Saints safety Jonas Sanker (33) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) returns his strip for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) celebrates his touchdown reception with quarterback Cam Ward (1) in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (81) celebrates his touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) celebrates his touchdown reception with quarterback Tyler Shough (6) in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Dolphins have been out of the playoff race for two weeks, but Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans felt Miami looked more like a team playing for a postseason berth than the Buccaneers did on Sunday.

Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including a 63-yard toss for his first career score, and the Dolphins beat the slumping Buccaneers 20-17.

“We didn’t deserve it," Evans said. "They played like they had a chance at the playoffs, and we played like we were ready to go home.”

The Bucs (7-9) remained one game behind the Carolina Panthers (8-8) in the NFC South after the Panthers' 27-10 loss to Seattle on Sunday. The Buccaneers would still clinch their fifth consecutive division title and sixth straight playoff berth if they beat Carolina in next week's regular-season finale to force a two-way tie.

If Tampa Bay, Carolina and Atlanta all tie at 8-9, the Panthers would win the division.

But Tampa Bay has lost four straight games, seven of its last eight and has barely looked like a playoff team during that stretch. The Buccaneers' last four losses have all been by one possession.

“Everything is possible, and you’ve always got a chance to play,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “We just need to put it together and play, and that takes work. We work hard. We do it right in practice. Can’t explain it in the game, but we definitely as coaches and as players got to look ourselves in the mirror.”

Despite three turnovers and being outgained 145-53 on the ground Sunday, Tampa Bay pulled within three after a three-play, 91-yard drive that Baker Mayfield capped with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Evans with 54 seconds left.

A busted coverage by the Dolphins defense led to a 59-yard reception by Chris Godwin that set up the score, but Miami recovered the ensuring onside kick to end Tampa Bay's comeback attempt.

“You go through the first drive, really move the ball well, they don’t seem to have an answer for what we were doing schematically,” Mayfield said. “After that it’s the momentum shift. When you are playing a team that they’ve got nothing to play for besides incentives, when you give them a little juice and momentum, that’s how they’re going to respond.”

Mayfield completed 33 of 44 passes for 346 yards with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Godwin on the game's opening drive. The former No. 1 pick has thrown an interception in each game of the Buccaneers' losing streak, including two on Sunday. The first was an underthrow to receiver Jalen McMillan that was picked off by rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.

The second came as the Buccaneers were driving down the field midway through the fourth, trailing by 10. Mayfield, one play after somehow escaping a sack attempt by Quinton Bell and completing an 11-yard pass to Evans, threw a red-zone interception to safety Ashtyn Davis.

After the Buccaneers forced a Dolphins punt, linebacker Bradley Chubb stripped Mayfield on a sack, which Bell recovered.

Ewers completed 14 of 22 passes in his second career start for the Dolphins (7-9). Rookie receiver Theo Wease Jr. took Ewers' first TD pass 63 yards into the end zone, and tight end Greg Dulcich caught an 11-yard scoring pass.

“We're not playing for a Super Bowl, but we did a really good job of coming out here and playing for each other,” Ewers said, "playing for our last names and playing for the organization. Showing that when adversity strikes, we’re going to respond.”

Running back De'Von Achane had 18 carries for 83 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry against Tampa Bay's seventh-ranked run defense.

The Buccaneers took an early lead on a 16-play touchdown drive on their first possession of the game but gave up 17 straight points before Chase McLaughlin's 33-yard field goal cut the deficit to seven points in the fourth.

McLaughlin had connected on 11 straight field goals from 55-plus yards entering Sunday but had a 55-yard attempt blocked late in the second.

Ewers led the Dolphins back down the field to set up Riley Patterson's 33-yard kick that pushed the score to 20-10.

Buccaneers: G Michael Jordan (concussion) and LB Haason Reddick (concussion) left and did not return. ... CB Jamel Dean (shoulder) left early in the fourth.

Dolphins: LB Chop Robinson (concussion), LB Jordyn Brooks (hamstring) and LB KJ Britt (groin) left with injuries. ... WR Jaylen Waddle was playing through a rib injury.

Buccaneers: Host Carolina next weekend.

Dolphins: At New England next weekend.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zeek Biggers (93) blocks a field goal-attempt by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield looks to pass against the Miami Dolphins during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (14) makes a catch for a touchdown against Miami Dolphins safety Ashtyn Davis (21) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich (85) scores a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers (14) looks to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)