Shough throws 2 TDs as Saints beat Steelers 28-21 for first win

New Orleans, LA - The New Orleans Saints finally have their first win of the season.

Tyler Shough passed for 258 yards and two touchdowns, Chris Olave topped 100 receiving yards and New Orleans defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-21 in Week 7. The victory moved the Saints to 1-6 and ended the six-game losing streak that opened their season.

New Orleans finished with 365 offensive yards, 105 more than Pittsburgh, while holding advantages of 230-89 in team passing yards and 17-16 in first downs. The Saints also intercepted two passes compared with one takeaway by the Steelers.

Shough completed 20 of 28 attempts, posted a 108.9 passer rating and threw one interception in addition to his two touchdown passes. He also recorded 33 rushing yards on one carry and scored a rushing touchdown, giving New Orleans another source of production alongside its conventional running game.

"There's relief because we've been trying to get this result, but there's also a lot we can take from it," Shough said. "We moved the ball and got the passing game going. I'd like to have the interception back, but getting that first win means a lot to everybody in here."

Olave provided the leading receiving performance with five catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. His longest reception covered 82 yards, matching Shough's longest completion. No other receiver in the game came close to Olave's 112 yards.

"I wanted to make as much as I could out of every opportunity," Olave said. "The production feels good, but the win is what we needed. Now we know what it feels like to finish a game with the result we've been working for."

Travis Etienne Jr added balance for the Saints with 102 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. New Orleans totaled 135 rushing yards as a team, complementing Shough's efficient passing line and Olave's work downfield.

The Saints' victory did not come with an advantage in every category. Pittsburgh rushed for 171 yards, recorded four sacks to New Orleans' three and converted 5 of 11 third downs compared with the Saints' 4-for-11 showing. Both teams went 0-for-2 on fourth down.

Rico Dowdle accounted for most of Pittsburgh's rushing production, gaining 126 yards on 22 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He averaged better than five yards per attempt and had a long run of 22 yards.

The passing numbers were far less productive for Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers completed 16 of 26 attempts for 110 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, finishing with a 38.9 passer rating. His longest completion went for 29 yards.

"I put the ball in danger too often, and we didn't get enough out of the passing game," Rodgers said. "We had real production running the football, but my part of the offense has to be better than that. There's no getting around it."

The difference between the quarterbacks was substantial: Shough threw for 148 more yards, completed four more passes and finished 70 rating points higher. Pittsburgh's defense recorded the higher sack total, but New Orleans finished with the edge in interceptions.

Red-zone efficiency left room for improvement on both sides. The Saints made seven trips inside the Pittsburgh red zone and scored two touchdowns, while the Steelers produced two touchdowns from four red-zone trips. Neither team recorded a red-zone field goal.

Pittsburgh fell to 1-6 with its sixth consecutive loss after entering Week 7 on a five-game skid. New Orleans, meanwhile, improved to 1-6 and ended the six-game losing streak that opened its season.

Up Next

The Pittsburgh Steelers return home to host the Cleveland Browns in Week 8, while the New Orleans Saints will remain home for their Week 9 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.