NEW ORLEANS -- Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough got his first real playing time Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Saints benched starting quarterback Spencer Rattler midway through the game while trailing 17-3. Rattler has struggled in the past two games, turning the ball over four times against the Chicago Bears last week and twice in the first half against the Bucs.
Shough, the 40th pick of the 2025 draft, began warming up after New Orleans punted midway through the third quarter. While Rattler donned a baseball cap, Shough put his helmet on and went through an extensive warmup, taking snaps from center Luke Fortner and throwing passes to Juwan Johnson and Chris Olave.
Shough completed 17 of 30 passes for 128 yards. He also was intercepted when his accurate pass to Chris Olave was ripped away by Antoine Winfield Jr.
New Orleans lost 23-3 to fall to 1-7.
Saints coach Kellen Moore said afterward that the team needed a "spark" but would not commit to a starter for Week 9 at Los Angeles.
"I'm not into flip-flopping quarterbacks," Moore said of how the Saints would approach the QB situation. "We do have to make some decisions on offense in the next 48 hours. We'll do this collectively."
Rattler, a 2024 fifth-round pick, won the starting job over Shough after an extended competition during the summer. Rattler, who filled in for an injured Derek Carr last season, competed 15 of 21 passes for 136 yards on Sunday and fell to 1-13 in career NFL starts.
Shough's only other game action this season was in relief of Rattler toward the end of a 44-13 blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.