The Saints’ plan to let quarterback Tyler Shough cook hasn’t resulted in a touchdown, but it has been enough to give the Saints a halftime lead over the Jets.
Shough is 21-of-32 for 205 yards while leading the Saints to three field goals through the first 30 minutes. They ended the half with a fourth try for three points, but rookie kicker Charlie Smyth hooked it wide to keep the score 9-6 at the break.
Tight end Juwan Johnson has seven catches for 82 yards and wide receiver Chris Olave has six catches for 58 yards against a Jets defense playing under interim coordinator Chris Harris for the first time this season. Olave had a shot at a touchdown on one of the Saints’ scoring drives, but cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers was able to knock the ball away.
Jets rookie quarterback Brady Cook has not had as much to do as Shough. He’s 8-of-12 for 74 yards and he’s been sacked a couple of times by Cam Jordan. He’ll get the ball to start the second half and we’ll see if either team will be able to get the ball into the end zone before the afternoon is over.
The Bills will try to wrap up a playoff berth without the help of wide receiver Keon Coleman on Sunday.
Coleman is inactive for Buffalo’s game in Cleveland. Coleman was not on the injury report at all this week, but will miss his third game of the season. Coleman was scratched for disciplinary reasons earlier this year, but Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media reports Sunday’s deactivation is solely a coach’s decision. Coleman was a 2024 second-round pick and he has 36 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Mecole Hardman, who was activated from injured reserve this week, is active.
The Bills need a win and a loss by either the Texans or Colts in order to book a playoff berth. A win will also help their chances of ending the season as the AFC East champs for the sixth straight season.
Bills at Browns
Bills: WR Keon Coleman, WR Gabe Davis, DT Jordan Phillips, K Matt Prater, OL Tylan Grable, DB Darnell Savage, DT Larry Ogunjobi
Browns: CB Denzel Ward, RB Dylan Sampson, DT Mike Hall Jr., G Wyatt Teller, WR Jamari Thrash, TE David Njoku, DT Sam Kamara
Buccaneers at Panthers
Buccaneers: QB Connor Bazelak, TE Devin Culp, G Elijah Klein, WR Sterling Shepard, DL Elijah Simmons, LB Anthony Walker, S Rashad Wisdom
Panthers: WR Hunter Renfrow, LB Trevin Wallace, S Demani Richardson, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, OT Ikem Ekwonu, TE James Mitchell, DT Tershawn Wharton
Jets at Saints
Jets: QB Justin Fields, TE Mason Taylor, DT Mazi Smith, LB Kiko Mauigoa, DT Payton Page, DE Eric Watts
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara, OL Cesar Ruiz, OL Asim Richards, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright, DT Khristian Boyd
Chiefs at Titans
Chiefs: WR Rashee Rice, CB Trent McDuffie, OT Jaylon Moore, WR Tyquan Thornton, RB Dameon Pierce, OL CJ Hanson, DT Derrick Nnadi
Titans: OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OL Garrett Dellinger, OL Drew Moss, DL Cam Horsley, LB Cedric Gray, S Erick Hallett
Chargers at Cowboys
Chargers: WR Derius Davis, S RJ Mickens, EDGE Bud Dupree, OL Branson Taylor, OT Trey Pipkins, TE Tyler Conklin
Cowboys: DT Quinnen Williams, WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Caelen Carson, RB Jaydon Blue, DT Jay Toia, OT Tyler Guyton
Vikings at Giants
Vikings: LB Austin Keys, DT Javon Hargrave, OT Walter Rouse, QB John Wolford
Giants: LB Caleb Murphy, WR Ryan Miller, WR Jalin Hyatt, LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, G Jon Runyan, DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches, QB Russell Wilson
Bengals at Dolphins
Bengals: QB Jake Browning, WR Charlie Jones, DB Brayln Lux, S P.J. Jules, DE Joseph Ossai, TE Noah Fant, DT Jordan Jefferson
Dolphins: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, CB Isaiah Johnson, T Kendall Lamm, WR Tahj Washington, DT Matthew Butler, QB Tua Tagovailoa
Shough happens.
Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who got his first career start in Week 9, has a 3-3 record with three games to play. With a win over the Jets in the home finale on Sunday (the Saints are on the road against the Titans and Falcons to end the season), he’ll set the franchise record for wins by a rookie quarterback.
The current mark, shared with Shough, was set by Archie Manning in 1971. That year, Manning went 3-5-2 in 10 starts for the Saints.
Shough’s wins have come against the NFC South’s leaders, sweeping the Panthers and beating the Buccaneers in Week 14.
For the season, Shough has completed 144 of 216 passes for 1,484 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also has 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
He has played well enough to allow the Saints to give him a full offseason as QB1, without investing a high draft pick in another quarterback. It’s unclear where his ceiling will be, but he’s earned a chance to find it.
Under a new HC, the NYJ have zero INT.
Yes, the Jets haven’t picked off a pass in any of 14 regular-season games in 2025. Via NBC Sports research, it’s the longest single-season streak since turnovers became an official statistic in 1933. It’s also tied for the longest streak of all time, with the 2024-25 49ers.
The Jets’ quarterbacks have thrown 11 interceptions this year.
It’s one of the tangible reasons why the Jets are currently 3-11. And it’s one of the tangible reasons why defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was fired earlier this week.
The Jets close out the season with games against the Saints, Patriots, and Bills. If the Jets finish 3-14, it’ll be their worst season since the schedule expanded to 17 games, and their most losses since going 2-14 in 2020.
Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Jets have the longest current absence from the postseason as to any major American professional sports league. The Jets last qualified for the playoffs in 2010.
Jets quarterback Justin Fields isn’t ready to slam the door on playing again this season and he’s not ready to talk about his outlook for next season either.
Fields was benched after a Week 11 loss to the Patriots and he has not suited up for the last few games because of a knee injury. Fields was back at practice this week, but said on Friday that he doesn’t think he will “be ready on Sunday” to serve as rookie Brady Cook’s backup.
That role will likely go to Tyrod Taylor, who was also back at practice after missing Week 15. Fields said “of course” when asked if he hopes to play again before the season is over and said he has not thought about what the 2026 season has in store for him.
“I mean, I don’t know what I’m going to eat for dinner tonight, so I can’t even worry about what’s going to happen until after the season,” Fields said. via Dennis Waszak of the Associated Press. “We’ll just see and take it day by day.”
Fields signed a two-year deal with the Jets before this season and is due $10 million in guaranteed salary. It’s hard to see him returning to a starting role, but cutting him without a post-June 1 designation would leave the Jets with $22 million in dead money so they’ll have to consider all options about how to handle things with Fields in 2026.
