Is Shough the Perfect Fit for Kellen Moore?

The New Orleans Saints (6-10) are rolling with Tyler Shough as the team's starting quarterback. Since taking over the team, Shough is 5-3 as a starter after the Saints started the season 1-7.

The success is not by accident, and perhaps is a biproduct of a perfect fit with new head coach Kellen Moore at the helm.

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Brett Martel of the "Associated Press" argues Shough and Moore have positive "synergy" in working together to turn around the Saints organization. Martel discussed how well the first year of Tyler Shough is going for New Orleans so far.

"With New Orleans (6-10) trailing NFC South-leading Carolina (8-8) by just two games with one week left in the regular season, one can only wonder if New Orleans would still be in the division race had Shough been named the starter earlier.

Moore contends that Shough's success has stemmed from having to prove himself on the scout team in practice — against New Orleans' first-team defense — during the first two months of the season.

As Moore explained it, being on the scout team allowed Shough to work on his composure in collapsing pockets and his scrambling ability, and to learn the types of throws he could make against NFL defenders, who close on the ball more quickly than those the former Louisville QB faced in college a year ago."

Shough would not be the first scout team success story, and likely will not be the last. New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore may have erred on the side of caution rather than rushing his rookie quarterback onto the field too soon. What is clear is that Shough was ready to play when his name was called. It's a testament to the job Moore has done this season.

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There is perhaps no more important or delicate relationship than the one between the quarterback and head coach. When it's good, the duo can take on any opponent with confidence. When a quarterback and coach are not on the same page chaos ensues.

Moore is certainly a good teacher of the quarterback position in general. There's plenty of evidence of former positive quarterback-coach interactions between former signal callers and Moore. Yet what he's been able to do with Shough in short order is on another level

The Saints have starting to put things together regardless of how late things have fallen into place. New Orleans has its quarterback-coach synergy to thank.