Saints QB Tyler Shough must face the surging Rams' vaunted pass rush in his first NFL start

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Shough knows exactly what he's up against when he makes his first NFL start for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

The rookie quarterback has watched enough of Jared Verse, Byron Young and the Los Angeles Rams' relentless pass rush to realize he's beginning the next phase of his career with a high degree of difficulty.

“They’re probably the best in the league just from a disruptive standpoint, attacking the quarterback," Shough said. "So I’ve got to do my role and protect the ball, be ready to step up, find different lanes and just be comfortable back there. ... Their defense is incredibly good.”

The Rams (5-2) are second in the league with 26 sacks, yet they aren't just relying on their rush. Los Angeles' overall defensive play has been uniformly solid, bu