The Buccaneers’ win over the Saints was certainly an up and down affair. After the heartbreak that the Bucs suffered on Thursday night, many had that “here we go again,” mentality. Good thing for fans that the Bucs, themselves, did not.
But what were the key moments in the game that really changed what was happening?
These appear in chronological order, not order of importance
1.) Tykee And Tweeze
After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive for the third straight game, the Bucs defense took the field as Spencer Rattler tried to lead the Saints’ offense for the first time in his career. Tykee Smith had other plans. On 2nd-and-15, Rattler looked to Chris Olave to get things going from the Buccaneers’ 48-yard line. Olave made the catch and was promptly stripped of the ball by Tykee Smith. The fumble was then scooped up and returned for a touchdown by Antoine Winfield Jr., who was returning after missing four games with a foot injury. The score put the Bucs up 14-0 in the first seven minutes of the game and it looked like the route was on.
2.) Special Teams, Special Players, Special Plays
With the Bucs leading 17-3, the offense began to sputter and were forced to punt. Jake Camarda, his first action in three weeks, booted a solid punt into the hands of Rashid Shaheed - and then the game turned. Coverage was sloppy and Shaheed’s speed took advantage, getting into the end zone on a 54-yard return touchdown and giving the Saints life in the process.
3.) From Snowball To Avalanche
On the ensuing drive, Baker Mayfield was looking at 2nd-and-17 after an eight yard run from Bucky Irving was negated on an unsportsmanlike penalty from Sterling Shepard. Mayfield went back to the future Hall Of Famer Mike Evans, but didn’t see Paulson Adebo waiting in the wings. Adebo intercepted Mayfield’s pass and returned it to the Bucs’ 13-yard line. While the defense held the Saints to a field goal, that was the first of two straight possessions where Mayfield was intercepted and the Saints were able to gain the lead. Having come right after the punt return touchdown, the momentum pendulum swung all the way to New Orleans’ side.
4.) Rod God The Reliable
In the third quarter, the Buccaneers defense started off strong, forcing the Saints to punt on each of their first two possessions. After some solid runs by Sean Tucker and Bucky Irving, Mayfield and the offense were looking at 2nd-and-5 from their own 45-yard line. A quick screen to Chris Godwin should have resulted in about three or four yards - but Godwin was able to break multiple tackles close to the line to gain and he was off to the races. That moment, to me, was the biggest one of the game. Not only did it give the Bucs the lead back at 31-27, but it seemed to calm Mayfield down after we started to see some happy feet in the pocket. It got the offense back on track and really shifted the game back into the Bucs’ favor. From then on, it was both an offensive and defensive onslaught from the Buccaneers as they would force two interceptions and a punt while the offense never let off the gas again.
5.) Tucker Time
This is more than a singular moment, but it’s the effectiveness of Sean Tucker in the fourth quarter. Tucker, who finished with 136 rushing yards on fourteen carries, had 107 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter alone. 64 of those yards came on the Bucs’ final possession where the Bucs went 64 yards in six plays and all six plays were runs by Tucker. He not only ran 2:24 off the clock, but he put the Bucs over 50 points for the game and capped off the best game from a Tampa Bay running back this season. The Bucs have been looking for that guy that can run the ball effectively late in games to wear down the clock and they may have just found it in Sean Tucker.
The Buccaneers’ win over the Saints was certainly an up and down affair. After the heartbreak that the Bucs suffered on Thursday night, many had that “here we go again,” mentality. Good thing for fans that the Bucs, themselves, did not.
But what were the key moments in the game that really changed what was happening?
These appear in chronological order, not order of importance
1.) Tykee And Tweeze
After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive for the third straight game, the Bucs defense took the field as Spencer Rattler tried to lead the Saints’ offense for the first time in his career. Tykee Smith had other plans. On 2nd-and-15, Rattler looked to Chris Olave to get things going from the Buccaneers’ 48-yard line. Olave made the catch and was promptly stripped of the ball by Tykee Smith. The fumble was then scooped up and returned for a touchdown by Antoine Winfield Jr., who was returning after missing four games with a foot injury. The score put the Bucs up 14-0 in the first seven minutes of the game and it looked like the route was on.
2.) Special Teams, Special Players, Special Plays
With the Bucs leading 17-3, the offense began to sputter and were forced to punt. Jake Camarda, his first action in three weeks, booted a solid punt into the hands of Rashid Shaheed - and then the game turned. Coverage was sloppy and Shaheed’s speed took advantage, getting into the end zone on a 54-yard return touchdown and giving the Saints life in the process.
3.) From Snowball To Avalanche
On the ensuing drive, Baker Mayfield was looking at 2nd-and-17 after an eight yard run from Bucky Irving was negated on an unsportsmanlike penalty from Sterling Shepard. Mayfield went back to the future Hall Of Famer Mike Evans, but didn’t see Paulson Adebo waiting in the wings. Adebo intercepted Mayfield’s pass and returned it to the Bucs’ 13-yard line. While the defense held the Saints to a field goal, that was the first of two straight possessions where Mayfield was intercepted and the Saints were able to gain the lead. Having come right after the punt return touchdown, the momentum pendulum swung all the way to New Orleans’ side.
4.) Rod God The Reliable
In the third quarter, the Buccaneers defense started off strong, forcing the Saints to punt on each of their first two possessions. After some solid runs by Sean Tucker and Bucky Irving, Mayfield and the offense were looking at 2nd-and-5 from their own 45-yard line. A quick screen to Chris Godwin should have resulted in about three or four yards - but Godwin was able to break multiple tackles close to the line to gain and he was off to the races. That moment, to me, was the biggest one of the game. Not only did it give the Bucs the lead back at 31-27, but it seemed to calm Mayfield down after we started to see some happy feet in the pocket. It got the offense back on track and really shifted the game back into the Bucs’ favor. From then on, it was both an offensive and defensive onslaught from the Buccaneers as they would force two interceptions and a punt while the offense never let off the gas again.
5.) Tucker Time
This is more than a singular moment, but it’s the effectiveness of Sean Tucker in the fourth quarter. Tucker, who finished with 136 rushing yards on fourteen carries, had 107 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter alone. 64 of those yards came on the Bucs’ final possession where the Bucs went 64 yards in six plays and all six plays were runs by Tucker. He not only ran 2:24 off the clock, but he put the Bucs over 50 points for the game and capped off the best game from a Tampa Bay running back this season. The Bucs have been looking for that guy that can run the ball effectively late in games to wear down the clock and they may have just found it in Sean Tucker.
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