Additional game details (points in bold):
The Bucs got the ball first to start the game, but failed to pick up a first. Brady went over to Rob Gronkowski deep below the left margin, but the ball was just outside the diving tighthead’s fingertips. At the ensuing point, returning man Deonte Harris hit a hit from Jaydon Mickens just as he caught the ball and then found the right sideline for a 54-yard return to the Bucs’ 21-yard line.
White celebrated his return to action with a tackle from Kamara for no win in the first game, but a short pass to Emmanuel Sanders hit a personal foul in the end and it took first place and the goal on the made seven. The Bucs defense forced the Saints into a third goal and CB Carlton Davis had a tight cover over Thomas, who could not stay at a level just outside the boundary. The Saints finished with 23 L with the goal of 23 meters and led by 4:30.
The second possession of Tampa Bay did not go better as Brady was sacked by LB Demario Davis in third and sixth place, leading to a point from the 19-yard line. Harris took this one all the way to the end zone for an apparent touch, but most of it was wiped out by a penalty-in-the-back penalty. New Orleans finishes after the penalty goal with an own start of their own 30.
A dive pass by CB Sean Murphy-Bunting and another quick tackle by White put the Saints in a quick third-and-11, but Brees passed a 13-pass in a well-covered Tre’Quan Smith around the ride to retain. alive. OLB Jason Pierre-Paul was named because he tripped Kamara on a run in the middle, and Kamara took his next run around the left wing for 10 yards and a first-round finish on the Bucs ’35. -and-nine on the Bucs ’24, and OLB Jason Pierre-Paul managed to hit Brees’ third pass to force another field goal. Lutz drilled it from 42 yards out for a 6-0 lead.
The Bucs started again on their own 25 and got an eight-year run by Jones after a first completion to make it third-and-two. Jones was stopped inches short on the third down, but the Bucs stopped it on the fourth down, and Brady could only get enough power for a first shot on a QB sneak in the middle. Fournette came back to deliver two straight strong runs and a first, and then Brady went deep into the middle to Evans, but Marshon Lattimore was able to knock it off in the final second. Two plays later, on third and fifth after a foul in the neutral zone, Brady threw a quick tunnel screen at Godwin and it was good for a first discount on the Saints ’35. The first quarter ran on a yard Jones.
The first play of the second period was a sharp 16-year strike from Brate to the 17 for a first discount. Fournette turned on the middle for six yards and then got three more on the second down. Brady tried to get it at Gronkowski at the goal line on third down, but S Malcolm Jenkins made a great play to break it up and Ryan Succop scored a 26-goal goal.
The next ride of the Saints began with Kamara strengthening the gut for 11 yards. Two snaps later, however, Brees was put under pressure by a white flash, and Murphy-Bunting was able to subdue Thomas and pick up the pace at the 39-year-old pace. Murphy-Bunting was stiff-armed from a Thomas suit and was able to manage to send it back to the three-yard line. The Bucs only need one game to score from there, with Brady throwing a quick arrow at Evans to set up the visitors, 10-6.
The Bucs almost got a three-and-out on the next Saints ride, but a third downward defensive call on Murphy-Bunting kept it alive. After a Brees third-and-one sneak led to another first at the Saints ’44, New Orleans dug into their pocket tricks to take the lead back on a big play. Winston stood wide to the right and Kamara took a shotgun and then handed it to Sanders, who then transferred it to Winston. Meanwhile, Smith opened wide in the middle and Winston easily hit him for a 56-yard touchdown run.
Two runs from Jones made it third-and-two, and Brady tried to hit Brown deep below the right sideline. S Marcus Williams apparently intercepted the pass when he went out of bounds, but a review showed he did not get two feet down. That brought the ball back to the Bucs ’34 and led to a point that took it to the eighth of the Saints with six and a half minutes left.
Two catches by Sanders brought the Saints to their own 40, but an amazing open-field barrel from Murphy-Bunting on TE Josh Hill made it third and 11 moments later. Kamara came on a short catch on the right to make it fourth-and-two on the 48. The Saints left the offense on the field and possibly tried to pull an offside flag but a bounce from Will Gholston drew a false sign. started punishing and the Saints had to score. Mickens fair caught it on the Bucs ’18.
A short run-up and an unfinished hand by Fournette’s hands make it third and eighth when the two-minute warning arrives. After break, Fournette caught the next one and turned it up just to get past the sticks. Two plays later, another short pass to Fournette worked out well as he staggered 14 yards to the Saints ’49. With 54 seconds left, the Bucs called a timeout, with a third and two on the Saints’ 41st break, Brady handed over to Fournette from the gun and the game was good for seven yards and a first down. Brown got a ten-yard pass on the right sideline in the next game but did not get off limits and the Bucs used their second timeout with 27 seconds left. A false start by Stinnie pushed the ball back to the 29, and an almost touch two plays later would not be when the ball rolled out of Godwin’s grip to a grip in the back of the end zone. Brady found Brate for 10 yards on third and 15 to ease the goal off the field and Succop tied the game with a 37-meter goal when the time in the first half expired.
The Saints got the ball to start the second half and quickly got it close to midfield with a succession of runs and short passes, which ended in a third-and-one sneak by Brady all the way to the Saints’ 48. Kamara then stormed on the right guard for a 17-year acquisition for the Bucs ’35. Kamara somehow turned a loss into a six-year turn by breaking several tackles and Brees found Ty Montgomery in the middle for a 13-yard completion and a first-round finish at the Bucs ’16. Two plays later, Brees hit a perfect pass to Smith near the right pylon for the break..
Bucs’ response started with a run and a catch by Fournette that moved the chains, but the ride then stopped and the ensuing point was pretty much caught by the Saints ’16. The Bucs apparently stopped quickly, thanks in part to a white suit for loss, but Murphy-Bunting was marked for interfering with the pace on the third down. S Antione Winfield, Jr., almost intercepted Brees’ next fight, and two plays later he forced a gimmick by TE Jared Cook. White scooped up the loose ball and returned it 18 yards to the 40 of the Saints.
Brady found an open Brate for 19 yards in the next game and Jones followed with a difficult, stack-pressing 10-yard run in the middle, all the way to the Saints ’11. Three plays later, on third and fifth, Brady found Fournette cut across the middle and the fourth year back made a juggling catch when he crossed the goal line to level the game again with two minutes left in the third quarter.
Once again, the Bucs apparently got a stop to see an illegal use of hands calling for a third finish – this one on Jamel Dean on the other side of the field – keeping the ride alive. Luckily, the Bucs quickly got pressure three times later with a four-man rush and Brady’s rushed throw was knocked away by CB Ross Cockrell.
After the Saints’ point, the Bucs restarted on their own 21 with less than a minute left in the third quarter. A hard-hitting six-yard drive by Jones brought the third quarter to an end. Two plays in the fourth quarter sparked Jones for a run of 44 yards, but the game was wiped out by a call on T Tristan Wirfs. The Bucs still managed to keep the ride alive when rookie WR Tyler Johnson made a brilliant, spinning catch on the right sideline for 15 yards on third-and-11. The Bucs faced a third down again moments later, but WR Scotty Miller ran a sharp out-and-on route and caught a good move between two defenders for 29 yards to the Saints ’31. After a timeout from Bucs, Jones made a turn and ran a 12-yard run in the red zone. The ride stopped there and Succop put the Bucs’ 23-20 lead on a 36-yard goal..
The Saints started again at their 25 with just under 10 minutes of regulation and quickly fell into a third-and-six. Brees hit Sanders on a submission and Sanders was able to fly over a branch of Winfield to cross the sticks. Two plays later, however, White came up with the third pick from Bucs and selected a pass intended for Kamara, returning it 28 yards along the left sideline to the 20 of the Saints.
At the second play of the ensuing ride, Brady Gronkowski hit deep and the big tight end stayed inside and got to the four of the Saints. Two plays later, Brady kept it on the second goal and could only dive over the line behind G Ali Marpet. Succop hit the extra point for a Bucs lead of ten points with five minutes of play.
The Bucs concluded the Saints’ next ride with their fourth take away. After one first turn, Brees tried to go from the right sideline to Cook, but David withdrew the tight end of it to catch up, and Edwards overtook it to make the choice, keeping only his toes in the direction of the Bucs ’48. The Bucs ran the ball twice with Fournette to drain some Saints time-outs and then a quick screen to Godwin was good for 13 yards and a key first down. Fournette then ran the ball three more times, the entire left guard, and the last one picked up five yards on the third and tries to end the game effectively. Three knee-down after the two-minute warning made it official.