The Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday night. The Bucs lost an overtime thriller on Thursday night football against Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Braves. The New Orleans Saints entered the matchups losers of three straight games, including on Monday night football against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bucs spent the week in New Orleans as they escaped Florida as Hurricane Milton was barrelling down the state. They practiced at Yulman Stadium, which is the football stadium for Tulane University.
Spencer Rattler made his first pro start after Derek Carr was ruled out with an oblique injury, which his timetable is uncertain.
The Bucs opened up with a touchdown, after Baker Mayfield threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin, which was accelerated with a 22-yard reception by Mike Evans and Bucky Irving’s 15-yard run.
Chris Olave fumbled a completion of a pass by Rattler and Antoine Winfield Jr. returned it to the house for 58 yards, and Chase McLaughlin kicked a 26-yard field goal as the Bucs ended the first quarter with a 17-0 lead.
The Saints scored 20 straight unanswered points in the second quarter as Rashid Shaheed returned a punt for a touchdown, and Rattler’s first career touchdown pass to Bub Means.
2023 undrafted free agent running back Sean Tucker had his first career touchdown on a 36-yard reception from Mayfield, as the Bucs took back the lead late in the second, however Alvin Kamara took it back with a four-yard touchdown run as the Bucs ended the first half with a 27-24 deficit to the Saints.
The Bucs would not allow another point from the Saints in the second half as Mayfield had two second half touchdown passes, and both Irving and Tucker had rushing touchdowns as the Bucs won 51-27.
Mayfield went 24/36 with 325 passing yards, four touchdown, and three interceptions, as it is his second four-touchdown game this season and the Bucs went for a total of 594 yards, which was the most in a game in franchise history, and their 51 points is the second-most points they scored in a game in franchise history. The most was 55 points in a victory against the Los Angeles Rams in Week Four of the 2019 season.
Godwin had 11 receptions, 125 receiving yards, and two touchdowns (all season highs), and Tucker rushed for 136 yards, despite entering the game with a total of 30 yards rushing last season and this season.
Rattler had 22/40 with 243 yards with one touchdown, and two interceptions in his debut. Means also had his first career touchdown on the pass by Rattler, as he got his first five receptions of his career with 45 yards. Means was a fifth round pick by the Saints in this year’s draft.
Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. Along with Carr, the Saints were also missing Taysom Hill, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, and guard Lucas Patrick as the offense was shorthanded in the game. Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu left the game with a forearm injury in the first half.
The Bucs will face Baltimore on Monday night football at 8:15 pm on ESPN, while Rattler is expected to start against Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos on Thursday night football on Prime Video.
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