In a wild rollercoaster of a game in New Orleans, the Buccaneers may have walked away with a victory, but there were plenty of moments they won’t be happy about when they watch the film.
After squandering a 17-0 lead and falling behind 27-24 at halftime, the Bucs stormed back in the second half, scoring 27 unanswered points to secure a 51-27 win over the Saints. Quarterback Baker Mayfield played a crucial role in the ups and downs of the game.
Mayfield opened the scoring with a touchdown pass to Chris Godwin, but then proceeded to throw three interceptions in the second quarter, allowing the Saints to come back from their deficit. However, Mayfield redeemed himself in the second half, finding his rhythm and connecting with his receivers for big plays.
Mayfield finished the game with 24-of-36 for 325 yards and four touchdown passes. Running back Sean Tucker also had a standout performance with 136 rushing yards and a touchdown, along with some receiving yards to add to his impressive stats. The running game was further boosted by Bucky Irving’s 81 rushing yards and a score.
Despite the offensive explosion, the Buccaneers’ 594 total yards would have led to a more convincing win if not for the three turnovers that nearly cost them the game.
On the other side, Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler showed flashes of brilliance in the first half, but he crumbled under pressure in the final two quarters, throwing two costly interceptions that sealed the Saints’ fate. The loss marked the third consecutive defeat for the Saints, whose defense has struggled against high-powered offenses like the Chiefs and Bucs in recent games.
Looking ahead, the Saints face a quick turnaround as they prepare to host the Broncos on Thursday night, with uncertainty surrounding the availability of key players like wide receiver Chris Olave and the status of quarterback Derek Carr’s injury.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers will enjoy some extra rest before their Week Seven matchup against the Ravens on Monday night, giving them time to fine-tune their game and iron out the kinks exposed in their dramatic win in New Orleans.
