TAMPA, Fla. (WVUE) – Baker Mayfield hasn’t been shy recently about publicly expressing how much he and his Tampa Bay teammates dislike the Saints. Their animus only grew Sunday (Dec. 7).
Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough was good with his arm but extraordinary with his legs at Raymond James Stadium, rushing for two long touchdowns to lead New Orleans over the Buccaneers, 24-20.
New Orleans’ defense had to withstand a final drive led by the Buccaneers’ gunslinging quarterback that started with 1:41 to play. But Mayfield’s connection with tight end Cade Otton on fourth-and-4 was inches short at the Tampa Bay 29-yard line, giving the Saints the ball back on downs.
In a back-and-forth game that saw five lead changes, the Saints (3-10) won for just the second time since Oct. 6. Their road victory also threw a wrench into the Buccaneers’ push to win their fifth consecutive NFC South title.
With the loss, the Bucs slipped to 7-6, and into a tie with the Carolina Panthers for the division lead. The Panthers were on a bye this weekend.
Shough, who got loose for a 34-yard scoring run in the third quarter, ran it in from 13 yards out with 8:26 to play. His second TD gave the Saints a lead they would not surrender.
With much of the game played in a driving South Florida rain, the Buccaneers struggled at times to match the Saints’ urgency and desire. Tampa Bay pulled within four points on a 37-yard Chase McLaughlin field goal in the final five minutes, but 24-20 was as close as they could get.
The Saints erased Tampa’s last lead with 1:32 left in the third quarter, on a 30-yard field goal by Irish kicker Charlie Smyth for a 17-17 tie.
Bucs running back Sean Tucker put Tampa ahead with 7:37 left in the third quarter, as he punched through the middle of the Saints’ defensive line for a 1-yard touchdown. After McLaughlin’s extra point, Tampa Bay held a 17-14 lead.
That seven-play, 65-yard scoring drive took just 3:50 off the clock, as the Buccaneers erased a key mistake coming out of halftime. Mayfield had been intercepted by Alontae Taylor near midfield, and three plays later, Shough got around the left end and burst 34 yards into the end zone to help put New Orleans up 14-10.
That gave the Saints their first lead since the opening minutes. New Orleans jumped in front early, after an electric 54-yard return of the opening kickoff by Mason Tipton.
That set up a six-play, 45-yard scoring drive on New Orleans’ first possession, capped by a 3-yard scoring run by rookie running back Devin Neal for his first NFL touchdown.
Tampa Bay responded immediately, taking its first drive 67 yards on seven plays. Running back Bucky Irving took a Mayfield screen pass 24 yards into the end zone to help tie things, 7-7.
Shough was intercepted for the fifth time this season with 11:20 left in the first half, which set up a 41-yard field goal by McLaughlin for a 10-7 Bucs lead. That margin held into halftime.
The Saints return home next Sunday, hosting Carolina in a 3:25 p.m. game at Caesars Superdome. The Bucs face Atlanta next weekend as they struggle to regain their division lead.
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